Yes. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't get one if you like them and have the kitchen for it. By this I mean, would your choice harmonize with the other elements you've selected? Here's my brief quiz for you. Let's see where the rest of the kitchen lies...

1.) Did you choose: A. a 48" or larger pro style range with a French top, grill or griddle, or B. a cooktop, rangetop, or induction?

2.) Did you choose: A. an exhaust fan with so much power you needed make-up air, or B. a recirculating fan, or an over-the-range microwave?

3.) Did you choose: A. a sheet of solid stainless steel behind your cooker, or B. a tile mosaic with border?

4.) Will your kitchen contain: A. open shelving, including stainless or wire shelves, or B. porcelain cats, pigs, birds, etc...

5.) Will your kitchen have: A. integrated butcher block, and wall mounted knives, or B. a knife block?

6.) Did you choose A. a stainless steel sink, or B. anything with the words "fireclay" or "farmhouse" in them?

In order to swing the pro look, you should have chosen mostly A in each of the above questions. I find it amusing when these faucets are paired with any of the "B" elements, and it is that combination, when you look at a pro-style faucet and it looks humorous, that makes them so comically dated to me.

The bottom line is that you should buy the faucet you like.

By the way, there is a considerable amount of functional difference between your choices as well, and there are many more options out there than just these two...

A.

Seeing the two faucets side-by-side has me choosing B. Doing a 36 inch pro cooktop and double wall ovens with a speed oven in the island (Miele)
Sink is square-corner double bowl 70/30 Blanco 516218 (most likely) with disposal in the small bowl.

I get it, lazygardens. The person who cooks 2-3 meals a day knows that the semi-pro is the way to go, but the design-freak in me is worried that I'll wince every time I walk in the kitchen and see it. Going to look for a reasonable alternative, something sleek and simple yet with the tall neck and good water pressure.

I'm using a semi-pro, but for functional reasons. I like that there will be only one hole in the countertop for ease of clean. I've had multiple problems with multiple sprayers in the past. Want a bit of the flexibility of the spray hose. They also have great height in case you have to fit large objects or small children or dogs should the need arise. I think looks are secondary to whether or not it fits the parameters of your likes and dislikes.

This one? Nice tall arch with the opening really high off the deck, pulldown sprayer, and after we removed the flow restrictor, great water pressure.

It was in stock at either Home Depot or Lowe's. I don't really remember which, because I was looking for 1-handle, high arch, single hole and was under tight deadline.

5 years ago?? It used to be that we only had to worry about our kitchens screaming "70s" or "80s". Now we have to worry about them looking 5 years old? Good luck staying ahead of that kind of pressure.

I have a semi-pro style and love it! In my area I wouldn't say they are/were a "trend" since they are pretty rare to see in renovations still; traditional faucets and simple line faucets still definitely dominate.

I love the bit of an industrial look it brings to my white shaker kitchen and ties into my industrial-look pendants as well. It's the Mirabelle Presidio, btw. It's tall - I think 25" if I remember correctly - which is why I really love it.

Here's a clear view of the faucet:

And here it is in relation to the rest of the kitchen (behind my lovely OSB and Plastic wall there is the addition we were constructing. it's now open all the way through)

My son recently bought a home with one of those pro style faucets and he found it was a pain to deal with. It always seemed to be in the way and he said it was difficult to clean. Instead of just wiping down one piece you had to brush in between the slinky metal surrounding the hose. He had a deep enough sink so he just replaced the faucet with something like "B" above. He learned that the original model he had cost $1,800 about 2 years ago. He lives in a foodie town and you would have thought more chef wannabes would be interested but he was only able to get $40 for it when he sold it.

Out of curiosity ... what is the benefit of the "slinky" thingy on those faucets? Is it just for looks?

jellytoast, exactly the question I was going to ask? Also that cross piece that ties the front to back.

I do think it's a cool looking piece of equipment but I would go with choice B for sure.

Speaking of cleaning those coils, yesterday I made a serious attempt to clean my sink grid and it was zero fun. So much not fun that I thought I bought this two years ago for $70 and maybe it's just worth it to buy a new one every couple of years.

I have one, as well, and love it. I've never been fond of pull-out sprayers so this style made perfect sense. I have a stainless apron-front sink, stainless cooktop and dishwasher, stainless and glass hood, and stainless prep table, but with more traditional cabinets and flooring, so the look works well in my kitchen.

