Q: I have to get a new kitchen faucet and would like to get a touchless style. But I need some help since I’ve never had a hands-free faucet. Can you suggest a few features I should look for?
A: Kitchen faucets are work faucets, and they should be able to handle your kitchen cleaning and cooking tasks. So look for a pullout or pulldown design that includes a multifunction spray head and a high spout.
As far as a touchless option goes, I recommend checking for a faucet with some or all of three important features.
First, be sure it’s a true touchless faucet and not one that’s activated with a tap. With today’s emphasis on limiting the exchange of germs, you may not want to touch anything but the food when you’re cooking.
Touchless faucets may require electrical power, so find a model that has a manual override or batteries in case of a power outage.
Finally, look for a temperature memory that lets you preset the faucet to your desired temperature. That’s definitely a hot feature to include with a touchless kitchen faucet.
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Ed Del Grande is a master plumber, contractor and author. Send questions to eadelg@cs.com.