Do you ever think about how often you utilize your kitchen sink? There’s a slim chance the answer is yes.
Considering how often we use our faucet to wash hands, scrub vegetables, get a drink, rinse dishes, and more, it’s an underrated item we take for granted up until the moment it breaks down.
So, if you’re planning on purchasing a more memorable (or functional) faucet for your kitchen, we suggest you continue reading.
Today, our article on the best kitchen faucets will cover reviews (including our top pick), FAQs, and a buying guide. The FAQ section will answer questions like:
- How many faucet types are available?
- Which faucet finish is the best?
- Should I go touch-sensitive or touchless?
Top Pick – WEWE Single Handle Sink Faucet
Table of Contents
This single-handle faucet from WEWE features a tulip-like sleek design that pairs well with most sinks. The faucet supports both hot & cold water functioning, while a 3-way spray setting for filling, rinsing, and pausing further backs the water operation.
The tall arc is accompanied by a ceramic valve and a pull-down hose line. Thanks to its brushed nickel finish, the faucet is rust and corrosion-resistant, which prevents smudges.
What we like:
Affordable: The WEWE pull-out faucet is an excellent budget-friendly faucet that doubles in quality by providing an efficient operation and a sleek design.
Easy installation: Due to its lack of fancy tech features, the WEWE faucet comes with easy installation. Moreover, the hose system comes pre-installed, and hence, there aren’t any complex installation steps involved.
Pros
- Great design & build
- Sturdy
- Strong water flow
- Rust-resistant finish
- Value for money
Cons
- Non-magnetic docking
- Lacks advanced features
How many faucet types are available?
Faucets come in numerous types, such as low arc, gooseneck, etc. These offer something different for users. Here’s a detailed look at it:
- Gooseneck/high-arc faucets: These come with a thin & tall design and typically a metallic finish. Their tall dimensions make the faucet an excellent companion when filling large pans/pots.
- Low arc faucets: These come in various designs & arrangements. Low arc kitchen faucets are known for their balance between function & form and are often accompanied by a pull-out hose/spray.
- Wall mount faucets: These aren’t as commonly used due to their commercial look & feel. However, it does offer the advantage of a wholly free and spacious sink.
- Bridge faucets: These feature a distinct design where the hot & cold water handles are connected to the stem of the main faucet. It provides a traditional look, which isn’t exactly a favorite among people.
- Touchless faucets: These are supported by tech-based functionality that offers convenient features to users. As the name suggests, it can function without touch due to its motion sensor.
Which faucet finish is the best?
Yes, brushed nickel is an excellent choice, but the overall outcome depends on what you expect from it. Many consider Brushed nickel the best finish for faucets, mainly due to its durability and smudge-free surface. But this doesn’t mean other finishes like polished chrome, matte black, oil rubbed, etc., are not suited for kitchen use.
Polished chrome, for instance, is a popular choice that’s easy to clean & durable with a stylish look. Similarly, matte black is a versatile and chic finish. However, it tends to be quite expensive. The only downside is it requires extra maintenance.
Should I go touch-sensitive or touchless?
Touch-sensitive and touchless faucets are advanced, tech-based adaptations of the traditional faucet with slight variations in how it responds to the user. The difference is touch-sensitive answers to physical touch, while touchless answers to motion. Nevertheless, both are impressive upgrades that cater to different tech requirements from the user’s end.
If you prefer more control, touch-sensitive is an excellent choice as it reduces the chances of accidentally turning on the faucet. If you’re searching for a faucet that will keep dirty elements from touching the sink ultimately, then touchless is one way to go. It’s a solid option for home cooks & chefs that can’t keep their hands off dough & raw meat or those that prefer to stay away from germs.
How does a touchless faucet work?
These touchless, motion faucets are a technological advancement that can offer up streams of water with the wave of your hand. This “advancement” results from 4 key components through which the touchless function is operated. It includes the sensor, a power source, a spout, and a solenoid-controlled valve.
Through the help of the power source, the faucet sensor can detect your hand movement, enabling the faucet to operate. Now, this is a straightforward way of looking at it. However, the functionality of a touchless faucet can be understood more when each component is studied individually.
Do touchless faucets run on electricity?
Yes, it does! Touchless faucets do not operate on magic. It runs on an electrical source either powered through batteries or an electrical socket connection. The solenoid valve stays in an open position with the battery-powered version until a power flow shuts it close. Meanwhile, the transformer-powered version maintains a continuous current that allows the valve to remain open.
As the power sources differ with each faucet, make sure you check the contents of your faucet to ensure you get the source of your choice.
What’s the standard hole size for a faucet?
A standard faucet (applies to both kitchen & bathroom) comes with a hole size of 1 3/8 “or 1.375-inches/34.925 mm, and these standard hole sizes are considered more money & time efficient. However, hole sizes often vary with different models & manufacturers, so make sure to look at the specification properly before purchasing.
How to clean kitchen faucets?
Cleaning a kitchen faucet is pretty easy, especially if you clean it regularly. Now, getting back to the matter, one simple & easy method for cleaning faucets is to prep a 1-1 ratio of water & vinegar. Mix it well, and make sure to use a soft cloth to prevent scratches. If there are any hard stains or mineral deposits, make sure to use a soft toothbrush with the same vinegar & water solution.
How to Pick the Best Kitchen Faucets?
Whether you’re replacing or upgrading your faucet system, it’s important to choose a product that meets your requirements. So, here are some features to consider while shopping for your next best kitchen faucet.
Handles
Faucet handles come in three types: Single, double & touchless. Single faucets feature easy installation and usage. It also occupies less space, but they lack precision in temperature adjustment. Double handles, on another note, come with excellent temp adjustability due to separate water valves. But the installation part is challenging with this one.
