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The best kitchen faucets

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As one of the most heavily used household fixtures, your kitchen faucet needs to be highly functional, durable, efficient, and convenient — all while looking great. The Delta Leland Pull-Down Touch2O Kitchen Faucet offers all of the above: It streams and sprays, guards against leaks, turns on manually or by touch, resists dirt and fingerprints, and exudes simple elegance. If you're interested in expanding your kitchen renovation to include your sink basin, check out our guide to the best kitchen sinks.

The workhorse kitchen faucet is often taken for granted — until it breaks. Just think of how frequently you and other household members use it to wash your hands, get a drink, scrub vegetables, rinse dishes, wet sponges, and more. Ideally, you want one that stands up to everyday use.

Choosing a kitchen faucet may seem like a mundane task, but it's actually important. You want the right kind to fit your needs and your kitchen's decor, and you don't want to simply opt for the cheapest model.

There is also a myriad of faucet styles to choose from:

Valve Control: This is the mechanism that turns your faucet on and off, and adjusts the temperature of the water. Single-handle designs use one lever to control both temperature and flow, while double-handles have two (each handle controlling either the hot or cold water supply). Touch and motion-activated designs are convenient in a lot of ways, but they are dependent on a power source for their sensor.

Note: Double handle styles are less common and are generally bought for their aesthetics over practicality — which is why we don't have any featured here. That said, I definitely value their durability: dual handles tend to be sturdier, and less easily yanked on than single handles.

Spout style: Choose from revolving or stationary, regular (steady stream) or two-mode (regular and spray), low arc (3 to 8 inches above the top of the sink), or high arc (also known as gooseneck, which is more than 8 inches above the top of the sink) models. Spray head: The sprayer can be separate from and next to the faucet, or at the end of the spout. The latter type is either pull-down (often on taller faucets) or pull-out (which sometimes includes much of the spout itself). Finish: Whatever material comprises the faucet's finish (chrome, stainless steel, bronze, copper, brass, nickel, etc.) affects its appearance, cleanability, resistance to spotting and rusting, and price.

So before you shop for a new kitchen faucet, think about where (the existing space, pre-existing hardware) and how you plan to use it. Consider each model's specs:

Arc and spout height and reach: Do you have ample clearance for high-arc faucet or a cozier kitchen better suited to a low-arc model? Will you need to maneuver pots and pans under the faucet in order to wash them? Do you care how far the spout reaches across or extends over the sink? Flow rate: Do you want adjustable water pressure? Do you need just a stream (for filling pots or washing vegetables) or also a spray (to add oomph to scrubbing sticky or burnt-on food off of dishes)? Installation requirements: How many holes does your sink have for fitting a faucet? Some sinks have only one hole, and faucets requiring more than one hole can't be used (unless you plan to drill more holes … which may be inconvenient, costly, or structurally impossible). If your sink does have extra holes that the faucet doesn't need, you can use cover them with an escutcheon or deck plate or use them to fit accessories like a side sprayer or soap dispenser. It's also worth checking to make sure you have enough clearance between the faucet and the wall behind – to ensure your handle can rotate as far as it needs to.

No matter which kitchen faucet you pick, choose a model that helps save water. A faucet aerator efficiently reduces the flow rate while still maintaining water pressure, thus conserving water and saving you money. Also, fix (or replace if necessary) the faucet when you notice any leaking. According to the Alliance for Water Efficiency, "A faucet leaking 60 drops per minute will waste 192 gallons (726.8 liters) per month … 2,304 gallons (8.7 m3) per year." To calculate your household's potential water waste from a leaky kitchen faucet, visit the U. S. Geological Survey's Drip Calculator.

As a residential contractor, I've been replacing and installing different types of faucets for years. From large commercial kitchen models to simple bathroom faucets, I know the mechanical red flags to avoid (like plastic ball valves that leak) and unreliable brands to stay away from.

