Kitchen faucets are no more simple devices that serve as a delivery system for water. They are now much more because the kitchen has transformed into one of the most focused areas of homes, and faucets have become fashion statements. A white kitchen faucet by Kraus is a great fixture in many kitchens that reflects the tastes of the homeowner and accentuates the décor of the place.
Regardless of the design, style, and looks of faucets, it has enormous power in elevating the looks of the kitchen and enhancing the convenience of use and, at the same time, inspire the entire kitchen. Faucets must efficiently meet your needs for the demands of cooking and cleanup and, in the end, make your life easier. Otherwise, even the best-looking faucet can be a showpiece that does not add any value to the kitchen activities.
Many homeowners get confused about faucet selection due to the full range of offerings in design, style, and price range. They do not know what to focus on making the best selection. Indeed, cost often indicates the quality but only to a certain extent, and you must know that you get what you pay for. Expecting faucets to last for 10 to 20 years, the experts suggest that choosing faucets within the price band of $300-$350 is a good idea. A still better way is to do some physical shopping by visiting showrooms of kitchen design and home stores to get a feel of the things and understand the difference.
What to look for in the faucets will become clear on reading this article.
Spouts
The spouts add to the elegance of the faucet design. You must look at the spout to determine the attractiveness of the design and its appeal. Gooseneck spouts are highly elegant, and the high-arching spouts are very popular today. The secret behind the spouts is the tremendous flexibility of design that allows rotating the spout on both sides of the sink, and the extra height created by the arch comes in handy for filling large pots.
Pull-out Faucets are special in that the spouts have sprayers attached to it that extend the reach anywhere in any sink, including three-bowl sinks that are very large. The extended spout can help to fill pots, buckets, and coffee makers placed outside the sink area. These faucets do away with the need to have a separate side sprayer with the sink. The features of pull-out faucets allow you to adjust the water flow and choose between a spray and aerated stream. For intense cleaning, some models have an additional and more powerful spray setting.
Pot fillers
Faucet designs have undergone many changes to suit the needs of users and offer more convenience that led to the development of auxiliary faucets that are fast gaining popularity. Large families need more flexible options in using faucets that enhance their efficiency. Faucet manufacturers have come up with the pot filler, which is a particular type of spout on a hinged arm either wall mounted on the wall behind the sink or located next to the range.
Overhead or side sprayers
Side sprayers turn faucets into versatile fixtures, but you must be careful in buying good quality sprayers because it must be capable of withstanding high abuse. Overhead Pull-down Sprayers are the newest features of faucet design, which are excellent for pre-rinsing as a prelude to dishwashing. The sprayers derive inspiration from similar restaurant equipment, and for domestic use, it might be either attached to the faucet or come as a separate unit. Families that use a lot of utensils benefit from this type of sprayers that are also available in the Pull-out design.
Handles
Single handle faucets are most common and very popular because of its simple design and ease of use with one hand while keeping the other hand free for use for holding a pot of vegetables. The handle is either attached to the spout or located on the side. Besides the contemporary and minimalist looks, the faucets take up very little space.
If you need more control in adjusting the water temperature, then the two-handle faucets would be right for you. These faucets are ideal for kitchens with retro looks or any period-style kitchen. The faucets are especially convenient for the aged people.
Finishes
Brass is the chosen material for faucets, and most of the faucets that you find in the market are made from it. Cast brass with a chrome-plated finish that gives the shiny looks is the staple choice for most homeowners unless there are specific requirements according to the kitchen décor. Stainless steel faucets carved from a single block of stainless steel are also popular.
Chrome finished, and stainless-steel faucets look very similar, but the shine and gloss of Chrome are much more than stainless steel, which contributes to superior aesthetics but very difficult to maintain. Chrome’s shine is very susceptible to abrasive cleaners that can spoil the good looks.
Stainless-steel faucets require minimal maintenance because it can hide the smudges and spots effectively than Chrome. Moreover, it is scratch-resistant and durable. However, you may have to compromise with the aesthetics as Chrome is more appealing than stainless-steel. Chrome faucets are more attractive because the designs suit the vintage kitchen designs just as much as the high-tech and smart futuristic kitchens.
Multi-tasking faucets
The growing demand of homeowners who want to see faucets doing more tasks than just acting as a delivery system for water has led to the development of multi-tasking faucets like the one that can deliver purified water when asked for. These filtering faucets are usually located under the sink, while in some other models, the spout houses the filtering system. Then there are anti-scald faucets that can limit the temperature of water delivered from it to protect small children from burn and scalds.
Avoid the lure of cheap and good-looking faucets, but instead, be ready to pay the price for what you want that will ensure that you get what you pay for.
