Best kitchen tap 2024: Classic, filter and instant hot water taps for every kitchen
Beautiful and functional taps for every budget
Whether you’re installing a new kitchen or just looking for a quick way to refresh the heart of your home, it’s important to find a kitchen tap that works for you. From simple mixer taps to high-end, filtered boiling-water taps, choosing the right one from a seemingly infinite number of different designs, functions and finishes can be a daunting task.
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Even if you’ve never given your taps a second thought, swapping an old, leaky tap for a new model will cheer up your kitchen and your daily routine. And for those looking for a serious upgrade, splashing out on a filter or instant hot water tap can add something to your kitchen that you didn’t even know was missing.
To help you find the perfect tap for you, we’ve put together a guide of the best kitchen taps, with options to suit different budgets, requirements and kitchen designs.
Best kitchen taps: At a glance
- Best vintage-style kitchen tap: Britannia Classic Mono Sink Mixer | £130
- Best filtered kitchen tap: Abode Atlas Monobloc Aquifier | From £517
- Best pull-out spray kitchen taps: Wenken Single Handle Monobloc Mixer | £72
- Best instant hot water tap: InSinkErator 3N1 Tap | £730
How to choose the best kitchen taps for you
What to look out for when buying kitchen taps
Before setting out to choose your perfect kitchen tap, there are a handful of key differences in tap design to look out for.
Monobloc taps: These are the most common kitchen taps, installed into just one hole in the sink or countertop. If you’re fitting a new kitchen and want to make sure you can choose from the widest range of taps, make sure to choose a sink designed for monobloc taps.
Bridge or deck-mixer taps: Fitted into kitchens with two tap holes and separate hot and cold pipes running up to the sink, bridge taps allow you to install a mixer tap in place of two separate taps. This gives you precise control over the temperature of the water.
Most other differences in the shape and design of kitchen tap are aesthetic, but before settling on a specific tap, make sure to check the following:
Water pressure: Most taps will suit both high and low water pressure systems, but some will specify a minimum or maximum pressure.
Height and reach: Make sure to check the height of the spout, especially if you have low cabinets above the sink. If your taps are set back from the sink, it’s worth checking that the tap will reach far enough.
Swivel: While it’s rare for kitchen taps to be set in only one position, if you have a double sink, make sure you choose a tap with a wide enough range of movement to be used in both.
What different features are available?
Filter taps: While all mains water in the UK is safe to drink, many of us prefer the taste of filtered water, especially if living in a hard water area. Saving you from buying bottled water and removing the need to keep bulky filter water jugs in the fridge, filter water taps can be an effective and affordable way to update to an existing kitchen. However, if saving money is your only reason for installing a filter water tap, make sure to factor in the cost of new filters – these have to be replaced every few months and can be expensive.
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Boiling water taps: Installing a boiling water tap won’t be cheap, but as luxury upgrades go, these kitchen taps are a great investment. Producing either boiling or near-boiling water instantly, these can completely replace your kettle, giving you the ability to make tea and coffee in a fraction of the time. They can be slightly fiddly to install and will require you to store a small boiler under the sink. But once up and running, they’ll utterly transform both your kitchen and your meal prep.
Pull-out spray nozzle taps: These hugely helpful kitchen taps include a flexible hose stored in the body of the tap allowing the nozzle to be extended out of the tap and moved around – essentially a small shower for your kitchen sink. Most models allow you to change the flow of water, from a spray to a higher-pressure blast, making them perfect for doing the dishes by hand.
Do you need a plumber to install new kitchen taps?
Whether you’ll need to call out a plumber to fit your new taps depends on a number of factors, but in many cases, no. Replacing a simple kitchen tap with another of a similar size and shape is a fairly easy DIY job. Many will come with the specific tools you will need, while others are designed to be tightened only by hand, or with a simple adjustable spanner.
Installing boiling water taps and filter taps is a slightly more complicated task, usually requiring a small tank to be installed under the sink, so will require a plumber. Changing the placement of a kitchen tap can also present a few challenges. If you find yourself needing to drill a new hole for the tap, make sure this is done by someone with the right experience to avoid any expensive damage to your countertops or sink.
