Are you in the market for a new bathroom sink faucet? If you are, it's very important to look beyond style. Of course, appearance is important, but durability, easy care, and convenient, safe use are even more so. Price is a pretty good measure of quality, but not necessarily the best measure of whether a faucet will be right for your bathroom. To choose wisely, it's helpful to understand the inner workings of faucets and the types of features that are worth the extra money.

With a quality valve, water temperature will not change abruptly as you turn the handle from cold to hot. In fact, to prevent burns (especially to children or the aged), a temperature-limit or scald-guard feature on single-control faucets is important. With this type of faucet, you can adjust the highest water temperature the faucet will deliver. Most plumbing codes require scald-guard valves in new home construction.

To help conserve water, faucets must deliver no more than 2.5 gallons per minute; some models have additional adjustable flow rate restrictors.

Warranties on faucets vary by manufacturer. The best warranties provide lifetime protection against drips and leaks.

Bathroom Faucets: Basic Types

Contemporary bathroom faucets are manufactured in three basic styles:

1) A two-handle centerset faucet has a spout and both valves combined on a single base.

2) A single-handle faucet, known as a centerset, has hot and cold controlled by a single lever or knob that may be part of the spout.

3) A widespread faucet has the spout, cold-water valve, and hot-water valve all mounted separately on the countertop.

Choosing a Style

Whether a faucet is or isn't right for your bathroom will depend on your budget, preferences, and the sink or counter where the faucet mounts.

Bathroom pedestal sinks and vanities may be designed for all three styles. Before buying a certain faucet, be sure you know the sink or countertop's hole configuration or can drill the countertop to suit.

A single-control faucet is handy in a bathroom because it more easily adjusts to and maintains a given temperature. Widespread sets are considered by some to be more elegant and offer more flexible placement. Then again, you will pay a premium for a widespread faucet—as much as twice the price as the same faucet with centerset styling.