As your New York City plumber, I hear a lot of questions about kitchen faucet. What kind of faucet is best? Should I choose a bridge faucet or one that pulls out? Is it better to have a sprayer that pulls out or down? What type of finish is best for kitchen faucets?
For best results, consider your faucet’s functionality before you get your heart set on a particular finish. The reason there are many different faucet styles is that there are many different lifestyles. People who cook and clean only infrequently don’t need the same features and functionality as those people who regularly cook complex recipes, entertain large numbers of people, and have lots of cleaning up to do.
For example, you know whether or not you’re washing large serving platters and mixing bowls regularly. If you are, the flexibility and power of a tall pull-out faucet makes life easier. If you’re not, you may not use that functionality enough to justify investing in it. Bridge faucets limit the size of objects that can easily be washed, but if that’s not an issue for you and you love the traditional style, you’ll find you have numerous options to choose from.
Of course, being in New York City we plumbers are seeing the most high tech, innovative faucet designs being installed. Touch faucets have been around for a while now, but today’s modern version are more responsive and easier to use than the older models.
Should your faucet finish match your hardware and other kitchen accents? This is purely a personal choice. While conventional wisdom says match everything, design experts encourage homeowners to express themselves with these decorative elements. If you think you like the mixed look, we recommend choosing your faucet in the finish you’re sure you’ll want to keep – if you decide you don’t like the mixed look later, it’s much easier to replace drawer pulls and cabinet hardware than kitchen faucets!
