With changing facets of technology, faucets too have under gone transformation. From a mundane looking instrument used to regulate the flow of water they have become an icon of class and elegance.

Change is the only permanent thing in life. It is not just applicable to human beings alone, but also plays a pivotal role with inanimate objects. From a mere knob, turned on or off to begin or stop the flow of water, the faucets of today have traversed a great distance to transform themselves from mundane utility objects to articles of class and style. Today there is a whole new range staring endearingly at you in the market – svelte and snazzy lot coming in an array of bedazzling shapes and sizes. Indeed, they have metamorphosed into a gamut of designs and hues that not only offer comfort but are also a signature of luxury. The last ten years has experienced a great amount of synchronization and innovation. Infact, there has been a significant transformation that has not just brought about a change in the designs of the faucets but has also led to the entry of leading names from the Four Corners of the globe. The opening of the Indian market too has played a pivotal role in instigating this revolution. The basic function of controlling the flow of water has remained the same, but the instruments have completely undergone a complete face lift. The motley series available in the market come in a package that comprise of bath area fittings, wash basin fittings, faucets, the single lever mixtures and divertors. Faucets in general, can be broadly categorized into ‘full turn’, ‘half turn’, ‘quarter turn’ and single lever mixture, which are available in a wide variety of brands. The conventional faucet is however a ‘full turn’ faucet that satisfies the prime requirement of water flow control. The mixers available offer the convenience of hot and cold water through a single faucet while the regulators function to effectively regulate the flow to either the shower or another tap. The other lines of faucet include frills like taps available in a range of designs an shapes like long adjustable necks that can be moved in any direction. Not to forget the showers available in mesmerizing nozzles that have water springing out in a variety of shapes like froth, foam, needle jet, the champagne jet and much more. The materials used in such taps too have undergone a great change with new innovations hitting the markets. The traditional metals like iron, copper are still prevalent, but have been out grown by the more economical material like plastic. With innovation taking the designs in its stride, materials like brass and steel have out grown all conventional metals to become the most preferred options. The most commonly emanating question is what type of faucet should be generally preferred while selecting one. The general preference of buyers is durability and consistent performance combined with more importantly, a warranty offer of over seven years. Today the most preferred brands in the market range from Hansgrohe and the Johnson & Johnson on one end rising to Parko, Aquel, Plumber, Marc, Ess to list a few. But Jaguar seems to head the preference chart. Its ‘quarter turn’ collection seems to reflect in every designers repertoire and is priced around Rs. 500 to Rs. 600. The price varies depending on the package and finish. While its mixers is labeled between Rs. 2,000 and Rs. 10,000/-. While the conventional ‘full turn’ would cost around Rs. 350 ad the ‘full turn‘ mixer would cost around any where between 1,500/- to Rs. 1,800/-. The more sophisticated technology brings with it ‘electronic taps’ or ‘sensor taps’ and have buttons that turn on the water supply automatically the moment one places his hands below them. If one is keen on a more premuim bath fittings, he can opt for Hansgrohe, a German brand which according to a popular architect scores comparatively higher with its high technology and life span of around 20 years. As one forays into the magical world of showers he is confronted with a deluge of indecisiveness. The market is flooded with an array of shower panels sashaying in with jet sprays, spouts, over head showers. The sprays have eventually evolved to offer the user body massage of sorts. Depending on the size and contents the prices of shower panels could commence from any where between 12,000/- rising to a whopping 4,50,000/-. Coming back to the tacky taps, the bazaar are flooded with unmarked and unlabelled varieties that are available at every hardware store. With plastic being the most popular, these taps come in a price range starting at Rs. 50/- that could rise up to Rs. 300/-. Like the FMCG and electronic market , this the market too is infiltrated with a lot of second hand duplicated variety which buyers need to be watchful against. Available at prices much cheaper than the originals and come with a life span that is much below half that of the original. So, if you are planning to go for a faucet and have the money for it. Just grab it.