Faucets for kitchen with flexible spout: description, types and selection

The mixer with a flexible spout for the kitchen is a unique modern solution and makes the use of the tap as comfortable as possible. Movable structure appeared relatively recently, but immediately gained fame and won the recognition of consumers. Ease of use, practicality and wide consumer accessibility distinguish flexible models from static options, making them the most popular and popular.

Initially, flexible spouts were used exclusively in catering establishments and in the catering facilities of hospitals, kindergartens and sanatoriums. With their help, huge tanks from the first and second courses were washed, as well as baking sheets and voluminous pans. The convenience of mobile gander was appreciated by the employees of such enterprises, over time, flexible models came to ordinary kitchens.

The prototype of modern faucets with a flexible spout can be considered a rubber hose, which was put on a metal gander of a conventional tap and ended with a watering can. A little later, factory flexible models for home kitchens appeared on the market, which instantly gained popularity and firmly entered into modern everyday life.

A kitchen mixer with a flexible spout does not fundamentally differ from a traditional mixer and also consists of a metal body, a water supply unit and a mixing chamber. Differences exist solely in the construction of the gander.

Thanks to this, it becomes possible to direct the water stream to any part of the sink, without difficulty filling containers of any height. This is the main advantage of flexible models over static ones, with which it is often impossible to draw water into a high jar or pan due to the low landing of the gander. Besides, due to the mobility of the spout, the consumer can independently adjust its height and not create unnecessary splashes when washing dishes.

Flexible spouts are often equipped with additional bends and tapsdesigned to connect washing and dishwashers. More advanced models have a telescopic design. They consist of three or more elements, including a flexible hose. They are also very popular. retractable gander, which are equipped with a long spout and are very convenient to use.

Unlike static options, faucets with a flexible spout are available in a wide range of colors, which allows you to choose the right model for any modern interior.

For the most convenient use, most flexible gander is equipped with a special nozzle - an aerator. Thanks to aerators, water is supplied in several modes, such as a powerful jet, wide spray, a flat jet or many weak jets.

As in traditional models, the temperature control of the water is carried out using a single lever mechanism or two hot and cold water valves, depending on the design of the mixer.

Like any modern plumbing equipment, flexible spout faucets have both strengths and weaknesses. The advantages of such models include the following factors that distinguish movable gander from their static counterparts:

• the flexible design of the gander allows the use of one mixer for two adjacent sinks, which significantly expands the working space and makes working in the kitchen as comfortable as possible;
• many models are equipped with special nozzles, with which you can easily remove limescale deposits, and the built-in aerator makes it possible to independently adjust the pressure and shape of the jet;
• high mobility and the ability of the gander to bend in any direction allows the jet to "reach" to almost any corner of the sink, which, of course, is impossible to do with a conventional mixer; in addition, the angle of fluid supply can be set at your own discretion, which allows you to wash volumetric objects from the sides, without turning them over and without using a bathtub and shower;
• thanks to the movable design, washing many non-standard items, such as oven grills, refrigerators and gas stoves, becomes as convenient as possible;
• a simple design provides ease of control of the gander, which even a child can cope with;
• most flexible spouts are fully compatible with standard faucets, so they can be purchased separately and installed on an old tap, which can significantly save money and not be spent on a new mixer;
• the use of flexible gander allows you to reach any of the walls of the sink and keep it in perfect condition;
• a flexible spout is simply indispensable for washing products that are difficult to wash, keeping on weight.

However, along with the obvious advantages, there are still drawbacks to taps with a flexible spout. They include the high cost of most products, as well as difficulties in cleaning the gander from limescaledue to the overly complex design of some models. And also some futuristic designs, which makes most of them incompatible with classic and romantic kitchen interiors. Such a crane will be noticeably different from the general style and look like something foreign.

The classification of kitchen faucets with a flexible spout is made according to several criteria, one of which is the type of construction. According to this criterion, two models are distinguished that differ not only in appearance, but also in the principle of operation.

• Dual valve models represent a device equipped with two separate valves located on a common housing on both sides of the gander. Hot and cold water are supplied through separate pipes and, entering the mixer body, are mixed in a special chamber. As a water-blocking device, ceramic and worm-type axle boxes are used. In worm gears, when the valve is twisted, pressure is applied to the rubber gasket, which blocks the flow of water.

The ceramic locking device consists of two disks with slots and works as follows: when the valve is open, the slots on the disks coincide, water passes through them without hindrance. When the position is closed, the slots are displaced, the hole is blocked, water stops flowing.

