Pull-Down Kitchen Faucet Sprayer Replacement

Question from Miriam

Whew, that was a long title! We need to replace ours, as the part that pulls down has sprung a leak. What ought one look for in this type of purchase? It seems important as it will be in contact with our water.

I’ve found a few on Amazon that look decent – do these seem ok?

https://www.amazon.com/Angle-Simple-Kitchen-Sprayer-Replacement/dp/B079LW898F/ref=sr_1_4?crid=2QXAVLQL60YIE&keywords=kitchen+faucet+sprayer+head+replacement&qid=1574282840&sprefix=kitchen+faucet%2Caps%2C151&sr=8-4

https://www.amazon.com/HOMY-Kitchen-Replacement-3-Function-aquablade/dp/B07F1F9HHW/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=2QXAVLQL60YIE&keywords=kitchen+faucet+sprayer+head+replacement&qid=1574282840&sprefix=kitchen+faucet%2Caps%2C151&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExUlM1U0xTSUg3NkxZJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMjYxODAzM0dFWTRVVzk3M0NNQSZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNjc1NjMyMTkySVAzOFFZQkpKNiZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

Lisa’s Answer

Both of these faucet heads are made of ABS plastic with a finish that looks like metal. I would opt for a stainless steel head if you can find it. You also want to make sure that it is certified lead-free and does not have any PVC parts. It’s not clear whether these do or not.

Here is a good thread on what to look for/avoid in kitchen faucets.

The faucet head itself is not the only source of toxins in your faucet. If the hose to which it is attached is lined with PVC or PET, it could leach. You also want to make sure there is no lead in any of the other parts. Overall, though, short of high levels of lead, I would not get too concerned over this one part. For leaching to occur it needs to be in contact with the water for some time, but the water moves very quickly through the faucet. The most important step is to make sure you have a high quality water filter.

2 Comments

Miriam Crowley on November 29, 2019 at 1:22 pm

Thanks so much, Lisa! Unfortunately, the one I found was not compatible with our faucet and I’ve been unable to find one that is. I did read about one that was “Environmental and Food Grade Certified PVC inner tube for safe drinking water and family health, ensuring non-toxic and tasteless. ” Have you ever heard of such a thing? Can PVC be safe?

I’m not even sure this would work, but I’m curious about their assertion. Here is the product:
https://www.amazon.com/Replacement-46092000-Pull-Out-Awelife-Starlight/dp/B07TTJZLH8?ref_=Oct_TopRatedC_3226859011_1&pf_rd_p=506d64d7-a231-5dc5-b14b-14850f445f87&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-6&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_i=3226859011&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=SVQBM6R8EY523B0RA4Z0&pf_rd_r=SVQBM6R8EY523B0RA4Z0&pf_rd_p=506d64d7-a231-5dc5-b14b-14850f445f87

Lisa Powers on December 8, 2019 at 12:23 pm

I could not read the documents on Amazon and the brand does not seem to have a website. It’s impossible to say without knowing what they have done to make the PVC safer. PVC has so many potential toxins, including phthalates, lead, cadmium, biocides and possible traces of dioxin from production. In the absence of more information I would avoid this if possible.
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