1. Think Ease and Cost Effectiveness: When choosing kitchen faucets realize that the two-handle designs, sell for as low as $50, and allow you to regulate the temperature more accurately. Also, having independent control for the hot and cold water makes adjusting the temperature easier. However, the single handle faucets are nice in that most have pull out spouts which make cleaning the sink easier. They generally sell for more, ranging from about $75 to $200. Also, the single handled faucet makes turning the faucet on easier, so if your hands are full, you can still turn on the kitchen sink. So, decide what pros are more important to you; temperature regulation? Or ease of operation?

2. Think about the style and finish: If the style of the faucet is the most important factor to you, then start by choosing with the type of finish you want. The most affordable finish for a faucet is a chrome finish, and the chrome-finish has the benefit of a long warranty on scratches. However, you can also get colorful enamel coatings. These mean you can get more variety and match your faucet to your taste, however these are more susceptible to scratches and chipping. There are other options as well such as stainless steel. Decide the type of style and finish you like best, and get the highest quality faucet you can (that fits in your budget) made of this material. Also, find a finish that fits your style. For example, look at brushed chrome, oil-rubbed bronze and satin nickel for a rustic appeal. The brushed finish and satin finish cleverly hides scratches.

3. Think Longevity, not Cost: If you can afford it, it is wise to get a kitchen faucet with a PVD (physical vapor deposition) finish. This finish type is better than usual plated finishes but costs more. For a PVD finish add $150 to $750 more in cost. The PVD finish is done by vaporizing the metal and glazing it with a scratch-resistant and non-tarnishing film, so they look nicer longer.

4. Think About Spout Effectiveness: Beside the standard straight faucets, you have many other faucet variations, such as high-arching goose-like spouts, a pull-out faucets, restaurant-type models with extra long hoses, etc. Each offer benefits, for example the goose-like spout is convenient for filling large pots.

5. Know Your Options: There are four kinds of faucets, and the differences mean how long the faucet will last without dripping.

a. The compression valve:

The compression valve faucet uses rubber washers. This faucet will eventually leak but they are typically easy to repair, and not too costly to repair.

b. The ball valves:

The ball valve controls the flow and temperature of the water by using a steel ball. The ball valves are washerless and easy to maintain because of this. Replacing a ball valve is affordable and easy to do.

c. The ceramic disk

This is the highest quality. A ceramic disk is virtually a maintenance free water faucet. It is guaranteed not to wear out but is obviously much more expensive than the ball valve or compression valve, and should you need to fix it, your cost will be higher, but the likelihood is slim to none.

d. The cartridge faucet

Much like the ceramic disk, the cartridge faucet usually does not need any maintenance. And also like the ceramic disk, it is much more expensive.

Always check the warranty and the finish no matter what faucet type you choose. In general all faucets carry at least one year warranties. Even the low-end models carry at least one year of warranty. Many faucets carry a warranty by the manufacturer that is more than one year.

6. Do you want other features?
Look for additional features that may interest you such as water purification, temperature control for maximum temperature to prevent scalding your hands, etc.