If you’re looking for the best touchless faucets for your kitchen sink, consider some things first: motion sensor accuracy and responsiveness, power source, water flow rate, automatic shut off, style and finish, and other features.
With these in mind, I scoured the web (and local home improvement stores) to find the best out there right now when choosing a faucet for my in-progress new home build.
The best kitchen touchless faucet is the Kraus Bolden Touchless Sensor Kitchen Faucet. At a fair price, you’ll get all the features of a smart faucet with the functionality of an industrial kitchen sprayer.
There’s nothing I hate more than touching kitchen faucets with dirty hands. Whether it be sauce, raw meat, or cooking oil – it truly is one of my biggest pet peeves.
I always make sure to clean and wipe down faucets whenever I handle anything like that but it’s just too easy to make a mistake when you are trying to cook quickly. A kitchen is a busy place where a lot of cooking and moving around happens, so sometimes, it’s just unavoidable. As people cook, they may accidentally leave residues on faucet handles.
Because of day-to-day contact, faucet handles are no stranger to germs and bacteria. As icky as that sounds, it does happen. With our health in mind, it’s best if we are able to avoid contamination and germ and bacteria transfer, especially during meal prep.
Luckily, one smart solution for this are touchless kitchen faucets. And for the best ones available right now, I’ve got you covered here!
What are Touchless Faucets?
Touchless faucets are a smart devices you can add to any kitchen.
If you find yourself often dealing with dirty, grimy, and sticky hands, you’re most likely transferring all those onto faucet handles. And if you’re preparing meals and handling a lot of food, you don’t want any germ and bacteria cross-contamination.
Touchless faucets offer a solution for this. They also allow you to wash dirty, oily, or grimey hands without transferring any of it to your faucet’s handle.
Touchless faucets work via motion sensors situated either at the front or side of the faucet. This means you can simply wave your hands over it to turn it on and off. If the sensor scans and detects your hands, it will also automatically turn on.
Touchless faucets are also a popular device in restrooms in public places as they lessen contact on handles, lessening germ and bacteria transfer from one person to another. And during the height of the pandemic, many establishments did make that change.
If you have a very busy kitchen or if you often find your hands full, a touchless faucet is definitely a good addition to your kitchen. It offers a much more convenient and hands-free washing. These faucets operate with batteries but some work by being plugged into wall outlets.
Since water only turns on when it senses hands or pans right in front of it, touchless faucets use far less water than traditional faucets. And with a simple wave of a hand, they turn off just as easily as well. Some units even have built-in auto-off features. So if something accidentally triggers the sensor, it will automatically turn off after some time.
And much like traditional kitchen faucets, they allow for temperature, pressure, and flow adjustments to fit your needs.
Some even feature LED lights or smart home ecosystem integration and can be activated with voice commands.
Our Top Picks for the Best Kitchen Touchless Faucets
Product Image | Product Name | Price | |
Best Overall | Kraus Bolden Touchless Sensor Kitchen Faucet | Check Price | |
Best Smart Home Integration | Delta Trinsic VoiceIQ Touchless Kitchen Faucet | Check Price | |
Best Bang for Your Buck | BadiJum Dual-Mode Sensor Touchless Kitchen Faucet | Check Price | |
Moen Arbor MotionSense Touchless Kitchen Faucet | Check Price | ||
Pfister Stellan Touchless Kitchen Faucet | Check Price |
The Best Kitchen Touchless Faucet
1. Kraus Bolden Touchless Sensor Kitchen Faucet – Best Overall!
Our number one pick for the best touchless kitchen faucet is Kraus Bolden Touchless Sensor Kitchen Faucet! A commercial pull-down kitchen faucet, this features an open-coil spout for that industrial finish.
This has a motion sensor located on the side of the faucet, instead of the usual front-facing sensor. This convenient placement lessens accidental activations.
And if there are accidental activations you aren’t able to turn off immediately, this comes with an automatic shut off feature. The built-in timer automatically turns the water off in sensor mode after three minutes to prevent wasting water.
The handle on the faucet allows you to use it manually and allows for temperature and water pressure adjustments. This handle is designed to swivel fully forward at 90° for tight spaces installation.
One can easily deactivate the motion sensor function with the switch in the control box this conveniently comes with.
This comes with a high-arc pull-down spray head. The 18-inch height of the faucet allows for more room in your sink, especially for bigger pans and taller pitchers. This is also able to swivel 180° for a full range of motions.
And with the brand’s Reach down technology plus the easy-retract pull-down hose, this offers maximum maneuverability. Now, you can bend, flex, pivot, and reach all around your sink without anything stopping you.
