How To Pick The Best Faucet For Your Bathroom Or Kitchen

They existed before 1800 B.C. with public baths adorned with fixtures of marble, silver and gold. The Romans even had aqueducts bringing fresh water into the city for flush toilets, drinking water and hot baths. Today, our kitchens and bathrooms can be a focal point in our homes.

It all started with a simple pipe and a valve offering water, cold water. But then valves (faucets) started coming with two handles offering the choice of cold or hot water. Al Moen changed that option in 1937 with the concept of a single handle faucet blending water temperature and today, single-handle faucets can be found in almost 48% of homes.

In this remodeling guide we will explain what you should consider in looking for the perfect faucet.

Today’s kitchen faucets can be made of brass, zinc, chrome plated plastic and yes, even gold. Faucets come in many styles, colors, shapes and sizes and picking the best one for your installation may take some consideration.

Generally the best choice for a faucet is one that has solid brass or a corrosion resistant mechanism. You should also consider the valve construction and finishes. Compression valves washers wear out faster but are cheap and easy to repair. Ball valves are durable and reliable but are only used in a single handle faucet. The cartridge valve is durable, reliable, easy to repair and can be used with both single and double handled faucets. Ceramic valves are maintenance free, expensive and can be used in single and double handled faucets.

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Some things to consider when buying a faucet

  • Materials: Brass may scratch or corrode, chrome shows water spots, enamel can chip or fade, and gold, stainless steel and nickel are very expensive.
  • Single lever faucets are easier to use and install but may not allow quite the temperature adjustments the side mounted handles can.
  • Side mounted handles have separate controls that allow for precise temperature adjustment but take up more room and are a little harder to install.
  • The shape, size, and feel of the faucet itself, the drop into the basin, will it splash, is it too low or not high enough, does it “fit” the room?

Once you narrow down the basics you will need to pick a manufacturer and there are many. Below you will find a small list of five top faucets  manufacturers. They are listed in order of our favorites and not by price, quality, better or best.

  1. Moen: has a great selection of faucets that run the full range of quality and price to best suite everyone’s needs.  Moen is one of the oldest and best choices out there and my personal favorite.
  2. Delta: offers a wide range of quality products with prices that fit most budgets price points many don’t offer.
  3. Kohler: Considered the best by many, offers a quality line of faucets and fixtures with a large selection of matching products so you can get whole rooms with matching pieces.
  4. Pfister: is another good choice with quality like Moen and Delta and may be worth your time to check it out.
  5. Danze: offers lower prices, good quality, ceramic disc cartridge and quality finishes.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns please fill out our contact sheet to allow a contactor in your area to help with your project. It is always best to ask a local contractor as they are more familiar with all the conditions and prices in your area.

For guides on deck remodeling, kitchen remodeling, basement remodeling, and bathroom remodeling projects, visit our helpful learning articles for tips and tricks!

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