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fran123_gw

Do U LOVE Your Kitchen Sink Faucet?!

fran123
11 years ago

Many thanks to all who have posted on the topic of farmhouse sinks--cast iron, stainless, and fireclay. I have waded through every post and agonized over a decision, believing I may have finally settled on a Kohler Dickinson cast iron apron-style sink (won't know for sure until I sign off on an order form ;->)--with your collective help. But, I have spent days looking at kitchen sink faucets at online suppliers and stores everywhere on which there are many fewer posts. Do you love your ks faucet? If money were no object,or even if it was a consideration, what would you recommend? TIA to all of you. You have been an amazing brain trust and immeasureably inspiring masters of aesthetics in this remodel project we have undertaken. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Comments (45)

  • poohpup
    11 years ago

    I definitely LOVE my Waterstone faucets. I have the Traditional 5500 PLP at the main sink and it is a pull down. Love how it looks and how it feels. I also have a Hampton kitchen faucet at the prep sink along with a side spray and love the quality. When I was researching faucets, I couldn't find a single bad review about the Waterstone's and they were highly recommended by the plumbing suppliers that I spoke with. Also love that you can get all the extra goodies (soap dispenser, air gap, air switch, filtration faucets) in the same finish.

    This is mine in the same black ORB I used in my kitchen.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Waterstone faucets

  • Bon22
    11 years ago

    Recently purchased the Delta fuse. LOVE it! and liked the idea that there is a heavy duty magnet that keeps the head attached to the neck. I have seen/read that a lot of the pull down sprayers after a while don't sit back up properly.

    anyway.. mine is ss/black

    good luck!

    Here is a link that might be useful: fuse

  • rococogurl
    11 years ago

    There are a huge number of sink-faucet threads with hundreds of responses that include which faucet people have chosen. The most popular faucets over the past few years have been the Kohler Vinnata and Grohe Ladylux.

    The price-is-no-object question can have a different answer. KWC, MGS Progetti, Rohl, Waterworks and Dornbracht are some of the premium faucet names and Kohler should be included there too.

    Here's some more basic information about making sense of kitchen faucets in general.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Top Kitchen Faucets

  • rosie
    11 years ago

    Honestly, no. Although I do love my kitchen overall, I just couldn't get excited about the faucet beyond function. Plus, I decided I didn't want to draw attention to my cleanup area by making the faucet any more noticeable than it had to be and ignored fashion to choose a low profile that wouldn't obtrude into the view out my window (over a deep, nonapron sink for even further discretion).

    That said, have fun deciding! I only answered to offer a different opinion for the many other people visiting who still deciding what is important to them in a kitchen.

  • springroz
    11 years ago

    While I have not had a chance to USE mine, I do like it! We got it hooked up last week just before we left to get another load.

    It is installed on the sink you chose, and if you have not done cabinets yet, I would recommend a bump out for that sink. It says it is designed for retrofit into a stock cabinet, but it is really deep, and there is very little room behind it. If I had a window sill, my faucet would not fit.

    Nancy

  • lascatx
    11 years ago

    I've recommended my Whithaus Metrohaus many times including recently. I love the look of the bridge faucets, but needed a pull down spray. I got mine based on recs here and don't know anyone who hasn't been happy with the Whithaus.

    Now Poohpup's is pretty cool too. Had not seen that one before.

  • tetrazzini
    11 years ago

    I love my faucet, I think it looks great, it's functional, high quality AND inexpensive. I found out about it in a book about professional chefs' home kitchens -- several of them have it, citing its quality. It's by Chicago Faucets, and cost around $200. It's not as pretty as the nickel plated bridge faucets I liked, but since I do like the way it looks I decided to go for quality, and save some money in the bargain. (I'm not suggesting the quality of any others are low, but I felt safe that this one was good.) You can turn the water on with your arm when your hands are dirty. I like the little red and blue circles on the faucets denoting hot and cold! I THINK that there are commercial and residential models. If memory serves, these come on the commercial model and the residential model looks identical but doesn't have the colored circles.

