Buying guide for best vessel sink faucets
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Written by devangana
Updated November 2021
Vessel sinks add a touch of elegance and sophistication to your bathroom, but they require some special considerations. You can’t use a traditional sink faucet with a vessel sink because it won’t reach high enough. You need a special vessel sink faucet instead. Just like traditional faucets, they’re available in a variety of styles and finishes, so you shouldn’t have any trouble finding one that blends in with the rest of your bathroom fixtures.
However, there’s more to consider than just the vessel sink faucet’s appearance. You also need to think about what your space can accommodate and the features you would like your sink faucet to have.
Here’s a brief guide to help you understand the key factors you need to weigh when choosing a vessel sink faucet.
Key considerations
The important features to consider when shopping for a vessel sink faucet are the faucet’s mounting style, height, and finish.
Mounting style
Vessel sink faucets may be wall-mounted, counter-mounted, or sink-mounted. Wall-mounted faucets are the most complicated to install because you need to run plumbing up through the wall. They can be a smart choice if you don’t have much space around the vessel sink for a faucet, but you need to be aware of how the faucet you choose will affect the position of other elements in your bathroom. For example, you may need to raise your bathroom mirror higher to accommodate a wall-mounted vessel sink faucet.
Counter-mounted faucets are the most common type of vessel sink faucets. They resemble traditional sink faucets with a couple of key differences. First, they usually always have a single tap for hot and cold on top of the faucet, and second, they are much taller than traditional sink faucets to reach over the edge of taller vessel sinks.
Finally, there are sink-mounted faucets, but these may not be an option depending on what type of vessel sink you have. Your sink must have a wide section on one side with a space where you can mount a faucet.
Height
Measure the height of your vessel sink and use this as your starting point. Your faucet should be a couple inches taller than the edge of the bowl in order to give you plenty of room to wash your hands comfortably. But you don’t want to choose a faucet that’s unnecessarily tall or it may dwarf your sink and appear out of place. It’s also a wise idea to measure the reach of the spout. Ideally, it should reach close to the middle of the bowl so you don’t need to worry about water splashing out all over the counter.
Finish
You want your faucet to blend in with the rest of your bathroom fixtures. Consider the finish of your showerhead and cabinet knobs and choose something that’s complementary. Fortunately, most vessel sink faucets are available in a number of finishes, with chrome and brushed nickel being the most popular. If you need an uncommon finish, like black, you may have fewer options to choose from.
Did you know?
Some vessel sink faucets have built-in filtration to help remove contaminants that may be present in your water supply.
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Features
Once you’ve narrowed down your options, you can begin comparing specific models based on their features.
Installation
If you have experience with plumbing, you shouldn’t have any trouble installing a counter- or sink-mounted vessel faucet on your own. The faucet should include instructions to walk you through the process.
Wall-mounted vessel sink faucets are more complicated. You’ll likely need a professional plumber to run the pipes through your wall where you plan to install the faucet. This will cost more money, and it will also require more work. This may not be much of an issue if you are already in the process of a bathroom remodel, but if you’re not, you’ll need to decide whether you’re comfortable having your bathroom torn up.
Water pressure
Your sink faucet doesn’t need to have water pressure as strong as your shower, but you don’t want to end up with a faucet where the water barely trickles out. Some modern faucets have flow regulators that limit the amount of water that flows through the faucet in an attempt to avoid waste. However, this can result in lower pressure.
You can develop a sense for how high the faucet’s water pressure is by reading through user reviews online. If there are complaints of low water pressure due to a flow regulator, you may be able to remove the flow regulator and resolve this issue.
Swivel
It’s by no means an essential feature, but if you’d like the option to move the faucet out of the way, choose one that can swivel. Usually, you just rotate the faucet in one direction to loosen it, and then you can re-adjust the angle. Once you have it how you like it, you rotate it back the other way to lock it in place. Some of these faucets are also height-adjustable.
Touchless
Touchless faucets have become popular because of their sleek appearance, but they can also help to minimize the spread of germs. Rather than turn the faucet on with a handle, you simply tap any part of the faucet and it will start running. Usually, you program these faucets to your desired temperature so you don’t need to worry about adjusting it.
Touchless vessel faucets are only as good as their sensors, though, and they require batteries to operate. If the model you choose has a weak sensor or a short battery life, it may be more annoying to use than a traditional vessel faucet.
Waterfall
Waterfall faucets have wide spouts that mimic a waterfall. Some high-end models have built-in LED lights to draw more attention to the waterfall effect. These faucets can add a touch of elegance to your space, but it’s up to you to decide whether a waterfall faucet will blend in with the rest of your decor.
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Price
Vessel sink faucets vary in price from around $40 to over $300. The style and build quality are the biggest factors in determining cost. You can expect to pay more for a waterfall faucet than a vessel sink faucet with a traditional design.
We recommend spending at least $65 if you plan to use the faucet in a high-traffic bathroom and you need something that will last a long time.
Tips
If you’re replacing an old faucet, it’s important to be sure that your new faucet will work with the existing faucet holes.
A vessel sink faucet with anti-scald protection is a smart choice if you’re concerned about accidentally scalding yourself with hot water.
If you choose a wall-mounted vessel sink faucet, it should be a minimum of three inches above the edge of the sink bowl.
Unless you have extensive plumbing experience, you should seek help from a professional to install a wall-mounted vessel sink faucet.
Other products we considered
The VCCUCINE Contemporary Vessel Sink Faucet stands just over 12.5 inches tall and has a sleek, modern design that should fit in well with most spaces. Users report that it’s easy to install and it holds up well over time, even with heavy use. It’s surprisingly affordable, so this is a great choice if you’re on a budget. If you can afford to spend a little more, give the Fapully Contemporary Bathroom Sink Faucet a closer look. It stands 11.8 inches tall and has a swiveling head, so you can direct the water stream wherever you’d like it to go. It’s available in black and white with chrome accents, but unfortunately there’s no solid metallic option.
FAQ
Q. Can I install a vessel sink faucet on my own?
A. You may be able to if it’s a counter- or sink-mounted faucet, but this generally isn’t recommended if it’s a wall-mounted faucet because there are additional plumbing requirements.
Q. How long does my vessel sink faucet’s spout need to be?
A. That depends on how far away the faucet is going to be from the vessel sink. Check the spout length of the faucet you’re interested in, and measure the distance from where you plan to mount the faucet to see how far it will extend over the sink.
Q. Why do most vessel sink faucets have the handle on top of the faucet?
A. Vessel sink faucets are designed this way to put the tap within easy reach. If there were separate hot and cold taps attached to the base, it might be difficult to reach them, especially if the faucet is mounted behind your sink.
