How to Choose a Kitchen Faucet

When you're thinking about a faucet upgrade, the first thing you need to consider, of course, is your existing sink. Do you want to overhaul everything or work with the sink you have? If you're sticking with what you have, you can use the holes that are already in the sink deck or add more -- it's not a make-or-break situation if you want to add a spray hose or sink dispenser. However, if you're planning to make the leap from a deck-mounted faucet to a wall-mounted one, you'll most likely have to spring for a new sink, too. Style is another aspect to keep in mind -- a shiny, high-tech faucet probably won't look right with your white cast-iron farm sink. Likewise, an antique-style brass faucet would be out of place with a stainless-steel sink. Just something to keep in mind.

What features should you look for in a new faucet? Find out on the next page.

Even if you have a general idea of the faucet you want, it helps to be specific when you're faced with an enormous selection online or at your local big-box home improvement store. Here are three basic points to help narrow things down:

So, those are the fundamentals, but there are many mind-boggling (and high-tech) choices beyond that. You can pay extra for spray volume control, water pause buttons, built-in water filters, touch-sensitive controls and hands-free operation, among others. For example, the Kohler Karbon faucet is a futuristic apparatus that boasts five pivoting joints for "precise water delivery."

Next up: faucet styles, materials -- and prices.

Now that you've navigated through the basic faucet features, it's time to think about materials and style. If you're aiming for longevity (and you should be), focus on faucets made of solid brass with ceramic disc valves that control water flow. Style is obviously more of a personal thing -- chrome-plated brass has been the most popular finish for years, but the less-shiny satin nickel and bronze have been catching on recently. Spouts with stainless-steel hoses tend not to kink as much as others.

Prices are all over the place -- you can spend as little as $50 on a model with plastic internal components, or $3,400 on an artisanal faucet inspired by "1920s French country kitchens" [source: Pandolfi]. In general, though, you should be able to score a solid, reliable faucet for $200 to $300.

For more on faucets and related home topics, visit the links on the following page.