  • ginny20
    11 years ago

    Like babs711, I have a Moen single handle pull-down with Reflex, only mine is the Arbor style. I do love it. Babs did a great job of explaining all the wonderful things about it. In addition, because of the thick backsplash I wasn't going to have space behind it for the handle to turn all the way to cold, so we just installed it with the handle rotated 45 degrees clockwise. It could also have gone straight front. This helps when space is tight behind the faucet.

  • emmachas_gw Shaffer
    11 years ago

    egganddart! Love your faucet. Poor quality photo but had to share. This is my laundry room, 1995. The sink, Chicago faucet had been removed from my parent's kitchen years earlier when Mom wanted a 'modern' stainless sink.
    When we sold our 1995 home in 2008, sink and faucet went with us. Both are sitting in storage waiting for our new build. Not sure where they will be located yet. It's tough designing around a 5' long, 26" deep, double bowl, double drain cast iron sink!


  • tetrazzini
    11 years ago

    Huh! Good to know it's lasted all this time!

  • jessicaml
    11 years ago

    Ok, I'm a little afraid to answer this, as the level of enthusiasm in the thread title tends to suggest an almost inappropriate level of love for a mere faucet...my faucet and I don't have THAT kind of relationship! ;)

    However, I do smile every time I see it.


    Peerless P299575LF (stock photo, since I don't want to do dishes tonight)

  • a2gemini
    11 years ago

    Love my waterstone also! It is the more modern version of poohpup's WS- ours is the 5400 PLP. On DM's iPad and not sure how to copy the links from the iPad

  • writersblock (9b/10a)
    11 years ago

    >not sure how to copy the links from the iPad

    Tap the URL and keep your finger there. You'll see a popup menu with Select All as an option, then Copy. Then tap in the Optional Link URL text box here and keep your finger down and you'll see Paste.

  • Buehl
    11 years ago

    PoohPup - do you have to hold the lever pushed in for the spray to stay on or does it "lock" in the spray mode?

    Much as I love my Kohler Vinnata, it has started to leak around the ball joint where the faucet head and tubing meet when the head is not pointing straight down. It's been in use a little over 4 years - but I think it should last far longer than that.

    The Waterstone looks just as nice, but if it doesn't lock in spray mode it won't work for us. Plus at a price of over $1K, I will probably have a hard time getting my DH to agree - especially since our expensive (but nowhere near as expensive to the Waterstone!) has failed after 4 years. *sigh*

  • poohpup
    11 years ago

    buehl, you do have to hold the lever for the spray to stay on. It does not lock in place.

  • a2gemini
    11 years ago

    Poohpup's faucet does not latch in spray mode but it is so pretty! I had a chance to see one in real life before it was even on the website! The rep dropped it off at the store while I was visiting DM.

    The 5400 PLP in the waterstone parche series does latch to spray without holding the switch.

  • gr8daygw
    11 years ago


    Not the best picture, but I do really like my faucet. It's a Grohe but I think I would have liked the Grohe Tallis better. I have one similar to it by Hansgrohe in the laundry room and I love it. Got it at Costco for half the price of the kitchen faucet.

  • clinresga
    11 years ago

    I can tell you the one I DIDN'T love--the Blanco Master Gourmet "commercial-style" faucet. The performance was pitiful--the flow rate through the pulldown was so weak that you couldn't coax a grape down into the disposal. Same for the main faucet. I know there's a 2.2 gpm limit, but they were way below that, and there was no way to remove the flow restrictor that I could find. Plus, the pulldown faucet stopped working (flow diverter would not divert flow to pulldown, so half of the already pitiful water flow was coming out the main faucet), though I will admit then sent a new one no questions asked. And that was a $700 faucet!!!

    We hated it enough that less than four years after intalling it, we replaced it with a KWC Systema. Similar look, but night and day difference in performance, including a roughly 4 gpm flow rate through the pulldown. Now I can move lemons and chicken thighs around. Build quality seems great, although again I've had to replace a cartridge already, again shipped out at no cost. I can certainly attest that the KWC really is the "Mercedes" when compared to the Blanco, or the Grohes we have elsewhere.