• Single lever mixers with a movable gander allow you to adjust the temperature of the fluid with a single lever, and to do this, unlike the double-lever options, you can use one finger. This is made possible by the presence of a special cartridge having a disk or ball type design. Disk cartridges consist of two disks and work similarly to crane boxes of two-fan models. Ball the mechanisms are a spherical chamber with three holes, through one of which cold water enters, through the second hot water, and through the third, the liquid of the desired temperature is fed to a flexible gander.

The advantages of the single lever design include ease of use and economical water consumption. Among the shortcomings are the high cost, difficulties in repair and the special sensitivity of European models to Russian water.

The next criterion for the classification of flexible spouts is the type of construction of the gander. On this basis, three types of models are distinguished.

• Flexible faucet kitchen faucet It is a device in which a flexible hose with a nozzle-aerator fixed at the end is pulled from a static metal gander. The soft hose has a length of one and a half meters, is not fixed and is always held in the hand. Telescopic gander, which can consist of several elements extending from each other at once, also belongs to sliding models.

• Spout in the form of a flexible hose of constant length perfectly fixed in position and represents the most numerous category of kitchen faucets. As a material for such gander, food grade silicone is often used. It easily accepts and holds the desired shape well, has an attractive appearance. Such models are available in color and are very popular.

• The third type of faucets is represented by models with a long flexible hose, which does not slide inward and is suspended on a special bracket. Such models are used in catering establishments, where there is a need to wash large tanks, as well as to fill containers located at some distance from the sink.

Considering the types of mixers with a flexible spout, one cannot but mention contactless modelsequipped with a motion sensor and including water only when an object is placed under the spout. However, such products have a very high cost, because of which the demand for them is not too great. And also there are options with water heating function. Such devices work on the principle of a flowing water heater; they are especially in demand in homes where there is no centralized supply of hot water.

The quality of mixers with a flexible spout is largely determined by the materials used for their production. Modern models make stainless steel, brass, ceramic, silumin and plasticpresent in various combinations. The most common material today is brass. Brass mixers are not susceptible to rust, durable and have an attractive appearance.

To give the models an image suitable for retro and classic styles, they often use bronze, which is a fairly durable material and guarantees a long service life of cranes. For silicone spouts use a special grade of this material, which even when in contact with hot water does not emit toxins and toxic substances.

The modern market of sanitary equipment offers faucets with a folding spout in a wide variety of sizes and shapes. There are models with several gander located on a common housing. So, a mixer with two hoses is designed to supply ordinary drinking and purified water.

There are options with three spouts, one of which is designed to supply filtered water, the second for chilled and the third for carbonated. However, such mixers are quite expensive and are not in great demand.

As for the sizes, all models with a flexible spout of a non-extendable type can be conditionally divided into three categories. The first includes shortened gander up to 20 cm long, which are well suited for small sinks and designed for washing dishes and fruits. The next category is represented by spouts from 20 to 25 cm long and is the most numerous. The third group includes models with gander over 25 cm. The length of telescopic and telescopic spouts can reach 1.5 m.

When choosing a mixer with a flexible spout It is necessary to pay attention to a number of points.

• Type of shell. On this basis, mixers are cast and prefabricated. The first have no seams and are more reliable. The second consists of several separate parts, which greatly increases the likelihood of damage.
• Type of management. By far, the single-lever mechanism is the most convenient. It allows you to open the water with one hand and reduces its consumption when regulating the temperature. However, such models look good only in modern interiors, and for a classic or rustic style it is better to choose a two-valve model.
• Corresponding to the bore hole and the size of the mixer body. In order not to complicate the installation and not to use auxiliary inserts and fixing plates, it is better that these two parameters coincide as much as possible.
• You should pay attention to the turns and rings of the corrugation, which should be the same shape and not have protruding sections. In addition, the spout should be well fixed in different positions and not return to its original state. When switching modes, the aerator should also be clearly fixed, and its surface should be embossed and convenient for switching.

Mounting a mixer with a flexible spout is no different from installing a conventional mixer and can be done independently. The system is mounted in one hole, and then connected to hot and cold water. For its use standard flexible hoses with the corresponding marking are used. On models designed for hot water, there is a red hatch, for cold - blue.

Most mixers with a flexible spout are designed for a maximum liquid temperature of up to +80 degrees and a working pressure of 0.4 MPa (the maximum allowable figure corresponds to 1.6 MPa). In addition, almost all models have unified seats and are suitable for mounting on any sink. The exception is non-standard exclusive models, the installation of which is best entrusted to professionals.

You will learn more about installing a mixer with a flexible spout by watching the following video.