Kitchen Faucet Frustrations.

Study Uncovers Common Consumer Complaints About Kitchen Faucets

North Olmsted, Ohio ... Day in and day out, kitchen faucets get called into action for the toughest and most common household chores: cleaning dishes, rinsing vegetables, washing hands. With so much interaction, consumers are looking at their faucets in new ways – and demanding more functionality and satisfaction than ever before.

A recent homeowner study conducted by Moen Incorporated asked consumers what they wanted most from their kitchen faucets. What did they dislike? What problems bothered them most? And what would they change? The research uncovered common complaints about this often-used household item.

Why can’t the water taste better?
What good is a faucet if homeowners feel they can’t use it for all of their water needs? That’s probably why 92% of survey respondents stated that they did not feel comfortable getting drinking water directly from their kitchen faucet because of the lack of filtering capabilities.

Consumers instead buy bottled water, use refrigerator dispensers, fill filtering water pitchers or attach a filter to their faucet. However, they still cite the high cost and inconvenience of these solutions and how unattractive faucet mounted filters can look.

New Moen kitchen faucets with ChoiceFlo™ filtration aim to counteract these drawbacks. Available in two faucet styles, Chateau® and Muirfield™, consumers can get both filtered and ordinary tap water from a traditional-looking faucet – no unsightly attachments required. Inside the faucet is a separate water line that delivers filtered water through a hidden spout on the faucet neck. A side handle, no larger than a faucet side spray, allows consumers to easily switch from tap to filtered water. “Consumers will go to great lengths to get filtered water,” said Tim McDonough, Moen’s Director of New Growth Markets. “Now they no longer have to – it’s as simple as turning on their kitchen faucet.”

Why can’t it be taller?
Pasta pots, stock pots, tall vases and cleaning buckets – they all require a little extra space for filling, but consumers note that many times their faucet just doesn’t give them the height they need. Specifically, 27 percent said their faucet was not high enough to fill large items.

Often the issue stems from inheriting a faucet from a previous homeowner. When given the choice, consumers are much more likely to recognize the need for a more functional faucet and choose one with a high arc or pullout spout. Indeed, only about 3 percent of homeowners with these models cited height as an issue.

While pullout faucets have been available at retail for years, finding one that’s both functional and stylish is often a challenge. Moen recently introduced Caprillo™ – a three-function pullout kitchen faucet with a graceful, integrated design – available at Lowe’s. Added features - like a pause button that stops the water flow for filling pots outside the sink - not only addresses the size issue, but also gives consumers an extra dose of convenience. They’re no longer limited to the space underneath their faucet.

Why can’t it be more stylish?
In fact, 27 percent of consumers consider their faucet unattractive. Again, inheriting a faucet is often to blame when it comes to a style disconnect. But without a major problem with the faucet, many are waiting for an upcoming renovation to fix the problem.

Those who rank style as a high priority and have taken on the task (45 percent) of updating their out-of-date or “Plain Jane” styled faucet, note a wide selection of new styles and finishes at retail. For instance, they’ve found new options, such as Moen’s Caprillo faucet that offers a sleek spout, flared spout tip and gracefully curved surfaces. In addition to style, these faucets are available in more contemporary finishes – like Stainless or Chrome to help coordinate the faucet with the other finishes in the kitchen for a stylish, designer look.

Why doesn’t the faucet stay clean?
Whether it’s a year’s worth of hard-water deposits, or a day’s worth of finger prints, homeowners long for a kitchen faucet that cleans itself. While this maintenance-free fixture is still a dream for 44 percent of survey respondents, there are ways consumers can make the cleaning task a bit easier.

The key is to create a seamless look. Faucet manufacturers like Moen are continually looking at ways to streamline their products, reducing crevices while providing a sleek shape. Moen also offers a LifeShine® finish on many styles. This unique finish allows the faucet to be easily wiped cleaned while retaining its original sheen for years to come.

Consumers can also streamline the installation of their kitchen faucets. Countertops constructed out of a solid surface, like granite, allow homeowners to install a single-handle faucet and reduce the number of holes around their sink. And fewer holes mean fewer frustrating places for dirt to collect.

For consumers, that’s what it’s all about: reducing frustrations. With more choices in the marketplace, and manufacturers looking for new ways to answer demands, it’s clear that tomorrow’s faucets will be one step closer to meeting consumers’ everyday needs.