Choosing the Right Kitchen Tap
The first thing to consider is functionality. We’ll share our tips and recommendations for choosing a tap to harmonise with your décor later in this article
The first thing to consider is functionality. We’ll share our tips and recommendations for choosing a tap to harmonise with your décor later in this article
The humble tap is probably the most frequently used item in your kitchen – it’s a necessity for everyday tasks like preparing meals, making drinks and washing up. If your tap is stiff or leaky, or just old and tired-looking, you might want to consider replacing it. An upgrade is also well worth considering if you ever find your tap frustrating to use – small annoyances such as not being able to properly adjust the tap head, or water splashing onto the countertops, can be remedied with a smarter design choice. Since the tap is so central to everything you do in a kitchen, it’s important to choose the right one – luckily, we’re here to help!
The first thing to consider is functionality. We’ll share our tips and recommendations for choosing a tap to harmonise with your décor later in this article, but no matter how aesthetically pleasing, there’s no point installing a beautifully-designed tap if it doesn’t meet your needs!
Think about what you most frequently use your tap and sink for, and go from there.
If you find yourself elbow-deep in soapy water and dirty dishes every evening, consider an adjustable tap with an extendible hose. Being able to control the direction of water flow is a lifesaver for awkwardly-shaped items like wine glasses and sieves, and is particularly useful when washing large pans or baking trays that don’t fit easily in the sink.
A steaming hot water side tap is an additional option to consider. We all know that some items only really come clean after a good soak – i.e. filling them with boiling water from the kettle and leaving them for another time! Having steaming hot water on demand helps strip off stubborn stains and stuck-on food, saving time and avoiding the nagging feeling of knowing there’s still a baking tray to wash up later!
Hot drinks are the fuel that every British household runs on – morning coffee, endless mugs of hot tea, hot chocolate for those cold winter nights or even a Lemsip when you’re under the weather! Whatever your choice, having a steaming hot water tap dispenses with the need for a kettle, saving time and valuable countertop space.
If you don’t want to make a big change or are happy with your main tap, you can install a side tap alongside the main tap unit. If you’re looking at replacing your entire tap, a three-in-one (cold, hot and steaming hot water) combination tap is a great choice – our own 3N1 combination tap fits standard 35mm kitchen tap fittings, so is also an excellent option if you don’t want to make any modifications to your countertops.
down on frustrations. Some kitchen taps have adjustable flow types – being able to switch to a gentle, shower-style spray setting is ideal for rinsing fruit and veg.
Depending on the water quality in your area, your tap water may have mineral impurities or traces of chlorine – perfectly safe to drink, but the character of your water affects the flavour of the food you cook. A filtered water tap gives you perfectly pure water, straight from the tap – particularly important for foods which absorb water when cooking, like rice or couscous, and also helping to prevent corrosion or stains on your cookware over time.
A steaming hot water tap is another modification that will help you prepare meals – from filling pans to rinsing noodles, it’s useful in any number of ways. If you spend a lot of time cooking, consider our HC3300 filtered water tap – it dispenses both steaming hot water and filtered cold water at the flick of a lever, free from any impurities that might affect the taste of your food.
After you’ve chosen the features that you need in a tap, it’s time to consider design choices. Often the kitchen tap is replaced at the same time as a sink – but if you’re keeping the sink, make sure your tap choice compliments it! That beautiful brushed gold finish might look great in the showroom, but it could look out of place on a stainless steel basin. There’s more to consider than just colour – a sleek, modern tap will look out of place sitting over a rustic, country-style enamel basin.
Once you’ve considered the sink, look to the rest of the room. Is there a cohesive theme? If there is, make sure your tap choice doesn’t jar with other fixtures and fittings – cabinet handles, door handles and suchlike. As with the sink, you’re not just looking for colour – materials, textures and style of design are key. Fortunately, there are so many taps on the market that you’re almost certain to find what you’re looking for.
Finally, you’ll see a huge variation in the price of taps – from dirt-cheap to eye-wateringly expensive. Although you don’t need to splash out on the top end of the market to get a quality product, the kitchen tap is one area where it doesn’t pay to skimp. A tap will be used dozens of times a day, every day of the year – if you pay for quality and do your research before buying, you can be confident you’re making a purchase that will last for years to come.
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