Kitchen Faucet Buying Guide

Here are more than a few aspects you have to keep in mind while choosing the best kitchen faucet for your home! You might fall in love with a chic and shiny fixture but remember! Function and ergonomics are equally important if not more!

The Top Things to Consider When Buying a Kitchen Faucet

Types of Faucets

Faucet mounts vary from wall mounted and sink mounted. Wall mounted faucets are fixed faucets with limitations of usage. The tap can only pivot to the right or left and the nozzle usually doesn’t pull out.
Plus, if you have over storage cabinets above your sink you may not be able to choose this type. Spout reach and height must be taken into consideration as well. These lengths determine how efficient you will use the faucet you choose.

Sink mounted faucets allow the water flow to reach the middle of the sink and these fixtures usually are accompanied with pull out spray heads. You must be sure the water inlets are consistent with your homes’ water lines! Both types of fixtures consist of temperature levers. Dual (hot – cold separate) levers are more traditional whereas single lever faucets seem more appealing and also easier to use these days.
Also, check out which kitchen sinks are the best?

Exterior Design

Traditional faucets usually come in shiny chrome textures, but these days stainless steel is more efficient to use. The surface of the kitchen faucet you choose must be corrosion and stain resistance. Of course, it has to look good, but will you still adore your faucet if you have to spend a great deal of time cleaning it?
Most leading brands come with chrome, bronze and matte black designs which look really great and don’t require a lot of cleaning time. There are many designs that will blow you away! Newer technologies are mostly spot resistant!

Sink Shape and Amount

Those who have large kitchens prefer double sinks. You can pile your dishes on one side while washing on the other. If you own a double sink it is important that the faucet fixture has a wide rotation span.
And if you have a lot of deep pots and pans you prefer to wash by hand, it is also important that you consider the height of the arc.
If you use a single sink and have limited space, you might want to consider using a single lever faucet.
Our kitchen habits are what determine the type of faucet we choose. If you do a lot of outer sink filling, a pull-out spray-head is a necessity.

Maneuverability

Pull-Out and Pull-Down Spray-Heads simplify kitchen chores and tasks immediately.

Pull-out fixtures usually have longer hoses to be able to complete outer sink tasks with ease. These types of faucet heads are essential if your kitchen has a limited amount of space. The spray head is usually more flexible so you will be causing less of a splash with this kind of spray-head.

On the other hand, pull-down spray hands have the company of gravity, hence giving these types of kitchen fixtures the upper hand in heavy-duty scrubbing. Pull down faucets are also ideal for those who own deep pots and big pans. The extra height gives more maneuverability and more flow power.
In the end, it is completely the end consumers’ choice of which to choose from but pull down systems are more useful in industrial kitchens and the modern day cook is not to be underestimated!

Dual or Two-Handle Faucets

Faucets come from a long and sturdy past origin. There are Single hand units, which require a single or double hole setting depending on the capability of controlling the temperature of the water.

Double hand units where you can command hot and cold separately. They need 3 different holes to adapt the unit to the sink or countertop.

There isn’t a definitive difference among single or double handle faucets. Modern-day faucets can achieve the same task with a single lever! Sprayers on another hand are specially developed components for kitchens. Some models include the faucet head and sprayer piece together. Today you can find faucets with the sprayer on the side or even integrated into it.