What to Consider Before Purchasing a New Kitchen Faucet

Nobody thinks too much about their kitchen faucet until it’s time to spend real money on a new one. Whether you’re installing a brand new kitchen or just looking to freshen up the edges by replacing your existing faucet (or your faucet has failed you and stopped working properly), you’ve suddenly realized that there are a lot more decisions to make when choosing a kitchen faucet. than you could imagine.

Choosing the right faucet for your kitchen is an important decision. Not only is the faucet central to your design, making its appearance a critical aspect of any remodel, but it’s also something you’ll likely touch and use multiple times every day. Making the wrong choice will set you up for a tiny bit of disappointment every time you wash dishes, or actually reduce the usability and efficiency of your kitchen. However, don’t worry: choosing the right kitchen faucet is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance.

Measurements

Before you start thinking about the style and function of your faucet, you should take some measurements . Faucets are not a one-size-fits-all fixture—you’ll need to consider the size of your kitchen when making your decision.

First, measure the sink – width, height and depth. Measure from the center of the faucet mount (usually one or more holes just behind the sink, but see below for additional options) to the center of the sink. You’ll want to make sure your faucet doesn’t protrude any further, otherwise you’ll have a hard time not splashing water all over the floor.

Measure from the back edge of the sink to the wall. If you’re not going to use a wall-mounted faucet, you’ll need to make sure the faucet you choose will fit into that space without blocking its movement. Then measure from the countertop to the bottom of the cabinets above (if any). Faucets can range from very short to very, very tall, so you’ll want to know what height you can manage.

• Pro Tip: If you are installing the faucet on a counter, add a few inches to this measurement because you may need extra vertical inches when installing the faucet. It will have to be lifted so that its stem can be placed in the hole drilled for it. If your upper cabinet doesn’t have enough space to fit the faucet in place, you’ll have problems.

Finally, when replacing an existing faucet, look at how it is installed. Count the number of holes you are dealing with (usually one to five) and measure their diameter. It’s possible to upgrade from a faucet that uses more holes to a faucet that uses fewer holes—and you can drill new holes if you want to change that—but this should be part of the plan, not a sudden surprise when you unbox your new faucet . and start installing it.

Now that you know the basic parameters you’re dealing with, you can think about the faucet style that defines you as a person.

Styles

When it comes to kitchen faucets, there are a range of basic styles to choose from. There is some overlap and a lot of variation here, so the answer to the question of how many styles of kitchen faucets there are will vary depending on who you ask, but the basics boil down to this:

• One-handed. Yes, there is exactly one handle here. You move it horizontally and vertically to adjust the pressure and ratio of hot and cold water. They are ideal for small spaces (especially limited counter space since they can be installed in a single hole). The downside is that you will never figure out how to properly balance hot and cold water.

• Double handle. If you have a little more space or just like the look, a two-handle faucet will give you more precise control over the temperature balance. This may require one to three holes.

• Bridge. A bridge faucet is a two-handle faucet with two handles connected to a central spout in an inverted “T” shape. They require one to three holes and are usually best suited for larger sinks.

• Wall. A wall-mounted faucet protrudes from the wall in front of the sink. These require running plumbing into the wall, and they aren’t easy to add to an existing kitchen – you’ll have to open up the wall and hire a plumber. But if you have a small countertop or undermount sink that doesn’t allow you to drill holes in the countertop, a wall-mounted faucet is the right choice.

It all comes down to how much space you have and how important it is to control the water temperature. Little space and still? One handle is best. Large sink and need to reach the set temperature within three degrees? A double-handle or bridge-shaped faucet is best.

Details

Once you’ve decided on the basic style you want, it’s time to get down to the details:

• Holes. As mentioned above, unless you are installing a wall-mounted model, most faucets require one to five holes drilled into the stud. There is some flexibility here – you can buy deck plates (also known as trims) (some faucets come with deck plates) that cover the holes you don’t need in the new faucet. You can also buy bridge type and double handle faucets which require only one or two holes even though they have separate taps for hot and cold water. And if you want, you can drill additional holes in the rack to install a different type of faucet. But the easiest way is to always choose a faucet that will have the same number of holes as the existing one.

  If you have more than one opening, you may also want to consider installing a faucet with a separate sprayer or soap dispenser—or both.

• Nose. The spout is where the water comes out, and there are a few considerations:

  • Straight. A straight spout that projects upward at an angle allows it to be placed under low cabinets or other areas where space is limited. They can rotate from side to side or be stationary.

  • Arched. You may see them called gooseneck faucets; The spout curves downwards like the handle of an upside-down umbrella. They usually require more vertical space. Also, look at your measurements again to make sure the arch doesn’t extend too far—it should sit over the center of the sink. There are also versions of the arched spout called pre-rinse or “professional” faucets – these are faucets with spring coils and fancy accessories designed for the commercial kitchen. They are designed for high flow rates for washing dirty dishes or rinsing items while cooking. They can look cool in your casual kitchen (and come in handy if you cook a lot), but they also require more vertical space.

  • Vessel. The vessel-shaped faucet is designed to work with vessel-shaped sinks. They tend to be taller, have a very short spout and are not suitable for traditional or undermount sinks.

• Spray. These days, most faucets come with a sprayer. This can either be a separate part (requiring a separate hole in the rack) or built into the spout in one of two ways:

  • Pop-up sprayers are usually located on arched spouts. You go down to use them.

  • Pull-out sprayers are usually used with straight spouts. You pull them towards you to use them.

• Valves. How the faucet controls the flow of water matters; There are four main valve designs, each with their own pros and cons:

  • Ball. A ball valve has a single handle on the top that rotates the ball valve to open or close the hot and cold water supply. They tend to be the most affordable, but also the most prone to leaks.

  • Cartridge. In these faucets, the valve assembly is located inside a replaceable cartridge. This makes them relatively easy to repair, although mileage will depend on how long the cartridge lasts as they are susceptible to hard water buildup.

  • Compression. It’s old school: you turn a knob and washers to open and close them to control the flow of water (they’re still often seen on hose fittings). They tend to leak, but are usually fairly easy to fix with a new washer.

  • Ceramic disc. Latest valve technology used: Ceramic valves are leak-free and last longer than other valves. This makes them generally a better choice.

Additionally

Other considerations to take into account when selecting a faucet include:

• Filters. Some faucets have a built-in water filtration feature that allows you to get clean, purified water straight from the tap.

• Lighting. Some kitchen faucets come with LED lighting , which can be useful when using the faucet in low light conditions. Some LED faucets also change the color of the LED light depending on the temperature of the water, giving you a visual clue whether you’re about to dip your hands into lava or glacier.

• Touch/contactless. Like everything else these days, you can buy smart faucets with varying degrees of smartness . These features usually include the ability to turn on the faucet by touching it, using a motion sensor, or even voice activation. This can be a great feature if you have constantly dirty hands and don’t want to get your shiny faucet dirty, or if you just like to be in command of your kitchen.

Finally, consider how you will use your faucet. If you regularly prepare gourmet meals, a tall arch with touchless activation is your best bet. Think your kitchen is a place where you keep soda in the refrigerator and shoes in the oven? A simple straight tap may be sufficient. And of course, you can also just buy a faucet because it looks cool.

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