Pros & Cons of Touchless Kitchen Faucets – Are they worth it

Of all kitchen fixtures, one of the most used in any household is the kitchen sink and faucet. We know that things may get messy in a kitchen, which also makes a touchless kitchen faucet a convenient feature for any kitchen. Automatic kitchen faucets or touchless kitchen faucets are convenient and improve hygiene. In this article, we will discuss how touchless kitchen faucet works and the pros and cons of the touchless kitchen faucets.

Table of Contents

1. What is a touchless kitchen faucet
2. How does a touchless kitchen faucet work
3. Pros of touchless kitchen faucet
4. Cons of touchless kitchen faucet
5. Final Thoughts

1. What is a touchless kitchen faucet

As the name implies, a touchless kitchen faucet refers to a water outlet without a handle or knob. It works without any operation. Usually, a short touch anywhere on the faucet is enough to turn it on or off.

A touchless kitchen faucet relies on a technology that can sense tiny electrical charges in the body. They do this with embedded sensors in the handle and nozzle. Just a quick touch to turn on the faucet when it is not turned on. When it is open, another touch will close it. Some touchless faucets will automatically turn off after a predetermined period of time.

2. How does a touchless kitchen faucet work

Touchless faucets use the same sensor as touch faucets do. But the difference is that the sensor in a touchless faucet is motion-activated rather than touch-activated, which is applied in touch faucet.

It is mainly realized by infrared or ultrasonic sensors. The sensor is usually installed on the front or side of the faucet body. Sometimes it is hidden behind the spout. When infrared light reflects from your hand back to the detector, the water will turn on; and when the ultrasonic sensor is destroyed, the water will turn on. In each case, when the sensor returns to its normal passive state, the water will shut off.

These sensors and detectors require a power source to work, which can be a direct electrical connection or a battery. Obviously, once connected to the house’s electrical wiring, no further work is needed. If the sensor is powered by a battery, the battery needs to be replaced from time to time.

3. Pros of touchless kitchen faucet

Water conservation

It may not look like much, but many a little make a mickle. When you move your hand from opening the faucet to the flow of water, or when you reach for the handle to close it when you are done, the water will flow for a while. The automatic faucet only runs when your hand is under it, ensuring that you use the precise amount of water you need. Not only that, most automatic faucets are leak-proof, which also saves water.

Healthy and clean

When those dirty or greasy hands need to be cleaned, they don’t have to touch the tap. No bacteria will contaminate the faucet, and you don’t need to clean the faucet after you use it. Bacteria will not spread from the faucet, because apart from cleaning, the faucet has never been touched.

Convenience

Perhaps the best part of the touch sensitive faucet is its ease of use. It can avoid the scald temperature that sometimes occurs in other traditional faucets. If you have young children or older people living with you, the touchless kitchen faucet is usually easier to operate.

4. Cons of touchless kitchen faucet

High cost

Generally, the price of touchless kitchen faucets is much higher than that of other traditional faucets under the same quality. In addition, the time and price of installation are also higher than those of other faucets.

Sensor Failure

Actually, the quality of touchless kitchen faucets is uneven. Whether it’s a good touchless kitchen faucet or a bad one, sensor failure may occur at any time, which can bring much trouble.

Hard to change flow rate and temperature

It is a straightforward process to change the flow rate or temperature of the water in a manual faucet, and wherea it is hard to achieve in a touchless kitchen faucet. If you want to change the flow rate or temperature of the water, you need to use a remote control or touch different parts on the faucet.

5. Final Thoughts

Are touchless kitchen faucets worth it and reliable? The answer is absolutely yes. The technology and quality of touchless kitchen faucets can indeed bring many benefits to people. But whether it is suitable for your kitchen varies from person to person. So you should decide whether to choose a touchless kitchen faucet according to your own situation.