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How do I Choose the Best Sink Fixtures?

Sherry Holetzky
Sherry Holetzky

When it comes to sink fixtures, how to choose the best ones covers a lot of territory. While faucet style and fixture finish may be very important to you, size, ease of installation, ease of use, durability, and guarantees of quality can be even more important. Look for a lifetime warranty.

There are many features that may help you make a final decision in choosing sink fixtures. Scratch resistance, anti-scald technology, and the ability to filter water are just a few. You will also need to decide between single and dual faucets. Single faucet designs allow you to work the sink with one hand while dual faucets allow you to better control temperature. The appearances of each can be very different as well.

A person washing dishes in a sink.
A person washing dishes in a sink.

Doing a bit of research, or comparison shopping, is advised when choosing sink fixtures. As with all plumbing fixtures, you will want to make sure the size of the sink fixtures is appropriate for your sink composition. This means more than simply lining up the faucet with the mounting holes. The size of the sink fixtures should be appropriate to the size of the basin as well.

A kitchen faucet.
A kitchen faucet.

While a particular faucet setup may work, it may not be the one best suited to the sink. A kitchen faucet may actually fit in a bathroom sink, but that does not mean it will be a good choice. The spout should be the right length to avoid too much splashing and the water coming from the spout should pour near the drain, not too far to the front, back, or sides. In addition, bulky fixtures will overwhelm a small sink and tiny fixtures will seem out of place on a large sink.

Faucets should be the right length in order to avoid splashing.
Faucets should be the right length in order to avoid splashing.

Low maintenance sink fixtures that are easy to clean are also a good choice. Some options may preclude the use of certain types of cleaning solutions in order to protect the finish. Also, look over each fixture carefully to determine how easy it will be to clean. Make sure you will be able to easily clean around the base and the faucet handles.

There are countless styles and finishes from which to choose, but you will probably want to choose sink fixtures that work with your other kitchen or bathroom fixtures. There are many name brands that carry full lines or coordinated kitchen and lavatory fixtures. Some homeowners choose to create different looks from room to room while others prefer to use coordinating items throughout the entire home.

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    • A person washing dishes in a sink.
      By: Julija Sapic
      A person washing dishes in a sink.
    • A kitchen faucet.
      By: Elenathewise
      A kitchen faucet.
    • Faucets should be the right length in order to avoid splashing.
      By: djtaylor
      Faucets should be the right length in order to avoid splashing.
    • Style, finish, size, and ease of installation and use should be considered when shopping for a sink fixture.
      By: Vladitto
      Style, finish, size, and ease of installation and use should be considered when shopping for a sink fixture.
    • Sink faucets may include a filtration system which allows for tap water to be drinkable.
      By: science photo
      Sink faucets may include a filtration system which allows for tap water to be drinkable.