Here’s what to know about touchless kitchen faucets

Q: Dear Ed: I have to get a new kitchen faucet and would like to get a touchless style. But I need some help since I’ve never had a hands-free faucet. Can you suggest a few features I should look for? — Brian, Texas

A: Kitchen faucets are work faucets and should be able to handle your kitchen cleaning and cooking tasks. So look for a style that includes a multi-function spray head complete with a high spout and pullout or pull-down designs.

As far as a touchless option goes, I recommend checking for a faucet with some or all of these three features.

First, check to see if it is a touchless faucet that’s activated with a hand wave and not an actual touch. If you’re preparing a meal, in many cases you may not want to touch anything but the food.

Next, most touchless faucets may require electrical power. Find a faucet that has a manual override or batteries in case of a power outage.

Finally, look for a temperature memory that lets you preset the faucet to your desired temperature. That’s truly a hot feature to include with a touchless kitchen faucet.