Just thought I'd throw my 2 cents in here---As a plumber, I've noticed that both Moen and Delta are going to the nylon hose. Is it better? They haven't been around long enough to determine that. Only time will tell... The pull out seems to be more popular than the pull down, mainly I think because the pull out faucets are cheaper that the pull down. However, the prices are coming down on the pull downs...Moen just came out with a new model, the Arbor, that is priced comparable to the pull outs. I personally like the looks of the pull downs better.--The Captain

I have never liked the separate sprayer because of the lack of water pressure and the difficulty of retracting the hose. I currently have the pullout style, and was immediately disappointed in the contortions one has to go through to angle the spray at certain parts of the sink. My favorite spray option was the separate swivel sprayer I purchased and attached to the end of the standard faucet that came with the house. Maybe that's why I'm so disappointed with my pullout, because that little $5 sprayer did everything, and I thought the pullout would be an improvement on that. When we redo our kitchen, I want a new faucet, but in my research, it seems that all of the pullouts have some kind of issue with being able to easily reach all sides of the sink. So now I'm looking at the pulldowns, but I'm concerned about water splashing where it's not supposed to when using it as a regular faucet. I never thought about the pulldown retracting properly, or that spray option staying in that position without holding a button. Plus, I don't like the look of the pulldowns, and just think that high arc will be in the way. It doesn't sound like any of you find the high arc to be a negative, but I just wish I could use one for a day to see what I think of it. I also don't like the side handle, or the handle being in a separate hole. Why don't manufacturers ever make something with all the features I want????

I just got back from Lowes. They did not know of any integrated ball swivels (not a pulldown) like my current one, although she suggested we search for it since I know it is delta. But as I said earlier I am moving on to "pull down". The pull downs that they had displayed were way up high. The ones that were low enough to touch didn't really give me a realistic feel for how it would work. Some of them didn't even have the hose long enough for me to pull it out. The one that I saw that was a ball swivel was a very loose connection and didn't hold its place to allow me to "walk away". (so sorry I forget the brand) I don't necessarily want to walk away but It is easier to describe that way. Plus It is nice to be able to spray water into a dirty pan or coffee cup in the corner while I am grabbing things on the other side of the kitchen as I get ready to do dishes. I am now about to give up on the "walk away aspect" I just don't have enough time. And I have a houseful of fixtures and colors to pick. And (thank goodness) we are about a month away. I did consider Delta's new technology thinking that I could easily turn it off easily when I have to walk off and on again easily when I step back. Lowe's had The ASHTON with Touch2o technology and a MagnaTite docking feature. Believe it or not I kinda think that even with the magnetic dock I might be able to angle it a bit and walk away. Ashton and Pilar were the only *ONLY* faucets that had the touch technology. I asked her if any other company had it and she said no. BTW I just googled the Ashton and I found out it NEEDS BATTERIES. good to know. There was no mention of that at Lowes.I wonder how hard the batteries are to change? The review says that they are 4 C batteries under the sink. So it may not be an issue. But it also says that it came on while they were cleaning it. I think that might be a bigger drawback when I clean it or move it out of the way because it will turn on when I want it off. pooh I though I had made a decision. "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.> from http://www.oneprojectcloser.com/delta-faucet-review-touch2o-touch-on-technology/ which gives a review. My only other concern with the Pull down faucet is I wonder how hard it will be to get the hose back into the faucet. But I guess as long as the weight is correct it shouldn't be a problem. Moen's REFLEX technology looks like it is fantastic, Except it definitely won't be "walk away spray". I guess I am back to the drawing board. Looking for a hose that easily retracts but lets me control it. This got long but I wanted to share what I have learned today. Davidrol Thank you for your links. I had found your post on my last thread and it got me started. I emailed Delta (the maker of my current faucet) replied that I needed to order a seperate part. Uhhh no. I figured if they can't even suggest their own product - I am better off with you all here are GardenWeb! Thanks everyone for your responses - I will assume that everyone enjoys their faucets, so I may keep them as contenders anyway since I believe I am on an impossible quest. If I have to give up my walk away spray I darn well don't want a loose hose! haa

I haven't bought my faucet yet. I'm using a $10 stop valve for now, and it's on a flexible bendable pipe that holds its shape (Kitec iPex). For my ideal faucet spray, I think I's like the spray wand to be a little "tip" at the end of the hose. I don't like large spray wands, even when I have pulled the hose farther out of the tube. I've tested out faucets in other people's kitchens and I've been to every showroom and hardware store within 50 miles. I think that, according to all who have one, a pull-down or pull-out spray is easy to use. It seems to me that people pull it out (or "down") most often to rinse off the side walls of the sink. I've observed people pulling the spray out a few inches for this. On web sites, manufacturers' videos seem to show me most often people pulling the spray out a long way in order to fill a vase on the counter next to the sink. (This doesn't make sense to me: I could just put the empty vase into my deep sink... besides, I only fill a vase once in a blue moon, but I rinse the sink out constantly.... oh well, who cares about "real" needs when we can fantasize about vases.) Pulling downwards is easier than any other movement because your arm's natural strength is highest when you only move it from up to down. Pulling it downwards is one straight movement, with a straight arm using the big flat muscle under your shoulder blade. (Like in swimming or in cross country skiing). It's technically harder to pull something outwards sideways as it requires several other muscles. It's harder for two reasons. One is that more muscles = more coordination. The other is that the muscles coordinated are the smaller ones. I have a vacuum cleaner with a hidden self-returning coiled spring loaded electrical wire (hope that is clear). The effort is weird sometimes pulling it out. A pull-OUT spray makes you pull sideways. Pulling it out the longest possible length reminds me of pulling out the vacuum cleaner electrical cord. Mind you, I would almost never have a reason to pull the hose out the longest possible amount. Pulling sideways has one other disadvantage: it puts more stress on the junction points where the faucet body meets the countertop hole or sink hole, and where the swiveling part of the body sits in the fixed part of the body. In a small faucet body this is insignificant, but the bigger the body the more the rocking. I think this explains why larger faucets are mostly configured to have a rounded tube at the top, so you pull downwards (straight down) more than outwards (towards you). Pulling downwards puts a physical stress on the faucet base that is mostly downwards, and that is not going to weaken the faucet body swivel joint or the bolted connection to the counter or sink. Pulling more towards the side forces the metal body to receive this side to side force more often, and it could lead to something loosening up. The Arwa Surf faucet seems to me to be a good compromise in terms of shape, if you don't want a long rounded top on a high faucet. Use "Arwa Surf " as key words for your web search if you want to see it the shape. All faucets are installed a few inches away from the sink wall, and they reach forward about 8 or 9 inches. I'll guess the query about it seeming "like it would collide with the front of the sink" is more about the spray shooting too far forward, and not about any collision when one pulls the spray out of the tube. A spray that shoots straight down or slightly forward is going to end up hitting the sink bottom. All faucets do this; they project the stream down onto the sink bottom, some a bit more forward than others. hth