How to choose a kitchen faucet: what to look at before buying + manufacturers rating

The main consumer of water in an apartment is usually a kitchen. Everything is washed here - hands, dishes, appliances, fruits and vegetables before cooking and for canning, etc. A kitchen faucet has to withstand large daily loads, it is opened and closed about 100 times a day, so it must be durable, reliable in operation, easy to maintain. An important role is played by its appearance - it should make up a single ensemble with a sink and be in harmony with the kitchen design. Choosing a kitchen faucet requires knowledge of the basic functional characteristics of these products, their classification, design, care features, and major manufacturers. Here we will help you acquire this knowledge, and then the question of choice will not seem so difficult for you.

What designs of mixers are there?

By the type of opening water, kitchen faucets are:

• two-valve (have hot and cold water taps on the sides);
• single lever (opening and closing of water is carried out using a lever);

non-contact or touch (supplying water with a sensor when bringing hands to the mixer body).

A traditional two-valve mixer is the right choice for a classic interior

The single-lever mixer easily regulates the intensity of the water flow, quickly turns on and off hot and cold water

The demand for traditional double-valve faucets is already much less than before, now they are mainly purchased by people who prefer a classic interior or for a kitchen decorated in retro style.

Inside the valve mixer mechanism there is a ceramic or rubber gasket, and in lever mixers there is a special replaceable cartridge, ball or plate (ceramic).

Touch faucet - the most convenient and economical type of kitchen faucets

The most convenient and economical is a non-contact mixer. Water from it is consumed only by bringing hands to its body and automatically turns off when movement stops under it. You don’t need to worry with him that you forgot to screw the tap when the water was turned off in the house. Nevertheless, this type is still exotic and makes up a modest share in the sale of such sanitary products in view of its high cost. Not many families can afford to buy such a faucet.

Spout shape and size

The main thing that differs the faucet in the kitchen from its counterpart in the bathroom is the size of the water stream and the shape of the spout. Here, the stream of water should fall as accurately as possible into the center of the bottom of the sink, so as not to splatter, and so that it is convenient to wash dishes under it, draw water into large containers. The lifting height of the spout of the tap is selected taking into account the depth of the sink: the lower the spout, the deeper the bowl should be.With its low design, it will be extremely inconvenient to wash large dishes. If the landing is too high, water will be sprayed. Therefore, many manufacturers produce series with the inclusion of sinks, faucets and accessories.

Such a mixer bends and rotates in any direction

Kitchen faucets are classified according to the shape of the spout. It can be S-, G-, J- or R-shaped. Straight spouts of a classical form, flattened or thickened, are also popular.

Stylish kitchen faucet with S-shaped spout

Convenient are the progressive models of kitchen faucets, equipped with a switch for a dishwasher or washing machine. It is also worth paying attention to some of the brands offering kitchen faucets with a water filtration system. Such mixers have two spouts - one for tap water, the other for drinking. There are also samples where both currents of water are located in one spout, but filtered water does not mix with unfiltered.

Kitchen faucet with a water filtration system: one spout, and filtered and unfiltered water flows separately

Modern models with pull-out spout

In recent years, many modifications of faucets for the kitchen with a pull-out spout (with shower) have appeared, which differ in a number of advantages from simple models. Firstly, they allow you to control the flow of water, change its direction and height. Secondly, the faucet with shower for the kitchen is equipped with a special hose and watering can, expands the radius of spraying water, and is convenient when used in sinks with several bowls.

Such a nozzle is convenient for washing vegetables, a large number of dishes, and the sink body itself. The pull-out mixer has an additional tube in its design, which enters the spout cavity when closed, and when opened, lengthens it, reducing the likelihood of water splashing.

The shower faucet is suitable for use in two-bowl sinks.

Materials for the manufacture

Materials for the manufacture of kitchen faucets are:

• metals and alloys - nickel, steel, brass, bronze;
• ceramics;
• granite (granite sinks are equipped with such mixers);
• plastic.

The best kitchen faucets are those in which the internal elements are made of ceramic and the body is made of metal. Mineral deposits are not deposited inside them, they are resistant to moisture and have a long service life. The plastic, from which some models of mixers are made, is resistant to aggressive environments and corrosion, but inferior in strength and durability to ceramics and metal.

The surface of the mixer is stainless, chrome-plated and “bronze-like”. Mistresses know that on a shiny stainless steel surface, dried drops of water and dirt are more visible, therefore a chrome or bronze mixer is much more practical for a kitchen and, in addition, these shades look better in the interiors of modern kitchens.

The bronze mixer looks great in the interior of a modern kitchen

Type of mixer mounting

Before choosing a kitchen faucet, you should not lose sight of another important point - where and how it will be installed:

• by attaching to the wall;
• in the tabletop through a drilled hole;

in the sink through a special hole.

Functional modern mixer mounted on the wall

This mixer is attached through a hole drilled into the countertop.

The easiest way to fix the mixer is through the finished hole in the sink

The choice of the desired model will also depend on this factor, since each mixer is adapted for a particular type of mounting.

Overview of leading manufacturers

If you make a rating of the most popular foreign manufacturers of kitchen faucets in the domestic market, it will look like this:

• Oras (Finland);
• Grohe, Hansgrohe, (Germany);
• Damixa (Denmark);
• Vidima (Bulgaria);
• Hansa (Germany);
• Gustavsberg (Sweden);
• Jacob Delafon (France).

These companies offer various types of kitchen faucets of different price categories, but all of them are united by guaranteed quality, reliability and stylish design. Decent quality products are produced by such domestic enterprises as Motovilikhinsky Plumbing Plant, Sanmiks, Santekhpribor, Aquaton.

It doesn’t matter which criteria when choosing a kitchen faucet are your priority (material, price, functionality, appearance), the main thing is that the selected model matches the dimensions and design of the sink, is convenient for washing dishes and collecting water in a container and becomes a good helper in daily cooking process.