Choosing the right faucet for your kitchen is a guarantee of its uninterrupted operation for many years, which means that the buying process must be approached responsibly. The article will teach you what to look for when considering the range of kitchen faucets and how to find the right mode without any mistake. [black centerset bathroom faucet]
What are kitchen faucets: types of appliances?
Focusing on the interior of the kitchen space, the volume of the sink, and personal preferences, you can find a faucet that is ideal in color, shape, and size. When choosing such an instance, take into account first of all the control mechanisms for the convenience and practicality of operation. According to this criterion, all faucets are divided into three types:
1. Single-lever. They have at their disposal only one knob, with which the pressure and temperature of the water are regulated.
2. Double wishbones. It is a standard faucet with two separate valves for hot and cold spray. To adjust the flow, you need to scroll these levers.
3. Contactless. Water begins to pour as soon as hands are brought up to the tap. Here the temperature is set in advance on a special block.
After choosing one of the types of mixers, you can proceed to the following parameters. When considering a collection of kitchen faucets, do not forget about the design and the materials used. You can find mixers from:
• silumin
• brass or bronze;
• copper;
• ceramics;
• and plastics.
From above, they can be additionally coated with chrome, copper, or other materials, even granite, which is not subject to corrosion. Such faucets look neat, amaze with their brilliance, and belong to the category of universal. Therefore,they will suit absolutely any kitchen decoration.
How are the kitchen and bathroom faucets different?
At first glance, these both faucets are the same: the same water supply mechanisms, external decor, controls. So, does it make sense to choose a faucet specifically for the kitchen space, or can you satisfy your needs with a universal model? To understand this issue in more detail, it is worth looking at the table of similarities and differences between mixers.
Parameters | Kitchen faucet | Bathroom faucet |
Spout shape | Here the spout is higher so that it is convenient to fill various containers with water. With this shape of the “spout,” the water is not sprayed, evenly distributed over the entire area of the sink. | For filling the bath or washing hands, the jet should flow compactly and “pointwise,” which means it is better if the watering can is slightly lowered down. |
Design | The spout should be swivel so that it can be tilted to the side when needed. | The model can be cast. |
Having a shower | Some models are equipped with a pull-out shower head. | It is included in all bath faucets. |
Installation principle | Sink-mounted. | Install on the edge of the bathroom or wall. |
Pull-out spout for kitchen faucet
Some modern mixers are equipped with pull-out showerheads to increase the working area. What is this unit? Inside the faucet spout, there is a flexible hose with a cap that is fixed to the base of the spout. If you need, for example, to fill a bucket or a large saucepan with water so as not to raise the container to the sink, the cap snaps off, extending the spout to 1 meter.
The spray head can be switched between aerated and powerful shower spray. To adjust the flow, press the button on the body. At the end of the work, the hose is automatically drawn back into the spout.
This high-tech option will also be convenient if there are several sinks in the kitchen. In this case, you do not have to buy a separate tap for each of them, using only one mixer installed in the middle.
Interesting features of modern kitchen faucets
To help the housewives, the manufacturers come up with new features of the modern kitchen faucet. Their attention is presented to 3 cool features:
• Built-in filtered water aerator. You no longer have to install two faucets, because now tap water and purified drinking water flow from one device. These mixers have two holes for the flow of liquid on the watering can, in one of which a jet saturated with air molecules is supplied.
• Backlight. Faucets with this functionality look very impressive. Water flow sensory illumination allows you to change the shade of the water depending on its temperature.
• Miniboiler inside. Such mixers will provide hot water in the absence of a centralized supply. Since the models combine a heater, kettle, and 3-in-1 tap, their price is also in the “Premium” category.
How much these features are useful for particular users, they should decide themselves. But, according to reviews, a mixer with additional features is much more in demand than a standard sample.
Bottom line about the kitchen faucets
At the end of the above, it will be logical to summarize the main tips, how to choose the right one and which is the best to buy a kitchen faucet? Here are the three most important points:
1. Always pay attention to the material. The service life of the faucet directly depends on this. So, in urban kitchens, the water pressure often reaches 10 bar, which means that by putting a cheap silumin model there, you can get ready to buy a new mixer in a couple of months.
2. Don’t focus on external beauty only. It would help if you also concentrate on its compatibility.
3. The topcoat is another important detail. For example, bronze taps darken very quickly, acquiring a greenish tint. It is almost impossible to restore its former shine to such plumbing.
4. Control method. Adjusting the water temperature is quicker, and more comfortable with single-lever taps. Non-contact options are also appropriate in the kitchen space, but their cost is much higher.
If you follow these simple recommendations, buying a faucet for the kitchen will not be a burden, and the selection process itself will take a record short time.