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erin_blair85

touchless faucets

6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago

Im looking at touchless faucets and found this voice-activated

http://www.ultimatebathstore.com/blog/Kohler/SmartFaucets/Sensate/

Any thoughts ?

Comments (22)

  • 6 years ago

    I don't don't why you would need voice activated if the faucet has a motion sensor which this one does.

    The other thing is, please make sure it can be easily operated manually if the electricity goes out.

  • 6 years ago

    Ditto.

  • 6 years ago

    There is also the faucet you can activate with a foot pedal that doesn't need electricity.


  • 6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    We just got a touchless Kohler Graze kitchen faucet and I really love it. Looks great, and so far, has performed flawlessly. We’ve always been treated well by Kohler. Not voice activated. Not sure why you’d want that.

  • 6 years ago

    Battery operated touchless faucets are the worst! I have to replace batteries every two weeks. Sometimes it works sometimes doesn't, unbearably frustratin! My kitchen faucet is by far the busiest faucet in our home so for it to be battery powered is just ridiculous. If you do go with the battery operated version buy stock in Duracell!

  • 6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    Most touchless faucets can be hardwired. Get one like that, and you’ll never have to worry about replacing batteries.

  • 6 years ago

    I have a Kohler Setra - a different style of touchless Kohler faucet - and I LOVE it. If I had to replace it, I'd get another of the same.

    Here's how I use it: I only use the touchless feature. The control is always set in the warm position, turned on, so I wave my hand just behind/under the spout to turn it on or off. I do not use the voice-activation or the Kohler Konnect functionality (the wireless connectivity was ridiculously painful to set up and I don't see a need for it).

    What I love: The touchless feature works exactly as it should. The pull-down action and magnetic lock work well and hold it tightly in place. The sweep-spray has great water pressure for rinsing dishes. The only issue I've had is that when I pour hot pasta into a strainer in the sink, the steam usually turns the water on. For that reason, I manually turn the switch off before draining pasta. Then turn it back on again (so it's back on touchless on/off mode).

    What if the power goes out? My faucet is wired under the sink. If the power goes out, I manually turn the water off and then it works just like a manual faucet (i.e., I have to use the lever and think about how hard my life is each time I do it ;). Just kidding of course, as I am actually grateful for clean water just about every time it comes out of my faucet, having lived and traveled in places where clean water is not easy to come).

    In the past I had a battery-powered touchless faucet and hated it. It sucked battery power and the batteries were difficult to replace. Did I mention it sucked?

  • PRO
    6 years ago

    Maybe a phone app for your faucet?

  • 6 years ago

    My range, faucet, fridge, and sous-vide all have apps. I don't use the apps for any of them, don't want to, and don't need to. Most of those apps are absolutely horrid to use compared to slick home apps like Sonos (actually the sous-vide app blows doors on the major appliance ones).

  • 6 years ago

    Moen and Kohler have these amazing lifetime warranties on faucets. Their warranty for the touchless is like three years. That ought to tell you all you need to know! Good luck with your decision.

  • PRO
    6 years ago

    I have no idea why you would want a voice activated one and I find the touchless ones I have used are likely to turn on when I didn't want them to. I honestly just like to keep things simple in my kitchen and find it not a big deal to wipe off the faucet if it gets dirty.

  • PRO
    6 years ago

    The Moen ones are notoriously problematic. Kohler has a better reputation. But a tap master is electronics free!

  • 6 years ago

    PSMemphis has a point. I've been using TapMasters for over 10 years and never had a single issue. (I do not count the crayon under the pedal as a TM issue.) And you can use ANY faucet you want!

  • 6 years ago

    I looked at the TapMasters foot control. Doesn’t that hurt your foot if you are barefoot?
    I would think a pedal that you step on would be easier to use, but those are prone to mishaps if one is lead- footed.

  • 6 years ago

    Nah...nobody wear shoes around here. I've had both types and I think the pad is perhaps a little easier than the stick/lever type; it's certainly easier to sweep around.

  • 6 years ago

    @salex If your power goes out and does the water just turn on automatically until you manually turn it off? I'm not sure about your specific touchless faucet, but with the Delta Trinsic Pro (the one I'm planning to purchase), you keep the handle in the "on" position to enable the touch feature. However, I'm trying to find out if it's left in the "on" position and your power goes out, will the water just stay on until you turn it to the off position?

  • 6 years ago

    @CD if it was actually running, and in the "on" position, then yes it would keep running until you manually turn it to the "off" position. But if it's in the "on" position and not actually running when the power goes out, then it does not turn on by itself. You won't have any water come out until you manually turn it "off" and then use it like a manual faucet - until of course the power comes back on.

    And to clarify, mine doesn't have a touch feature - it's a touchless hand wave.

    One other thing: I did get a Delta bathroom that was either touchless or touch on/off, and I ended up returning it because it said right in the instructions that it would not work at all without power.

  • 6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    I think they're gimmicky, and add one more aspect that could break one day. keep it simple. choose handles that can be flipped with your elbow or the back of your hand.

    (and by the way, this is coming from a person who LOVES gadgets. I just think this one is silly.)

  • 6 years ago

    @salex I am considering a touchless Kohler, but can't figure out how you fill a sink or let the water run for awhile. With the motion activation, doesn't it automatically turn off after a minute or two?

  • 6 years ago

    @Amy Varchetti Yes it turns off after two minutes. I've never had to let it run that long, but if you have a really huge sink it might be an issue. My sink is 30" and I typically don't use enough water to fill it.

  • 5 years ago

    Having read other threads with many comments about the touchless faucets not working properly and having to replace them frequently, I'll be installing the Tapmaster for all the sinks in our new build. Still trying to decide between the kickplate or the euro style. We're usually barefoot at our house.