Before attempting any plumbing work in your kitchen, you’ll also need to know how to turn off the water supply to the taps. This can be as simple as turning a valve under the sink, but may involve looking under floorboards or in basements. If this doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, a plumber will be able to trace the pipes quickly and usually with minimal disruption.
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How much should you spend?
Given the wide range of features, styles and finishes, the cost can vary hugely – you can find plenty of solid, well-built taps for less than £40, but if you’re looking for something with all the bells and whistles, such as a filtered boiling water tap, be prepared to spend anywhere between £250 and £1,000.
The best kitchen taps you can buy in 2023
1. Heable Traditional Kitchen Mixer Tap: Best affordable monobloc kitchen tap
Price: £40 | Buy now from Amazon
This mixer tap from Heable is simple but elegant, with two white ceramic handles and a long spout that can swivel a full 360 degrees. It’s easy to install and comes with all the fittings required. This model is also fitted with an aerator, helping you save water and ensuring a good steady flow even in lower-pressure systems.
The timeless polished-chrome finish will suit almost every kitchen, but if you’re looking for something a bit different, it’s also available in a stylish matte black. You can also swap the white ceramic handles out for black ceramic, if that takes your fancy.
While some users have reported needing to upgrade the fittings that come as standard, this well-built and hardwearing tap should last a long time, and even comes with a ten-year guarantee for peace of mind.
Key specs – Type: Monobloc mixer tap; Handle Style: Twin lever; Colours: Chrome; Height: 325mm; Guarantee: 10yr
2. Cooke & Lewis Gordale Bridge Mixer Tap: Best bridge-style kitchen tap
Price: £68 | Buy now from B&Q
When it comes to bridge taps, there are unfortunately not as many styles to choose from, with most following a traditional design. The Gordale tap from B&Q’s Cooke & Lewis range stands out with a more modern, minimalist shape. With two slightly pointed flat-topped handles and a long arched spout, this polished chrome kitchen tap is affordable without sacrificing quality or style.
Coming with an aerator as standard and an easy-to-clean anti-limescale spout, the Gordale is an ideal fit for a busy kitchen. It can be installed in both high and low-pressure systems and comes with a ten-year guarantee.
Key specs – Type: Bridge/deck mixer tap; Handle Style: Twin lever; Colours: Chrome with white handles, chrome with black handles, black with white handles; Height: 333mm; Guarantee: 10yr
3. Wenken Single Handle Mixer Kitchen Tap: Best pull-out spray kitchen tap
Price: £72 | Buy now from Amazon
This stylish, brushed nickel pull-out tap from Wenken has both the looks and the functionality of a high-end designer kitchen tap but at an incredible price. Unlike many other pull-out spray taps with more bold industrial styling, this minimalist design has just one lever and a subtle pull-out nozzle attachment. The nozzle has three settings – spray, stream and pause – making it easy to use with just one free hand.
With a spout that rotates the full 360 degrees, it’s ideal for kitchens with double sinks. The 22in hose means it can also be used to fill up pots, pans and kettles without needing to maneuver them into the sink. The tap can be installed easily without the need for a plumber, although care should be taken to ensure there is enough space in the under-sink cupboard for the hose to coil. It comes with everything required to get it up and running, and is covered by a five-year guarantee.
Key specs – Type: Monobloc mixer pull-out spray tap; Handle Style: Single lever; Colours: Brushed nickel; Height: 454mm; Guarantee: 5yr
4. Abode Atlas Monobloc Aquifier Water Filter 2 Lever Kitchen Tap: Best filtered drinking water tap
Price: From £517 | Buy now from John Lewis
Filter taps are rising in popularity and for good reason. Having clean, filtered water quite literally available “on tap” at all times is a great way to encourage you to drink more water, keep your appliances in good nick and save money by not buying bottled.
