10 tips for choosing a kitchen faucet

In most apartments, the main consumer of water is kitchen, because here they constantly wash something: hands, vegetables and fruits, dishes and all kinds of appliances. Average mixer open and close about 100 times a day, so it’s obvious that it must be strong, reliable, durablecope with such a load, and with all this combined with a sink in the kitchen and with the interior of the room. To choose a kitchen faucet, you need to consider many factors, and our advice will help you make the right purchase.

No. 1. What mixer design to choose?

Today, all faucets, no matter how different they look, can be divided into Three main types depending on their design:

• two-valve - The classic version with two taps for supplying hot and cold water;
• single leverwhen with the help of one lever it is possible to regulate both the water pressure and temperature;
• contactless They do not require a direct touch, as they turn on only when the hands are brought up.

Single lever mixers are considered the most popular today., because it’s really convenient to use them, and you can adjust the pressure and water temperature with just one little finger. With such a mixer, it will not take time to adjust the desired temperature, which means you will save more water. If necessary, stop the flow of water instantly by simply lowering the mixer, and not turning the taps.

Two-valve mixers Today, in terms of convenience, they are much inferior to single-lever ones. They are usually used either by conservatives, accustomed to such a device, or those whose kitchen is made in a classic style, and a single lever mixer simply does not fit into the general interior.

Contactless or touch mixers - The most convenient and economical option, but because of its price is not the most common in domestic kitchens. Water from such a mixer flows only when there is some object or hands in front of it. If you remove the object - the water will stop flowing immediately. Not a single drop of water will be spilled in vain, and you won’t need to worry about forgetting to tighten the tap. And what a convenience such a mixer provides during cooking and washing dishes, when with dirty hands it is unnecessary to touch the device, thereby dirtying it.

No. 2. What material to choose a mixer from?

Today on sale you can find faucets made of materials such as:

• metals and alloysincluding steel, nickel, bronze, brass;
• ceramics;
• granite;
• plastic.

The most durable are faucets made bronze or brass - they are not affected by water, and they look expensive and luxurious.

Steel Mixers - Also an excellent material, as balanced as possible in price and appearance.

To simplify your care of the mixer, it is recommended to choose chromed surface type, but not brilliant: dried drops will not be so visible, and similar mixers look more expensive.

There are also mixers made of an alloy of aluminum and silicon - silumin. They are quite inexpensive, but at the same time not very durable. By the way, unscrupulous manufacturers use some parts from silumin, hiding it.Such a mixer can be identified by its light weight.

The most practical faucet Is that the internal elements of which are made of ceramic, and the external ones are made of metal.

Ceramic faucets they look very attractive in appearance, go well with stone and porcelain countertops. In terms of reliability, ceramic faucets are inferior to metal ones, and their service life is much shorter.

Granite Mixers - a rarity in our market, and they are acquired mainly by those with and car wash made of granite.

Plastic faucets resistant to water, aggressive environments, not susceptible to corrosion. But at the same time, this is a very fragile material, which can hardly be called durable. This option may be suitable for the kitchen in the country, where the mixer is not used constantly.

No. 3. Spout size and shape: which one to choose?

Mixer spout - An important parameter for the kitchen, as the convenience of using a sink for washing dishes, vegetables, etc. directly depends on it. Here the approach is fundamentally different from choosing a bathroom faucet.
Importantso that a stream of water flows directly into the center of the sink, preventing splashing.
The height of the spout should be suchto easily draw water into containers, wash vegetables, large items of dishes, etc. Direct spout height selection depends on washing depth. So, if it is not deep enough, then the spout should be higher, but do not overdo it, otherwise the water will be sprayed. If the sink is deep, then you can choose a low mixer. It is most convenient to buy a faucet complete with a sink and all accessories so that the products are as functional and practical as possible.

As for spout shapes, then in this case the choice is best based on your own preferences and features of the kitchen interior. Manufacturers offer so many conceivable and inconceivable options that the head can go round: here S-, G-, R-, J-shaped mixers and other models with a unique design.

Number 4. Lever on the side or top: which is more convenient?

