Q&A: What’s your take on hands-free faucets for the kitchen?

As part of a major kitchen remodel, I’m considering buying a hands-free faucet for the primary sink. Have you tested any hands-free models that work well?—C. Weber, via e-mail

Hands-free faucets appeal to some people because they believe they will help them reduce household water consumption. (We’ve yet to conclude that hands-free models save water.) Others appreciate the fact that they don’t have to touch a handle to turn on the water, which could keep the faucet cleaner and free of germs, say from raw poultry being handled.

We recently tested one hand-free fixture, the Danze Parma Dual Function Kitchen Faucet With Spray, $500 (shown), and found that its hands-free function performed well.

Unlike some other hands-free faucets—like the early-generation ones in airport restrooms that practically had you doing the Hokey Pokey to get the water to flow—the Parma quickly detected our hands when we wanted to wash them and a pot when we wanted to fill it.

The single-handle faucet uses a motion sensor in the base to start the water flow. A battery-powered control valve lets you set the water temperature and running time—from 5 to 45 seconds. And a simple wave of the hand in front of the sensor turns off the water.

The Parma is either hardwired or battery powered. Note that you can operate the faucet the old-fashioned way if the power goes out in your home or when the sensor battery dies.

Overall, this Danze does a good job, but it’s pricey. In our August 2007 report on faucets, prices ranged from $80 to $600, and we found few performance differences among the models.

Essential information: Before you start work on a kitchen remodel, read our 30-page special section in the August 2007 issue of Consumer Reports, Great Kitchens for Less. You'll learn about 10 kitchen products that don't match the hype surrounding them, get expert advice on paying for your project, and find the best deals on appliances. Also use our Kitchen-Planning Guide for information on appliances, design, materials, project oversight, and other remodeling subjects .

Send your questions about any home-related topic to our experts.

Comments

[desert_lynx]

It strikes me that the hands-free faucet would just give a false sense of security about cleanliness. After all, when you're cutting up raw meat, you're supposed to rinse it under running water to help eliminate any pathogens before cooking--so you're going to be splashing germs all around the sink. You're still going to have to get out the (recycled) paper towels and the (environmentally friendly) cleaning solution. And the extra couple hundred dollars for the fancy hands-free faucet would buy a LOT of paper towels and cleaning solution!

[cathy lewis]

The main idea behind hands free faucets in kitchens was not only to cut down on germs, but to cut down on clean up. An avid cook spends much time going back and forth from cook or prep area to the sink.. Many times you hands are covered with flour, dough, spices, and yes, raw meat juice. Hands free makes it much more convenient to get the hands clean without having to get gunky stuff all over the faucet!

[nancy]

Hi. The sink design is really superb. It enhances the beauty of kitchen rooms. It gives new look to the kitchen rooms. I like the sink designs very much.
Thank you.