  • 1929Spanish
    11 years ago

    I love my Newport Brass Chesterfield faucet with side spray. Ours has lever handles, not the cross ones on the site. It works well and it's a little more delicate than many of the others I looked at. Fortunately I found one on ebay (someone changed their mind) that fell in my price range.

  • oldbat2be
    11 years ago

    Ya'll, these are all really pretty, but there is only One True Faucet (OTF) :)

    Kohler Karbon.... Quite possibly the best appliance in the kitchen.

    Good luck!

  • a2gemini
    11 years ago

    I ogled the Karbon for almost 3 years. Still lust the Karbon but still love my Waterstone

  • oldbat2be
    11 years ago

    Hi a2.... I'm such a huge fan of this faucet, doing my silly best to create a new acronym :)

  • westsider40
    11 years ago

    Yup, I like that. OTF! Kohler Karbon is the one. Ranks way up there with, induction, and large fridges, and fridge drawers. yup.

  • starinasgarden
    11 years ago

    Mine is nestled in its open box on my dinig room table, does that count? It certainly is pretty :)
    My Whitehaus Metrohaus came yesterday! Thanks Lascatx and Angie_DIY, I love it

  • a2gemini
    11 years ago

    Star
    LOL
    Been there, done that!
    I ogled our faucet in its box for months.

  • sserra85
    11 years ago

    I LOVE mine. Kohler Parq. The scale of it fits my whitehaven perfectly.

  • ppbenn
    11 years ago

    springroz Nancy
    Lovely sink and faucet Details please? Brand and model I'm new at this and dont know all the models yet ;)

  • pawa
    11 years ago

    Another chicago faucets fan! Notice how great a match it is to the vintage one?

    {{!gwi}}

  • Scary_Cary
    11 years ago

    If I could choose any faucet for my kitchen sink, I would have a Camarro fixture by Graff. I think it's a beautiful and simple design that would go well with a contemporary kitchen. I became a big fan of this company after seeing their Ametis collection of showers/faucets in person at ICFF.

  • Claudia77
    11 years ago

    Moen Waterhill Oil Rubbed Bronze one-handle high arc. I placed the faucet in the center, to the right of the faucet I placed the control lever; the sprayer is in the far right corner, and I placed the soap dispenser to the left of the faucet. I have a large, one-bowl copper sink and I love, love, love my faucet/sink!!! Good luck - think about how you'll be comfortable using your faucet and sink.
    MAKE SURE YOU DO NOT PURCHASE A FAUCET FROM A BIG BOX STORE!!!!

  • jakkom
    11 years ago

    No.

    2003 Grohe Ladylux (the pull-out style, whichever Ladylux that is). It's better than the pieces of carp I had before, which was a Moen (it needed that lifetime guarantee, the same part broke three times over six years) and then a Price Pfister, which had the worst spray pattern ever. It was so awful to live with, after three years I hired a plumber to replace it even though it was always in perfect working order.

    But then I was swayed by public opinion here, which was all about the Grohe Ladylux. Saw it in a K&B store but nobody had it actually hooked up. BIG MISTAKE.

    CA has strict water reduction laws. Those make the Grohe's lever action very stiff (and made us really hate the Hansgrohe handshower we have in our master bath, where the hose kept breaking off). The Ladylux is either full aeration on, or off. Getting a modest trickle takes more fiddling than it should.

    I also hate how the small end of the lever handle gets absolutely disgusting with gunk, and is difficult to clean. It's a good quality faucet, I'll give it that. And having replaced two other faucets, I'm not eager to go through this again.

    But our filtered water dispenser is wearing out. So I'm thinking, hmmm.....if I have to get a plumber to crawl underneath my sink and replace THAT, they could put in a new faucet at the same time!

    I'm looking forward to it.

