When it’s time to buy a new faucet, finding the right one can be a confusing decision. With so many faucets to choose from, it’s important to narrow your options by focusing on three important factors — style, function, and cost.
Whether you’re replacing an old faucet in your bathroom, laundry room, or kitchen sink or just upgrading design style, consider the faucet’s design appeal, functional features, and cost before you make a purchase.
Style and Design
When choosing a faucet, consider your room’s style and design. Whether it’s contemporary, modern, transitional, or period, your faucet needs to complement the colors and finishes in your room. While many people choose chrome, there’s a variety of choices that may be a better fit for your room:
When choosing a faucet finish, pay attention to other metal finishes on appliances and cabinet pulls or knobs so everything coordinates.
Functional Features
While functional faucet features are important in every room, they are especially important in the kitchen where chopping, cooking, and cleanup are daily rituals. Take a look at some of the most popular options:
Single vs Dual Handles
Two-handle faucets have a stylish symmetry that works well in bathrooms, but single-handle faucets offer advantages in the kitchen. When cooking and cleaning, single-handle faucets provide convenience, faster temperature adjustment, and easier cleaning.
When switching from dual handles to a single handle, you likely have three holes in the sink. To cover the dual-handle holes, you can use cover plates or add a soap dispenser and a pull-down sprayer. If you have two separate sinks in the kitchen and bathroom, single handles work best in the kitchen, but dual handles are best in the bathroom.
Handleless Faucets
Faucets without handles are popular options because they’re more sanitary and easy to use. They operate by either touching the faucet or sliding an object under the faucet. Handleless faucets turn off when no motion is detected near the faucet.
Spout Height and Reach
Faucet spouts vary significantly in height and reach, so consider things around the sink that limit your choices. If you have a cabinet or shelf above the sink, a tall spout may not fit. If you have a two-bowl or three-bowl kitchen or laundry room sink, a spout with a short reach may not extend to all the bowls. In a bathroom sink, a faucet with a short reach may cause water to build up behind the spout when you wash your hands.
Pot Fillers
Pot fillers are great features for kitchen sinks with daily cooking and cleaning chores. They can be installed with swivel spouts for dual sinks and pull-down hoses that create water streams or sprays.
Budget
You should expect to spend a minimum of $65 for a bathroom faucet and $100 for a kitchen faucet, depending on finishes and features. Don’t buy a cheap faucet to save money. A low-quality faucet will likely cost you more in repairs for leaks and unreliable parts.
Installing new faucets in your home is a great way to boost design appeal and add convenient features that simplify daily life. With so many available options, it’s easy to find the perfect faucet for your home.