For those that’ve been following our prior blog posts, you may remember seeing one that highlighted the many different types of kitchen faucets. While you’ll generally see some more unique qualities with faucets in the kitchen (voice-activated features, for example), that doesn’t mean creativity doesn’t exist in regards to bathroom faucets. While your secondary bathroom might just have some standard faucets, why not get something cool in the master bathroom and truly have it fit the overall aesthetic for the space?
If you’ve been thinking about upgrading your bathroom faucets, then the blog you’re about to read will be perfect for you. We’re going to take a look at the different styles you can pick from, which brands you should consider and we’ll even touch on bathroom faucets for commercial facilities as well. Before getting into that though, we would like to welcome anyone new to our blog. Our plumbing business, Stine-Nichols Plumbing, provides residential and commercial plumbing services throughout the Kansas City area. Water heaters, faucets, sewer line repair, water softeners, you name it. We always enjoy utilizing our blog as a place to discuss various plumbing tips that any homeowner can implement.
Types and Styles of Bathroom Faucets
Believe it or not, simply installing modern faucets really can have a significant impact on the look of a bathroom. Even if you don’t go with one of the high-end faucets, there’s no doubt that a shiny new faucet will make the entire space look much better. Let’s first take a look at the various styles or types of faucets you can pick from.
Single-Handle – If your sink or countertop only has one hole, then you’re likely going to be in the market for a single-handle faucet. You’ve probably seen these before and essentially, they have one handle which controls the water temperature and pressure.
Center-Set – In all honesty, center-set faucets are probably the most common type that you’ll come across. They work on sinks with three holes. With these, you will have one unit that includes the faucet spout and two handles.
Widespread – Here we have another example of a faucet that works on sinks with three holes. However, unlike the center-set faucets, widespread faucets are composed of three separate pieces: the faucet spout and the two handles. These are also widely used in the faucet world.
While we only listed a few different types of bathroom faucets, there are plenty others, including the cool wall-mounted options. However, for this blog post, we wanted to provide an overview of a few other characteristics to consider in your faucet shopping journey.
Finishes – Once you have an idea of which type of bathroom faucet you want, it’s now time to evaluate the various finishes available. You’ll likely want to try to find something that matches the overall vibe you already have established in the bathroom. In addition, keep in mind how forgiving certain materials are with fingerprints and water spots. If you would like something that is relatively low-maintenance in regards to cleaning, that should factor into your decision. Having said that, what materials might you want to consider? Here are a few of the more popular options: Brass, stainless steel, chrome, matte black, nickel and even copper. And in terms of pure commonality, chrome is probably the one we come across the most!
Handle Style – Lastly, as we near the end of our walkthrough of various faucet characteristics, we arrive at the handle style. In most cases, when you think of a bathroom faucet, you’re thinking of those with lever handles. While they are simple, they also serve their general purpose and provide a nice aesthetic-boost to the room. Keep in mind that you will have some flexibility in terms of the shape of lever handles. Although not nearly as common, cross-shaped handles are another possible option.
Touchless Capabilities – White touchless (or hands-free) faucets certainly aren’t anything new in 2022, it’s safe to say that the Covid pandemic truly enhanced the popularity of them over the last couple of years. While these are certainly a possibility in residential settings (along with voice-activated features), the reason I’m bringing up touchless faucets here is because of their prevalence in the commercial world. Whether it be retail stores, office buildings or any other type of commercial facility, there’s no denying that germs can spread in a hurry and faucet handles can be a primary source of where this is spread. Having said all of that, this is a major reason why touchless faucets are becoming a must for so many commercial facilities!
Faucet Brands
Now that you have a basic understanding of the various characteristics composing a bathroom faucet, it’s time to look at the different brands currently on the market. In terms of finding one that doesn’t break down easily and allows you to find replacement parts relatively easily, it’s always a good idea to start with the companies that’ve been around for a while. There’s definitely a handful of them that have been industry leaders for decades.
Moen – Moen is a perfect example of a company that’s been at the forefront of innovation on countless occasions, while still operating across different parts of the plumbing industry. In addition to faucets, this also includes showerheads, bidets, sinks and even garbage disposals. Long story short, their faucet offerings come in just about every type and finish, so homeowners will have no problem finding a style they love.
Delta – Next on our list, we’ll highlight Delta. Much like Moen, you’ll have no trouble finding the perfect faucet amongst their long list of possibilities. Furthermore, you’ll also notice they have options available at a wide range of price points. From their Foundations series being a more economical option to the Victorian, you can’t go wrong with Delta.
American Standard – The final brand that we’ll touch on today is American Standard. And as you can probably guess, American Standard is also much more than just a faucet company. Whether that be sinks, toilets, freestanding tubs or plenty of other plumbing fixtures, they have become one of the more recognizable names in the plumbing industry. They offer all of the types and finishes we’ve discussed above and continue to be a reliable brand.
While we only covered a handful of faucet brands, there’s no denying that this is just scraping the surface of different options currently on the market. In fact, we do have some previous blog posts that took a more in-depth look at some of these faucet major brands, in addition to highlighting their history as a business. If you’re interested in checking those out, HERE is a link to the first blog, which featured four faucet leaders.
Faucet Repair and Installation Services in Kansas City
When was the last time you went faucet shopping? If it’s been awhile, you’ll likely be amazed by just how many different options there are currently on the market. And as evidenced throughout this blog, there are also a handful of qualities to consider when evaluating potential faucets. If you live in the Kansas City area and are needing some help with either faucet repair or installation services, our team at Stine-Nichols Plumbing would be more than happy to help out! Our experienced plumbing technicians have years of experience installing a wide range of faucets, both in terms of style and various brands. To learn more and request a free estimate, click the link HERE to give us a call at (816) 348-3481.