High-end tap-design company Abode offers several models of filter tap, but the Atlas Aquifier leads the way as a fantastic all-rounder. The clean, simple design adds a touch of understated elegance to your kitchen. Whereas some filter taps have a third handle, this model has just the two – one for hot water, and the other for both cold and filtered, depending on which way you push the handle.
The tap uses activated carbon filters, which will need to be replaced every three to six months depending on the water in your area. It’s suitable for low-pressure systems and comes in four finishes, making it a great fit for any kitchen.
Key specs – Type: Monobloc mixer tap; Handle style: Twin lever; Colours: Chrome, brushed nickel, matte black, brushed brass; Height: 391mm; Guarantee: 5yr
5. InSinkErator 3N1 Kitchen Tap: Best instant hot water tap
Price: £730 | Buy now from Plumbworld
Installing a boiling water tap in your kitchen doesn’t come cheap but it’s not hard to see why. They’ve become the gold standard in top-of-the-range kitchens, removing the need for a kettle almost entirely and giving you water hot enough to make hot drinks instantly.
While there are much pricier models out there, this tap from American plumbing company InSinkErator doesn’t sacrifice function for its lower price tag. Although it doesn’t produce water at boiling point, it can heat it up to 98˚C – the ideal temperature for making tea or coffee. The steaming hot water is also filtered, helping remove any unpleasant chemical tastes from your mug and keeping your pots and pans in good condition.
The tap itself has a modern, elegant look with an angular but sleek spout. Finished in a polished chrome, it has only two levers, with one producing hot and cold water, and the other producing filtered near-boiling water. It’s also fitted with a child-proof safety mechanism – the top of the handle has to be pushed down to start the flow and will spring back when let go, meaning it cannot be left running unattended.
It comes with a 2.5-litre stainless-steel water tank that will need to be installed in the cupboard under the sink, along with the filter. The temperature is set on the tank itself using a small touch screen, and can range between 88 and 98˚C. While it doesn’t necessarily need a plumber to install, it’s not a DIY project for the faint-hearted or inexperienced. The tap is also covered by a five-year guarantee; the tank by a two-year guarantee.
Key specs – Type: Monobloc mixer boiling water tap; Handle Style: Twin lever; Colours: Chrome, brushed stainless steel; Height: 300mm; Guarantee: Tap, 5yr Tank, 2yr
6. Britannia Classic Mono Sink Mixer: Best vintage-style kitchen tap
Price: £130 | Buy now from Victorian Plumbing
Finished in a striking antique bronze, this vintage-style mixer tap would look as at home in a classic farmhouse kitchen above a big Belfast sink, as it would in a cosy cottage kitchen. It combines elegant French styling with a sturdy traditional design, while still coming with an affordable price tag.
Able to swivel a full 360 degrees and with a long curved spout, it’s the perfect fit if you’re looking to add a statement piece to your kitchen that doesn’t compromise on functionality.
This model includes separate hot and cold cross-head handles, and will suit all plumbing styles. It’s easy to install, too, making it a great option if you’re looking for a quick and relatively inexpensive way to add a bit of character to your kitchen.
Key specs – Type: Monobloc mixer tap; Handle style: Twin lever; Colours: Bronze, brushed nickel; Height: 243mm; Guarantee: 5yr
7. GoodHome Kamut Twin Lever Mixer Tap: Best unconventional kitchen tap&
Price: £80 | Buy now from B&Q
This eye-catching kitchen tap is proof that even the most fundamental parts of your kitchen can bring a little excitement to the room. With two brilliant red wheels serving as separate hot and cold handles and a modern angular shape, it’s both fun and functional.
The model includes a preinstalled easy-clean aerator, helping you save water while keeping the flow steady and splutter-free. It can be installed in homes with both high and low pressure, and comes with everything you need to fit it yourself. It even comes with a ten-year guarantee and the hard-wearing, scratch-resistant finish should keep it looking as good as new for a long time.
Key specs – Type: Monobloc mixer tap; Handle Style: Twin lever; Colours: Stainless steel; Height: 397mm; Guarantee: 10yr
