Delta Faucet Review | “ToucH2O” Automatic Touch-on Technology
Every now and then a truly innovative technology comes along and makes life better. You know… like the remote control, or the dishwasher, or stain-resistant carpet.
Delta Faucet is hoping their latest ToucH20 technology (official site) improves your kitchen faucet experience. But does it really work? Will hand washing be changed forever?
Maybe so. Read on to learn more about the technology and get our take on Delta’s latest and greatest invention.
What Is ToucH2O?
The concept behind ToucH2O is simple: take the touch bright technology that’s been commonplace in lamps for 2 decades and use it to automatically control a faucet’s on/off state. Delta achieves this with a touch sensor embedded in the faucet housing, a solenoid valve inserted between the plumbing and the faucet, and four c-size batteries in a battery pack located under the sink. The expected result: a faucet that turns on when you touch it with any part of your hand, and turns off just the same.
Delta recently shipped us the Pilar Single-Handle Pull Down version of this faucet to test and review. We installed it last week and have been using it for a few days now.
We like it. Here’s the rundown:
Delta ToucH2O Faucet Review
- The highs: Touch-on/off works great. Reasonably simple installation. Spray-nozzle extends and retracts easily. Good water flow.
- The lows: Price. Faucet can accidentally turn on during cleaning. Did we mention price?
- The verdict: A super sweet upgrade that takes a posh kitchen to the next level.
>> Installation >>
Installation took about 2 hours. Delta’s instructions are straightforward (although a bit daunting at first… there’s a good number of pieces and the instructions fold out to a poster-board-sized sheet).
We probably could have completed the installation in an hour if it weren’t for the clean-up work associated with removing our 25-year-old faucet. It had partially disintegrated and marred the surface of our stainless sink.
If you’re performing a new kitchen installation, you can expect to spend 1 – 1.5 hours on the install, unless you install faucets for a living (subtract 30 minutes), or you have a 25 year old faucet of your own (add 1 hour).
Delta gets two thumbs up for:
- including compression plumbing connections that eliminate the need for teflon plumber’s tape.
- color-coding the hot and cold water lines to eliminate confusion.
- including a stabilizer block for installations on stainless sinks.
- including the four C batteries needed for the faucet to work.
>> Features & Performance >>
After four days of use, we think Delta’s really on to something with the ToucH20 concept. Here’s the highlights:
On/off control: The ToucH2O’s automatic on/off control is the centerpiece of the design. Delta delivers on their marketing with a very smart approach to the feature.
The faucet changes on/off state when you touch anywhere on the faucet with the exception of the spray nozzle head or the soap dispenser. The really smart part is that the faucet only changes state if you touch it for about 1/4 – 3/4 of a second. Any longer, and it doesn’t change state (because you’re probably moving the nozzle between sinks, for instance, and not trying to turn it off or on). Any shorter, and the faucet usually doesn’t register the touch. It’s easy to get the hang of it.
We noticed that when cleaning around the base of the faucet it is easy to accidentally turn it on… a minor nuisance. We haven’t had any “ghost” activity – something I feared immediately after installation. The device is stable and predictable.
As a bonus, since the faucet on/off mechanism isn’t tied to the flow rate or hot/cold mix, you can set the temperature to a comfortable warm level and leave it for most applications.
Flow rate & comfort: Water flow rate is good. We didn’t use any sophisticated measuring equipment, but our subjective experience indicates the faucet puts out as much force as the original. The nozzle comes with two settings, a standard aerated flow and a spray setting for more intensity.
Nozzle/Sprayer Design: Many new faucets use a magnetic spray nozzle head that holds the nozzle in place on the faucet when not pulled away. This design is a big improvement over weighting methods used in the past. Delta’s nozzle head employs this technology and works just as expected… with good range (the spray head pulls out about 18 inches in our setup).
Soap Dispenser: What can we say? It works. Only downer is that you have to crawl under the sink to refill it. Fortunately the reservoir is fairly large.
Price & Where to Buy
MSRP is a whopping $585, a price you might expect to pay including a builder or designer’s markup.
Street prices range from $350 to $500.
You can find the faucet at your local Lowes, Home Depot, and many online retailers.
A Holiday Gift Idea?