Using this knowledge — and after reviewing each option's installation and design specs — I visited several appliance showrooms and hardware stores in my area to analyze my top choices. Once I got a hands-on feel each model's functionality and mechanics, I landed on these options as my top picks for the best kitchen faucets.

Here are our top picks for the best kitchen faucets:

Best overall kitchen faucet: Delta Leland Pull-Down Touch2O Kitchen Faucet Best budget faucet: WEWE Single Handle High Arc Brushed Nickel Pull-Out Kitchen Faucet Best touchless faucet: Moen Arbor Spot Resist Stainless One-Handle High Arc MotionSense Wave Pull-Down Kitchen Faucet Best pull-out faucet: Moen Arbor Spot Resist Stainless One-Handle High Arc Pull-Out Kitchen Faucet Best commercial-style faucet: Kohler Sous Pro-Style Single Handle Pull-Down Sprayer Faucet

Updated on 1/16/2020 by Jen Gushue: Updated picks, prices, links, formatting, and text.

The best overall kitchen faucet

The sleek and sturdy Delta Leland Pull-Down Touch2O Kitchen Faucet Adds the convenience of touch activation to the versatility of a pull-down spray head.

The Delta Leland Pull-Down Touch2O Kitchen Faucet doesn't just pack a ton of features into a single faucet, it also looks good while doing it. From the sprayer wand to the integrated LED temperature indicator, it all comes together to make a nice, solid faucet.

What really sets the Delta Leland apart from competitors is the functional design of its pull-down spray-head. It's got a nice ergonomic tulip-shape that is easy to get a grip on, and its magnetic locking system connects it to the spout nice and tight.

The spray head itself has a rocker-style switch for toggling between settings — standard and sprayer — without having to hold a button down the whole time. A separate button controls the Spray Shield setting, which is one of those things that sounds like a gimmicky feature but is actually pretty useful. Basically, the Spray Shield focuses the water into a thin, extra powerful stream to blast off stuck-on food, while also creating a cone of water around the area to prevent splashing.

I was really surprised by the flexibility of the connector hose. Usually, these are stiff and rubbery, but even with a braided nylon covering, the Delta hose didn't affect my control at all. The 22" hose, plus the 15.4" faucet height make it great for tasks like filling up a big pot of water on the counter, instead of having to place it in the sink.

The Touch2O technology is the main feature of the Delta Leland Faucet, and it really shines here. This allows you to turn on the water by touching anywhere on the spout or handle. I personally appreciate touch faucets most when cooking with raw fish or chicken. I can control the water with my elbow through the entire process of rinsing off the meat, breading it, tossing it in the pan, and then washing my hands. A standard faucet would either have to be on the entire time, or I'd be washing my hands (and the faucet) after each step.

A handy LED display on the base of the Delta Leland Pull-Down Touch2O Kitchen Faucet tells you the current temperature, transitioning from blue to red as it moves from cold to hot. Keep in mind though; this LED only turns on when the water is running. This means that you'll have to be a little more self-aware when using the touch feature, and confirm via the LED that the temperature is what you think it is.

The drawback of any touch-activated faucet is the need for a power source, and this model requires four AAAA batteries — or you could use the included AC adapter if you have an outlet in your sink cabinet. If you have a garbage disposal you probably do.

In my personal experience replacing faucets — and several plumbers that I spoke with agree — single handle faucets like this are eventually going to wear out and begin to leak. It's inevitable. Which is why touch activation is a great way to extend the lifespan of your faucet.

That being said, if you don't think you need the touch activation, Delta does make the same faucet in a standard style for a bit cheaper. That model still includes everything else, the Spray Shield, etc.

Even with the solenoid needed to power the sensor, installation of the Delta Leland Pull-Down Touch2O Kitchen Faucet is pretty straightforward if you have a couple of adjustable pliers on hand and an Allen key. Delta did a nice job with the instruction manual, and also has some helpful videos that supplement it nicely.

Pros: Stylish, lifetime warranty on parts and finishes, design reduces valve wear and tear.

Cons: Electronics only have a five-year warranty, batteries need to be replaced every 2 years.