New Kitchen Taps

[thedaftbird]

We have recently bought a new kitchen sink and are now hunting for a new tap. We would like one where the tap has a built in spray that you can pull out on a hose.
The sink we bought was a Franke INX611S and we need to know if have to buy a Franke tap? They are very expensive and very similar taps from other companies are abut 1/2 the price.
We don't want to waste money unneccesarily.

 

[TicklyT]

You should be able to mix and match OK, but check your water pressure first!
If the hot is fed from a gravity system (tank in loft and a hot water cylinder etc.), it can limit your choice of taps, or give a very disappointing performance.
If the hot water supply is at mains water pressure then you may have more choice.
I have fitted a kitchen tap with a spray head rated at 0.5 bar minimum on a gravity system with a bare 5 Metre head, and it works.... but only just!
Tap manufacturers often quote the minimum pressure in bar. A gravity system gives about 0.1 bar pressure for each metre vertically from cold water storage tank to tap outlet. Mains water pressure is usually above 2 bar, and may be much higher.

Quick check - Put your thumb over hot tap outlet and turn it on. If you can stop the flow , it's probably a gravity system. If the pressure is higher then you get very wet very quickly

 

[l200]

Always go for branded tap like bristan,pegler etc as replacment parts will be available in future if needed,try mfi shwrooms for ideas

 

[peter the plumber]

be very careful about which tap you buy .i do alot of kitchen installs and the amount of people ask for advice on taps,you give you advice and then they buy them off of ebay for £20 and the turn out to be imported rubbish and dont work why do we bother

 

[JohnD]

lots of imported taps are designed for high pressure water and do not provide a good flow with UK low-pressure supplies and tank-fed.

A tap with a 15mm (or 22mm for bath) inlet is going to have better flow than one with little pipes like pencils. You should be able to check the pipe size before you buy.

 

[thedaftbird]

be very careful about which tap you buy .i do alot of kitchen installs and the amount of people ask for advice on taps,you give you advice and then they buy them off of ebay for £20 and the turn out to be imported.

Peter the Plumber - where in Essex are you? We live in Essex and are looking for a plumber to install the sink etc.

 

[peter the plumber]

hornchurch

 

[Nige F]

Franke should offer advice/supply a correct tap ..........ps. Franke rhymes with Banker