The kitchen is the leader in water consumption, so the faucet here is used dozens of times a day. Many processes in the kitchen and at home depend on the reliability and convenience of the mixer, so you need to choose it consciously. Our article is about how to choose a kitchen faucet: their types, characteristics, features.
The history of the kitchen faucet
The history of an ordinary kitchen faucet began a long time ago, and one of the first who contributed to the development of shut-off plumbing was Heron of Alexandria. A famous Greek mathematician who lived in the second half of the 1st century A.D. e., created a primitive but functional model of a crane, which can be considered the ancestor of the family of mixers. But we are interested in modern models of plumbing fixtures that allow you to control the flow of water and temperature by mixing cold and hot water.
The first real mixer was invented only at the beginning of the twentieth century by the Englishman Thomson. It was a device consisting of two taps: for cold and hot water. Mixing the two streams made it possible to obtain water at the desired temperature. The two-valve mixer has not lost its relevance in our days. Such models are reliable, used in the design of interiors in a classic and industrial style.
In the middle of the 20th century, the era of single-lever mixers began. Their creator is the American inventor Alex Manukyan. These are convenient designs with a simple design and high-quality locking mechanism, which quickly gained popularity around the world.
Today, the family of mixers is regularly updated with new models, including models equipped with sensors and electronic temperature control devices. The water supply in them can be controlled with one touch and even contactless, and the built-in regulator will maintain the water temperature within the specified range.
Choosing a mixer: types and design features
When buying a mixer, you can choose one of three designs:
- single lever;
- box crane;
- sensory.
To change the pressure in a single-lever mixer, the handle is moved up and down, and in order to achieve the desired temperature, it is moved left and right. The built-in aerator provides uniform water supply. This model is convenient for the kitchen, since you can operate the faucet with one hand.
Single-lever mixers are ball and cartridge. The crane includes the following components:
- spout;
- lever arm;
- aerator;
- cartridge (ball);
- frame.
In ball valves, water is mixed using a hollow ball. It has three openings: for the outlet of water after mixing, for the supply of cold and hot water. The ball is placed in two "saddles" made of rubber. When moving the lever-handle, the ball moves relative to the "saddle", which allows you to adjust the pressure and temperature of the water.
In the second type of mixers, a cartridge is used instead of a ball mechanism. The cartridge contains metal-ceramic discs. When moving the handle-faucet, the disks are displaced - the pressure and temperature depend on their position.
Faucet box mixers are two-valve designs in which the supply of cold and hot water is regulated separately. The mechanism of the crane box crane consists of the case, flywheels, the crane box, the aerator, spout. The basis of the mixer are locking mechanisms - crane boxes. They come in two types: with valve heads or ceramic discs. Faucets of this type are simple and cheap to repair, which most often consists of replacing old rubber gaskets.
Sensor mixers are equipped with sensors that allow you to control the pressure without contact. The faucet includes spout, connecting hose, electronic unit, filter. The temperature is controlled by knobs on the faucet body, and water is supplied through a solenoid valve.
What kind of spouts do faucets have?
A classic spout (gander) is a tube with a nut for fixing, at the end of which an aerator is installed. The tube may have a square, round, rectangular or oval section. The shape of the tube is C-shaped, S-shaped, R-shaped. Spouts have different purposes and sizes. Swivel spouts have universal characteristics, which makes any processes in the washing area more comfortable.
Mixers with two taps are most often equipped with a swivel long spout, the sealing of the connection in which is carried out by an annular gasket. It is she who is the main consumable element in the operation of the crane.
Spouts for single-lever mixers are only short and often fixed. Pull-out spouts are usually installed on kitchen faucets, which is especially true for double-bowl sinks.
Recently, many new types of spouts have appeared:
- Cascading. Wide or flat, they create the effect of a waterfall, bringing exotic to the interior. Water supply to them is carried out from a slotted hole or through a gutter.
- Spring. It is strikingly different from the classic goose. It has the shape of a curved spiral, inside which a hose for water supply is laid. It bends in all directions, looks stylish and integrates well into modern interiors.
The length of the spouts are:
- Short (up to 20 cm). They are used in sinks and bathtubs, most often fixed. They are reliable in operation, but their functionality is limited. In addition, from a short spout, the flow of water is directed not into the drain, but into the side of the sink, which causes splashes.
- Medium (from 15 to 23 cm).
- Long (more than 24 cm). Universal ganders, which are widely used in the kitchen and bathrooms, both for the sink and bath.
The material from which kitchen faucets are made
For the manufacture of mixers are used:
- Brass. Brass faucets are practical and durable; mineral deposits are practically not deposited on the metal surface.
- Stainless steel. In addition to good aesthetic characteristics, the material is characterized by high strength characteristics and wear resistance. It retains its original color throughout the entire period of operation. Stainless steel faucet coating can imitate copper, bronze, gold.
- Silumin. Inexpensive faucets made of an alloy of aluminum and silicon, which are not very durable, therefore, are more often used as a temporary device for water supply.
- Ceramics. Ceramic faucets withstand temperature changes well, retain their color, and are easy to clean. Their main drawback is fragility.
And a little more about choosing a faucet for the kitchen
The sink faucet is equipped with a swivel spout with a special shape that helps to use the sink area as efficiently as possible: wash dishes comfortably, fill pots and other dishes with water.
If you use not only tap water, but also filtered water, pay attention to models that supply both tap and filtered water. The source of water supply is selected using a switch. In our online store you can buy a Leomikao Kioto Mat Black kitchen faucet, which is equipped with separate levers for supplying tap and filtered water.
If your kitchen has a two-bowl sink, consider purchasing a faucet with a pull-out spout that can move not only within the sink, but also out of it. With such a spout, it is convenient to wash fruits, draw water into tall dishes. It can be extended if necessary.
The faucet can be installed on a countertop under a window. To prevent the spout from interfering, several models of such mixers were created:
- The design is supplied with a bayonet mount, so the faucet can be removed and put in the sink area.
- The mixer is equipped with a very mobile gooseneck, which rotates to the left / right, can be lowered.
- Pop-up faucet with adjustable height.
If you have special requirements for the design of kitchen faucets, you will be interested in models that are coated with stone-textured enamel. They are in harmony with the countertops, decorated under the stone.
