Welcome to All in the Detail... I am so glad you are here!
If
you’re remodeling or upgrading your kitchen, the latest in top-notch hardware
and tough finishes have made corroded, leaking, and dripping faucets a thing of
the past. Most faucets also come with lifetime warranties (for the original
buyer) that cover defects and even finishes.
Faucets
have become so reliable, there are few performance differences between brands.
That's why faucets are no longer rated, but instead consumers focus on the pros
and cons of faucet finishes and features so that we can choose a great faucet,
no matter the budget.
Match
the Faucet with the Number of Mounting Holes
Most
sinks come with mounting holes pre-drilled for faucets and accessories such as
side sprays or soap dispensers. If you're keeping your original sink, you’ll
need to match what you have or get a base plate to cover any extra holes. The
base plate sold with your new faucet can be used to cover holes in your
countertop, but don’t buy a faucet that requires more sink holes than your sink
has; it's not a good idea to try to drill additional holes in an existing sink
or countertop.
Spout
Styles and Shapes
Straight
spout faucets are compact and often inexpensive, but you might need to move the
faucet to fit a big pot under it. Gooseneck models have higher clearances but
can cause splashing if your sink is shallow. Whatever style you pick, make sure
the faucet head swings enough to reach the entire sink, especially if you have
a wide or double bowl sink. Also keep the faucet proportional; a large sink can
look odd with a small faucet.
Installation
and Repair
Replacing
a faucet and a sink at the same time is easier because the faucet can be
installed in the sink, or in the countertop before the sink is put in place.
Fittings that can be tightened with a screwdriver also streamline installation.
Long water-supply hoses allow you to make connections lower in the sink cabinet
where tools are easier to use. Though most faucets are guaranteed not to leak,
if it does, the manufacturer will only give the replacement part—it's up to you
to install it.
Shopping
Faucet Types
Although
there are two main types of sink faucets, single lever and two-handled, you can
also find an array of spigots designed for specific uses, such as for wet bars,
prep sinks, and even for filling pots on a stovetop.
Single-Handle Faucets
If you
are considering a single-handle faucet, check the distance to the backsplash or
window ledge, as the rotation of the handle may hit whatever is behind it. If
you have additional sink holes, you can purchase a separate spray nozzle or
soap dispenser.
Pros: Single-handle faucets are easier to use and install
and take up less space than two-handle faucets.
Cons: They may not allow quite as precise temperature
adjustments as two-handle faucets.
Two-Handle
Faucets
This
traditional setup has separate hot and cold handles to the left and right of
the faucet. Two-handle faucets have handles that can be part of the baseplate
or separately mounted, and the sprayer is usually separate.
Pros: Two handles may allow slightly more precise temperature
adjustments than a single handle faucet.
Cons: A faucet with two handles is harder to install. You
need both hands to adjust the temperature.
Pull-Out & Pull-Down Faucets
The
spout pulls out or down from the single-handle faucet head on a hose; a
counterweight helps the hose and spout to retract neatly.
Pros: A pullout spout comes in handy when rinsing vegetables
or the sink itself. The hose should be long enough to reach all corners of the
sink.
Cons: If you have a small sink, you may not need this
feature.
Hands-Free Faucets
The
best models have an activator on the front of the faucet so it’s easy to
locate. Look for the option of switching to manual operation by simply sliding
a movable panel to cover the sensor.
Pros: Convenience and cleanliness. Water is activated by a
movement sensor, so if your hands are full, or dirty, you don’t have to touch
the fixture.
Cons: Some designs hide the activator toward the bottom or
back of the faucet, making them hard to find when your hands are full or messy.
Others required you to tap the faucet to get water flowing and then you'll have
to wash the spot you touched.
Pot-Filler Faucets
Common
in restaurant kitchens, pot-filler faucets now come scaled for use in the home.
Either deck- or wall-mounted pot fillers are installed near the stove and have
articulated arms to fold away when not in use.
Pros: Ease and convenience. Filling an oversized pot
directly where it will cook means no more lugging heavy pots across the
kitchen.
Cons: Must be connected to a water source behind the stove.
Unless you’re a serious cook, you may not need or use this faucet much.
Bar Faucets
Many
high-end kitchen designs are including smaller, secondary sinks that can free
up space at your main sink and make prep like washing vegetables easier,
especially if there is more than one cook in the kitchen. Smaller, bar faucets
are made for these sinks and often come in styles that match the main faucet.
Pros: Can be connected directly to an instant hot water
dispenser, or to a cold filtered water dispenser.
Cons: Space is always a consideration. Consider whether
this feature is something you will use.
Here are some features to consider that can affect
durability and function:
Finish
Tough
finishes are common on all but the cheapest kitchen faucets. The exterior of
some faucets are bombarded with charged metal atoms that chemically bond to the
surface of the base metal in a process called physical vapor deposition, or
PVD. Different metals impart different finishes, including nickel and bronze.
PVD finishes resisted our best attempts at scratching, but corrosives such as
drain cleaner can stain them slightly. Chrome remains a popular finish and is
pretty durable too, but a heavy-duty scouring pad can scratch it. Brushed
stainless didn't show scratches or stains as easily as chrome. Bronze offers a
rustic look, plus we found the PVD version performed much better.
Spray/Stream Selector
Finger-friendly
buttons located on the top or side of the spray head allow you to switch easily
between spray and stream. The button should stay in the same mode through
on/off cycles, or until you change the setting again.
Side Spray
If you have a single- or two-handle faucet and your
sink has extra holes (they're usually covered over with a round metal stopper)
you might consider adding a side sprayer to your sink. Installation is
straightforward and instructions are widely available online.
Temperature Setting
Although not a visible feature, some single-handle
faucets are designed to hold a specific water temperature even after you turn
the faucet off. This is especially convenient when you are using the faucet at
frequent intervals and don't want to adjust the temperature every time you turn
the water on. Check manufacturer specifications for faucets that include this
feature.
Magnetic Lock
This feature is particularly useful in pull-out and
pull-down faucets. Once the nozzle is detached from the base, it can retract
most of the way back but not completely into its locked position. A magnetic
lock connects it securely and locks it in place.
How much water does a drip waste?
Well, it depends on how many faucets do the dripping
and at what rate they drop those drips. For a quick and startling estimate of
your household’s potential water waste, check out the U.S.Geological Survey’s drip calculator.
The average household’s leaky faucets can account for
more than 10,000 gallons of water wasted every year, or the amount of water
needed to wash 270 loads of laundry, according to the Environmental Protection
Agency.
With older faucets, compression valves cut off water
flow when a washer or seal closed; faucets dripped when the washers degraded.
Modern faucets use ceramic discs that turn off when the ports are closed, so
there are no washers to erode. Ceramic discs, once only a feature of high-end
faucets, have merged into the mainstream.
A special Thank You to Consumer Reports for their help on this post.
