Which bathroom taps should I choose?

1. Is the tap wall mounted, deck or surface mounted?

One of the first things to understand is how the tap is actually installed.

Wall mounted taps are popular because they are easy to clean around and visually declutter the basin or bath area. The trade off is what happens behind the wall.

Wall mounted taps need the hot and cold pipework and the valve body recessed into the wall. If you have a stud wall behind the basin, this is usually very achievable. If you have a solid wall, you may need to chase pipework into it or build the wall out slightly. That can affect cost, room size and neighbouring spaces - so worth flagging early.

It's also worth knowing that the waste is completely separate. Wall mounted taps are usually paired with a pop up, flip top or click clack waste, rather than a tap with a built in lever.

Deck and surface mounted taps sit directly on the basin, bath or surround. These are more straightforward from an installation point of view, but they rely on the furniture being compatible.

You need to check:

2. What does 1 hole, 2 hole and 3 hole tap mean?

This one is straightforward:

3. Which materials last, and which ones show marks?

The finish you choose has a big impact on how the tap looks in real life, not just on day one.

Unlacquered or natural brass is often described as a living finish. It will darken and change over time, developing a patina through use. It is also naturally antimicrobial. This is a deliberate choice and suits people who like things to age rather than stay uniform.

Polished brass and satin brass are usually brass-coloured finishes rather than raw brass. They are typically lacquered to keep the colour consistent and prevent tarnishing. Polished brass is bright and reflective, while satin brass has a softer, brushed appearance that tends to show fewer fingerprints. Both will stay a more uniform finish / colour than unlacquered brass.

Black taps had a moment, but in hard water areas they will show limescale very clearly, very quickly and are unlikely to age well.

Chrome is the most familiar finish - it is usually cheaper, but quality matters. Poor chrome plating can flake, scratch or chip, so it's worth checking warranties and reviews rather than just price.

4. How taps can help you save water

Many modern taps include an aerator, but this is not always clearly explained.

Aerators shape the flow of water, but the more important point is that some are designed to reduce water usage by mixing air into the stream. This gives the feeling of good pressure while using less water.

It's one of those features most people only learn about after the fact, so it's worth checking whether the tap includes a flow reducing aerator (and / or whether it can be replaced or upgraded later).

5. Waste type: a small detail that affects what you see underneath

This often feels like a bottom of the list decision, but it can be a bit of a stick in the eye that you didn't expect on the smallest of basins!

Traditional taps with a waste lever usually mean a more complex set of rods and levers under the basin. If the basin is wall hung, this can all be visible - especially with small basins.

A pop up waste or flip top is a self contained unit. You press once to close it and again to open it, or in the case of a flip top you push down on one side. A plug on a chain is the simplest option of all.

In terms of maintenance, lever mechanisms and pop up wastes tend to be the more complex options. With moving parts and internal springs, they are generally more prone to wear over time than simpler solutions like flip top wastes or a traditional plug on a chain.

None of these are right or wrong, but they do affect what ends up on show, particularly in more minimal bathrooms with wall hung basins.