Couple torn between two kitchen-faucet styles

Q. My wife and I enjoy reading your column, and we both agree you can help us. We’re installing a new kitchen faucet and narrowed the choices down to a “pull out” or a “pull down” kitchen faucet. Can you please list some benefits of both styles to help us decide?

A. Both styles have a spout with a built-in spray head that extends with a flexible hose to perform normal kitchen chores. This eliminates the need for a deck-mounted sprayer, giving the sink an uncluttered look. However, like the names say, a pull out kitchen-faucet spray head pulls out from the faucet horizontally, while a pull-down faucet has a candy-cane-shaped spout, and the spray head pulls down vertically.

Both types give you a wide range of motion for easily rinsing, washing and filling containers. But here’s where I have seen a difference: For filling things away from the sink, like a countertop coffee-maker or a dog dish, the pull out style with the horizontal motion seems to have the edge.

For washing kitchen-sink basins, the pull-down type with its vertical motion gets the upper hand.

The choice can be as simple as that, and I hope I helped you get a “better grip” on your options!

Ÿ Master plumber Ed Del Grande is the author of “Ed Del Grande’s House Call” and hosts TV and Internet shows. Visit eddelgrande.com or write eddelgrande@cs.com.

Scripps Howard News Service