Kitchen Taps - Help !!!!

6 years ago

Hi All,

I would really appreciate some advice on choosing a kitchen tap. I have a gravity fed water system ie. Hot water cylinder upstairs , cold water mains fed. Therefore, as I understand I need a tap suitable for a low pressure system. I'm looking at Blanco Blanco Mono and Franke Franke Mythos taps these models and someothers indicate they are suitable for a Low pressure system but several retailers have told me they cannot guarantee these taps will perform well with gravity fed systems. I have also been advised the taps cannot be returned after fitting. I'm sure you'll understand I don't want to spend two hundred pounds or more on a tap which is useless when fitted. Has anyone else experienced the same problem ? if so, which model did you purchase to overcome the issue?

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Daisy England

6 years ago

I have a cheap one that was bought as part of a sink and tap pack. I think the price of some of the taps is ridiculous and I can buy them at cost!

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Comments (15)

joannemorrison99
6 years ago
I would email the manufacturer for advise. Their taps should come with a guarantee which the manufacturer should honour if they have advised you of a suitable tap.
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We had that choice when we fitted our new kitchen and categorically decided that it (in our specific situation) was a bad idea to have. It all depends on your situation though. We have young kids, we have young nieces/nephews and also 'elderly' relations. We decided that the majority of people using our house, who may wish to wash their hands, or rinse a cup out by hand would just turn on a tap and stick their hands under. Trying to re-educate both the young and the old not to use this tap when everyone has grown up with, and are used to, warm water coming out of the hot tap just wasn't going to be possible. Also, I don't really see the point of them (I view them as a nice to have) - I've always used a kettle for boiling water for drinks - I actually like the 5 minutes standing doing absolutely nothing waiting for the kettle to boil. As for the spuds, or pasta - mehh, I'm never in that much of a rush to have it done 5 minutes quicker than letting a pan boil.
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PRO
OnePlan
6 years ago
If you’ve fallen for a tap that isn’t suitable - a booster pump could be the answer ...
https://www.fountainsofteners.co.uk/Mobile/hot-water-tap-booster-pump-c2x20894092
kikiamack
6 years ago
I would suggest going to a CityPlumbing showroom if you have one near you. At least in our town the staff are very knowledgeable as they’re used to dealing with plumbers day in day out. A couple of years ago when we were renovating we bought one of their own brand iflo taps for a bathroom and it is very good quality, also much cheaper than a branded equivalent. The salesman told me their own brand were made by one of the bigger British brands. They have a lot of nice kitchen taps with 15 year guarantees, so definitely worth a look and they should know what will work with your set up.
PRO
Caldicot Kitchen & Bathroom Centre
6 years ago
Having a quick look at the spec of these taps, I suspect they may be unsuitable for your system. If you have a gravity system, tough rule of thumb is 0.1 bar for every meter of height difference between the tank base and tap itself. On this basis, I'd consider other, lower pressure taps. Feel free to contact the manufacturer helplines direct, or speak to a local plumber or independent kitchen retailer to advise.

There are other good quality brands worth considering - Caple and Bristan have some attractive taps, many with low pressure ratings.

Hope you find what you need!

Caldicot Kitchens
Sonia
6 years ago
I went through your exact dilemma when trying to choose a new tap for my bathroom sink in my shower room. Drives you mad, doesn’t it? So many retailers either don’t specify what pressure required, or state they can’t guarantee it will be suitable! The tap i chose via my local, family run bathroom specialist does the job but the flow isn’t fierce, which i actually prefer as no splashes! I can’t remember the brand, so I’ll look through all the paperwork and come back to you.
Sonia
6 years ago
Sorry, silly me, i didn’t notice it was for a kitchen!
Carol Unsworth
Original Author
6 years ago
Thanks for the feedback everyone.
It's good to know that others have encountered the same problem choosing a tap. After the pain of choosing cabinet, worktops , and floor tiles. I thought sink and tap be simple ! Any thoughts on Blanco silgranit sink versus a cheaper brand ?
Sonia
6 years ago
This is my kitchen tap. It’s a Carron Phoenix Opus in stainless steel. I’ve had it for nearly 8 years and it is great. The cold water pressure is high, the hot water pressure less so, but still good and fills up a washing up bowl pretty quick. It’s still available. I can’t remember what i paid but i think they’re between £100 - £150. Like you i have a hot water tank upstairs.
PRO
Caldicot Kitchen & Bathroom Centre
6 years ago
Hi Carol,

Blanco Silgranit is an excellent product, as is the Franke equivalent. We are also fns of the Caple equivalents, and all are backed up with robust guarantees. I cannot speak of other, cheaper brands, but we have heard that some of them are more prone to both staining and wear, particularly in the white or light colours.

With the Franke, Blanco & Caple products, these are essentially non-porous and any slight staining tends to be surface only and can be cleaned in accordance with manufacturer guidelines. The darker colours & sandy tones are pretty good for not showing up marks.

Hope this helps!
PRO
Caldicot Kitchen & Bathroom Centre
6 years ago
Adding to forzaitalia, Carron is another good quality brand and a sister company of Franke, but aiming to squeeze pricing a little further. If you find an appropriate low pressure tap from them, should also be a good bet.
Carol Unsworth
Original Author
6 years ago
Caldicot Kitchens this may be a stupid question but here goes Does the rough guide of 0.1 bar per metre refer to distance between hot water cylinder and kitchen tap or cold water storage tank in loft and tap ? I'll definitely look at the other brand taps you recommended thanks.
PRO
Caldicot Kitchen & Bathroom Centre
6 years ago
Sorry, should have been clearer - from the base of the header tank in your loft, as that is what provides the pressurisation to your system. It is always a rough rule of thumb, as other factors affect the actual pressure (e.g. lots of bends in pipes / long pipes will have an effect).
PRO
Caldicot Kitchen & Bathroom Centre
6 years ago
Another option is to check the pressure at the tap using a gauge - probably £20 - £40 for one to mount on an existing tap, so some cost, but less than buying a tap you can't use!
Carol Unsworth
Original Author
6 years ago
Caldicot and Forza Italia thanks so much your comments are really helpful. I'll do some more research on other tap brands.

Kitchen Taps - Help !!!!

Daisy England

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