Kitchen faucets vary more by mechanism than by looks. Four decisions cover most of it.
Pull-down or pull-out
Pull-down faucets have a tall spout with a spray head that pulls straight down into the sink. They suit deep single-bowl sinks and are the more common configuration in our range.
Pull-out faucets have a lower spout and a head that pulls horizontally toward you. They work better under a low window and in shallow sinks, where a high-arc pull-down would splash.
Spout height
High-arc spouts clear tall pots and stockpots and make filling containers easier. The trade-offs are splashing in a shallow bowl and, occasionally, hitting a window sill or upper cabinet. Measure the clearance above the sink before committing to a tall spout.
Handles
Single-handle faucets are standard in kitchens: one lever for temperature and flow, operable with a wrist or forearm when your hands are dirty. Two-handle kitchen faucets exist but are far less common, and bar and prep faucets are usually single-handle by design.
Hands-free and flow features
MotionSense
Sensor-activated operation — waving a hand starts and stops the water without touching the faucet. Useful when handling raw meat or with full hands. The Brantford 7185EWORB is a MotionSense model. Note that these faucets need power, so plan for a supply under the sink.
Power Boost
A temporary increase in flow for filling pots or clearing the sink faster, activated at the spray head.
Spot Resist
Not a mechanism but a finish coating, and in a kitchen it earns its place. Spot Resist stainless (SRS) resists water spots and fingerprints on the surface most often touched with wet hands.
Before ordering
- Count the holes in your sink or countertop. Many single-hole kitchen faucets include an optional deck plate for three-hole tops — check the listing.
- Measure clearance above the sink for high-arc spouts.
- Check whether a soap dispenser or side spray is included, and whether it needs its own hole.
- For MotionSense, confirm you can get power under the sink.
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