I have a 10" sink and originally bought a Hansgrohe high arc faucet. It splashed so badly every time I did dishes that my mid-secrion always got wet, as did the floor, countertop, etc. Dh hated is as well.

I packed it up and brought it back to Expo and said told them it splashed too much. The salesperson thought I was crazy and told me the higher ones are the latest and the greatest and it makes cleaning big pots so easy. Well I don't know about you, but I'm not running a soup kitchen out of my house. I exchanged it for another Hansgrohe of a typical size and I love it!

I have since spoken to a few other people who also dislike the high faucets for the same reason.

Susan4664, how high was the one that splashed? (Not how high was the top of it, but how high was the part where the water comes out?) And how high is the one you're currently happy with?
thanks!

Jane,

I had the Allegro pull-out faucet. It's kind of a silly goose neck looking thing. The handle was on the side, which I also found akward to operate.

I now have the Metro pull-out faucet. It is a standard size and height like we're all used to. The handle is behind it like most sinks and it is very solid feeling. Both can be seen on the Hansgrohe website,

http://www.hansgrohe-usa.com/indexf.php

Susan

Thanks Susan. Looks like the one we're getting is higher than the Metro, but not as high as the Allegro, so with luck we'll be ok. (We're planning on the Citterio with pull-down spray - anyone reading this have that one?)

Working at my mothers sink for any length of time made my upper back hurt and I finally figured out why. Her faucet is too low for me. I am 5'6". She has a cast iron sink mounted under tile with the faucet mounted on the sink deck, not the tile. The faucet is by Grohe and very similar to the "Eurodisc" model shown at www.groheamerica.com, I think also similar to the Metro mentioned above. Her sink cabinet is 36" high. I have to bend down to get my hands under the faucet and into the water and that is what makes my back hurt.

theresab1- just wanted to say again how much I love your granite and your whole kitchen- it's peaceful, interesting, and beautiful!

I have a 9" deep sink which came with the house (only thing in the kitchen which I like). It came with a standard, flat, Moen faucet, like you get at the hardware store. It worked fine until it died of old age. It came with one of those European things that fit over the bubbler and change from stream to spray, and rotate everywhere so you can wash down the whole sink just by moving it. I LOVED that! The new faucet is whatever the plumber could find to fit. It's shiny and prettier, has the pull out and a switch for spray/stream, but it doesn't rotate as much and I have to pull it all the way out to rinse the sink. It's a little more arched than the flat Moen, but not much.

I think it's the sink depth that matters, not so much the faucet. The only thing the old one didn't do well was washing the wastebasket--but I had a sprayer for that! With the big, deep sink it was no problem getting the canning pot under the flat faucet.

Yep - high arc plus deep sink equals splash problems. Oops!

I have the ladylux cafe high arc. Spout is 7" off the countertop level. The bowls are 10 and 8" deep undermounted to 3 cm granite. Never have had problems with any kind of splashing. But, our water pressure isn't that high so maybe I'm lucky that way.

Theresab1: I like your kitchen! Would you call that a craftsman style kitchen? We are thinking of going in that direction but haven't seen too many kitchens like this, especially in the cabinets. May I ask who made your cabs? They are really pretty. And, I also like your backsplash. Are they a ceramic subway tile? Manufacturer?
The style of windows with the side grids are really nice. Thanks for any help!

Susan: Which Metro? I looked at the Hansgrohe website and it looks like the high arc Metro is 8.5 inches from spout to counter. Is that about average? Will that one work with a deep sink? There's one that looks like one we all grew up with that is 5.25 inches from spout to counter. Is that the one you are talking about? To compare I looked at the Ladylux Plus and from spout to counter is 10 3/8 inches. Ladylux Cafe is 8.5 inches. Now my head is spinning around again - choosing faucets is a PITA!

We have a Franke Orca sink with a Hamat Ergo hi arc faucet and I don't have problems with splashing. I guess you need the right combination but I love ours. You'll find the one that works for you.

Thanks everybody for contributing. My current faucet is a low arc and the end of the spout is only 5 1/4" above the counter. It's PLENTY for my needs--so long as it swivels! And my current sink is only 6" deep. At its top, this faucet is only 9" above counter.

Unfortunately I've not yet found one with equivalent measurements. The high arcs are too high and let the water loose from the spout way too high in the air. My new sink, at 10" deep and 31" long just doesn't require that.

Hope those measurements are helpful to someone. If anybody sees something with a spout closer to 5" off the countertop, with 8" spread, lever-style handles, please let me know. I want all brass construction with ceramic discs. I need two, and one has to meet ADA guidelines. TIA

Kulagal, That sounds about right. Its about 15 inches up from the bottom of the sink. I have more than enought room and the Metro is very comfortable to use. I like the large handle. It feels sturdy and moves smoothly. I didn't like the faucet with the thin stick-like handle. Susan

Susan: I think the Metro you got is no longer available. The one they show now has the stick handle.

