Choosing a Kitchen Faucet

Find the perfect faucet to fit your lifestyle.

Selecting a Kitchen Faucet

Kitchen faucets are considered the single most often used faucet in homes. They are also a prominent part of a high-traffic area of which guests often see. Fitting your faucet into your chosen decor can be an important decision, but finding one that will also last through the regular use (and abuse) is also key.

Kitchen Faucets now come in a huge selection of different styles/shapes, finishes, and functions. Below are some important points and ideas to help you choose a kitchen faucet to fit your needs!

Handles for kitchen faucets come in several styles:

Knob

Knob handles are often made from clear acrylic, as it's considered a durable and sanitary (nonabsorbent) material.

Lever

Lever handles are often preferred as they can be turned on with a single finger with little effort. Most often these are also considered ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant.

Cross

Cross handles are considered an older style of handle, but can make for an attractive faucet.

Bladed

Bladed handles were also an older style, not as commonly used or seen in current design styles. The "blade" is termed after the flattened part of the lever handle.

The actual configuration of the handles also differs greatly. Kitchen faucets usually come in a two handle or single handle model:

Double Handle

Double Handles can come in models with the handles directly on the faucet, allowing only a single hole in the sink/counter to be used, or with individually mounted handles in their own faucet holes.

Single Handle

Single Handle faucets often are made to fit through a single hole, but usually have an included escutcheon plate (base plate) that can reach out to cover the extra holes that most sinks offer.

When looking at a kitchen faucet that comes with an escutcheon plate, look for the words "Optional" or "Single or Three Hole Application", as this means that the faucet can be mounted with or without the base plate. Some models, the plate is required for mounting the faucet, and may not be intended for a single hole installation.

Handles Sold Seperately

On occasion, you might notice that a faucet would be sold without handles or state that they are purchased seperately. Faucet manufacturers sometimes do this so that the highest availability of stock might be made for customers as retailers can stock the handles and faucet seperately rather than all the different faucet/handle combinations. Total cost of both the handles and the faucet together rarely add up to more than if the faucet came complete, thus purchasing the handles seperately allows for a customer to customize their faucet to match their needs without an extra hit in the pocketbook.

Spout Types

Kitchen faucets have a number of different spouts and spout sizes to fit many different applications. Some of the more common types are:

Vintage/Victorian Style:

Offers an attractive vintage look that can compliment most antique decor.

Simple Fixed or Rigid:

Often the most economic choice, offers a traditional solid swing spout.

Gooseneck (High-arch):

Excellent for a higher clearance for larger pots or other in-sink projects.

Pull-out Spray:

Versatile with a pull-out spray head rather than a side spray in a separate hole.

One last type of kitchen faucet spout would be an integrated filtration spout. These often look similar to a simple or rigid spout, except they have a filter system built into the spout itself. Read more about this below under "Filtration".

Filtration

More and more often, people and families have been using water filtration for drinking and cooking. Often a undercounter or house-wide filter system might be used. As an alternative several manufacturers now offer kitchen faucets with the system and filter integrated into the faucet's spout.

There is usually an indicator on the top or end of the spout which shows the life of the filter or that it needs to be changed. A switch may also be on the spout to change from filtered water to normal tap water, as the water flow is often reduced when the filter is in use.

Spray Types

A great feature available to most kitchen faucets are retractable spray heads. These come in two distinct styles: the traditional side spray (also known as a vegetable spray) and a integreated "pull-out spray" which also doubles as the faucet's spout. Both can be removed from their mounting with a hose that provides water supply and have a button that activates the spray.

Side sprays are mounted to the side of the spout and have their own mounting hole. These can be mounted through or to the side of an escutcheon plate, keeping the installation to three holes or filling four holes:

The button on a side spray, when pressed, will divert the water from faucet spout (when the faucet is already on) to the spray.

Q. Can I add a side-spray to my current kitchen faucet?

A. Unfortunatley, a faucet must be purchased with a side spray - they cannot be added on afterwards (most models). There is an integrated diverter and a hose attachment port at the bottom that the non-spray models usually do not have. Most often, the only solution to adding a spray would be to replace the entire faucet.

Pull-out Spray

If you want to keep the faucet to a single hole installation or just prefer a more modern look, the pull-out spray is a good option. Pull out sprays usually have two "pull" types - a pull-out wand or a pull-down spray head. Wands often have a good section of the spout attached that when pulled out allow you to place a full hand on the wand for a full grip. Pull-down sprays are often used on the high-arch or gooseneck style faucets, where the curve of the faucet may not allow for a wand length to be used, so just the spray head would be pulled out to use:

Pull-out wand:

Pull-down spray:

Both side sprays and pull-out sprays can be useful for kitchen faucets for cleaning, watering, washing vegetables, etc. The choice between them is usually determined by the installation needs of how many holes are available and the look that seems most attractive.

Faucet Construction

A faucet's internal construction can greatly affect it's durability, price, and functionality. Duribility is often a large concern as it can determine how often you'll be seeing your plumber or how soon you will have to replace your purchase.

Durability of finish is an important concern as no one likes it when their faucet starts developing a green tarnish.

In addition to the faucet's finish, the construction of the base faucet is important. The base material often used is plastic or brass. Plastic is much less expensive, but has a lower durability. Brass is more costly, but is often the preferred choice as it has a increased durability and withstands high temperatures well. Brass can also come in different variations, as the faucet core might be solid brass or cored brass (hollow). Again - the more brass used means more expensive but more durable and vice versa.

The construction of the faucets valves is also important, as they control water flow. Below are the different types of commonly used valves:

Seat and Springs

These are spring loaded washers (seats) that, when turned, are compressed and shut off the water flow. Usually easy and inexpensive to replace, but have a shorter wear.

Plastic, brass or stainless steel ball valve

Used in single handle faucets, this allows the mixing of the two water inlets and controlling the pressure through a single valve by rotating handle/valve left or right for temperature and forward or back for water flow. Ball valves also use washers which have a limited wear.

Ceramic or Plastic Disc cartridges

A cartridge that has two discs with a single hole in each. When the handle is turned on, the holes line up allowing water flow. Ceramic discs are usually preferred as they have a extreme hardness and lasting durability. These cartridges have a short turn radius (usually 90 degree, or quarter turn) from off to full pressure.

It can often be true that the more durable and well constructed the faucet, the more expensive it might be. Most of locating a kitchen faucet for yourself is to find the balance of what matches your needs (appearance and application), will stand up to any task you put it to, and be of an acceptable price value for what you are purchasing. With this extra info on faucet construction we hope to help you avoid an extra visit from the plumber. For Faucets and other home products be sure to click on the MoreHome.com link below.