A kitchen tap is something you use numerous times a day, but it’s unlikely you give it much thought. Your focus is more likely to be on larger-scale aesthetics, such as herringbone floors, marble surfaces and statement lighting. But don’t be tricked into thinking that such a thing so small in size needs little consideration. You’ll regret the lack of research if you’re left cursing the kitchen taps as they spray you in the face every day.
As you shop for kitchen taps, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Should you choose one with a lever handle, or a traditional handle? What’s a ‘monobloc’? Ooh…fingertip control! What type of washer does it have? Does that even matter? Aargh!
How do I choose a kitchen tap?
1. Choose taps that won’t look out of place
As you start shopping for kitchen taps, consider the overall kitchen aesthetic that you’re aiming for. If you’re going for a traditional Country Living look, taps with an antique appearance will look the epitome of country chic on your butler sink. If your design is contemporary ergonomic, matte black taps are a striking option.
Before you choose your favourite style, picture it with the rest of the kitchen: opposites can attract, but it takes careful planning for a cohesive look.
Don’t throw different styles together and expect them to get along. If you don’t consider how the taps look with the rest of your kitchen, they could stand out — in a bad way.
2. Check the water pressure
If you’re unsure about what the water pressure is like in your home, ask your local water supplier. It helps to know this when choosing your kitchen taps.
You must choose the right type of kitchen tap for the pressure to ensure a consistent flow of water. If you have a high-pressure water system, an unvented or pressure-vented piping network, most types of tap will work. But if you have a low-water pressure or gravity-fed system, you’ll need to buy kitchen taps that compensate for this.
3. Install an instant boiling water tap
Tired old kettles can quickly look scruffy. Try as designers might, kettles aren’t considered to be enviable items of style. And a kettle clutters up the work surface.
Instant boiling taps offer a stylish and convenient solution. An instant boiling water tap not only looks good, but it provides boiling water instantly for your hot drinks and for your pans on the hob.
The InSinkErator F-701r and F-201r water filters improve the taste of water from your instant boiling water tap by removing or significantly reducing chlorine and other impurities in your tap water. Plus, the Insinkerator brand filters are specially designed for use with water that reaches temperatures up to 99°C (many 'compatible' filters only function with temperatures up to 80°C). Simply change your filters every six months for a continuous filtered water supply — easy!
4. Be aware of potential plumbing costs
If you’re redesigning your kitchen and moving your kitchen sink, then you’ll have to check the possibilities with a qualified plumber as your kitchen taps will obviously need to be connected to the water mains. Ask them about the necessary steps to install a hot water tap before they relocate the sink or fit a new kitchen.
If this is a considerable relocation, then ask your plumber about any extra costs.
What are the different types of kitchen taps?
There are more types of kitchen tap than you think. Pick the best tap for you, one that adds personality, style and desired functions to your dream kitchen.
Monobloc taps
Monobloc taps have a single spout for hot and cold water. They are usually operated via one lever, which controls both water pressure and temperature. The single lever is useful if you have your hands full and you’re trying to turn on the tap as you balance a saucepan in one hand, a small child on your arm, a spatula in your mouth, while you close a cupboard door with your foot (don’t try this at home!).
Two-handle monobloc
Two handled monobloc taps also have a single spout, but with two handles, so you can create the perfect temperature more easily than with a single lever monobloc. The two-handle monobloc comes in both mixed tap and two-pillar systems. Two-pillar systems share one spout, so the hot and cold water comes out together instead of separately. This helps you get more consistent temperature control.
Bridge mixer taps
Bridge (or deck) mixer taps make an ‘H’ or bridge shape. They have two separate holes next to each other and the hot and cold only come together once they leave the tap. They are often used with pull-out taps, which is always helpful.
Pull-down, pull-out taps
Pull-down/ pull-out taps will often be seen in commercial kitchens, but they’re also desirable in a modern home kitchen. They have an extended reach as the tap is connected to an extendable hose. These taps are especially useful for rinsing food from plates before they go into the dishwasher. Combine them with a food waste disposal unit in your kitchen sink and you have a match made in heaven.
Multifunction taps
The desirable kitchen of today is functional and minimalist, which makes a multipurpose tap so popular. In a world where we are used to ‘instant’ at the touch of a button, there is a crippling sense of exasperation waiting for a kettle to boil. It just seems to take longer each time. If you are multitasking and doing everything with a monobloc, upgrade to a multifunction tap and create a miso base sauce or boil pasta faster with a hot water tap.
The 4N1 Touch combines four everyday water functions into one kitchen tap — perfect for those with a busy lifestyle (and impatience issues). It can dispense hot and cold, instant steaming hot and filtered cold water. You can do away with the grotty kettle on the work surface and the jug of drinking water in the fridge you always forget to top up.
What is the best material for a tap?
There are various tap materials you can choose from, each with its advantages.
Chrome
Chrome taps are popular because they have a glossy mirror finish. They also happen to be economically priced. You’ll have to keep cleaning them for that daily shiny look, but it’s simple to do with a microfibre cloth.
Stainless steel
Stainless steel-finished taps are popular in contemporary kitchens and it’s easy to see why as this material ticks all the boxes: attractive, durable, easy to clean, and heat, stain and scratch-resistant.
Copper
Copper touches in your kitchen will give it a distinctive, traditional look. And copper taps will match your copper saucepans nicely. What’s more, copper is known for its antimicrobial abilities (killing bacteria in hours — useful to have in a kitchen when preparing food). But it’s worth noting that on the downside, copper is high maintenance and stains easily.
Brushed nickel
Brushed nickel is durable and easy to clean. It has a distinctive golden, brownish tint and so it looks great if you match the nickel taps with other items in the kitchen such as door handles, door knobs and light fixtures.
Brass
If you have a high temperature system, brass taps are ideal because they are corrosion resistant. They are also highly durable. And they look luxurious too. Elegant brushed brass is a favourite in modern kitchens.
Velvet black
If you love a minimalist look, consider statement tapware in velvet black. Black taps are a stylish choice for a modern kitchen. They will add a chic, inky pop to the kitchen sink area and will complement any surrounding contrasting materials such as stone, marble and wood.
What kitchen tap style should I go for?
Now for the fun part — choosing the style and placement of your kitchen taps:
- Where should you place the tap on the sink? The middle, wall-mounted, or to the side of the sink?
- You’ll need to take a look at handle styles — lever or cross shaped?
- Also decide on the shape of the tap neck: ‘J’, ‘U’, ‘L’, swan-neck, bridge or goose-neck.
- And pick a colour — a metal finish or black or white taps.
What type of tap is best for the kitchen?
If you’re looking to improve your kitchen, installing an instant hot water tap with a touch button control and filtered still water can add something to your kitchen that you didn’t even know was missing. With a variety of styles and finishes to choose from, such a small thing can really make a huge difference to your kitchen.
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