Touchless Faucet Buying Guide: Everything You Need to Know


Ridgeway Pull-Down Touchless Kitchen Faucet in Brushed Gold, 27" Rowena Fireclay Farmhouse Sink Ridgeway Pull-Down Touchless Kitchen Faucet in Brushed Gold, 27" Rowena Fireclay Farmhouse Sink

Widely used throughout public spaces for its hygienic benefits, you can now enjoy the many luxuries of a touchless faucet in your own home. Utilizing modern technology, our touchless kitchen faucets are designed for a clean, hassle-free experience every time you visit the sink.


How Do Touchless Faucets Work?

Touchless faucets consist of four main parts: a spout, sensor window, solenoid valve, and power source.

The touchless faucet spout is much like other similarly styled faucet spouts. They are typically tall so that there is plenty of workspace below the faucet, and large enough to contain the sensor windows that control the faucet—but never bulky.

Our faucets include two infrared sensor windows on the faucet spout. These windows can detect the presence of nearby objects without physical contact. By placing your hands within the range of the sensor windows, infrared light bounces off your skin to the detector. A signal is then sent to the solenoid valve, a type of electromagnet. When the information is received from the sensors the valve is pulled open, allowing water to flow through the spout.

Illustration of the four main parts of a touchless kitchen faucet - spout, sensor window, solendoid valve, power source

Touchless faucets require a power source to control the sensors and solenoid valve; this could be in the form of batteries or AC transformers. Our faucets are powered by a battery pack containing four AA batteries that is installed beneath the sink, 7"-8" from the centerline of the faucet.

What Are the Benefits of Touchless Faucets?

Hygenic

The clearest advantage of having a touchless kitchen faucet is cleanliness. They are essentially mess-free fixtures, solving issues with food safety, e.g., raw foods and cross contamination. The handling of raw foods such as meat, seafood, and eggs can quickly spread harmful bacteria; by eliminating the need to touch your faucet to rinse your hands and dishes, this greatly limits bacteria circulation.

Efficiency

The lack of touch required to activate the water stream is also perfect for streamlining our routines. Particularly beneficial in busy kitchens, whether our hands are full or perhaps messy from cooking, crafting, or beyond, a touchless faucet ensures seamless use—never interrupting or complicating the task at hand.

Water Conservation

Touchless faucets are an excellent solution for conserving water as well. Because the water shuts off automatically, this can dramatically cut down on water waste. Whether reducing your water usage interests you from an environmental standpoint or to save on water costs (or both), a touchless faucet can keep those values and goals aligned.

Closeup of Ridgeway Pull-Down Touchless Kitchen Faucet in Brushed Gold

Safety

An additional benefit of the touchless faucet’s automatic shutoff is safety. For anyone who’s dealt with sink overflow caused by the faucet being left on by accident, an automatic shutoff serves as a smart and reliable preventative measure.

Accessible for All

Touchless faucets make a great option for everyone in the home. From children or anyone who may struggle to reach a faucet lever to those with mobility limitations, touchless faucets make accessing water universally easier. Providing three minutes of water flow before shutting off automatically, our touchless faucets make a perfect ADA-compliant addition to accessible sink setups.

DIY-Friendly

Despite its high-tech features, installing a touchless kitchen faucet is just as simple as installing any other single-hole faucet, if not easier. Its battery-powered operation requires no electrical work nor outlets, making installation a breeze—and it even makes these fixtures operable during a power outage.

Ridgeway Pull-Down Touchless Kitchen Faucet in Brushed Gold turned on with water running

Features to Expect

While touchless faucets are hardworking on their own, you can find them with several practical features:

Hurston Pull-Down Bridge Kitchen Faucet in Matte Black

Pull-Down Sprayer with Hose

A popular choice among kitchens of all styles, pull-down faucets feature an extended hose hidden within the faucet body. This adds extra length for reaching every corner of your dishes and your sink with ease while offering an elegant, uncluttered look.

Closeup of the Ridgeway Pull-Down Touchless Kitchen Faucet spray button in Brushed Gold

Spray Button

A spray button feature allows the user to choose from a traditional water stream to a powerful spray for more targeted rinsing. The simple touch of a button makes it possible to alternate between the two functions for a seamless experience.

Closeup of the Ridgeway Pull-Down Touchless Kitchen Faucet sensor and handle in Chrome

Manual Override Button

If you’d prefer to operate your faucet by the handle rather than with the motion sensor, you can easily bypass this feature. Enabled by attaching the quick connector to the receiving block, you can find more information in your touchless faucet’s installation guide.

