Choosing kitchen taps
When considering a tap for your home there's various sets of criteria which will need to be considered prior to purchasing. Given the sheer quantity of taps on the market at the moment, we've attempted to compile all of this information, using our industry knowledge, into a four step guide to assist you in making your choice.
This is far from an exhaustive test to guarantee you find the perfect tap, it's merely a tool to help you in making the all important choice.
And without further adieu...
1. Tap Type?
At the most baser level, when purchasing a tap you should have a clear idea of what type of tap you require/desire. At kitchenfittingsdirect.com, we supply a large collection of taps and naturally, a large collection of tap types. Some of these types of taps are as follows:
Mixer Tap: A mixer tap draws from both the hot and cold water supplies, mixing the flow together, before pouring out of a single spout. All taps at kitchenfittingsdirect.com are modern taps, and as such, provide hot and cold water and are by definition – mixer taps.
Deckmixer Tap: A deckmixer tap is very similar to a mixer tap as this one too mixes the flow of hot an cold water before pouring out from a single spout. However, the difference here is that this tap type requires two tap holes that are drilled on the surface of the kitchen sinks.
Pullout Tap: A pullout tap behaves just like a regular mixer tap however, it has the added benefit of possessing a flexible and detectable hose for additional reach and manoeuvrability. The extendable hoses allow for added movement making your kitchen tasks such as rinsing and cleaning easy. They are sure to deliver class and style to your kitchen.
Often these taps exert higher pressure flows of water and as such, often find themselves used in professional environments such as restaurant kitchens.
Note: Pull Out taps are not to be confused with flexi-hose connectors which are used in lieu of traditional copper piping in modern plumping.
Filtered Tap: Water filter taps are a special kind of tap designed for the dispensing of filtered water.
Depending on the particular tap and said tap's filter, a filtered tap may filter anything from general free radicals to heavy metal and chemical impurities.
Note: When buying a filtered tap, if you live in a particularly 'hard water' area, your tap may need to be paired with some form of scale reducer to ensure the tap's future integrity and defend against limescale damage. At kitchenfittingsdirect.com, we carry two different types of limescale filters which can be found here.
Boiling Water Tap: A boiling water tap is a tap which produces instant boiling water on demand either exclusively or in tandem with other types of water.
The flagship boiling water tap we supply at kitchenfittingsdirect.com is the Quooker which comes in a variety of different designs (with different functionalities) - click here for details.
We also supply a more economical brand/model, the Clearwater Magus.
2. Tap Design?
Once you've chosen the type of tap you want, next comes the tap's design. At kitchenfittingsdirect.com we carry a large selection of designer taps which really need to be seen to be fully apprenticed. A tap's design is an integral part of a kitchen's overall look and feel. To complete a consistent and appealing kitchen motif, the right tap is paramount!
To see our full range of taps, click here; alternatively, the following is a summary of the most common tap design types at kitchenfittingsdirect.com:
Period/Traditional: Some period designs do not endear themselves to contemporary designs, and vice versa. For this reason, items of a country style will match traditional homes and should be paired accordingly.
Modern: Less is often more in the world of kitchen design. Unless you are trying to achieve or match a specific motif, simplicity can often be the key to a sleek and modern kitchen.
Other: As well as choosing a general style of design, particular tap characteristics also need to be considered such as: single side lever, top lever, double lever and more.
3. Tap Finish?
Selecting a tap's finish can often be a straightforward process in that you will most likely be matching a colour to a pre-existing colour motif you have/or intend to have in your kitchen.
(For example, if you have a black sink you may wish to select a black tap; copper drawer handles may lead to a copper plated tap and a eclectic style kitchen could lead anything in between).
In our range of taps, many finishes can be selected and as above, need to be seen to be appreciated; to narrow the search a little bit more, the lines of taps which come with the broadest selection of colours are the Rococo Range, Tutti Range, Zodiac Range, Elara Range and the Quooker Range
4. Tap To Match Sink
If you have opted for a composite sink for your kitchen, we have the perfect taps that will enhance the sink and tap partnership.
Whether its a matte black finish or a sandstone finish combination that you are looking for, we have it all. The Elara Range offers taps in white, grey, black and sandstone finishes that perfectly match with granite composite sinks providing a seamless look to your kitchen.
5. Tap Miscellaneous
If you've come this far, you may have your tap selected and are ready to buy. Before you pull the trigger and proceed with any purchase, here are some small things to consider and to be aware of:
Durability: Like many things in life, a price that's too good to be true, often is. At kitchenfittingsdirect.com we only supply the highest quality of kitchen taps from world renowned brands, suppliers and manufacturers however, there does exist sites out there that supply inferior products.
Akin to many low cost, “too good to be true” purchases – they often prove to be false economy savings as you end up having to replace the item soon after the purchase. The weight and production quality (i.e. welds, mechanical integrity...etc.) should be examined when purchasing your tap and if this is a problem at the point of purchase – take this as a clue to the product's quality.
At kitchenfittingsdirect.com we welcome any and all scrutiny of our taps as our reviews and product quality speaks for itself.
Warranty: This is not news to any savvy shopper, whether it be online or otherwise, a products after sales support and service can sometimes be as important, if not more important than its functionality.
For this reason, at kitchenfittingsdirect.com we offer 5 year warranty on almost all of our taps (the only tap not within this 5 year warranty is the Quooker which carries 2 year warranties on all parts as specified by the manufacturer).
Water Pressure: When it comes to choosing your next kitchen tap, choosing one that will fit into your existing water system is crucial. Buying the wrong type of tap may result in low pressure of water if not a tap that will simply not function. For example, A high bar pressure tap (1.0 bar) being installed onto a low pressure system (0 - 0.5 bar) may result in a tap that hasn't got the pressure in the pipes to push the water through.
To help you choose the right kitchen tap, we have specified the minimum bar pressure on each tap we sell. Here are few of the low pressure taps:
You can read more about bar pressure here
Critical Parts: On receiving any goods you've purchased, items should be immediately examined to guarantee all necessary parts are included as described. Whether it be an advanced tap such as a Quooker boiling water tap or a standard top lever tap, ensure parts conform to those which should be supplied.
At kitchenfittingsdirect.com, unlike other companies, we supply all necessary parts for fitting your taps, sinks...etc. to ensure our high quality products function at peak performance with top quality parts.
Compliance: Last but certainly not least, it is crucial you ensure mechanical and technical requirements on your tap adhere to the place it will be fitted. This ranges from straightforward things such as fitting dimensions to technical prerequisites such as water pressure (click here to see our stress-free guide to measuring your own water pressure).