This has an eco-friendly water flow rate of 1.8 gallons per minute. While it uses much less water than most traditional faucets, it definitely doesn’t compromise performance and cleaning quality.
This faucet gives users options to switch between aerated stream for everyday cleaning and powerful spray for heavy-duty rinsing and cleaning.
This comes with pre-attached waterlines and included mounting hardware for ease of installation even without a professional. This is operated with a battery pack so you won’t need under counter outlets or worry about hardwiring. This also comes with free batteries so you can get this up and running in no time.
The nozzles and sprayer holes are also easy to clean and wipe down, allowing you to get powerful performances every time. The brass water lines are lead-free and with a metal body, this has superior performance, design, and quality.
With a variety of finishes to choose from, this will look gorgeous and add a certain sleekness to any kitchen.
The one drawback to this is because the spout goes straight down, some might have to deal with some splashing onto countertops and sinks. One could say it might be better if it’s angled towards the center instead of going straight down.
Pros:
- Sensor on side for less false activation
- 3-minute automatic shut off
- High-arc pull-down spray head
- Bends, pivots, and reaches
- 180°-swivel hose
- Daily and heavy-duty cleaning water pressures
Cons:
- Better if angled to center
2. Delta Trinsic VoiceIQ Touchless Kitchen Faucet – Best Smart Home Integration!
If you have a smart home ecosystem in place and would like to integrate a touchless kitchen faucet into the system, check out Delta Trinsic VoiceIQ Touchless Kitchen Faucet! A touchless voice activation smart faucet, this turns on and off with a single voice command. This supports Amazon, Alexa, and Google Assistant devices to make daily tasks much easier.
For even more convenience, you can ask your smart home device to dispense metered amounts of water from the faucet. Say you need one cup, a gallon, or five ounces of water for the meal you’re prepping. Simply say it out loud and you won’t ever need your measuring cup.
You can also set custom container dispensing amounts for your coffee pot, pitcher, or even your pet water bowl.
Though voice-activated, you are not limited to only that. Equipped with the brand’s Touch20 technology, this also responds to touch activation. Just touch anywhere on the spout or handle to turn on and off.
For touch activation, you would need to use the battery pack and batteries this comes with. You can also use an adapter instead for non-stop touch sensor power. This is, however, sold separately.
This Delta faucet has a TempSense LED indicator on the base of the faucet. This LED indicator changes colors to tell users the water’s temperature. You can also easily change water temperature and pressure with the faucet handle.
This has a pull-down hose spray to allow it to pivot and reach wherever you need it to. And with MagnaTite Docking technology, this utilizes a powerful magnet to keep your sprayer and hose in place and docked whenever not in use. And unlike other pull-down faucets, this assures users it will not droop over time and over the years.
The faucet hose has a total height of 20 inches to accommodate all sizes of sinks and pans. And with the brand’s patented Diamond Seal technology, this lasts up to 2x longer than most faucets in the market and ensures a leak-free operation. This has a maximum flow rate of 1.8 gallons per minute.
Its smart technology also lets you set the proper timing for washing your hands with the Hand Wash feature. This is available in a variety of finishes and can fit right in any kitchen aesthetic.
The one drawback to this smart faucet is because the faucet handle is also part of the touch sensor technology, you will turn off water flow whenever you change the water temperature or pressure using it. It’s not much of a deal-breaker but can definitely be bothersome.
Pros:
- Touchless voice command
- Smart home integration
- Customized container dispensing amount
- Simple touch activation response
- Temperature LED indicator
- MagnaTite pull-down hose
Cons:
- Handle is part of touch sensor
3. BadiJum Dual-Mode Sensor Touchless Kitchen Faucet – Best Bang for Your Buck!
If you want to upgrade your kitchen with a touchless kitchen sink but don’t want to break the bank, BadiJum Dual-Mode Sensor Touchless Kitchen Faucet might be for you! Though the cheapest option from today’s list, don’t be fooled because it never sacrifices quality and performance.
For the ultimate convenient hands-free washing experience, this has dual sensor technology – infrared and pull-down sensor.
With the infrared sensor, this turns on and off by simply waving your hand within six centimeters of the sensor. And with the one-of-a-kind pull-down sensor, the faucet will automatically turn on when the hose is pulled down from the housing and turns off once put back in.
The faucet’s sprayer head comes with two spray patterns to choose from – gentle aerated flow for daily washing needs and powerful rinse for a more intense water flow and heavy-duty washing.
There is a specially-designed button on the sprayer head for instant pause of water flow to avoid water overflow on your sink.
The pull-down hose provides maximum maneuverability. The high-arc spout swivels easily and with the easy pull-down hose, you can bend, flex, and pivot wherever you need it to be. And with the extra extension of 40cm from the pull-down hose, you can easily reach the entirety of your sink.
