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> Inspiration & advice > Buying Guides > Kitchen Taps Buyers Guide

Taps might not seem like a top priority when you are designing your kitchen, but they are a very prominent feature on a clear and tidy worktop, and will catch your eye more often than you expect. It is the attention to details such as taps that will really make your kitchen stand out, so it is worth giving them some serious consideration.

At Wren we are all about the finer details, so it should be no surprise that we carry a wide range of tap fittings for to choose from in your design, and you can mix and match them with the sink unit of your choice. This buyer's guide will help you work through you options, meaning you can add that perfect finishing touch to your brand new kitchen.

Inspiration and Advice

Before you start

Water Pressure

There are a couple of things you need to consider before you start picking out your favourite tap styles to adorn that new sink, and the first is water pressure. Most taps work fine with standard water pressure and most houses have standard pressure - but 'most' is not a guarantee. So check your water pressure - there may be a plumbing issue that is preventing you from achieving a strong flow.

Placement

The second issue to consider is the placement of your taps. It is all well and good imagining your new taps in a particular part of your kitchen, but they need to be connected to the water pipes, and so this might involve some plumbing work which you need to factor into your overall budget. Also consider the practicalities of their placement; will a high, rounded spout design be practical under a low kitchen cabinet, for example?

Which type is best for you?

With those practical issues out of the way, you can start deciding what taps you want in your kitchen. As a basic rule, the size of your tap fitting should be more or less proportional to the scale of your sink unit - small for small, large for large. There are then many different types of tap to consider, with various practical and aesthetic points:

Which type of tap?

Pillar

The traditional tap style, with separate units for hot and cold, they are simple and cheap.

Mixer taps

Mixer

The mixer style has separate levers/handles controlling the hot and cold water, but the water is mixed through one single spout, which makes it easier to regulate temperature and avoid scalding with hot water.

Dual flow taps

Dual flow

A useful variation on the mixer, the dual flow has the same design but importantly keeps the two water supplies separate until they come out of the nozzle - an important feature if your cold and hot water pressures are significantly different.

Monobloc Taps

Monobloc

One single handle/lever controls the hot and cold water delivery, allowing for a pared-back design for minimalist kitchens. Water pressure for hot and cold needs to be close to equal, however.

These designs are also available with optional added features, such as a pull-out mixer - and extendable hose which comes away from the tap body for easier rinsing. You also may prefer to drink bottled water than that which comes from your taps, but it is expensive and not very environmentally friendly. A filtered tap provides a simple solution with tap water which should be more to your taste.

All these designs are available in a wide range of aesthetic styles, from the shaping of the tap handles, using traditional levers or a cross-head style, to the length and curvature of the body, there are some extremely innovative designs out there. You also have plenty of options in terms of materials, from brass fittings that would grace a traditional kitchen, to stainless steel for that modern look or the sleek aesthetic of chrome.

So have a look through our range and see which particular style will fit in with your design scheme and provide the perfect finishing touch to your dream kitchen.