How to choose
kitchen faucet
Kitchen material
mixer
Before buying a kitchen faucet, it's worth considering what material to choose for the faucet.
Brass
Brass kitchen faucets are the most durable. They tolerate constant exposure to water well. For additional protection, brass is electroplated and has a chrome, nickel or bronze finish. You can also buy a kitchen faucet in different colors, such faucets are covered with colored enamels or have a higher-quality and durable vacuum coating. This allows you to buy kitchen faucets in the desired color according to the design project.
The higher the quality of the brass, the higher the price of kitchen faucets, but at the same time, the fewer impurities it contains that are harmful to health. A kitchen faucet made of good brass with a protective coating will last a long time, while maintaining an attractive appearance.
Stainless steel
You can also buy a kitchen faucet made of stainless steel, which is resistant to temperatures and aggressive cleaning agents. A steel kitchen sink faucet is not afraid of corrosion, is safe for health and is easy to maintain and care for.
Silumin
You can choose an inexpensive sink faucet made of silumin, an alloy of aluminum and silicon. Silumin faucets are not very durable, are afraid of too hot water, and usually leak a year or a half after installation. They can be suitable as a temporary faucet for a summer cottage or rented accommodation.
An inexpensive brass kitchen faucet may contain silumin parts, which reduces its service life. Before buying a kitchen faucet, you should pay attention to the weight of the product: a brass faucet should be heavy.
Kitchen faucets made of steel or brass can also have an external decor of granite or ceramics. They look great, but are quite fragile and are unlikely to last long in the kitchen of a large family with children. You can buy a kitchen faucet in Kiev in an unusual design for kitchen-living rooms, where people rarely cook, but often receive guests.
Control type
kitchen faucet
By type of control, kitchen faucets are: lever, valve, and sensor.
A lever faucet for a kitchen sink is one of the most common types of faucets, which well regulates the pressure and temperature of water with a light press. In this case, one hand, a finger, and sometimes even an elbow are enough to control such a faucet. This is the most convenient when cooking, when you need to rinse something, but you don’t want to smear the faucet with dirty hands. Kitchen faucets can be bought with a lever on top or on the side, in the form of a flat tongue or a thin cylinder.
A kitchen faucet may have one or two rotating valves located on the sides. It is a bit inconvenient to have to reach around the valve to adjust it, but this allows for more precise adjustment of the water temperature and pressure. A kitchen faucet is more expensive than a lever faucet, but the ability to precisely adjust the water flow saves water consumption.
A touch-sensitive thermostatic kitchen faucet may be quite expensive to buy, but it looks great and is easy to operate. The sensor on the body turns on water at a preset temperature after a light touch. The thermostat allows you to set the desired temperature and thus save water consumption.
Types of shut-off valves
kitchen faucets
The type of shut-off valve, i.e. the part responsible for supplying or shutting off water, largely determines how reliable and durable a kitchen faucet will be. Single-lever and double-lever faucets have different shut-off valves.
A single-lever kitchen faucet can be purchased with a plastic, ball or ceramic cartridge. The cartridge can last up to 15 years, but is not suitable for very dirty water. Solid particles of sand or minerals contained in the water can damage the cartridge and cause leaks. The most reliable is a ceramic cartridge, but with hard water it is better to supplement it with a filter.
A two-valve sink mixer has a tap-box and ceramic or rubber gaskets. The tap-box itself is practically indestructible, but the gaskets, especially rubber ones, wear out the fastest. Ceramic ones last longer and shut off the water almost instantly when the valve is turned. Replacing the tap-box and gaskets is quite simple and much cheaper than buying a completely new kitchen faucet.
Pouring and additional
functions
Before choosing a kitchen faucet, it is worth considering which spout height is more appropriate. To fill a tall pot, you need to choose a higher spout, while taking into account the depth of the sink so that the water does not splash. For sinks with a depth of 190-205 mm, it is better to choose a low spout, and if the depth is 171-195 mm, both low and high spouts of the faucet will do.
If the sink has two bowls, the mixer should be swivel so that it is possible to direct the water to either part of the sink. The water jet should be directed towards the center of the sink, otherwise it will splash onto the wall or floor.
The swivel spout and additional aerator with a retractable funnel will be a plus for washing delicate berries and fruits, which are easily damaged by a strong stream of water from a regular spout.
You can buy a kitchen faucet with a 60-80 cm long extension hose, which allows you to draw water into a container of any height, even with a short spout. It is convenient for washing the sink itself and rinsing away detergents.
If you plan to install a water filter, a good solution would be to purchase a kitchen faucet with a separate supply of drinking water and a separate supply of technical water. This design saves space for washing. There is no need to cut an additional hole for the faucet for filtered water.
You can't buy a kitchen faucet with a spring in Ukraine in every store, but such faucets also exist. They are professional plumbing and allow for a more flexible water supply than with a regular hose. They have a swivel spout attachment and are convenient for large sinks with two bowls.
Kitchen faucet as
design element
A kitchen faucet can be a great addition to the interior. It is better to buy a kitchen faucet complete with a sink, in the same color and material. Or you can choose a kitchen faucet with maximum contrast so that it becomes a bright spot that attracts attention. For example, a kitchen sink faucet can be bronze, gold or copper in an elegant combination with veneered facades or a wooden countertop. Or a completely opposite monochrome design in which the countertop, sink and faucet are selected in the same color, for example, black or graphite. You can buy a black or white kitchen faucet in Kiev at very affordable prices.
A kitchen sink faucet should complement the interior and blend well with the shape of the furniture and sink. An L-shaped spout looks good with square and rectangular sinks. For a round sink, it is better to buy a kitchen faucet equipped with a C or U-shaped spout.
It is better to buy a kitchen faucet after all the details of the kitchen, the dimensions of the countertop and sink have been thought out. If you have any difficulties, it is worth contacting professionals who will recommend which kitchen faucet to buy with the best price-quality ratio.