Everything You Need to Know About Outdoor Kitchen Faucet Styles
Upgrading your outdoor cooking area with a high-quality faucet can completely transform your outdoor culinary experience. But with so many different outdoor kitchen faucet types on the market, how do you know where to start? This comprehensive guide will walk you through the pros and cons of the most popular outdoor faucet styles and provide key considerations to help you find the perfect option for your needs.
Whether you're looking for maximum cleaning power for your grill, easy filling abilities for large stock pots, or just want to add a sleek, modern faucet to your outdoor bar, understanding the capabilities of each faucet is crucial. By learning about sprayer reach, mounting configurations, durable materials, and high-end finishes, you can elevate your outdoor cooking game with a faucet that's tailored exactly for you.
Explore the Main Outdoor Kitchen Faucet Categories
When you start browsing outdoor faucets, you'll quickly notice they fall into a few major styles, each with their own strengths. The most popular categories include:
Pull-Down Faucets
Pull-down faucets are characterized by a flexible hose and spray head that can be easily maneuvered and extended for greater reach. The spray head pulls down from the spout and can be used in a focused stream for cleaning or wide spray for rinsing.
With the ability to pull the sprayer closer and direct the water flow, pull-down faucets are perfect for washing large pots and pans, cleaning grill grates, and rinsing fruits and vegetables. The adjustable sprayer provides extra functionality and flexibility.
Pull-Out Faucets
Similar to pull-down faucets, pull-out faucets have a detachable spray head connected to a flexible hose. However, with pull-out faucets, the spray head sits compactly when not in use and pulls out horizontally from the spout when needed.
The easy maneuverability of the spray head makes pull-out faucets great for filling pots, bottles, and pitchers. The compact design is also handy for bar and prep areas. When not needed, the spray head nests neatly into the faucet body.
Pot Filler Faucets
If you frequently cook with large stock pots, a pot filler faucet is a worthwhile investment. These faucets have a high arching spout connected to the wall behind the stove or grill. This provides exceptional clearance for filling tall pots.
The swing arm design can fold back against the wall when not needed. With the high arc and clearance, pot filler faucets are perfect for easily filling stock pots, pasta pots, canners, and other large containers without straining your back or arms to lift.
Bar/Prep Faucets
For compact spaces like wet bars, bartender stations, and side prep areas, a bar or prep faucet is ideal. These faucets have a smaller profile and footprint while still offering full faucet functionality.
Bar and prep faucets feature a lower spout height and compact design that's perfect for squeezing into tight spaces. Many also have a 360-degree swivel spout for maximum maneuverability in a small area.
Wall Mount Faucets
Wall mount faucets are installed directly to the wall rather than on the countertop or sink. This saves precious counter space and gives a sleek, contemporary style. Wall mounts work especially well behind bars and in prep zones.
Going with a wall mount faucet can help optimize your outdoor kitchen layout. Without a bulky faucet and deck plate on your countertop, you can maximize your usable workspace.
Important Features and Considerations
Beyond just the broad faucet categories, there are key features and options to consider so you can find the perfect fit:
Materials
Outdoor kitchen faucets are constructed from durable materials that can withstand outdoor elements like metal, porcelain, stainless steel, zinc alloy, and brass. Porcelain and stainless steel resist corrosion and provide a lustrous finish.
Brass fixtures offer a traditional styling, while matte black metal has an industrial, modern look. Be sure to pick a material that offers both the aesthetic appeal and durability you want.
Valves
The internal valves control the faucet's water pressure and flow. Common types are ceramic disc valves, cartridge valves, ball valves, and compression valves. Ceramic discs can handle frequent, heavy usage. Cartridge valves also work well in high traffic areas.
Make sure the valves are drip-free and easy to maintain. Valves may need occasional lubrication. Reading customer reviews can provide insight on a faucet's real-world reliability and valve performance.
Finishes
You'll want an outdoor faucet finish that can resist weathering, rust, and scratches. Popular finishes include brushed nickel, polished chrome, oil-rubbed bronze, and matte black. Consider the rest of your outdoor kitchen hardware when picking an on-theme finish.
Brushed nickel resists fingerprints. Matte finishes hide water spots well. Make sure the coating will hold up to household chemicals and cleaners to keep your faucet looking pristine.
Reach
Standard faucet spouts offer around 8 inches of reach from the faucet body to the water outlet. Extended reach faucets can offer well over 10 inches of reach, which is useful for larger sinks or filling stock pots.
If you'll primarily use your faucet for cleaning and filling cookware, look for models offering maximum reach. But for tasks like washing hands or general purposes, standard reach is usually adequate.
Mounting Options
For countertop mounting, look for a faucet designed for outdoor use with the proper deck plate for your sink or countertop hole configuration. Most also allow wall mounting with an additional adapter.
Wall-only mounting faucets do not take up counter space but may limit placement flexibility. In terms of installation, both countertop and wall mount faucets are relatively straightforward as long as the mounting holes align properly.
Additional Features
Higher priced faucets include handy extras like soap/lotion dispensers, beverage faucets, filtration systems, motion-activated hands-free operation, and smart technology integrations.
Add-ons like an integrated soap dispenser can simplify tasks at the sink. Consider whether any bonus features will enhance how your family uses the outdoor kitchen.
How to Choose the Perfect Faucet
Start by thinking about how your family uses the outdoor kitchen. Do you frequently cook large batches or need to fill stock pots? Do you plan to host guests and entertain at a wet bar? This will steer you towards pull-down or pot filler versus a bar faucet.
Measure the existing sink and available counter or wall space. Check that any faucet you're considering will fit the allotted area. Weigh the pros and cons of wall mount versus deck plate installation.
Browse top faucet brands like Delta, Kohler, Kraus, Signature Hardware, and Pfister and compare warranties. Read reviews and look for key features like MasterClean spray nozzles or MagnaTite docking on pull-downs. Set an appropriate budget; prices range from $75 up to $1000+.
And of course, pick a style and finish that matches your outdoor decor. With so many options, keep your family's needs, taste, and budget at the forefront when deciding on an outdoor kitchen faucet.
Whether you love grilling steaks, frying fish, or boiling crawfish, having the right outdoor kitchen faucet makes all your culinary pursuits more enjoyable. With so many styles optimized for different tasks, you can find the ideal faucet to match your cooking activities.
Do you frequently need to clean messy grill grates? A pull-down faucet can blast away grime. Love crafting cocktails for your guests? A swiveling bar faucet adds panache to your bartop. By selecting a faucet tailored for your needs, you can take your outdoor cooking capabilities to the next level.
With this comprehensive guide detailing the various outdoor kitchen faucet types, features, and considerations, you now have all the knowledge needed to find your perfect faucet match. So start searching for the model that's ideal for your family's outdoor cooking and entertaining. Your new faucet will look beautiful and perform flawlessly for years of backyard culinary enjoyment.