Kulagal,
You are correct. I checked the Hansgrohe website and they do have the product listed in the "Interaktive" line. It is item number 06917860 (Steel Optik color) and it says it has been discontinued and recommends the one with the stick control. It does have the specs and measurements. I can't believe it. We are sooo happy with this one. It is raised up 5 1/4" from the counter level.

If you're really interested, I'm sure you can find it by doing a google search and putting in the Hansgrohe item number. I'll bet there are plenty of stores that still have it on their shelves. You could probably get a good price also.
Susan

Kulagal,

Check out FaucetDirect.com
They have the Hansgrohe metro #06917, in case you are interested.

Susan

Hello Susan: Were you able to find a prep/bar sink faucet that matches or coordinates with the one you have? This seems a little difficult to find, too. I would prefer the two faucets to look like they came from the same family. Thanks for your prompt reply! Can't wait for the faucet decision to end!

What exactly do you mean by arc? Would that apply to a gooseneck faucet, or any kind?

Pictured in the link below are some gooseneck (high arc?) faucets by Chicago Faucets. They're supposed to be very good quality, and I've seen them in lots of pictures of professional cooks' kitchens. I'm interested in the 8" deck mounted faucet, which is available in different sizes. I don't know, however, whether the 6" or 10" refer to reach or height of the spout.

Does the height of the arc itself influence the rate or splashiness of the water, or only the height of the spout relative to the sink basin?

thanks!

Here is a picture of my Hansgrohe Metro faucet with matching soap dispenser and filtered water faucet. My faucet is not high or arch-style and it works great!

egganddart49: The height of the arc at its peak should have no bearing on the splashing, unless it affects speed or volume of water flow. That, I couldn't tell you.

Just think in terms of where the water is released from the spout and how far to the surface below that it hits. And, how far that surface (the sink bottom usually) is from the countertop. The greater that distance, the greater the splash. However, thinking about it, the deeper the sink, the less likely any splash is to escape the sink. So a deep sink offsets splash outside the sink to some extent.

We're talking about arcs, but there are some spouts that get elevated by a vertical riser rather than being gooseneck arcs. You get the same effect.

I hate my HansGrohe Interaktiv. It splashes a ton and I think it is 16" at it's highest point. I like that Metro one - problem is DH likes the Interaktiv...

Do you know how great a distance you can go between the point from which the water is leaving the faucet to hitting the sink bottom before splashing occurs? 15", 17", 20'? Is that the key here? How about those with high facuets measuring that distance and letting us know if theirs splashes or not? I bet we could figure out a reasonable distance range before you start getting into trouble.

A list of faucet models this happens with might also be helpful, because it may have to do with those that have a more forceful flow of water, also. The degree of aeration would probably effect that, and certain models may not have aerators that are compatible with long drops of water, because they simply might not aerate the stream of water enough. Not all manufacturers give the Gallon Per Minute output of each faucet, and some may be more forceful than others. OR, it may be that higher faucets are meant for the newer deeper sinks. My old sink is only about 6 1/2" deep. It can't take as much splash as a 10" deep one will.

This issue makes me a little crazy. We really should take a poll of faucets that splash and figure out why. Future TKOs, I believe, would be appreciative. Especially with fauctes in the 300-2000.00 range. Wasn't any big deal to replace one if you didn't like it when they were all the same style and cost about 20.00 each. :)

Sue

Honestly, the physics don't make sense to me: for the distance between faucet and sink bottom to matter, gravity would have to be playing a much larger part than water pressure in influencing the water's velocity. If we were talking about several feet I could buy it, but a few inches?

I think differences in the aerator, flow restrictor, angle that the water hits the sink, or shape of the sink where the water impacts are more likely culprits.

My high arc Moen in a medium deep Moen stainless doesn't splash at all, but the flow is pretty restricted.

If I owned a spasher, I'd try lowering the water pressure via the shutoff valves under the sink...

I'm still deciding for my kitchen but like Delta's Saxony so far. A high arc faucet would show from my living room because there's a pass through window above the sink. I like the way this one is designed. My thinking is that - when I'm using the pull-out sprayer on this one, the rest of the faucet will be out of the way since the pull-out is longer. Some pull-outs look more like a knob and you might have to push the faucet over to the side to get it out of the way sometimes. Wish they made this one in brushed pewter.

Here is a link that might be useful: Delta Saxony

I was a liberal arts major. I'm in over my head with actual calculations and physics. But what oruboris said makes sense to me. I'm sure there is somewhere out there a math whiz who knows how to calculate this. However, it would have to be calculated with more givens than I think any of us has--as to volume, velocity, etc. Distance, we stand a chance of knowing. And sometimes the angle, at least I saw that on one technical spec. sheet.

Short of that, it's a guessing game with a few individual experiences--short on all required info.--thrown in. Based on those, I'm still of the opinion that those few inches DO matter. (Forgive me any double entendres here.) And, a deep sink has to reduce splash outside of it, though not inside it, if that matters to you.

