by Hai Shunxi

Created on: May 29, 2010   Last Updated: June 10, 2010

Choosing a new kitchen faucet isn't as easy as you'd think. After all, you’ll have to live with your choice for years, so it must be both tasteful and convenient. Any trip to a home improvement store reveal a broad array of styles and a range of prices that’s even broader.

How to choose? With advance planning, you can narrow down the options quickly. Consider three factors when making your choice: configuration, finish, and design.

CONFIGURATION: Unless you’re replacing the sink too, a new faucet must fit the pattern of holes in the existing sink. The number of holes in conventional sinks ranges from one to four, and you can’t cut new holes. The options:

•  One-hole sinks are unusual. The only faucets that fit this configuration are single-handle faucets, most with a pull-out sprayer. The mount may be a single pedestal, or there may be a deck plate that extends to the sides.

•  Most two-hole sinks have a centered hole and a hole to one side. Here, you have an option: you can buy a single-handle faucet with a pull-out sprayer and put a soap dispenser in the second hole, or buy a single-handle faucet with a sprayer for the second hole.

•  Three-hole sinks allow classic two-handle faucets, leaving no hole for a sprayer. You can also install a single-handle faucet with a deck plate designed for three-hole installation. Pull-out sprayers are common in single-handle designs, but not for two-handle faucets.

•  Many sinks have four holes. With this configuration, there's the option of a two-handle faucet plus sprayer or soap dispenser; or a single-handle faucet with a deck plate plus a second fixture.

A single-handle with a pull-out spray nozzle allows installation of a soap dispenser. Several faucet makers now make faucets with “remote” valves, which complicates your choices.

Though a deck plate allows you to cover unused holes, cutting new holes is almost never an option. Short of replacing the sink, you’re stuck with what you have.

FINISH: Sink material and the kitchen décor dictate your choice of finish. Bright chrome is a classic, though fixture makers also offer matte and satin finishes like brushed nickel or pewter. Enamel finishes are available from gold-tone to black.

Oil-rubbed bronze and black are fashionable today, as was antique brass a generation ago. Avoid finishes that may become dated, as they may need to be updated when the house is sold.

A faucet’s finish should also match the style of the room. Chrome and porcelain faucets fit classic settings, while more dramatic finishes are best paired with modern themes.

Match the finish of existing light fixtures and even cabinet pulls if they aren’t being replaced at the same time. Many decorators advise against “mixing” metal finishes, unless your décor is intentionally eclectic .

DESIGN: Match the faucet to the room and the house: futuristic designs are out of place in a Victorian kitchen where traditional shape looks right at home.

Also consider how you will use the faucet: kitchen wizards may want a high arch spout for filling and washing large pans, but if frozen dinners and takeout are your cooking style, a more compact faucet may suffice.

When it choosing a new kitchen faucet, your first step must be to match your sink’s configuration, which restricts you to a subset of the faucets available. After that detail has been settled, finish and design are a matter of taste – and pocketbook.  

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