How to choose a basin tap — UK buyer's guide

Choosing the right basin tap for a UK bathroom comes down to four practical questions: how many holes are pre-drilled in your basin, what water pressure you're working with, what finish coordinates with the rest of the room, and whether you want a single lever or twin handles. Get those four right and the rest is style preference.

1. Count the holes in your basin

Most modern wash basins in the UK come pre-drilled with a single hole in the centre. That's designed for a basin mixer — a tap with one body, one or two levers, and one mounting point.

Older basins (and traditional ceramic suites) often come with two or three holes. Two holes mean separate hot and cold taps with a central spout in between — sometimes called a 3-hole basin set. Three holes typically means a wide-set 8-inch centreset configuration.

If your basin has more than one hole and you want to fit a mixer, the unused holes can be blanked with stainless steel covers. We sell tap hole stoppers for exactly this purpose. The other way around — a 1-hole basin and a 3-hole tap — doesn't work; you'd need to replace the basin.

If you're installing a brand-new basin and have flexibility, a 1-hole basin with a single-lever mixer is the simplest installation, easiest to keep clean, and the most flexible if you change your mind on finish in five years.

2. Check your water pressure

UK water systems split into two broad camps: low pressure (most older houses with a hot water cylinder in the loft fed by gravity) and high pressure (modern combi boilers, mains-pressure thermal stores, and most new-builds). The dividing line is roughly 0.5 bar at the tap.

Mixer taps designed for high-pressure systems will work poorly on a gravity-fed system — the hot water trickles out while the cold stays strong. Conversely, a low-pressure tap on a mains-pressure system will hammer when you shut it off. Always check the spec sheet.

Many of our basin mixers — including the traditional crosshead range — are specifically designed for low-pressure systems with a minimum requirement of 0.2 bar. Modern single-lever mixers from Franke and Carron Phoenix are typically rated for high pressure (above 0.5 bar). We also stock universal-pressure taps that work on any system, marked as such in the spec.

If you don't know what pressure you have, run the cold tap into a 1-litre measuring jug. If it fills in under 8 seconds, you're high-pressure. Over 12 seconds, you're low-pressure. Our water pressure guide has more detail.

3. Match the finish to the room

This is the choice most buyers spend the longest on. Bathroom hardware finishes are now varied: chrome (the UK classic — easy to clean, suits anything), brushed brass (warm, transitional, on-trend), brushed copper (richer, warmer than brass), brushed nickel (softer than chrome, period-friendly), matt black (high-contrast contemporary).

Two practical points: (a) buy all your bathroom brassware in the same finish at the same time — colour-matching across two batches or two suppliers is a known trap, particularly with brushed and PVD finishes that vary subtly. We sell matched bathroom sets exactly because this is so common. (b) PVD-coated finishes are durable but not infinite — limestone scale and acidic cleaners (vinegar, descalers) will dull them. Use a soft cloth and warm water.

4. Single lever versus twin handle

Single-lever mixers control flow and temperature with one handle. They're easier to operate with wet or soapy hands, and they're the standard in modern bathrooms.

Twin-handle mixers — traditional crosshead, lever or capstan styles — separate hot and cold control. They suit period-style bathrooms and are mechanically simpler (fewer cartridges to replace 10 years on). The trade-off: less convenient temperature adjustment.

WRAS approval and other things to check

WRAS — the UK Water Regulations Advisory Scheme — certifies that taps don't contaminate the mains water supply. For new-build installations and rented property work, WRAS approval is often a building-control requirement. Look for "WRAS approved" in the spec. Most of our bathroom taps are WRAS approved; it'll be noted on the product page.

Check ceramic disc valves (longer life than rubber washer cartridges), brass body (vs cheaper zinc-alloy chrome-plated bodies that corrode), and the included waste — many of our mixers come with a matching click-clack pop-up plug already in the box.