Beyond the reliability you’d expect from any well-made faucet, high-end faucets offer modern conveniences such as touchless operation, greater control over temperature and spray power, and multiple spray head functionalities.
By keeping up with the trends, high-end faucet brands are able to offer a greater choice of distinctive designs to help you create a kitchen or bath that’s a cut above the ordinary.
Finding Faucets That Fit Your Lifestyle
Before you think about aesthetics, consider the functions you want in your faucet. High-end kitchen faucets come in both space-saving pull-out sprayer models and comfortable pull-down sprayer models, but some also include a magnetic docking system to hold your sprayer where you want it.
Many faucets allow you to turn on the water without turning a knob, but methods vary. Touchless models turn on with the wave of a hand, touch-activated faucets react to a tap of the finger, and other models include an on/off button.
If you’re seeking durability, look for a ceramic disc faucet in either compression or cartridge style. While they cost a premium, they’re nearly leakproof.
Aesthetically, the best finish is one that matches your kitchen or bathroom cabinetry hardware, but for durability and ease of cleaning, you can’t go wrong with chrome.
High-End Faucet Brands to Watch
Delta Faucet Company
In 1954, Delta pioneered the ball-valve for mixing hot and cold water and has continued to develop innovations to improve performance and durability ever since.
Delta’s Touch2O technology lets you turn the water on with a touch, and with VoiceIQ technology, you can get the water you need without touching the faucet at all.
The MagnaTite Docking system holds the faucet sprayhead securely, the TempSense LED light indicates the water’s temperature, and Touch-Clean spray holes make mineral deposit removal easy.
Long, sleek curves and modern geometric forms characterize most of Delta’s faucets, but you’ll find vintage-style designs in the Cassidy, Victorian, Zallia, and Mylan collections.
Moen
After burning his hands using a two-handle faucet in 1937, Al Moen set out to create the more manageable single-handle faucet that would become the foundation of his company.
Today, Moen is still known for its easy-to-use bathroom and kitchen faucets. Models with MotionSense technology allow for hands-free operation. Power Clean technology gives you a more concentrated spray. With Power Boost, you can choose between Power Spray for faster cleaning or Power Stream to fill containers faster.
Many of Moen’s faucet designs take a fresh approach to blending modern and classic looks. The traditional yet relaxed Wynford and Colinet collections are good examples of this. The Lindor and Oxby collections, with their linear edges and graceful curves, lean toward the more minimalist side.
Kohler
Operating since 1873 and now one of the best-known names in bathroom fixtures, Kohler offers high-end kitchen and bathroom faucets in a broad range of styles.
The ultra-minimalist Purist collection and geometric Composed collection are perfect for modern homes. If vintage is more your style, try the Artifacts collection or the 1930s Art Deco Pinstripe collection. Faucets in the Margaux collection combine strong lines with smooth curves for the best of both contemporary and classic looks.
More advanced models include Response touchless technology and temperature memory, which lets you turn the water on at your preferred temperature setting.
House of Rohl
Dating from 1897, House of Rohl has built a reputation for elegant brass kitchen and bathroom fixtures, and for bridge faucets in particular. The company currently incorporates three faucet brands.
The Rohl brand focuses on an updated traditional look with distinctive designs such as the Tenerif, featuring crosshatching meant to reflect the trunk of a palm tree, and the Palladian collection, influenced by the lines of the Palladian window.
The Riobel puts modern technology at the forefront, offering touchless operation in the Azure and Trattoria designs.
The Perrin & Rowe brand presents hand-molded, hand-polished antique-style faucets. The brand’s attention to detail stands out, especially in the graceful Edwardian collection and the somewhat more simplified Georgian Era collection.
Hansgrohe
Founded in 1901, this German producer is now owned by the MASCO Group, which also owns the Delta Faucet Company, but their luxury customizable Axor products are still made in Germany.
Faucets with the Select function lets you start or stop the water with a button, AirPower technology provides softer water flow, and QuickClean technology makes it easy to remove mineral scale.
Hansgrohe’s style tends toward sleek and modern, but with a distinctive flair. The slim profile of the Finoris and the industrial chic look of the Metris M71 kitchen faucet stand out from the usual, while the Metropol Classic suits traditional bathrooms well.
Grohe
Established in 1936 by Frederich Grohe, son of Hans Grohe, the company is now owned by the Japanese LIXIL Corporation, but many of its faucets are still made in Germany.
The handy push-button and touchless options in kitchen faucets and the SpeedClean nozzles make the brand’s faucets convenient to use. With the Zedra kitchen faucet, you’ll get a triple-function spray head with stream, shower, and blade sprays. The curves and flowing lines of the Zedra are also found in the Concetto, Costa, Atria New, and Minta collections.
Most of Grohe’s other faucets carry a modern minimalist aesthetic with little detailing, such as the angular models in the Eurosmart, Eurocube, and Allure Brilliant collections. While they offer comparable quality to Hansgrohe faucets, Grohe faucets are often priced lower.
Toto
Although most of this Japanese company’s faucets are manufactured abroad, they still offer the high-tech performance and reliability the company has built its reputation on.
Toto’s proprietary ceramic cartridge is especially well known for its durability. Their Safety Thermo system is the first to use SMA (Shape Memory Alloy) to minimize temperature fluctuation and protect you from burns. LED lights also help alert you to temperature changes. Faucets with Toto’s Slow Flow technology provide strong flow with minimal backsplash. Several touchless models are available.
Faucets in the GB, GE, and Upton collections stand out for their structured, geometric look, while models in the GF, GM, and GO collections are designed with fluid lines. For more traditional forms, look to the Vivian and Connely faucets.
