The Kitchen Feature You Need For A More Efficient Sink

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If you're planning to remodel your kitchen (which might cost more money than you're thinking) and keep up with the trends while you're at it, you may be tempted to install two faucets in your new sink. Why, you may ask, would you possibly want two taps over your kitchen sink? We've heard of side-by-side sink basins, but side-by-side faucets? Hear us out: it's actually not as redundant as you might think, and, unlike the trend towards '80s-era graphic kitchen tile, it's about function over looks. There are a few modern uses for a double faucet that might just get you to open your wallet for this surprisingly useful feature.

The simplest explanation for a double faucet setup is that it gives you two workstations at which you and someone else can work side-by-side, maximizing the efficiency of your sink. But this isn't the whole story. We've also heard of one faucet as a dedicated tap for filtered water, meaning that a fresh glass of drinking water is just a pull away. Alternatively, one tap can be motion-activated, meaning that if you are rinsing produce or washing your hands after touching raw meat, you don't use any more water than you absolutely have to and also avoid getting grubby hands on your clean handle. Since you already have a water supply running under your sink, adding a second faucet shouldn't be hugely labor-intensive for your contractor, making this trend the rare one that delivers big usefulness at moderate extra cost.

If the point of a second faucet is that you want let two people to share a sink, keep in mind that bodies take up space, and, therefore, you can't realistically put the two faucets overly close together. Otherwise, people will just get in each other's way. More specifically, experts say that your sink should be at least 39 inches in width if you are planning on functional side-by-side faucets. 

Of course, if the use for the second tap is simply to provide filtered water, you don't need to worry about having a spacious sink. An extra-wide sink may be even more useful than you originally intended, however. Are you somebody who often hosts get-togethers and loves it when your home is a social hub? With such a large sink and two faucets, you can dedicate one half as a dedicated ice station while still being able to use the other side.

Regardless of your reason(s) for installing two faucets in the sink of your remodeled kitchen, you will doubtlessly be impressed with how cool the finished appliance looks. By the way, you can keep your ultra-functional, super efficient kitchen sink clean with flour if it's made of stainless steel. An extra faucet comes with extra nooks and crannies that trap germs and dirt, so you might want to invest in an electric spin scrubber with different-sized heads for cleaning out hard-to-reach spaces and keeping your sink a shiny centerpiece.