  • segbrown
    11 years ago

    I do love ours, the Kohler Hi-Rise Bridge. And the matching sidespray. I looked long and hard for a pull-down, because I liked the function of the pull-down, but I never found one I liked enough. There are a few times that I might prefer the pull-down, but that's outweighed by how I love the look and feel and heft of the Kohler, and after 3 years, haven't had any issues. (Three years isn't that long, but..) The sidespray is on its own water, so you can use it without turning on the main faucet, which is nice.

  • enduring
    11 years ago

    segbrown, I love the concept of that Kohler Hi-Rise side spray. I like the independent water and hot/cold feature. How long is your sink and base cabinet?

    I have been wanting to that side spray in my bathroom/mudroom vanity as an addition to my wall mount sink faucet. I wondered if it would be too much busyness on my 18x36" vanity counter. The sink will be offset to the side and the counter will be 18x18" to the right of the sink. The sink will be 18x18 as well, and complete the 36" span. The sink will be a boxed shape soapstone with backsplash.

  • segbrown
    11 years ago

    I think the wall is about 96" and the sink is 30", but I will have to go measure to be sure.

  • enduring
    11 years ago

    Segbrown, thanks for the info, you don't need to post the exact measurements. Your sink size helps me alot.

  • segbrown
    11 years ago

    Ok, I did remember wrong ... sink is 36", and the wall is 105". I started thinking 30" sounded small, so I did measure. :-)

  • enduring
    11 years ago

    Thanks Segbrown, 36" is how long my vanity will be.

  • panzer1
    11 years ago

    Hey segbrown, I'm debating between the Koehler karbon and the High rise sidespray for my prep sink. Would you use the sidespray on its own, or is it meant to be used as a secondary spray?

  • enduring
    11 years ago

    Panzer1, I am plumbed to put in the independently connected HighRise side spray in my bathroom along side my wall mounted sink faucet. I have a need for some utility function in my bathroom and this side spray is ideal. I tried one out last year when I was in a large city plumbing supply store. I liked it. I thought the polished stainless steel looked like a great match with chrome. It is angled so that when it is resting in place it will spray into the sink without having to pull it out. It is independent of the main faucet and has its own on and off lever on the bottom. It is really its own little faucet. I think it is overall about 7" and needs around 4.5" width included the handle. You may know that though.

    If the size is right for your prep sink then I think it would be a nice faucet. In my room I will be having a 18" x 36" sink and counter area. With the 2 faucets the vanity may appear overwhelmed with faucets but I need function more than esthetics of faucet arrangements.

    Here is my concept drawing of the sink wall. The sink will be made of soapstone, hence the weird interpretive veining I drew up:
    {{gwi:1470480}}

  • EmilyOmanahan
    11 years ago

    The faucet that springroz Nancy posted on July 3 is the Elkay Explore Pulldown Bridge Faucet. I looked it up. Hope this helps!
    I would love a review of this Elkay faucet. I would also love to hear about the Moen Lindley Single Handle Pulldown Faucet and the Pfister Ashfield Pullout Spray Bridge.
    Thanks!

  • xxxOldTimeCarpenter
    11 years ago

    To find out actual objective information about bath and kitchen faucets, follow the link.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Faucet Reviews and Ratings

  • muskokascp
    11 years ago

    Agree the Kohler Karbon is the OTF! I don't just love the Karbon, I LOVE the Karbon. It is so incredibly functional and of course beautiful, but it is the function that has me singing its praises. The faucet has been installed for about 11 months and every single day I think to myself how great this faucet is.

  • flevy
    11 years ago

    I had the Kohler Vinnata at my old house. I love it. I love it so much that when it came to pick a new faucet for the new house, I didn't even think twice about getting it.

  • SallieLeo
    11 years ago

    In the midst of a remodel and I have been tearing my hair out trying to find an all brass (quality) kitchen faucet that I actually like and that is in a decent price range. I got so frustrated that I finally bought a Moen Lindley pull down from a big box store. Got it home, opened the box and discovered that most of the parts were plastic! Back to the drawing board...This thread has been very helpful though.