Still looking for a gift idea? This is a great one (just make sure you also promise to install it!)
What do you think? Have you tried Delta’s ToucH2O Faucet? Got a question for us? Leave your thoughts in the comments.
(photo credit: delta faucet stock – their countertop looks better than ours).
Note: Delta Faucet provided us the Pilar ToucH20 as part of a test kit. Our reviews are objective and we are not compensated for a positive review.
Comments & Conversation on this Article...
19 Responses to Delta Faucet Review | “ToucH2O” Automatic Touch-on Technology
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December 14th, 2009 11:49 am
Is there a hard wired hook up option or are batteries the only option?
December 14th, 2009 7:19 pm
Greg – good question… No, there’s no hard-wired option. We suspect Delta wanted to avoid (1) the requirement for electric under the sink (usually all that’s there is the switched wire for the garbage disposal). (2) Additional safety requirements to handle 110AC. I’ll update this post when we have to change the batteries the first time, which hopefully will be at least a year out…
December 15th, 2009 10:48 pm
I am not one that typically like “touch” products because I have young kids in the home, but I have to admit if I were in the market for a new kitchen faucet, this one would be one one the list!
I suspect you may be correct about the hard wire option too Fred. Although if it could be done with low voltage and a transformer I think it it is a possibility, but the batteries probably make installation less “custom” for the average DIYer.
December 20th, 2009 1:03 am
I have had the faucet for three weeks now. I have had to change the batteries every nine days. I purchased brand new energizer batteries both times. I am interested in hard wiring it already. I do love the faucet though and enjoy watching people slap it around to try to turn it on when infact you barely need to touch it.
December 21st, 2009 12:30 pm
Theresa, sorry to hear of this. It seems like something in the installation must be shorting out. We haven’t had any problem with ours and it’s been 11 days now… I’ll update this post if we have an issue – but I might contact Delta and ask them what’s up.
December 21st, 2009 4:09 pm
I want one!
December 21st, 2009 4:50 pm
I emailed Delta over the weekend asking about hard wiring it. Hopefully they will respond soon. As a side note, it is a wonderful faucet if you have small kids. My four year old can stand on a stool and turn it on where before she could never reach the handle. Plus it turns itself off after four minutes if she leaves it on.
December 31st, 2009 11:08 am
Just wondering – can the faucet work as a regular faucet until you get around to replacing the batteries? Can you turn it off and on without the batteries if needed? It looks awesome but I can see running out of batteries quickly!
December 31st, 2009 12:38 pm
Delta just called me yesterday and said the batteries are supposed to last for about TWO years! They think the selinoid in my is defected and it’s draining the batteries too fast. They are sending me a new selinoid and new batteries. The gentleman did tell me that there is a way to bypass the faucet to use it if the batteries go bad and you need to use the faucet. So, based on that, I’m very satisified with my faucet. The customer service was wonderful. I emailed with my problem. They responded two days later, then called the next day to follow up.
January 3rd, 2010 5:53 pm
Fred,
You don’t have to take the bottle off to fill the soap!! Just pull the pump out of the top and fill from above..works like a charm!
January 9th, 2010 1:43 am
If you are doing a kitchen remodel, this is one faucet to add. I love the heigth if you fill alot of pots for pasta and such. And reading the comments, I love the fact that young grandkids would be able to turn this faucet on to wash up before helping grandma cook. (rule #1)
January 10th, 2010 12:55 am
Marina- realized I never answered your question. Yes, the solenoid can be bypassed but you have to crawl under the sink and move some things around.
January 17th, 2010 3:34 pm
Will the screen inside the faucet have to be replaced if it rusts out??
How much water usage does the new Delta faucet save on the annual water bill?
How often will the batteries have to be repalced during a years usage? Can the water be accidently turned on, like if the cat jumps on the counter and bumps
or plays with the faucet. Our cat likes to drink from the tub or play in water! Is there an 1-800 phone number or “help desk” available 24 hours a day from Delta? Will the price eventually become lower? Does it have an automatic on and off switch that is also manual? Thank you.
January 17th, 2010 9:40 pm
Ron, Great questions:
1) I would suspect that it can, but its probably made of stainless and won’t need it for a long time.