I wonder now if a lot of my splashing isn't due to having us washing things "up in the air" as I said before. If we had a lower spout we'd have to get things down into the sink. But good luck on finding that low spout in a faucet of any decent quality; low spouts are OUT just now.

We have a high arc faucet and 10" deep sink and I've had no problem with splashing at the bottom of the sink. The only time things seem to splash is when I hold them up close to the faucet--such as a spoon. This happens in my new deep sink/high faucet set up and also happened in my old shallow sink/low faucet set up. I don't know if the height of the faucet makes a difference (I agree that it would most likely be a function of water pressure) but the deeper sink IS going to do a better job at capturing the water. I end up with a wet torso anytime I do dishes (new set up, old set up, mom's set up....) because I have the nasty habit of leaning into the counter and my shirt wicks the water off the wet edge of the sink.

I appreciate the big space I have between faucet and sink bottom. I can easily wash anything without manipulating it around the faucet.

Oops, I forgot to give the link for the Chicago Faucets I mentioned. I spoke to them, and they said there's no splashing issue because of the aerator.

chicago faucets

kulagirl- just wanted to respond, i guess ours could be considered craftsman style. the cabinets are plain and fancy in shaker. and the tile is sandstone subway tile.

egganddart49: that explains it--the aerator. Which I think Calif. is already requiring in all faucets?? But I read a KD say that a lot of people hate it in the kitchen because they can't get a good, powerful stream there for washing things. I know I like that to wash veggies. So I'm putting aerators everywhere but in the kitchen.

I have a deep sink with high arc. There only seems to be splashing if I have it on spray and not pulled out, otherwise it doesn't splash. I pull it out when I need to spray anyway. One really nice thing about the high arc and the fact that I have it mounted on the side, is I can fill large pots right on the counter without having to lift them out of the sink.

We're getting a Kohler Vinnata faucet to go with our Ticor S105 SS double bowl sink. The sink depths are 8" and 7", to which we'll be adding a 1.5" inch counter.

Total sink depth: 9.5" and 8.5".

Anyone have this combination? Any problems? Pictures?

In answer to my own question: We've installed and have been using our Kohler Vinnata faucet with the Ticor sink. We love it. No problems with splashing - in fact, I don't see how there could be, the sink is too deep.

I love the choice of two water flows, direct or aerated, and then there's the pull out spray. I also liked how we could choose which side of the faucet we wanted the handle.

I have a Whitehaus faucet that is similar to the Kohler Vinnata but the reach is slightly further into the sink and the arc and spout are slightly lower. Our sink is 10" deep undermounted with 3 cm counters. No splashing problems.

Our prep sink, with a 9 inch bowl and a shorter faucet, does have a splash problem, but the culprit there is the reach into the bowl. It needs to be longer and I'm looking for a replacement. It was the look I wanted and on clearance, so it was about the least expensive thing we could replace, so I'm happy that has beenthe one thing we would do differently -- and will, as soon as we fid the right faucet.

I agree that the height and the reach of the faucet are very important to your comfort in working at the sink -- they impact how much you will reach much more than the depth of the sik.

@plllog or anyone with a 9" deep - do you ever wish it was deeper? I have a choice between 9 and 10". There is a price difference. Kraus 9", Hahn 10". Single.

No. It's been almost 10 years since the remodel--the new sink is also 9" at the edges--and I definitely wouldn't want a deeper kitchen sink. I do have a laundry sink not so far away. I have a grid in half the sink, but it's only about half an inch tall. It's useful, but sometimes, I could like to have a shallower sink, or something like the reef in the Kohler...Stages? The one with the prep bowls.

Fixtures aren't the place to scrimp. If you're changing a big element of quality with the inch, then maybe consider price, but in the normal scheme of things, I wouldn't guess more than a few hundred dollars difference, all else being the same. If so, unless your budget is under $10K for the whole shebang, take the difference out of the finishes, not the useful bits.

Keep in mind that sinks are adaptable. If you have a reason for wanting that extra inch, go for it, because it's hard to adapt a sink deeper. OTOH, I have a couple of dishpans that fit nicely in my sink and make it easy to do traditional two bowl dishwashing. Turn one over and one has a platform which is next best to the built in reef. I also have a roll up, over the sink, dish drainer grid. When I just can't stand to lean over a tiny bit, it makes a great platform for setting dishes and pots on while I wash and rinse them.

That's the big thing to keep in mind. Every inch deeper your sink is, is another inch lower you have to bend to pick up a dish.

I say get the 9" sink. If you can figure out three good reasons why this is wrong and why you must have a deeper sink, then I must be wrong and you should get the 10".

Good luck with your decision.

@plllog good advise, thanks! The 9" Kraus if for sale by owner and the 10" is Costco. I am actually scared from experience of something being missing from the box with the Kraus, but I have looked up the sink and it looks good. 3rd option is a Stylish brand with a partial divide.