Mine is currently not installed, as I'm awaiting cabinetry. We are reusing the one that we bought last year - it is a Kohler from one of the big box stores, think it cost about $280 or so.

The spring is what helps the pull down pop back into place. So you grab the sprayer, pull it and move it everywhich way you want, then when you let it go, it pops back up to sort of lock in place (unless you or your plumber installs it backwards, and then it fails to pop back up).

The horizontal bar acts as a stiffener arm. When you swing the faucet from side to side, it would get all wiggly without it.

Different models are different heights. My Kohler is pretty tall. It has a presence in the room.

Different sinks have different drain locations, so I think this one would be a hard one to answer.

I found the sprayer on the Kohler to be fantastic. I wouldn't personally install a separate one.

Edited to add: we may install a newer faucet at some point. We didn't want to make the choice when we bought the sink. The independent sink/faucet store that we bought the sink from said almost all of them use the same size hole (which is 1-3/8? 1-3/4? don't recall). There were a few odd ball ones that didn't use the same size hole. But we're having the counter drilled for a single hole. Some of the faucets were backed up for months if you wanted to order one, so your selection may be limited depending on what you choose.

The bar is to secure the faucet head when not pulled out

I also love my pull down faucet. I prefer it to pull out.

Yes, to the advice about having your installer position the on/off handle in front instead of the side. No, it isn't awkward to reach with water running.

Kohler. 22", It has to swivel to line up with the drain. This is a mud room. Our two cats would turn it on, they walk around in the sink, if the faucet handle were sticking out in the middle. Link to see it demonstrated Yes...the mud room is OK for the cats to be on the counter. 🐾

The coil is to hold up the snake like hose part. Without the spring it would flop and since yours is a pull out (?) it would not retract properly. I installed a hose with sprayer over twenty years ago when they weren't a thing for home kitchens in the US so I went to a plumbing place and put mine together with diverters and such fitted to a Kohler sink faucet with a standard filler arm so I have both options. I absolutely love what I have. It does not retract but the coil keeps it out of the way. Mine is long and will touch the sink bottom. These newer options are more attractive though I suspect will not hold up as well over time.

The arm as others have said is to pinion the hose neatly in place and is common in commercial sinks though not so nice looking. I dont have one and dont need it.

This is what I bought for our Cathedral City kitchen - Hansgrohe Metris. I have received it, but I am also waiting for cabinetry before it can be installed. The movement on the handle is extremely smooth.

Palm Springs Kitchen · More Info

It is 17" high and is a pullout - I would never want a pull down faucet - I've seen too many that sag, and I just do not like that particular look.

This one cost $700 in the stainless steel optic finish. The chrome finish is cheaper and looks it and would not go with the rest of the kitchen.

I like the spray on the Hansgrohe faucets, and so I would not need a separate sprayer. I have Hansgrohe faucets in my kitchen in L.A. plus in all the bathrooms in L.A. and CC, including a hand-held shower head in my bathroom. My brother chose a Grohe shower system for his bathroom, and the rain shower head in my bathroom is Fortis Siena, which is Italian instead of German.

1. On a faucet style like this, what is the purpose of the spring wrapped around the top part of the faucet?

It makes the shape; the hose would flop on its own.

2. What is the purpose of the horizontal bar between the pull down nozzle and the upright post?

It has a magnet on the end so the faucet just "snicks" into the right place.

3. How tall is your sink faucet?

Shorter, but I like this style.

4. Does the nozzle line up with the drain? (When you turn the water on, does it flow directly into the drain?)

It may or may not, but this isn't something I would try too hard make happen.

5. Does your pull-down sprayer actually work, or should I get a separate, side-mounted sprayer?

Pull-downs work great and are quite popular.

Let me let you in on something - always choose a spring pull down faucet with a magnetic base - and a strong one at that - I cannot stress how important that is…once you have one like that, you cannot go back! I’ve had to change brand new faucets because it makes such a difference!

I don't understand why that style faucet is SO tall. I like the look but seem too tall IMO. Maybe if I used one, I get it.

@always1stepbehind...on a short faucet the sprayer has a hose under the sink. You pull the sprayer out to use it and the hose comes up from the belly of the cabinet. THIS style faucet, the hose you see is what you get. There's no more hose stored in the cabinet.

In a mudroom, are you concerned about having a very tall faucet for pot filling? Would you be filling pails or buckets? I might go with the Kohler Purist for it's simplicity.