Choosing the right faucet for your kitchen is an important decision.

Dont worry, though: Choosing the right kitchen faucet isnt as hard as it might initially appear.

Measurements

before you roll thinking about the style and function of your faucet you shouldtake some measurements.

First, measure your sinkwidth, height, and depth.

Measure from the back edge of the sink to the wall.

Then measure from the countertop to the bottom of the cabinets above (if there are any).

It will have to be lifted up so its stem can be placed into the hole drilled for it.

If your upper cabinet doesnt allow enough room to manipulate the faucet into place, youll have a problem.

Finally, if replacing an existing faucet, look at how its installed.

You move it horizontally and vertically to adjust pressure and the mix of hot and cold water.

The downside is that you will never figure out how to balance the hot and cold water properly.

These can require anywhere from one to three holes.

They require one to three holes and are usually best for larger sinks.

Wall.A wall-mounted faucet pops out of the wall in front of the sink.

Small space and dont care?

A single-handle will work best.

Big sink and need to get within three degrees of your target temp?

A double-handle or bridge-style faucet is best.

These can either swivel from side to side or be stationary.

These usually require more vertical space.

Vessel.A vessel-style faucet is designed to work with vessel sinks.

Sprayer.These days most faucets will include a sprayer feature.

You pull down to use them.

Pull-outsprayers are usually used with straight spouts.

You pull them out, towards you, to use them.

These tend to be the most affordable, but also the most leak-prone.

Cartridge.These faucets house the valve assembly inside a replaceable cartridge.

They tend to leak, but are usually pretty easy to fix with a new washer.

This makes them generally the best choice.

Lighting.Some kitchen faucets haveLED lighting capabilities, which can be helpful when using the faucet in low-light situations.

Finally, consider how youll use your faucet.

If you routinely cook elaborate meals, a high arch with touchless activation may make the most sense.

A simple straight faucet might suffice.

And, of course, you could also simply buy a faucet because it looks cool.