Which mixer for the kitchen is best to choose: valve, single lever, touch, cast or prefabricated, with a watering can or with a spout.

A beautiful sink and comfortable stylish faucet will complement the modern kitchen. The process of choosing a kitchen mixer should be approached with the utmost responsibility. An improperly chosen product of this kind can turn kitchen work into an unbearable and unpleasant occupation. Specialty stores offer a wide range of different types of mixers.

How to choose a mixer - take into account the design features of different models

Mixers have different designs and in the form of designs are divided into three types:

• valve
• with lever switch
• touch (with contactless switching).

faucets

Faucets with valves are the most common type of faucets for the kitchen belonging to the "classic". This type assumes adjustment and balancing of the temperature regime of the pouring water with the help of cold and hot water valves. Valve faucets are divided into two types: a device with a ceramic valve that allows you to shut off water with one turn of the valve and a device with a rubber gasket that stops the water supply in several turns of the valve.

The practicality and convenience of a single-swivel valve is that one turn allows the maximum head of water to be used. In addition to the one-turn valve, there are subspecies of ceramic cranes opening on the floor and a quarter turn.

Products with a ceramic valve have the following advantages:

• ceramics are not subject to the influence of high temperature water (this point is especially important when using an electric boiler)
• high percentage of wear resistance.

But as well as in everything, here too there are drawbacks - ceramics are easily damaged when exposed to metallic rusted particles present in the water supply.

Cranes with rubber gasket are not afraid of rust, but their weak side is quick wear. It is also quite difficult to adjust the water temperature in the presence of an electric boiler. In such cases, the rubber under the influence of high temperature heats up, expands and thereby blocks the normal access of water to the nozzle.

All types of mixers with valves have common pluses: the price and opportunity available to any buyer, if necessary, to repair with the selection of necessary parts in a specialized store.

single-lever models

In kitchen mixers with one lever, it is possible to open and adjust the water supply only with the help of a lever-handle. He, in turn, opens the cartridge with the mechanism-ball. The indisputable advantage of this type of crane is a convenient operation process, a guarantee of no water leakage, which is provided by a tightly closing cartridge.

Using a crane with one lever does not require certain skills and abilities, this design is simple and convenient. This type of mixer has differences in configuration: European manufacturers have a cartridge made of ceramics, and Chinese ones have plastic.

The cartridge made of ceramic guarantees a long operating period to the mixer. An analog of Chinese production, with a cartridge made of plastic, a more budget option. The choice: which of the options is most acceptable - remains for the buyer. In addition, all the cranes with one handle-lever have one drawback: a breakdown due to the presence of impurities in the water from the water pipe. And also the price at them is a little above in comparison with valve cranes.

sensor Cranes

Sensory kitchen faucets are switched on and regulated without touch. The built-in sensor with infrared radiation allows the electronics located in the mixer to perform different functions from just putting a hand to it. On the control panel, which has this type of plumbing, you can set the time interval before the sensor triggers, the temperature of the water supplied, the shutdown period and the like.

The main advantage of this design is practicality, economy and convenience in use. The main disadvantage of such a mixer can be called only its rather high cost.

Mixer in the kitchen, types and mounting locations

All types of kitchen faucets are divided by the type of their mounting: some have fasteners to the countertop, others - to the wall.

The convenience of the wall crane is that there is more free space around the sink. The majority of produced types of mixers are intended for fastening to the table top. Their high spills provide an opportunity to use the kitchen with water with great convenience.

Kitchen mixer: cast or prefabricated?

Shells of some types of mixers are made of one-piece ones, in other words, they lack parts that need to be turned. Such a body is guaranteed to provide a high degree of reliability - there are no parts in it that can be damaged or broken. This type of mixer requires minimal maintenance. But such designs unfortunately have one significant drawback - inconvenience in the process of operation.

In this regard, most of the faucets for the kitchen are produced by teams. Prefabricated species assume the presence of a turning spout, valves or a handle and so on. Also, there are mixers with a detachable design that can be easily removed or installed.

Kitchen faucet with watering can

In order to make it as convenient as possible for the consumer to use the crane in the kitchen, the manufacturers produce spouts in the form of a watering-can with different lengths. experts advise that before making such a purchase, attach the product to the sink and thus visually assess the advantages of different types of this design.

The shape of the spout of this species differs among themselves: U-shaped, S-shaped, g-shaped, r-shaped, C-shaped or J-shaped. There are also differences in length: long - more than 24 cm, short - up to 19 cm and medium - up to 24 cm.

Mixer in the kitchen with a spout - a drawer

Quite often kitchen work is associated with washing a large amount of something, filling something with water and the like. Similar work is rather difficult or almost impossible to perform in the presence of a standard type crane. To facilitate and simplify the kitchen work, you can install a modern crane structure with a retractable spout. In the designs of the mixers of this kind, there are hoses through which water is supplied and which, if necessary, can be pulled out. The length can be from 0.2 m to 1.5 m. The pull-out kitchen faucet has a design that allows you to use water from the kitchen faucet, not only in the sink, but also outside it.

The hoses included in the kits of this type of crane are famous for their high degree of wear resistance. They are made from a very flexible material. Cranes with a sliding watering can be professional or compact. Professional, often used in the public catering or housewives, daily encountering washing large quantities of dishes in a two-capacious sink. A compact type is used much more often, and it costs an order of magnitude less.

