I have long been a fan of the apron sink, but I have never seen a metal one. The patina on this thing is gorgeous. So, I'm guessing the plus sides to a metal sink are: easier to clean (you won't get those black marks that happen on the white porcelain type ones)... That's all I can think of, but that's a big plus. I'm wondering if this is just always cold and uncomfortable when you lean on it to wash dishes...