Kitchen Faucet Buying Guide and Review for Consumers

If you are looking for the right and perfect kitchen faucet for your sink, this kitchen faucet buying guide will help you. There are different types of kitchen faucets in all different kinds of style, shapes and color. But before your buy any, it is always a good idea to understand what you are buying so that you get your money’s worth.

Here is a quick summary of different types of kitchen faucets: Kitchen faucets of grouped into four types - cartridge faucets, compression faucets, ball faucets, and disc faucets. These kitchen faucets get their names from the parts that controls the flow of water them.

Price of kitchen faucets depends on its valve. These valves play a vital role in price, performance and life of a faucet.

Kitchen Faucets are available in hundreds of different shapes, style and color. Whatever be the type of kitchen faucet, they are grouped in four different types depending on the principle they work. These four types of kitchen faucets are: cartridge faucets, compression faucets, ball faucets, and disc faucets. These kitchen faucets get their names from the parts that controls the flow of water them.

Cartridge, disc, and ball faucets are also called mixing faucets. Ball faucets normally have a single handle while cartridge and disc faucets may have a single or double handles. Compression faucet has two controls for hot and cold.

Price of kitchen faucets depends on its valve. These valves play a vital role in price, performance and life of a faucet.

Compression faucets have two separate handles to control the flow of water. The handle is connected with a washer. Turning the handle controls the flow of water.

The other three types of faucets have “O-rings” in place of a washer and hence are also called "washerless."

As the name suggests, cartridge faucets have a hollow cartridge (metal or plastic) insert that seals against the spout or faucet body. This cartridge mixes and controls flow of water depending on arrangement of holes in the cartridge.

I personally like cartridge faucet because they offer smooth flow of water. I have observed that they drip sometimes. This dripping problem can be solved by replacing the cartridge with a new one.

As the name suggests, ball faucets work with the help of a rotating slotted metal ball. They have single lever.

The slots in this ball align with hot and cold water inlet seats in the body of the faucet that controls the flow of water. These faucets look quite stylish.

As the name suggests, disc faucets work with the help to two different discs. The upper disc is movable while the lower disc is fixed.

Flow of water is controlled with disc movement from side to side or when they are lifted and lowered. The lower lift remains fixed while the upper disc moves.

Faucets are something that are used too often. We turn them on and off everyday and we do this year after year. This is why it is necessary to wisely choose a faucet that is not only good looking and stylish, but it should also be easy and convenient to use. It should be safe and have a long durable life.

Price of kitchen faucets depends on its valve. These valves play a vital role in price, performance and life of a faucet. Price of a faucet can decide its quality, how good or poor a faucet is. A good faucet will naturally cost more. But is not always necessary that an expensive faucet will always be a good one. You need to make a wise choice so that the faucet meets your needs and living style. You need to understand the working mechanism of different kinds of faucets. Read my previous article of types of kitchen faucets for a clear and better understanding.
While buying a new faucet, it is important to carefully understand the valve. A good valve can provide consistency in hot and cold water supply. Many faucet manufacturers offer a temperature-limit feature (scald-guard) to prevent burns. These are extremely helpful because you can adjust the maximum water temperature the faucet will deliver. This feature is also useful if you have small children at home.

People and the government is getting serious about water conservation. For this reason, it is now mandated that all new faucets should deliver a maximum of 2.5 gallons or water per minute. Some faucet manufacturers offer restrictors so that you can adjust and restrict flow of water.

Finally the warranty. Different faucet manufacturers offer different warranties. Look for a long term warranty. A lifetime warranty against drips and leaks is good. This ensures that your faucet will provide years of trouble-free service and if it doesn’t, you get a free replacement.