Mixer for kitchen with flexible spout

This design makes it possible to adjust the height and length of the spout, which in itself is practical and convenient. In this group there are several subspecies, the main of which is a retractable mixer with a watering can. Many companies offer a draw-off device with a spout with several segments connected by brackets.

Design kitchen faucets

Firms that produce mixers, try to satisfy the buyer with any needs and any financial opportunities.

This is why, in the assortment of self-respecting firms, models from the simplest to those that are considered design works are presented. A greater number of buyers, choosing a faucet in the kitchen, pay their attention not only to the qualitative characteristics of the product, but also to its appearance.

Some models of cranes draw attention to themselves with angular shapes, while others, on the contrary, fascinate with smooth shapes and grace. If desired, in a specialized store you can find and purchase, models of different colors, from black and white, to coated with chrome plated. Thanks to a wide range of these products, each buyer has the opportunity to choose the most suitable for him: both in price, and in quality, and in form and color.

Grohe kitchen faucet Grohe

Not unimportant value when choosing a faucet for the kitchen is the manufacturer. Products produced by European brands are significantly different from similar goods produced in the post-Soviet space: in terms of quality characteristics, appearance and pricing policy.

In the design of the designs of European firms, designers with extensive experience in this field and famous for their not ordinary approach to the case participate.

Grohe plumbing, the production of which is based in Germany, is most famous and widely in demand in our country. Grohe is interesting for its diverse, high-quality and reliable models.

Coatings

As a coating for the kitchen faucet can use a wide variety of compositions. Each buyer will be able to select the most suitable mixer for their kitchen interior.

Crane covered with chrome - the most common type of coating, which can be safely attributed to the usual for all classics. This type of coating is famous for its durability, hygiene and attractiveness.

A stainless steel tap can be found much less frequently than chrome plated, but in terms of quality, it is not inferior to it.

The faucet with enamelled coating - appeared on the construction market relatively recently, but it is very popular among buyers, who are attracted by its spectacular appearance. True, he has one significant minus - not a long period of operation of enameled products.

Covering gilding for a faucet is a luxury not permissible for everyone. But the owners of mansions and penthouses quite often use gilt plumbing to emphasize their special status and opportunities.

Materials used in the manufacture of mixers

Brass - most often used for casting valves. The operating life of such an alloy is estimated in decades. Warranty from manufacturers for brass products is given from 1 year or more.

Bronze - also has a number of positive characteristics, but is used by manufacturers much less often.

Such material as copper is used exclusively for creating mixers in retro style. Any product, which uses an alloy with a high copper content, has a specific but very noble appearance.

Silumin - an alloy containing aluminum and silicon, relatively low cost. The price category of sanitary ware from such an alloy is available to almost every buyer. The minuses of silumin include its fragility and not a long operational period.

The structures of silumin have much less weight than brass and copper.

Plastic - this material, which has a low cost and low weight. The shortcomings include quickly dimming appearance and, accordingly, loss of external attractiveness.

Plumbing of ceramics - began to fill the construction market relatively recently. In the production of sanitary ware of this kind high-tech processes are used. Ceramic mixers are interesting for their unusual appearance - stylized, attractive and so on. But they also have a serious drawback: ceramics - the material is fragile enough, so it can be easily damaged or scratched without much effort.

Care of kitchen mixers

For kitchen mixers should be looked after more carefully than for their brethren from the bathroom. Cranes in the kitchen are dirty much faster and more complex in composition contaminants.

Specialists recommend the following tips for maintaining the mixer in proper form:

• mixers with chrome-plated surfaces should not be cleaned with abrasive substances - metal scrapers, soda and similar abrasive cleaning agents, hard jaws
• the surface of the faucet should be washed with a soft rag or sponge, previously moistened in slightly warm water; in cases where the contamination is not removed with the help of warm water, you can use a soapy solution
• if the dirt can not be removed with soap, you can use a strong detergent, such as Domestos; after using the latter, it is necessary to carefully remove the cleaning compound from the mixer
• to expose the mixer to the action of strong detergents containing acids or chlorine, should be repeated every three to four months.

Which mixer is best for the kitchen

Of course, the final choice is always the buyer, but before making a decision, remember the following:

• the main part of both bought and sold mixers refers to the type having one lever for switching and turning on / off water. Such products are convenient and easy to use, and also belongs to the category of affordable goods for a wide range of consumers. But it is worth remembering that the main reason for their release is their small particles of rust, metal and the like contained in the old water pipe. Having decided to install a mixer with one lever, in parallel it is worth considering the selection and installation of a water filter for cleaning;
• installation and connection of the crane must be entrusted to an experienced technician. Both installation and replacement or repair of the mixer requires certain knowledge and skills;
• when registering a purchase it is worth paying special attention to the equipment. In the box, in addition to the mixer itself, there must be: fasteners, hoses, instructions and a completed warranty sheet or insert;
• depending on the type and model of the mixer, it is worthwhile to ask guide-guides, questions of interest to the manufacturer, the material used for manufacturing, the nuances of attachment, you can also ask to attach the selected model to the sink, assess the external conformity, personally try using the crane in order to understand on how much it is convenient or not.