Jelly and Linelle, the spring at the top is to hold the hose up and out, while still allowing it the flexibility to move left/right and up and down. The cross bar is just to hold the sprayer out of the way when not in use. It can be rotated all the way around. Mine also has a second solid stream arm with independent valve and can be used at the same time as the sprayer (which I have found to be incredibly handy).

Oh, KJo? Can you tell me more about your pendants?

What's over is pull outs and low slanted faucets and side sprayers which are less functional than high arcs or pull downs.

The "slinky" thing on a high arc faucet is a brace that keeps the hose in place but allows it to be flexible. The cross piece anchors the sprayer nozzle so it doesn't hang loose.

Not all high arcs are equivalent. I've had this Dornbracht Profit set forever and if it looks dated it's my kind of dated. Notice that the faucet component looks very similar to Faucet B above, which is a copy of this one.

This is a combination faucet/sprayer that some consider the ultimate choice of its type

Here is another, shorter, but equally high quality faucet from Rohl (the faucet on the left of it is the style that looks dated now).

Thanks for all the pics and comments. Love the ones you posted Rococogurl! I'm figuring they've got pretty high price points, no?

Ouch! Just checked the Rohl is $1,349 at AJ Madison.

And the Dornbracht is $1,800. Both gorgeous though.

Well, it is a faucet, and in years to come you could replace the faucet if you feel it has become dated.

One thing I have noticed with this type of tall pro style faucet, is sometimes scale/proportion may not have been considered. If those faucets are much too large/tall for the surrounding cabinetry/sink/etc they simply seem to overwhelm the kitchens. I imagine there are lots of size and height options are out there.

athomesewing, I agree with you. At first I found my high arc faucet a little embarrassing in my small kitchen. I'm over it, but I would choose a slimmer version next time.

Take a look at Waterstone. Also up there in price but a fabulous faucet. Many fans here, including me!

I have noticed that sometimes they aren't in that perfect arc, and I think that ruins the look. I have noticed this in new reveals, so it's not from years of use. Maybe the brace is too short.

Nadia - That's how I ended up with my specific one, couldn't justify the $1000+ price tag, mine was right around $400 and after seeing in person at my local Ferguson was sold immediately.

Errant - The pendants were an easy and affordable choice - they are the Pottery Barn Classic Flared with the all nickel finish. The filament bulbs add a great touch. Pendant Light Link

Sorry nadia, yes, that brand is pretty much at the top of the chain. I was posting to show style, not suggesting, though a sharp shopper can get a better price than Madison on either faucet.

Those faucets are much harder to knock off at the lower end so I'd be sure to see one of those in person to check on the finish and details.

And athomesewing makes a super good point about scale. There was recently a thread where someone chose a high arc that really was too tall for where she wanted to put it. Some of the high arcs are over 30" or taller.

When I did our apartment reno I focused on style, then what scale/height faucet I calculated would look best based on :
--are there cabinets over/adjacent?
--window?
--tile/backsplash line?
-- sink size
-- hose length if pulldown
-- size of head if pulldown and how it feels in the hand

also functionality -- how the faucet operates, i.e. front to back; side to side especially if space is tight and there is a wall behind the sink.

My sink area was very compressed and there were 2 windows at different heights plus tile. The ideal height for the faucet I needed was around 20" h. to line up with the bottom of the windows.

Much as I liked that single Dornbracht, it was too tall & too expensive so it was out.

I happen to have the Rohl pic because that faucet is 20" tall, which was the perfect height and I was swooning over that one but there weren't any available.

So I went with a KWC pulldown I found on sale and I fell in love with the functionality of a pull down with a long hose. That can be as good as the sprayer style.

Mine was very similar style & function to Grohe Concetto but just a bit taller. Concetto is 15" h.

If I was replacing my current faucets I would probably go with a pulldown with touch or sensor but only if it had a lock to go from spray/stream. I cook a lot and what's really newer in faucets that pulldowns offer right now are auto features like Grohe Minta Touch or one of the Deltas with touch -- or the Kohler Sensate which has a sensor.

But, there are good faucets at every price point. And the Grohe Concetto has a lot going for it at a great price.

This post was edited by rococogurl on Fri, Mar 7, 14 at 14:39

I don't understand this whole "dated" concept.

How can a faucet look dated if it is being sold and is on display right alongside of all the other new faucets? I would think that if it were truly dated, they would pull them off the displays and replace them with current models. The pull-out faucet that rococogurl posted above as "dated" is one that I saw quite recently in nearly every showroom I visited along with many, many others of the same style.

Who or what is it that determines when something is dated? Is it when it is no longer being shown in the magazines, when it is no longer being sold in the stores, when not as many people select it as opposed to a different model, or when people just start saying it looks dated and the word gets around?