Lastly, we have the touchless model supported by sensors that enable easy access, although more expensive. As mentioned above, each handle offers different functionality as well as downsides. Hence, it’s essential to consider the functionality you expect from the faucet to ensure you’re making the right purchase.
Reach
Similar to handles, the reach of the faucet determines a lot in terms of installation, use, and even design. Stationary spouts typically feature a separate sprayer placed on the side. They require a separate hole for installation, which is a bit complicated as they require extra work.
Pull-down & pull-out spouts include a built-in spray that duals as a stationary spout. These are considered much more convenient compared to stationary spouts. Additionally, the multi-functionality of the design takes up less space, and both share many similarities. However, the pull-down models are more suitable with deep, single sinks due to their tall structure.
Pull-out faucets contain short spouts with a long hose in comparison to pull-down. Hence, they can quickly fill pans and pots directly from the countertop instead of the sink and are suitable for double-basin sinks.
Easy use
No matter how fancy and advanced your potential faucet maybe, they’re not worth much if they don’t come with easy & straightforward use. A kitchen faucet is a product meant for daily use; hence, you’ll need to pay special attention to its operational aspects.
Gallons Per Minute (GPM)
The water volume that flows in a faucet is generally measured in GPM (or gallons per minute). Older rates of 2 or higher GPM were quite standard before. However, most building codes now allow only 1.8 or lesser GPM to conserve water.
Now, apart from adhering to building codes, one massive benefit of opting for a faucet with a low flow is that you can save money by reducing your water bill. Of course, the only downside will be: your pots will take longer to fill. An alternative to a high flow rate is to get a low-flow faucet with a boost button that temporarily increases water flow through your control.
Design
Faucet designs either feature a linear structure or a gooseneck curve. The former option follows a more compact and cheaper route. The latter option, a gooseneck curve, offers higher clearance but tends to be costlier. However, it leaves very little space in your sink, making it impossible to fill large pans/pots.
Finish
Faucets come in various finishes, with the standard options being stainless, chrome, nickel, platinum, matte black, etc. Now, you might think that finishes exist only for design. However, it also affects cleanability, rusting, spotting, and price. For instance, shinier finishes equal more water spots and prints. Finishes come in a brushed option, and these are more resistant to fingerprints and smudges. Thus, the choice is yours.
FORIOUS Matte Black Faucet
This eco-friendly kitchen faucet from FORIOUS offers excellent water pressure & temp adjustment, thanks to its 3 setting stream-spray-pause mode. Moreover, the faucet features high-temp resistant, anti-corrosion, and anti-rust hose with a 1.8 GPM flow rate.
What we like:
High-quality cartridge: The faucet is supported by a high-quality ceramic cartridge that underwent over 500,000 cycle testing for increased stability and longevity.
Quick DIY Installation: Its quick connect hose system allows users to install the faucet without professional help. It features a simple 1-hole deck plate & 3-hole sink installation.
Pros
- Budget-friendly
- Heavy-duty
- Well designed
- Reliable
- Functional
Cons
- Water pressure could use improvement
- Prone to dusting
Delta Essa Standard Faucet
The Delta Essa standard faucet features a convenient pull-down spout that easily complements any contemporary decor setting. Its spout stands at the height of 16-inches over the sink, while a 20-inch hose supports the in-built spray head. The flexibility of the hose allows users to navigate and reach difficult angles around the sink easily.
What we like:
Easy to clean: This faucet comes with the Delta kitchen touch-clean easy spray holes that assist users with easy & accessible cleaning.
Magnetic Docking: It features the MagnaTite docking system, which implements a solid magnet to snap the sprayer back into its place.
Pros
- Multiple finish options
- Leak-proof valve
- 360-degree swivel
- ADA compliant
- Easy installation
Cons
- Internal parts are plastic
- Requires big space
Moen 87233 Adler
The Moen Adler features the Reflex system, which provides users with easy movement, smooth operation & secure placement of the built-in pull-down spray head. The pull-down hose manages excellent flexibility in terms of water delivery and is supported by two spray settings: aerated stream and a powerful rinse.
What we like:
Power clean spray tech: Its power cleaning spray tech supports the faucet, which provides 50% increased spray power than other faucets with a regular pull-down/pull-out system.
Reliable mount: It has a reliable mount operation with standard design mounts, making the installation less complicated.
Pros
- Sleek design
- Versatile color range
- Sturdy
- Great size
- No water spots
Cons
- A little pricey
- Spray pressure is a bit strong
Moen Arbor Smart Faucet
The Moen arbor supports 4 unique smart control methods that users can mix & match regardless of the handle position. Users can access various touchless smart controls to operate the faucet. The entire operation is supported by the wave sensor that dispenses a precise amount of water.
What we like:
Voice-activated & touchless functioning: Users can access voice control, sensor control, phone application control, or handle control through smart navigation and create variously personalized presets for the faucet.
Intelligent flow system: Along with smart control, the faucet is supported by an intelligent flow system, which can deliver precise water management in both metric & non-metric measurements.
Pros
- Technologically advanced features
- It comes in a durable chrome finish
- Lifetime warranty
- Dual motion sensors
- Great design
Cons
- Construction is a bit flimsy
- Tricky installation
Final Verdict
With a plethora of faucet choices spread across the market today, searching for a great, if not the best, kitchen faucet can get very overwhelming. So, to aid your search, we prioritized durable and functional products and some tips, which we hope will assist in your search.
Our top pick, the WEWE high-arc faucet, offers both functionality and affordability that many shoppers expect to find in a faucet. It’s a definite winner for our fellow shoppers on a strict budget.