Hurston Pull-Down Bridge Kitchen Faucet in Matte Black

Pull-Down Sprayer with Hose

A popular choice among kitchens of all styles, pull-down faucets feature an extended hose hidden within the faucet body. This adds extra length for reaching every corner of your dishes and your sink with ease while offering an elegant, uncluttered look.

Closeup of the Ridgeway Pull-Down Touchless Kitchen Faucet spray button in Brushed Gold

Spray Button

A spray button feature allows the user to choose from a traditional water stream to a powerful spray for more targeted rinsing. The simple touch of a button makes it possible to alternate between the two functions for a seamless experience.

Closeup of the Ridgeway Pull-Down Touchless Kitchen Faucet sensor and handle in Chrome

Manual Override Button

If you’d prefer to operate your faucet by the handle rather than with the motion sensor, you can easily bypass this feature. Enabled by attaching the quick connector to the receiving block, you can find more information in your touchless faucet’s installation guide.


Best Materials & Finishes for Touchless Faucets


Finding the best touchless kitchen faucet for your space that is both eye-catching and durable can be tricky, with the right material and finish being essential. Our touchless faucets are crafted from brass, a timeless and tough metal designed to handle the demands of frequent use, specifically in a wet environment.

To perfectly complement the style of your kitchen while equally prioritizing quality, choose from a variety of finishes—all resistant to rust and corrosion and eye-catching in their own unique ways.

lay flat with the Ridgeway Pull-Down Touchless Kitchen Faucet in Brushed Gold and plants and greenery
Chrome
Stainless Steel
Matte Black
Brushed Gold

What You Need to Know Before Buying a Touchless Faucet

How are touchless faucets installed?

Our single-hole touchless faucets can be installed in any kitchen with a standard single-hole faucet configuration. Some single-hole faucets may come with a deck plate, which will allow them to be installed where a three-hole faucet was previously used. Because the faucets are battery powered, no electrical work is required for installation; the battery pack simply attaches to the wall beneath the sink.

How are touchless faucets used?

The maximum distance that a sensor can detect an object is called the "nominal range." The nominal range for the upper window is 6"-8". The lower sensor window will set automatically according to the distance from the faucet to the sink bottom when the faucet has been powered on for 6 seconds. To turn the faucet on using either sensor, the faucet’s handle must first be in the open position (i.e. “on”).

To activate the faucet using the upper sensor, position your hand 6”- 8” in front of the sensor for water to begin flowing. To turn the water off, simply place your hand in front of the sensor window again within 30 seconds. You can also turn the water off by closing the faucet handle. If you happen to step away while the faucet is still running, the water will shut off automatically after three minutes.

To activate the faucet using the lower sensor, position your hand below the spout. The water will automatically shut off immediately after your hands are moved away from the sensor.

Ridgeway Pull-Down Touchless Kitchen Faucet in Brushed Gold in front of a window

Do touchless faucets require additional maintenance?

Maintenance is much like a regular faucet, with a few additional steps due to the electrical components. Do not use any harsh chemicals to clean any parts of the faucet, and try not to store chemicals near the battery pack. You may need to move some of your household cleaners to a different cabinet if they are typically stored beneath your sink. Make sure that you take proper care when replacing and discarding the batteries.

Review the included installation manual for other information regarding installation, maintenance, and troubleshooting.

Ridgeway Pull-Down Touchless Kitchen Faucet in Matte Black

How do I change the battery in a touchless faucet?

When the sensor flashes ten times continuously and slowly, this means the batteries have lost their charge and that it’s time to replace them.

To change the batteries, open the battery housing by squeezing the tabs on the cover, then remove. Install the four AA batteries, ensuring the positive (+) and negative (-) ends on the batteries are matched with those in the battery pack. Reinstall the battery pack cover by pushing up and snapping into place.

Once installed, the light on the sensor will flash and the faucet control box will make a "click" sound when you move your hand in the sensor area. If this does not occur, double check that the batteries are installed correctly.

Where can I find replacement parts?

If any parts of your touchless faucet aren’t performing to standard, contact customer service to request replacement parts.

Craft room with the Ridgeway Pull-Down Touchless Kitchen Faucet in Brushed Gold, 27" Rowena Fireclay Farmhouse Sink
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