Choosing a Faucet

Whether you are looking at kitchen or bathroom lavatory faucets, there are lots of good-looking choices these days. But the old question of form or function still applies. We go with function first–will it work well and last with little or no repair over the long haul?

Choose a good manufacturer who uses true ceramic cartridges. That way you will have a faucet that performs for years with little or no maintenance. Lesser manufacturers may copy nice designs, claim ceramic parts and even give a guarantee, but the faucet guts are made of cheap parts that will not last. If two faucets look nearly the same and one is $200 cheaper, there is probably a reason for it. But beware also of designer faucets with huge prices. The internal parts determine long-term performance.

There are also lots of choices for the finish on a faucet. Chrome, stainless, antique brass, polished nickel, white, etc, etc. Faucet finishes come in and out of style, and much like avocado and harvest gold kitchen appliances, trendy finishes can date your home down the road. Chrome is the blue blazer of fixture trim finishes. You can use whatever you like, but when it comes time to sell your home, you may wish you’d stuck with a classic. Also remember that an electro-plated finish—not painted or plasticized—will last longer, and will not chip away.

Finally, remember to check the number of holes in your sink, and match that number with the number of holes your faucet requires or vice versa.