Buying Guide For Basin Taps

As there are so many different types of basin tap, including those relatively new ones that offer filtered water, you’ll need to know what you actually need and what will work for you and your plumbing system before you buy. It’s easy to get carried away with style, and there are many stylish items to choose from, but there’s functionality to consider as well. It’s all very well having a fabulous looking item in your kitchen, but it has to work. And of course you’ll need to check your water pressure.

A Selection of the Best Selling Basin Taps

Water pressure

Most taps will work fine with standard water pressure. It’s when you get to shower mixer taps that problems might arise as you need higher water pressure to make them function properly. Nevertheless, if your refitting your bathroom or kitchen, its advisable to choose your taps before the installation of items as it’s easier to adjust plumbing at that time rather than when everything is in place. If you have questions about water pressure, contact a plumber, or your local Water Board. They should be able to advise you.

Systems

Hot water systems can vary from home to home. Make sure your taps work with the system you have. It could be a combination boiler system, a pumped hot water system, and un-vented system or a standard pressurised hot water cylinder type system. Most taps will work with any of these.

Size matters

When choosing a set of taps take into consideration the size of your bathroom or kitchen and the size of the basin itself. If the kitchen is small, or the bathroom minute, you don’t want a set of huge taps. . They’ll look out of place. And a smaller basin needs smaller items as well. Smaller taps can look just as good as large ones. Likewise, if you have a huge kitchen or bathroom you’ll want larger taps to fit in with the general feeling of the room. So try to match the size of your taps to the size of your kitchen, bathroom or basin.

What bain tap is best for you?

You might like the idea of mixer tap, but the traditional pillar one may look better with your period kitchen or bathroom. Different kinds have different attributes. Mixer taps, for instance, make it easier to regulate temperature and so prevent accidental burns. But they need fairly high water pressure to work properly. Dual flow, because the hot and cold water flows through separate outlets in the body of he tap, can cope with unequal pressure between the cold and hot water supplies. So if you want a mixer type tap but have problems with unequal pressure distribution this might be the solution. A monobloc tap, with its single lever control, looks modern and would fit in nicely with a contemporary styled room. But you need almost equal pressure between hot and cold water supplies to make it work properly. If you want a controllable devise for washing food or rinsing dishes you might want to consider a tap with a pull-out spray mixer. And if you’re concerned about health issues the new water filter taps might be worth considering. It reduces chlorine in the supply as well as lead and sediment. The traditional column tap is still preferred by many because it’s easier to install and depending on the handle material can offer a better grip for older users.

You used to stop up your basin with a simple plug, usually attached to a small chain. But today many basins are equipped with ‘pop-up’ waste mechanisms. They use a control, that’s usually pushed and pulled, on the tap to open and close the waste – that is to plug and unplug the basin. The whole unit is known as the ‘waste’.

Finish

The finish of your basin taps should, again, reflect the type of kitchen or bathroom you have. If you opt for a contemporary look you might want to consider a brushed mat or satin finish. It gives a clean modern look to a kitchen or bathroom. It fits in well with minimalist styles. Chrome is another option, but it needs a little more work to maintain its shine. There are nickel plated items as well. If your bathroom or kitchen has a country feel or a traditional look you might want to look at brass taps. They give a warm feel to a room and would fit in with a period look. Often they are replicas of Victorian or Edwardian models and can make a modest kitchen or bathroom look fabulous. Coloured taps, especially white, are also available. They usually have a brass body with acrylic finish.

Structure

Taps can be chrome plated, nickel plated, solid chrome or solid brass. Higher quality items are solid chrome or brass. Some mixer taps come with quarter turn technology that makes for a more rapid on off flow. Of course a solid brass or chrome item will cost a bit more, but will last longer.

Where do I get my basin taps?

There are a number of online shops where you can shop for taps, including large outlets such as Homebase, Screwfix and Focus as well as specialized outlets such as Better Bathrooms and Big Bathroom Shop, and we’ll review the best and give you an idea of what you can get at each one as well as noting the ease of use of their website and the information provided. Outfits such as ‘Plumbworld’ and ‘Tradeplumbing’ offer a good selection as they are basically geared to plumbing material, so they’re worth a look, whereas online stores such as ‘Better Bathrooms’ concentrates on style as well as function.

Being technical

In most cases it’s best to get a qualified plumber to fit your taps, but for those of you who prefer to do it yourself, make sure the fitting instructions come with the taps and that you know what your water pressure is for both hot and cold water before you buy. In most cases you’ll be advised what the minimum pressure is that the tap can operate at. Some operate over a large range of pressures while others need higher pressure to work properly. Pressure is measured as the distance from the bottom of the cold water tank, usually located in the loft, to the tap itself.

So enjoy browsing and finding the best basin taps for your money that are available.