The kitchen sink is the most frequently used part of your kitchen. It’s the hub for collecting dirty dishes and utensils, washing said dirty dishes, as well as an access point for water used for drinking and food preparation. It’s also one of the design points that can bring interest to a kitchen. The kitchen sink tap you choose needs to be practical, suit the water layout at your sink and match the style of your kitchen. There are 5 things to consider when choosing kitchen sink taps for your kitchen renovation.
1. Bench mounted mixer tap or wall mounted taps?
It’s important to choose the right tap to suit the correct configuration of water connections at your sink. A complete kitchen renovation will have the water points located underneath the sink. This is ideal for a kitchen mixer tap.
If the water points come through the wall above the sink, a wall mixer or wall-mounted hot and cold taps will be required for installation.
2. Choose function over looks
Most kitchen renovations will opt for a mixer for their kitchen sink tap. The lever makes the tap easy to turn on and off when prepping food. If the water points penetrate through the wall above the sink, your plumber will be able to relocate them under the sink to suit a mixer tap.
The best kitchen taps are chrome or have a metallic finish. White and matte black mixers can look great when installed new, but after use, they can show marks through wear and tear. Always choose an electroplated mixer when purchasing a block coloured mixer tap.
3. Ensure there is enough bench support for your chosen mixer
Veggie spray mixer taps are a popular choice in modern kitchens. They certainly make a design statement and allow ease of use when spraying food or clearing dishes. The heavier mixer taps will require extra support underneath to carry the additional weight. Installing this style of mixer is best suited in the bench top as opposed to on the sink mount.
4. Check the lever of your mixer tap won’t hit the splashback or adjacent walls
There are so many designs of kitchen mixers to choose from, but it’s best to choose a mixer where the lever can be configured away from the wall if your kitchen sink has a splashback. There is nothing worse than a handle that can only provide hot water because the wall is in the way when turning on the cold.
5. Warranty is with the manufacturer, not the plumber
It’s important to understand how long the warranty is for the tap you choose and what it includes. Most kitchen mixers will have a one-year warranty for parts and labour. After that one-year period, if the mixer is faulty, the parts will be covered by the manufacturer (if it is still under warranty) and labour will be at your cost, not the plumber’s.
The right kitchen sink tap is a matter of personal choice. A plumbing supply showroom is the ideal place to choose the sink tap that’s right for you.
