Bathroom 101 | Choosing Your Bathroom Taps

To choose a mixer or not is a question that is really only relevant in the UK market. We are one of the only remaining countries that still buy ‘pillar taps’ which deliver hot and cold water separately.  Some people like to go to the basin and turn on just the cold or hot tap, perhaps to brush teeth or to shave, however, if you decide to go with the Europeans and Americans then you’re looking at a mixer style. If you do opt for a mixer you then need to decide whether you prefer a separate spout in the middle or a monoblock style for whichever works best for you and what sort of look are you going for.

Once you’ve decided then it’s time to look at The Design of the Tap. Most people haven’t considered what style of tap they are looking for, but once you start to look you’ll realise there are a lot of choices. Are you wanting a traditional or contemporary look? Is there a period style to your bathroom?  Make sure that whatever look you go for you also consider quality, if your taps are well made they will look good and function for years to come.  But there are some key things to take into consideration:

Function: Will it reach far enough into the basin? This is often a quick answer and so many taps don’t, so that will narrow it out!

Bodies:  Is the body of the tap well-made and good enough quality to last? Try the tap, turn it and see how this feels for you.

Cartridge: Not the item you put in a gun, but the internal workings of a tap. The simplest choice is a style that winds up and down for on/off. A lever tap has a short lift for on/off.  If you choose a lever tap you need to ensure your water pressure is right. You can get pressure valves fitted below the tap so that when the water is on and the tap is fully open, it will have the correct flow. A less expensive solution is to adjust the isolation valve, the valve that isolates the end unit. Also known as a ‘stop-cock’ or ball-o-fix valve, it is essential you get these fitted prior to the taps so that repairs can be undertaken without having to shut the whole property down. A classic wind tap is our most popular choice; they are more sensitive and make it easier to control the flow of water. At Drummonds, we use cartridges for both these styles of taps and this ensures that they can be easily changed, but more importantly that they are of the highest quality.

The Finish: choose a finish that fits in with the scheme of the room and matches any other metal finishes, such as window and door fittings. We offer Brass, Nickel or Chrome:

Chrome is our most popular finish. It has a slightly blue look compared with Nickel and looks stunning in traditional and modern settings. It is easy to care for.

Nickel has a softer, more silver look to it and requires slightly more maintenance than chrome.

Brass comes un-lacquered, so will tarnish if not kept clean.

The Style: There are different styles of tap heads and lever handles which give the tap a distinct look. Try them and see which you like the look and feel of.

Once you have chosen your taps take some time to consider the Installation. Make sure you brief the plumber properly about exactly how you want the taps to be put in and what connecting pipework is going to look like. Don’t settle for plastic fittings if you want a chrome look and make sure any isolation valves or other pipework match the taps.  Really pay attention to the details.  We offer kits to tie up all visible pipework or fittings for our full range of products as we believe this can make a real difference to the final look.