Kitchen faucets are subjected to serious stress every day. To withstand them without losing the original performance characteristics, plumbing must be of high quality and reliable. Knowledge of the main design features and some other nuances of choosing mixers will help you choose just such equipment.
Design criteria for choosing kitchen faucets
The most practical designs of kitchen faucets are valve, lever and non-contact. Let’s dwell on each in more detail.
Valve cocks: simple and familiar models, in which special elements are responsible for the supply of hot and cold water – crane boxes. The optimum temperature and water pressure must be selected manually by turning two valves. Such mixers are of two types – worm and ceramic.
In worm gears, the water flow is regulated by a retractable stem, which, with varying degrees of intensity, presses the shut-off valve against the rubber gasket. This gasket is the weak point of the system, it wears out quickly, as a result, the faucet starts to leak. The advantage of the mechanism is its maintainability.
Faucets with ceramic locking mechanisms are more reliable and durable, but their performance depends on the quality of the water. In order for them to function normally, it is worth installing a mechanical filter on the water supply system.
Lever mixers: more convenient in terms of management. The water flow settings here are performed by turning one single lever in different directions. This principle of operation is more economical and efficient. Mixing of hot and cold water is made by the spherical or disk mechanism.
Ball devices are simple and reliable, but poor-quality water can damage them. It is advisable to use such kitchen mixer taps in conjunction with coarse filters. Disc work on the principle of ceramic crane-boxes. They are also quite reliable and maintainable, but dirty water is a rather serious “irritant” for them.
To prolong the life of disc mixers, it makes sense to also install a strainer under the sink.
Contactless devices: these mixers do not have external control mechanisms. The water supply is turned on and off using built-in sensors that react to the appearance of hands or any objects in their field of “visibility”. Contactless faucets can be powered by mains or batteries. Not a single drop of water will be wasted from these taps, and they are also more hygienic and very convenient in everyday use. True, there is a significant drawback – this is the high cost of “smart” devices. In addition, you need to remember that if the device is disconnected from the power supply (the battery runs out or there is no electricity in the house), it will simply be impossible to turn on the water. And even if the sensor mixer fails, it is unlikely that it will be possible to fix it at home.
If you want to try a touchless faucet in the kitchen, but the budget does not allow you to purchase a full-fledged device, you can buy a special nozzle for a regular faucet, which is also equipped with sensors and runs on batteries.
