Kitchen faucet touch vs touchless (2024)

Making the right choice for your kitchen faucet is not as simple as it sounds. You’ve probably seen a few kitchen faucets in your day, but have you ever wondered what the difference is between kitchen faucet touch vs touchless?

The key points to consider when deciding between touch and touchless kitchen faucet:

• Cost: Touch faucets cost $50 to $200, while touchless faucets cost $100 to $400 or more.
• Convenience: Touchless faucets are more convenient to use and do not require touching the handle.
• Hygiene: Touchless faucets can be more hygienic, as you don’t need to touch the handle.
• Battery life: Most touchless faucets run on batteries and will need to be replaced periodically.
• Maintenance: Both types require regular cleaning and maintenance. Touchless faucets may have additional parts, such as sensors, that may need to be replaced or repaired.

Touchless faucets are more expensive but offer added convenience and hygiene. Touch faucets are less expensive but may be less convenient to use.

Kitchen faucets have transformed a great deal since the beginning of time. Today’s kitchen faucet is not as simple as turning the handle and adjusting the water pressure to get the desired temperature. Some are equipped with touch sensors, some are touchless, and many offer both functions.

We will help you navigate your choices between touch vs. touchless kitchen faucets. Let’s look at the differences, pros, and cons between the two.

What Are the Differences Between Touch Faucets and Touchless Faucets?

The main difference between these two kitchen faucets is how they are controlled. Sensors control touchless faucets, so you don’t have to touch them physically. This is an excellent feature for those with trouble gripping objects or young children who may not yet know how to handle faucets.

Touchless faucets use infrared sensors that detect your movement in front of the faucet and automatically activate it when you get close enough. Besides being activated by movement, you can turn them on manually by pressing down.

Many people like this because it allows them to wash their hands without touching anything in their kitchen, but some don’t like this feature.

Touch faucets require you to move them physically to turn them on or off. These are often used in commercial kitchens because they’re easier to clean than touchless ones (which tend to get sticky due to buildup). They also have fewer parts than touchless versions, making them less likely to break down over time.

How Do Touch Faucets Work?

Touch faucets are easy to use. Just touch the faucet with your hand, and the water begins to flow—no need to turn the water on or off at a separate location.

The touch faucet comprises two parts: an electronic control box and a valve assembly. The control box senses when it’s been touched by an object (i.e., your hand) and sends a signal to the valve assembly to turn on or off.

These systems use either infrared or ultrasonic technology to determine whether there’s an object in front of the faucet. Besides the sensor, the touch faucet has a manual turn-off handle. When you’re done washing your hands, turn off the water by pressing down on the handle.

How Do Touchless Faucets Work?

Touchless faucets are becoming more common in the kitchen. These faucets are designed to work using motion-sensor technology, which means you can use them without touching anything—wave your hand under the tap, and water will come out.

There are two main types of sensors: infrared and ultrasonic. Infrared sensors use invisible light to the naked eye to detect motion, while ultrasonic sensors rely on sound waves to do the same thing.

Both methods work well enough for most people’s needs. Still, ultrasonics are generally more accurate than infrared ones because they’re better at distinguishing between different types of motion (like hand movements or foot movements).

These sensors are sensitive enough to detect movement from several feet away, so if you’re washing your hands at the sink, you don’t have to worry about accidentally triggering the water while trying to get the soap out of a container or scrubbing your hands with soap.

Pros and Cons of Touchless Kitchen Faucets

Pros

• More sanitary and hygienic than traditional faucets.
• Convenient for being hands-free and requiring zero effort.
• Easy installation.
• No need to touch the faucet handle so you can wash your hands without worrying about contamination.

Cons

• Expensive and may require an upgrade to the rest of your plumbing system, like water pressure and type of sink.
• Require batteries or electricity to work properly and may break down over time due to frequent use.
• Need special cleaners and gels to keep them functioning decently.

Benefits of Touchless Faucets

Touchless faucets are easy to use and sanitary. They eliminate the need to touch your faucet handles, which can have lots of germs. These faucets also offer other benefits over conventional kitchen faucets.

Touchless faucets are more convenient. You don’t have to touch anything to turn on the water. They also prevent cross-contamination from dirty hands.

Touchless fixtures are easier to keep clean. Since there’s no handle or knob, you don’t have to worry about cleaning those areas, which are often hard to reach with a sponge or cloth.

Also, they’re more durable than traditional ones as they don’t contain moving parts that can break down over time due to constant use and exposure to elements such as water corrosion.

What Do We Like About the Touchless Faucet?

A touchless faucet is an excellent option for kitchens of all sizes. Its motion sensor lets you turn the water on and off without touching the faucet.

