14 Different Types of Faucets | Know The Differences Before You Buy

The elegant and stylish appearance faucets bring to your bath tabs, kitchen and showers cannot be overestimated. Today, when purchasing faucets for your home, there are so many things to be considered.

Apart from the appearance, other factors such as installation, how well it functions, and how easy it is to maintain or repair must also be considered.

To carefully select faucets for the different areas of your home, there are some simple features you have to take note of.

For example, bathroom faucets are mainly identified or categorized by how they handle looks like the mounting options and finish.

When it comes to kitchen faucets, although the selection is also based on those aspects associated with bathroom faucets, in this case, what is mostly considered is the mounting options.

There are various types of kitchen sinks, so as a result of this, there are several kitchen faucet mounting options.

The mounting options can be console, vessel, over-mount, under-mount, and pedestal.

What Are The Different Types of Faucets For Home & Bathroom

01. Compression Faucet

This faucet comes with one head and two different handles. Each handle serves its distinct purpose.

Both handle control or regulate the hot and cold water, respectively.

This type of faucet is easy to come by, and they are also affordable. An associated problem with this type of valve is that the issue of water leakage starts occurring once the rubber wears out.

02. Ball Faucet

This type of faucet is regarded as the most popular faucet you can find on the market today.

It belongs to the old generation faucets model. The flow of water is being controlled or regulated using its ball-like handle, which is located at the base of the faucet spout.

This type of faucet is known for its high rate of leakage. This faucet type is commonly used in the kitchen.

Also, in most cases, they are a single-handled type of faucet.

03. Cartridge Faucet

This type of faucet comes either as a single handle faucet or as double handles faucet.

The double handles faucets are known for their distinctive style of operations.

The handles can be controlled or rotated either to the left or right position, and they can as well be moved or rotated in up and down place.

The movements in any of the identified positions control the flow of water. This type of faucet is hardly affected by leakages.

After a very long time of usage, a drop in the level of effectiveness is experienced.

04. Touchless Faucet

This type of faucet comes with a motion sensor. The motion sensor ensures you turn on the water directly and efficiently.

By only moving your hand across the motion sensor, the water turns on and starts flowing.

It is a perfect choice for both the kitchen and the bathroom.

This type of faucet is known for its contribution or influence on hygiene.

Its mode of operation brings about a reduction in water contamination.

Also, this type of faucet favors the ease of adjustment of water temperature.

05. Ceramic Disc Faucet

This type of faucet is popularly used in the bathroom (On the bath-tabs). This faucet makes it possible for your tap to mix both cold and hot water comfortably.

This type of faucet comes with two ceramic discs, which are positions beneath the lever.

One of the ceramic discs is permanently positioned while the other one rotates in various positions (up, down, right, and left). These movements are what make the flow of water possible.

When the handle is being moved from the left position to the right place, it changes the water temperature from hot to cold.

This type of faucet is considered to be very dependable and efficient. Although they are expensive, they are long-lasting and easy to maintain.

06. A Deckplate Faucet

This type of faucet ensures components such as the sprout, the dispenser, and the handles are positioned/mounted on a plate.

The deck plate faucet fits perfectly well with all types of kitchen sinks.

Not only that, this type of faucet ensures all holes are adequately covered in a bid to achieve a seamless finishing.

In case what you have in your kitchen is a small sink, this type of faucet may not be the right choice for you.

Also, a deck plate faucet is installed correctly on a flat surface.

07. A Non-Deckplate Faucet

When it comes to mounting/positioning, this type of faucet is a direct opposite of a deck plate faucet.

It requires a plate each for the spout, the dispenser, and the handles. The installation is a bit difficult when compared to the deck plate faucet.

So, you may need the help of a professional. It is one of those faucets that are easy to maintain.

Since various parts of the faucet are independently positioned, a replacement can be done separately to an affected region.

08. A Wall Mounting Faucet

As the name implies, this type of faucet is positioned or mounted on the wall, which leaves you with enough space on the sink.

This type of faucet is linked to the plumbing lines that run through the wall.

The installation process is simple and easy, and it can be used with all sink sizes. And when it comes to maintenance, it is easy to clean and maintain.

Although it can be used both in the bathroom and in the kitchen, it is considered to fit perfectly well in the bathroom.

09. Solid Brass Faucet

This type of faucet is made from brass. If you are an individual living in an area where the water is considered to be hard; then this is the faucet you should go for.

Faucets made from this material do not rust easily, and they are long-lasting. Yes, they are expensive. But in the end, you will get good value for your money.

10. Brass and Chrome Coated Faucet

This type of faucet is made from a material called zinc.

To give it an attractive appearance and to also lower the rate of corrosion, the zinc alloy is treated/coated with brass.

This is considered a cheaper alternative to the brass faucet, but it is not the perfect choice of the faucet when it comes to hygiene.

Once the brass coat is worn out, the zinc alloy corrodes.

11. Plastic Faucet

There is a limit to how long this can serve you. If you are a big fan of durability and top finish, then this is not the right choice for you.

Plastic faucets are beautiful when they are still new, but it is entirely a different ball game after the installation.

Although they are cheap, they turn out to be expensive over time, due to the frequent replacement that arises as a result of breakage. Also, they wear off quickly.

12. Stainless Steel Faucet

As the name implies, this type of faucet is made from stainless steel.

Faucets that are made from this material are considered to be a perfect fit for all kinds of sink you can find on the market today.

If it is not adequately maintained, it becomes susceptible to corrosion.

Ensure you keep it completely free from scratches. This is one of the numerous ways you can keep it away from corrosion.

13. Copper Faucet

Faucets made from this material are known for their dark appearance.

They are known to be an excellent addition to your bathroom and kitchen, but they are considered as a perfect fit for your kitchen, as they fit in better in areas that don’t have more lightening.

As attractive as they are, the beauty may fade if not properly maintained. For proper management, you may be required to polish it frequently.

14. Bronze Faucet

These types of faucets are made from bronze. If you are thinking of giving your kitchen or bathroom that strange (unique) but attractive look, then this may be a perfect pick for you.

These type of faucets are mostly seen or used in the kitchen and does not require much polishing when compared to copper faucets.

Some of the simple but yet effective ways of maintaining your faucets

• Daily, ensure you clean your faucet with a wet cloth (water and soap). After cleaning, ensure you dry your faucet with a soft cloth.
• Ensure you avoid the use of hard and abrasive cleaning materials on your faucet. Such practices damage the finish.
• Ensure you go through the instruction on any form of cleaning materials before you apply such materials on your faucet.
• While polishing, opt for a polish that offers a uniform appearance, and that doesn’t retain fingerprints on the faucet. Polish that contains silicon oil, maybe a perfect choice.
• When dripping is observed, which is mostly as a result of wear and tear, in case you find it challenging to change the affected components, leave the maintenance to a professional.
• To get rid of hard water stain, mix water with white vinegar (the same proportion), and apply on the affected areas. After a few minutes, wash off the application with clean water. Ensure you rinse the use off carefully.
• For individuals who know what it takes to replace affected parts or components of their faucet, make sure you purchase the right parts from a trusted manufacturer.
• Aerators should be cleaned once in a while; this can be done one or two times a year. The purpose of this exercise is to get rid of mineral and accumulated debris.

Conclusion

If you are on the lookout for a perfect way of giving your bathroom and kitchen that ideal appearance, the following are some of the most common faucets you can see on the market today.