How to Choose a Perfect Kitchen Faucet?

What is a kitchen faucet?

A faucet is basically a tap which is optimized or specialized for a certain type of use. In this case, a kitchen faucet is a tap optimized for use in the kitchen. A tap is a valve that controls flow of liquid. A kitchen faucet can be overlooked yet it is one of the greatest kitchen installations as water is central to very many activities that take place in the kitchen.

How to choose the perfect kitchen faucet?

Confusion is not a rare occurrence if you are in the market for a kitchen faucet but worry not as we are about to give you a comprehensive kitchen faucet buying guide. Kitchen faucets out there are numerous enough to have you confused. But always follow what you like as well as what facts you have at hand. Below are some factors that will surely help you choose the perfect kitchen faucet;

1. Looks

Get yourself a good looking kitchen faucet. Looks are not everything though. In fact, looks are nothing if the faucet is not working well for you. You can easily get a kitchen faucet that works better than it looks. Go for such a faucet as opposed to basing your hypothesis solely on looks. Remember to pick a look that is complementary to your kitchen while at it.

2. Valve type

A loose valve will result in a leaking faucet. These dripping faucets are often due to the type of valves in the tap. Ceramic valves are proven to be the best drip free valves and will stay that way for a very long time. Get a faucet with ceramic valves if you can. Alternatively, get a faucet with proven drip free valves. No one wants their faucet constantly dripping. It is annoying as well as wasteful.

3. Pull type

In this case you are faced with the choice of a pull out or a pull down faucet. Both have their use cases but a pull down faucet is the better option as its detachable hose does not splash as much as the pull out. However, if you have a smaller sink, the pull out faucet is better for you.

4. Mounting style

Faucets can be mounted on the wall, sink or the deck. First things first when choosing a faucet based on how to mount it, know your wall, sink or deck. Make sure that the faucet will be mounted easily on whatever surface you want to. Seek professional advice if you have to. Factor in your future plans as well. E.g. it is easier to move a sink mounted faucet as opposed to a wall mounted one.

5. Handles

Single handle or double handle? Get what works for your specific needs. Note; A double handle faucet is more customizable and supports separate hot and cold water channels. A single handle faucet allows you a greater water temperature control. Both handle faucets are easy in operation and maintenance.

6. Price, Quality and Style

Price is often directly associated with quality and style. For the best quality faucet, expect to part ways with a larger sum of money and vice versa. The same applies for modern and contemporary styles of faucets. Stick to your budget (yes you need one) and get a faucet that gets you value for money.

Types of Kitchen Faucets

Kitchen faucets today are available in a very wide variety. So wide that it is often confusing when you have to make a purchase decision. Brands, makes and models aside, the various types alone are enough to confuse you as the average consumer. However, with a little knowledge on the various distinguishing features for each, an informed decision can easily be reached. Below are the most popular types of kitchen faucets;

1. Single handle faucet

Think of this as the most basic faucet and the most common. This type of faucet has a single lever that can be operated by rotation or an upward-downward motion to release liquid. They are most popular because they are easy to operate and maintain because they have a very basic means of operation.

Pros

• Easy to use
• Low maintenance

Cons

• Basic and low support to hot water

2. Pull out faucet

As the name suggests, this faucet has a handle that you can pull out. This handle has a spray hose extension that you pull towards you. There are many offerings out there with some having a button to control temperature as well as water flow easily as you use it one-handed. This type of faucet lets you clean cookware that cannot fit in the sink as well as fill them up with water.

Pros

• Wide array of specialization available
• Great for small sinks

Cons

• Most hoses have a spray head that encouraged splashing

3. Pull down faucet

This is a faucet that is very similar in operation with the pull out faucet. The greatest differentiating factor between the two is that in a pull down faucet, the hose is pulled down towards the sink. Most of these faucets resemble those found in a science lab. They are also very popular as they are very user friendly. They feature a self-retract mechanism adding to their vast adaptability characteristics

Pros

• Well suited for large sinks
• Best for reaching difficult spots
• Reduced splashing

Cons

• Not suitable for small sinks

4. Double handle faucet

This is a more advanced design of the single handle faucet and it features two different and separate taps. In most cases, the two can be used to separate the hot and cold water streams. These double handle faucets are also very popular choices for many people as they are extremely easy to use and there are endless customization choices.

Pros

• Separate hot and cold water streams
• Usable even when one handle is broken

Cons

• Temperature control is not available straight off the tap

5. Hands free faucet

This type of kitchen faucet brings cutting edge technology into your kitchen. Well, maybe not cutting edge but really usable technology. The hands free faucet allows you to operate it without touching any physical interaction. This is made possible by placing a sensor in the faucet to detect movements and then operate the valve. This way, you are less likely to contaminate the tap or jam the mechanical systems.

Pros

• Lesser contamination
• Modern design

Cons

• Expensive to purchase, install and maintain

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