With its Swiss Neoperl Aerator and Air Inject Technology, this works to provide a more reliable water pressure while also saving up to 50% of water usage. This works towards no-splash washing and stable flow rate throughout.
Engineered with European Ceramic Cartridge, this ensures up to a whopping 500,000 continuous on and off without degrading in quality. This has been designed with lead-free and environment-friendly materials so you’re at peace for your family’s safety.
Though there are very low chances of accidental activation, this comes with a built-in three minute auto shut off feature. When on sensor mode, this automatically turns itself off after three minutes to avoid wasting water.
This is available in different finishes sure to go well with many kitchen designs. And though much cheaper than many known brands, many would agree this works just as well.
The one downside to this you should keep in mind is the faucet handle cannot override the sensor. This means you can’t turn it on or off just with the handle. To use it to turn it on or off, you would have to disable the sensor function in the control box. A few also found the water flow to reduce considerably after some long-term use.
Pros:
- Budget-friendly option
- Dual sensor technology
- Infrared and pull-down sensors
- Maximum maneuverability
- 3-minute auto shut off
- High-arc spout
Cons:
- Faucet handle doesn’t override sensor
- Water flow reduces after some long-term use
4. Moen Arbor MotionSense Touchless Kitchen Faucet
Our next favorite kitchen touchless faucet is Moen Arbor MotionSense Touchless Kitchen Faucet! A touchless kitchen faucet, this allows users to turn it on and off with a single wave of a hand thanks to its MotionSense Wave technology.
This has a responsive and very accurate motion sensor on the side of the faucet instead of in the front, lessening false activations by a huge margin.
Though essentially a touchless faucet, you can still use the traditional and familiar faucet handle to turn this on and off. The handle also allows for convenient adjustments on the water temperature and water pressure.
This also supports Alexa, which means you can easily use voice commands to turn it on and off or even set customized water dispensing amounts. This is for sure a great addition to any smart home ecosystem.
A pull-down design faucet, you can pull down and extend the faucet to pivot, bend, and flex however you need it to. It’s also able to reach every area and corner of your sink for cleaning convenience.
And with the brand’s Reflex system, the pull-down hose has been engineered to pull itself away, all on its own. This also ensures secure docking of the pull-down hose so it stays in place when it’s not in use.
Equipped with the brand’s Power Clean technology, this provides a 50% more powerful spray than most pull-down faucets from the brand. This allows you to get tough washing jobs done much more quickly and easily. This cleaning technology also helps lessen splash around the sink and on counter tops while still providing more power than ever.
Many would attest how easy the installation process for this is. With the Duralock Quick Connect system in place, this allows for quick and easy installation. With just a single step, you can have this up and working in no time.
This has a maximum flow rate of 1.5 gallons per minute. This comes with a battery pack and batteries that will activate the motion sensor.
Also available in a variety of finishes, this fits right in just about any kitchen interior.
The one drawback to this as a few users have shared is that it can sometimes have issues with the WiFi and/or Alexa connection. Some also found it needs very specific and rather long phrases to control with Alexa. See how Moen faucets compare to Kohler.
Pros:
- Hand wave sensor
- Accurate and responsive sensors
- Alexa-supported function
- Pull-down hose puts itself away with Reflex system
- 50% more powerful and concentrated spray
- Duralock Quick Connect system
Cons:
- Some issues with WiFir and Alexa connectivity
- Needs long and very specific phrases for Alexa control
5. Pfister Stellan Touchless Kitchen Faucet
And the last item to make it into our list of the best kitchen touchless faucets is Pfister Stellan Touchless Kitchen Faucet! Equipped with React Electronic Motion Sensor technology, this turns on and off automatically with a simple wave of a hand within three inches from the sensor.
Though this is a touchless and motion sensor kitchen faucet, you can also use this manually with the faucet handle. To use the faucet in manual operation and deactivate sensor mode, simply push the handle in and use it as any traditional kitchen faucet.
And to activate the automatic sensor mode, just keep the handle pulled to the side. Now, you can turn it on and off with just a wave of your hand. The faucet handle also allows users to adjust water temperature.
This comes with a pull-down sprayer, allowing you to swivel, pivot, and flex however your situation calls for it. This makes sure you reach every part of your sink, especially if you’re cleaning it.
The pull down sprayer has a variety of three functions: spray, steam, and pause. For spray and stream options, you won’t have to keep holding down a button to keep it at the function you’re using. These functions also give you versatile options for different cleaning and washing needs.
The pause function is useful to prevent the sink from overflowing with water. For this function, however, you would need to keep holding down the button.