The touchless faucet comes in three colors: white, gray, and black. These colors will fit well with any kitchen color scheme. Also, it is easy to install, as it comes with all of the necessary parts and instructions needed for installation by a professional or an amateur handyman.

How To Install a Touchless Faucet?

If you have decided to install a touchless kitchen faucet, you will have to follow these steps:

• Turn off the water supply to your sink.
• Remove the old faucet by turning off its water supply and disconnecting it from the sink pipe.
• Install the new faucet by connecting it to the sink pipe and then turning on its water supply.
• Connect hot- and cold-water pipes in the kitchen to the faucet.
• Test your new touchless kitchen faucet by pressing or touching it with your hands.

Turn It On or Off Without Touching It

Touchless faucets have sensors that automatically detect when someone comes near them and turns them on. If someone leaves the room, they turn off automatically as well. This is an excellent feature because it helps prevent water damage from dripping faucets.

Moreover, they are perfect for people who have trouble turning on or off their faucets with their hands or arms. They also work well for children who may not reach high enough up on the sink or countertop to reach the handles of their regular faucets.

Automatic Faucet Control

Automatic faucet control is a feature that will allow you to turn the water on and off with a simple motion of your hand. It is beneficial for older people and those with limited mobility, as they can efficiently operate their faucet without reaching up and turning a knob.

Automatic faucets also have an adjustable temperature setting, which allows you to set the water temperature at a comfortable level before it reaches your hands. This feature is handy for people with arthritis or other diseases that make it difficult to change the temperature manually.

What Is Used in Sensor Taps?

In the kitchen, you can use sensor taps available in the market. The touchless faucet is a new way of controlling water flow. Sensor taps use infrared beams or pressure sensors to detect when someone is near the tap. When you’re not using it, it automatically shuts off, so there’s no risk of cross-contamination from water that hasn’t been used.

Disadvantages of Touch-Sensitive and Touchless Faucets

The most significant disadvantage of touch-sensitive and touchless faucets is the price. They are more expensive than regular faucets and require additional installation costs.

Another disadvantage of touchless and touch-sensitive kitchen faucets is that they are harder to clean. Their electronic components must be kept dust-free to prevent damage or corrosion that can shorten the lifespan of the faucets.

The third disadvantage of touchless and touch-sensitive faucets is that they can be challenging for people with limited hand function due to arthritis or other health conditions.

Considerations When Choosing a Touch and Touchless Faucet

Here are a few factors to consider before you step out to buy a touch/touchless faucet.

Faucet style: Do you want a traditional or modern style? This will help determine your new faucet’s look, feel, and function.

Finish: What kind of finish do you want your new faucet to have? Stainless steel is durable and easy to clean, but brass has a more luxurious look.

Installation type: Do you want a pull-down faucet or one that mounts on the side of your sink? These two different installation types offer different features and benefits depending on what you need from your new faucet.

Cost to Replace Kitchen Sink Faucet

The cost depends on your faucet type and what materials you want to use. The average cost to replace a kitchen sink faucet is between $160 and $360. The lowest price for replacing a kitchen faucet is about $50 for most taps, and the highest is about $4600 for higher-end models.

There are also several types of faucets available for your kitchen. Each one will require a different approach to installation and repair. If you don’t know how to do this yourself, it’s best to hire a professional plumber or handyman instead.

When getting quotes from professionals, ask them how much they charge per hour (not per job). This will give you an idea of how long it will take them to complete the project so that you can plan accordingly.

Which Faucet Type Is Right for You?

The kitchen faucet is one of the most critical pieces of equipment in your home. It’s also one of the essential features of your kitchen design. Both have pros and cons, but which is suitable for your home?

Touch kitchen faucets are usually more affordable than touchless models but require more maintenance because they can’t be left on without someone actively using them. Some people find this a hassle, while others don’t mind the extra work.

Touchless models use motion sensors to automatically turn on when you approach them, and off when you leave. There are no levers or buttons to worry about—just put your hands under the spout and let it do its thing.

This is great for families with young children or anyone who doesn’t want to worry about keeping track of their water usage or turning it off after each use.

Conclusion

We hope you’ve enjoyed learning the pros and cons of touch and touchless kitchen faucets. We’ve highlighted the best options for both types, as well as some things to keep in mind when making your decision.

There is no doubt that touch and touchless kitchen faucets are helpful. Each has unique features to lure you, but ultimately you have to pick the one that is right for your kitchen.

The best thing to do is try them out and see what works best for you. If you’re unsure which kind of faucet is better for your situation, feel free to contact us. We’d love to help!