You use it to rinse fruit, cool off pasta, wash vegetables and greens and maybe even mix drinks during family parties. You might even use it to soak your houseplants and, when nobody is looking, bathe the family pet.

Of all the places in your home that see a wide variety of action, the kitchen sink is probably the busiest place of all. This is why choosing a faucet is such an important and personalized decision – and one that shouldn't be made based on looks alone. It's important to combine matters of function – mount, height, handles and sprayer – with style so that you end up with a faucet that suits all your needs (including the ones you'd rather keep between you and the family pet).

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The Chico plumbers at Experts In Your Home have compiled a helpful checklist of considerations to help you decide which type of faucet is right for you. If you’re replacing both your sink and your faucet, select the faucet first so you can buy a sink with the appropriate number of holes. Otherwise, holes can be drilled into the sink to accommodate the faucet.

Consider the Faucet Mount Style

First, settle on the mount style. You face three choices:

• A sink-mounted faucet is a good option if you want to make a simple update to your kitchen but wish to reuse your current sink. The one drawback? The design styles might be limited. First check how many mounting holes your current sink includes. New faucets come with between one and four holes. But never fear: if your current faucet has more holes than the new faucet you have your eyes on, a deck plate can cover up the difference.
• A deck-mounted faucet attaches to a countertop or rests on the sink. The seamless look of these faucets make them particularly well suited to contemporary kitchens, but you have to be extra vigilant about the water, dirt and grease that could accumulate between the faucet and the wall.
• A wall-mounted faucet is affixed to a wall and hangs over the sink. Proper spacing and location is vital to making this option work. The water spout must project the correct distance – and could be an issue with a large double sink – and an interfering wall stud would have to be relocated. Hignell plumbers can navigate both issues with ease.

Consider the Faucet Height

You don't have to be a “foodie” to gravitate to an arc-style faucet, which opens up more work space under the sink. A tall faucet also gives you more elbow room to wash large pots and long pans. Don't let an upper cabinet deter you from a tall faucet; Experts In Your Home can help you make a modification to make it work. Otherwise, in terms of looks alone, an arc-style faucet seems custom-made for an island or in front of a window.

Consider Faucet Handles (Or Not)

A single-handed faucet moves up and down to control the flow of water and side to side to control the temperature. It requires only one hole, but temperature adjustments usually are less precise than with a double-handed faucet. This type, with dedicated cold and hot water handles, also is more customizable, allowing for a sprayer or soap dispenser. But think about how you use your sink. You might consider it inconvenient to adjust two handles if your hands are often dirty or full. A third option – a hands-free faucet – is activated by motion or a sensor and is especially appreciated by children or people with arthritis.

Consider the Faucet Finish

Finishes vary by manufacturer, and Experts In Your Home can help you look high and low to find the one that best complements your kitchen. You might consider black, white, stainless steel, nickel, brushed nickel, chrome, oil-rubbed bronze or polished brass.

If you need help narrowing down your faucet choices, installing a faucet or making modifications to your kitchen, don't hesitate to call the home plumbers at Experts In Your Home. We put everything we have, including the kitchen sink, behind making our customers happy.