If you like the semi-pro "as a cook" and it also pleases your eye, that is what you should get. Why compromise for fear of what is "in" or "out"?

I happen to quite like the look of the one EAM44 posted, but not so much other semi-pros. And the other choice to me is not at all attractive, despite the similarities. Eye of the beholder indeed!

If they are as functional as people say, then they won't ever really be "out"

Dh and I took quite a long time to compromise on the Blanco Culina for the cleanup sink. Love it! The Grohe Concetta is at the prep sink, I like it very much (especially with the tapmaster) but do think it splashes more because it lacks an aerator.

@jellytoast -- I can look at photos of a kitchen or laundry and pretty much tell when it was built by the appliances, faucet choice, granite and tile. Not always, but usually.

Home trends are very slow to change. Because when people are spending a lot of $$ they tend to be cautious about choices, as we know here. New products are slower to catch on then might be imagined and trends move slowly in kitchens & baths.

Even major manufacturers launch new products once a year or less. Often what someone cites as new in an article is new in that place but maybe not elsewhere.

So when someone posts and asks are pro style faucets "over" the answer is no, because as you say they are still being sold/displayed (and may always be). But the answer is that they also are less of a novelty now that they've been around for a time -- perhaps in much the same way the Kohler Karbon faucet is. So that choice becomes a style alternative vs a basic because pull downs have become the basic in terms of functionality. They offer the same type things as pro style faucets in a more conventional package & size.

Plus pull downs is the category getting the tech add ons such as the touch and sensor pull-down faucets or something like the KWC Ono which has an LED light in the tip over the past few years.

I say that pull outs are dated because, in the past 5 years, they have been used far less frequently than pull downs. They are lower and extend into the sink further (more prone to bumping) ad the pull out is not generally considered as easy to handle as the pull down. They are still sold and still purchased but not at the same pace as pull downs. Their "cool" factor (for anyone concerned about that) is gone.

The same could be said of bridge faucets with side sprayers. They are a choice for traditional kitchens and certain historical types but there isn't much more they offer now than 10 years ago plus they take up another hole in the sink that could be used for a filter or hot water or something that gives additional function to the user user experience. Not to say they aren't lovely.

Not talking about like/dislike any particular style. We all have our own taste and that's to be respected.

If you are planning a sink below a window, I think it's very important to consider how the faucet will look against the window - if looks are a consideration. My Delta Trinsic is likely to look a little oversized against our dinky kitchen window. OTOH, I think it will work for us function-wise.

I have seen installations of the slinky faucet style installed where there was only a narrow slot between upper cabinets with wall in between. Unless the proportions are considered carefully, I think that can be quite an awkward look. I think the slinky faucet needs a fair amount of "breathing space" around it. edited to add: like kksmama's kitchen - the slinky faucet has space around it and doesn't look too crowded.

This post was edited by feisty68 on Sun, Mar 9, 14 at 21:54

I went for the Grohe Concetto. In a large kitchen, maybe that look will work, but I live in a condo with a galley kitchen and that's just too much going on.

I like clean looks and the concetto looks right in my kitchen.

As far as a fad, I see what you mean with the slinky look. I think people saw those faucets on Top Chef and just had to buy it to go in the kitchen with All-Clad and Le Creuset cookware that's rarely used.

Hey, to each his own. It's your money, if you like it - even if it only functions to fill your kettle - go for it.

Good choice. I think they are over--too gimmicky to have staying power.

We are going with Blanco Linus on our White/Walnut modern kitchen.

I am laughing... Can't wait to get responses once my kitchen is finished! I got a "slinky" faucet but its not modern, nor did it break the bank. I figure if I hate the function I can change it. I needed something big enough to balance my 42" wide laundry tub used as a kitchen sink, that sits under two windows. But I also repurposed old kitchen cabinets and refinished them white to go with a new country house on 50 acres. I will either be in the "super" dated look category or hodgepodge... Maybe/hopefully it will all come together, time will tell.

Jen

There are no rules. Only taste. LOL

Well dang, from what I gather a lot of you are one way or the other. I picked a "slinky" for my new remodel

The reason I picked this one was because I worked in a professional kitchen for a few years and we had these in the dishwash area which I thought were great and comfortable to use.

Oh well at least it's just a faucet, if it goes out of style I'm out 300 bucks and I can replace it.

jgopp Can I ask who is the manufacturer is of your slinky faucet?

Looks to be a Kraus. I have the same faucet, but older version.

Errant_gw thanks!