In this case, we are talking exclusively about single-lever models, in which the control lever can be located on the side or above the mixer. In principle, the location depends on the height of the spout. In most cases, a mixer with a high spout is supplemented with a lever on the side, and with a low spout - on top. In terms of convenience, they are exactly the same, but still a lot depends on personal preferences.

It is worth noting that the side lever is a little more practical, since water or particles of detergent will not drip onto the mixer itself, which means that maintenance will be easier.

No. 5. Where to fix the mixer?

Before choosing a mixer, do not forget to pay attention to the features of its mounting. So, It can be installed:

• on the kitchen worktop, and then a hole of a certain diameter is cut out in it;
• on the wall;
• at the sinkif a hole is provided there.

Each mixer is adapted to a specific type of mounting, so this important parameter must be taken into account. If all the elements of the future kitchen are selected at once, then the task is simplified.

No. 6. Angle of rotation

No one can argue that a large angle of rotation of the mixer is great, because in this way it will be convenient to wash vegetables and fruits, any dishes, draw water into a container and perform other tasks. Today, most faucets of the budget and mid-price category can be rotated 140 degreeswhich is quite enough for convenient use.

In more expensive mixers, the rotation angle can reach 180 degrees and even do full revolution around its axis. The last mixer will be indispensable if the sink is located on kitchen islandbut otherwise it is useless.

Number 7. What else can mixers do?

Today, technological advances have touched even mixers.It would seem that they can still be added, because only one function is assigned to them? So, today on sale you can find products with such additional functions:

• mixer with pull-out spout. This is actually a faucet with a shower: in normal condition, it looks quite normal, but if you wish, you can remove a small shower from it. With this function, the direction of the jet can be changed in a much wider range, you can conveniently wash vegetables and fruits, and even the sink itself;
• mixer with water filtration system - A real find for us, when tap water does not quite meet quality standards. In such mixers two spouts are provided: one for plain water, the second for filtered;
• faucets with switch to dishwasher or washing machine - A convenient option that eliminates the need to lay communications.

Number 8. What else to consider when buying?

A faucet is a thing that should last you more than one year, so its choice should be treated with all the importance. Better to make a purchase in serious storespositively recommended. Better buy faucets from famous brands, let them cost a little more - this difference is more than paid off during operation.

Also worth paying attention to by weight of the product: remember that some manufacturers replace ceramic and steel parts with similar ones from silumin, and they are less strong and durable. Before buying, you can hold the mixer in your hands: the more weight, the better the product. Also, do not overlook the availability of instructions and recommendations for installing and maintaining the product, as well as the availability of guarantees from the manufacturer.

No. 9. Which manufacturers can be trusted?

It is clear that in the modern market of mixers dozens and hundreds of different manufacturers appear, and the quality of products for many of them is very good. We’ll try to name those companies that use the most popular in the domestic market and have proven themselves to be of high quality.

So, mixers from such German manufacturers have shown themselves to be excellent Grohe, Hansa and Hansgrohe, finnish Orasfrench DelafonDanish Damixa, swedish Gustavsbergas well as Bulgarian Vidima. In their assortment there are faucets with different design, functionality and different prices. Some domestic manufacturers showed themselves quite well: Aquaton Motovilikhinsky Plumbing Plant, Santekhpribor, Sanmiks.

No. 10. Design

From the assortment of faucets with different designs, even the most experienced specialist in this field scatter eyes. Mixers of different colors, fancy shapes, with taps and levers of various sizes - all this is available today for those who want to design their kitchen as original as possible. The main thing is not to overdo it, so as not to lose functionality and convenience. Always pay attention to ergonomics of the mixer and how well it fits into the kitchen interior and whether it will be combined with a sink and countertop.

Finally

The kitchen faucet is designed for solid regular loads, so when choosing it, it is worth considering a lot of different parameters: from the material and type of fastening to the appearance. To make the right choice, it is worthwhile to predefine for yourself what functions the mixer should have and what kind it should have - then you will definitely buy what you need and spend a minimum of time on it.