2) Really hard to say. I doubt it will save much for us. We were pretty good about turning the water off already. If you cook a lot and are tempted to leave the water running, it could provide some savings. I suspect that, in general, kitchen faucets account for a relatively small percentage of the water used in a house.
3) Delta claims the system is designed for the batteries to last 2 years. We had to replace the first set in 2 weeks. We’re suspecting it could have been bad batteries. The new set is 3 weeks in and we’re hoping its fine. See Theresa’s comment above.
4) Yes, it can. We don’t have cats but I would suspect that a cat licking it or brushing against it could turn it on.
5) I’m not sure about the help desk, but Theresa (a commenter above) contacted Delta with good results.
6) I believe we’ll see a hefty price drop in the next 12 months (probably $50-75 off), maybe $100-125 off in the next 2 years. I will say that faucets have become increasingly expensive in the last 10 years, so we don’t expect this one will become bargain basement anytime soon.
7) Yes, it does, integrated into the temperature/flow control knob in the picture above. And if desired you can remove the solenoid and use just that.
January 30th, 2010 10:18 am
We purchased and installed the Pilar ToucH2O faucet 2 weeks ago. We like the touch functionality and the faucet design is very solid. We had no leaks and it moves smoothly. It took me over an hour to install, mainly due to removing and cleaning up the old faucet caulk marks left on the sink.
I have a few comcerns about the touch feature: 1) Both the spout and the valve are touch sensitive. When you need to adjust the water flow or temperature, the touch turns off the water which becomes frustrating. They should not have made the valve touch sensitive 2) When your hand or arm is wet, the touch will not work. Sometimes you need to touch twice to make it turn on. The water sometimes turns on and off rapidly when you touch it once. 3) I had one occurrence in 2 weeks where the blue light turned to red and the faucet did not work. I had to unplug the battery pack and reconnect it to get it to work. I am not sure what happened. 4) The pullout sprayer hose is directly connected to the plactic solenoid unit under the sink. There is nothing preventing you from pulling the sprayer out too far and damaging the plastic solenoid connectionsvsince it is floating in the air. I have not had this problem yet but it is not a reliable set-up. They need to put a simple clip or something to stop the hose from overextending.
Overall we like the unit but it was expensive and this is the first model being sold with touch technology so we anticipate many problems.
January 30th, 2010 10:19 pm
Bob, Welcome!. Really good addition to the review, thanks.
I actually really like that both the spout and valve are touch sensitive… but notice that they react in different ways. The spout only activates when you touch and release (allowing you to move the spout without turning it on), whereas the valve turns on automatically at a touch. We occasionally experience the issue you describe (touching it twice to get it to turn on), but I think that’s because Delta carefully set the touch sensitivity to make sure you don’t get ghost activity… hard thing to balance I guess. We’re used to it now.
Thanks for pointing out the improvement for the pull-down sprayer. Hopefully Delta will integrate a stop mechanism in a future model to prevent issues.
In terms of expecting a lot of problems, we shall see. We’ve been using it for about 6 weeks now, and save for a battery issue (mentioned above) it has been doing great.
February 25th, 2010 1:11 pm
We have just bought this unit, and are having problems with it. The tap will turn on if you touch the handle, but the unit will not turn on if you touch the faucet. The unit has come on by itself, and when the wires that are factory installed to the solenoid are touched the unit goes off and on. We contacted Delta in the US and they said they said they were having problems with the unit, and would send us a new solenoid system. After being on hold for a few minutes the service man said that because we were in Canada he couldnt send it, we would have to contact Delta Canada. We contacted Delta Canada and they said they were not having problems with the units and that it must have been installed wrong.
March 3rd, 2010 1:13 pm
Has anyone else noticed an overspray when the nozzle is in the aerator (not spray) position? it doesn’t happen when it’s super slow or super fast, but at every flow setting in between. I love everything else, but those little drops spraying everywhere is really annoying.
March 10th, 2010 11:53 am
Michele, sounds like the aerator may be out of place. We don’t have this problem but I know exactly what you mean (having had it on prior faucets). You could have some blockage on the screen as well, although I Think this less likely since it works ok on full force. If you can’t get it fixed, suggest contacting Delta for a replacement faucet head.