For even more convenience, this comes with an automatic shut-off feature in times of accidental activation or forgetting to turn it off. When on sensor mode, this automatically shuts off water flow after three minutes of inactivity.
Unlike the rest of the items in today’s list, this comes with and is powered with a plug-in cord. If you have an accessible outlet where you will install this, you can enjoy non-stop power. If plugging it is not possible for you, there is also a battery pack that is available for you to purchase from the brand to power this up.
Available in a variety of finishes, this is sure to go well with most kitchen interiors without issues.
One drawback to keep in mind about this is the front-facing position of the sensor. Unlike others with the sensor on the side, this can be prone to motion sensor inconsistencies.
A few others also experienced a slight delay on their motion sensor when turning it on. While it turns on immediately after waving your hand, turning it off with the sensor might take a second longer.
Pros:
- React Electronic Motion Sensor technology
- Touchless and manual use
- Pull-down and swivel sprayer head
- Spray, steam, and pause spray head functions
- Comes with and operates with plug-in cord
- 3-minute smart auto shut-off
Cons:
- Bad sensor location
- Slight delay on sensor turn off
How to Choose the Best Kitchen Touchless Faucet
Motion sensor accuracy and responsiveness
Touchless kitchen faucets work by utilizing motion sensor technologies. You want a faucet with an accurate and responsive motion sensor.
The best touchless faucets automatically turn on once it detects your hand or a pan in front of it. Some are also designed to turn on and off with an intended wave of a hand. This contributes to far less false activation.
And speaking of false activations, you want the motion sensor technology to be accurate. It shouldn’t turn on when it’s not supposed to. False activations can be rather annoying and a huge waste of water, a far cry from what you’re trying to achieve by installing a touchless faucet.
Responsiveness is also a key factor to the best ones in the market. You don’t want to wait around too long due to delays of turning on or off the water flow. You want something that senses and reacts instantly.
Power source
Touchless faucets need to be powered to enable motion sensor functions. This is done with either battery packs or plug-in cords. Some touchless faucets feature both operating options so you can go with whatever fits your needs best.
Both power source options present their own advantages and some disadvantages as well.
It would be best to go with a plug-in cord-powered faucet if you have a wall outlet readily available where you will be installing your new faucet. If you don’t, you can always go with a battery pack operation. Just remember you would need to replace the batteries every few months or so, depending on usage.
Water flow rate
The faucet’s water flow rate will let you know how much water it uses on operation. This is usually listed as gallons per minute or GPM.
Getting a faucet with just the right water flow rate is efficient. Too high of a flow rate would mean the water flows with too much power and force. This can lead to unnecessary splashes around your sink and countertop. But too low of a water rate would mean inefficient washing and cleaning.
Automatic shut off
An automatic shut off is most helpful in times of accidental activation or when one of your family members forget to turn the faucet off.
This built-in feature will automatically turn off water flow after some time of inactivity and will help you save on water when your faucet turns on by accident.
Style and finish
Like most traditional faucets, touchless faucets also come in a variety of styles and finishes. It’s important to get one that fits right in and blends well with the rest of your kitchen interior.
Other features
To make sure that you’re getting the best touchless faucet for your home and your needs, make sure to check on the details of other features.
Check on water temperature and pressure adjustments, pull-down hoses, spray functions, and maneuverability.
Some touchless faucets also support smart home integration with Alexa or Google Assistant.
Conclusion
Touchless kitchen faucets are one of the best upgrades for any home kitchen. If you find yourself handling food and ingredients, you don’t want any bacteria and germs cross-contamination whenever you touch the faucet to use it. That’s just unsanitary. One great way to solve this issue is with touchless kitchen faucets.
Our number one pick for the best kitchen touchless faucet is Kraus Bolden Touchless Sensor Kitchen Faucet! This has motion sensors on the side for much less chance of false activation. It has a high-arc pull-down spray for maximum maneuverability and an automatic auto shut-off feature as well.
If you want to be able to integrate your new faucet with your smart home ecosystem, check out Delta Trinsic VoiceIQ Touchless Kitchen Faucet! This is voice-activated and allows setting of custom container dispensing amounts. On top of voice command, this has simple touch activation for a variety of ease of use.
And if you want to upgrade your kitchen sink without breaking the bank, the BadiJum Dual-Mode Sensor Touchless Kitchen Faucet might be for you! Though much cheaper than most, this boasts of a dual-sensor technology. This has a high-arc pull-down spout for versatile use and a 3-minute auto shut off feature for added security.
And that has been our list of the best touchless kitchen faucets! Do you have a favorite we should add to this list? Let us know!