So, I've learned a lot about faucets today! Thanks GWers! One day I will have our whole kitchen remodeled, but today it is just the faucet. We're on the piece-meal plan over here. I'd like to keep this whole replacement around $300 if possible. Not set on any brand despite the Delta focus.

Here is the deal:

Current faucet is an unknown brand, single handle pull-out with 9.5 inch escutcheon and is total crap. It is not a high neck- it's roughly 7" tall and 10" from faucet head to body. It has a chipping chrome finish over plastic and is currently spraying water out the side.

Sink is a stainless steel double sink (30+ years old, but in great shape), overmount, and is less then 7" deep. Digging around under the sink I've found that the current escutcheon is covering a 3-hole mount for the faucet plus there are two additional holes currently in use: 1 for the aerator (in pretty poor condition so I'll be buying a new cover) and 1 for a hot water dispenser that hasn't worked since 1985. (My husband grew up in this house so we know its history.)

So here are some inital questions:

1. Can I get a high arc faucet with such a shallow sink? I think it would make the sink more user friendly, but would the splash be crazy? Would it look okay or would the proportions seem really off?

2. Assuming a high arc is okay, this is the faucet I love: Delta Trinsic in Artic Stainless (not the touch version) for $248. Spout total height : 15-3/4" Spout height deck to aerator : 8-3/8".

The problem? The escutcheon isn't included. The cheapest I could find it is $55 to my door. Pretty steep. The escutcheon is an inch and a half smaller then the current one and I'm concerned it might be too short. If it is too short I could just install a soap dispenser on one side and cap the other, right? That would probably be cheaper then the escutcheon anyway and will clear some clutter... although I can't seem to find one from Delta in the same "Artic" stainless. I'm not sure how much it'll matter, but I don't want them to look weird next to each other. Opinions??

OR

3. Give up the idea of a sleek Trinsic and go with something like the Delta Ashton in Brilliance Stainless. It comes with an escutcheon (though it too is 8") and a soap dispenser at a more reasonable $190 all together, though the dispenser is plastic which seems a bit wimpy. If it ends up I can use the escutcheon then maybe I can pull out the useless hot water dispenser and put the soap dispenser there? Though I might buy a metal one anyway and I don't really if I can pull out that hot water dispenser on my own.

4. Does anyone have any general advice on faucets? Should I track down something with a seperate handle and a soap dispenser (like a Delta Pilar, though I'm not sold on the touch tech) so I can fill all three holes or will a cap be fine? I'm not too interested in a separate sprayer unless there is a compelling reason.

Thanks in advance for any insights! I'm so sick of being sprayed everytime I turn on the faucet.

Here is a link that might be useful: Delta Trinsic Kitchen Faucet in Artic Stainless