Bump. I too am interested in anyone's experience with the sensor faucets in the last year or so. I like the idea but there have been so many disappointing reviews from a few years ago that I hesitate to go that route unless the technology has improved.

I think the first thing I "found" on this forum, back when we bought our current house, was the Tapmaster, and I can't tell you how much I LOVE it. It's so easy to use your foot instead of your hand to turn on the water. My only complaint is when I try to turn on water in other people's kitchens or my laundry room by tapping my toe against the base of the cabinetry :-). I don't know about relative cost, but I'd definitely look into using the Tapmaster instead of a sensor faucet.

We just bought the Moen Brantford Motionsense in ORB, and I struggled with the decision too. Like so many other great things my kitchen has acquired since finding GardenWeb, it's life-changing. So on to some details...

1. Is it crazy to mix water and electronics?

Well no, not in a kitchen. Your ice maker does it. Your garbage disposal does it. Your fridge-mounted water does it. Your electric stove does it, in a sense. Today, there are steam-clean options for ovens and steam-dry options for dryers.

The Moen faucets have 2 sensors and MANUAL CONTROL. You don't have to use any sensors if you don't want to. And, honestly, when you have company, it makes sense to turn off at least the front sensor (guests seem to have a talent for dousing their sleeves). Turning on and off either sensor is easy but not so easy you'll do it accidentally.

There are 3 basic "components" - the faucet, the mixing control box, and the power source.

The mixing control box houses the electronics, mixing valves, and bypass lines. Sounds complicated, but hooking up was really (really!) easy. We put the mixing control box on the back wall of our cabinet to keep the hoses out of the way.

The power source is just a small plastic box that can hold batteries or connect to the plugged-in transformer. We paid for the transformer, but it sounds like most people can run for about a year on one set of batteries. The wire connecting the power source to the control box is pretty long, so we put the power source box on the side wall right next to one door. The temperature control is on the power source, and we figured we may want easy access to it.

The wires can be tucked up at the top of the cabinet (they come with ties) so if there is ever a hose failure, there is a minimal chance of electrocution. We have an outlet under our sink, and I see the risk as equivalent if we had left our garbage disposal in place.

2. Have sensor faucets improved over a few years ago?

I think the answer is yes, but I also think it's important to differentiate between the sensors in public restrooms and the residential model you'll be buying. The sensors in residential models have no excuse for being faulty. If you're not happy, return it and get a replacement or buy a different brand. Our sensors are well-placed and have shown very consistent operation. Based on reviews, this is normal and I can expect years of this. The bad reviews I read indicated faulty mechanics or incorrect installation. Statistically, there is certainly a chance of getting a dud - and that's true of standard faucets as well.

3. Pros for us - and every family is different - far outweigh the cons. Here are some of the ways we are using the motion sensor that make our lives more pleasant:

Washing chicken hands

Washing hands after cleaning the litter box

Wiping down counters without leaving the water on

Rinsing out the cat food can

Rinsing off fruit and veggies

Rinsing out a coffee cup or cereal bowl single-handed and without getting wet

Rinsing off a serving spoon covered in soup or spaghetti sauce after a quick stir

Rinsing off a heavy pot carried with 2 hands

These are all pretty minor, but it's shocking how few times a day I actually touch the faucet - really just to wash dishes.

4. Cons are pretty few. Okay, I admit we all douse our sleeves once in a while. When I scrub down the sink, I have to remember to turn the faucet aside so I don't accidentally wash the cleaner out before I'm ready. Sometimes I wish the front sensor would extend out just one more inch. The Moen technology has adjustable temperature but not adjustable flow; this was a major issue for me before we installed and now it doesn't matter at all. The handle must be installed on the right; this was almost our deal-breaker. We really wanted a 360-degree faucet so we could install in front. But with the Motionsense, we only touch the handle once or twice a day. Do I wish it was on the left? Well, yes, but it really doesn't affect my enjoyment of the faucet, and it's habit now to reach AROUND the right side to get to the handle. It's really the only compromise we made, and it was so worth it.

So... I love it! But, I paid for it and I'm biased. What I found most interesting was my mother's response when she stayed with us for a week. Initially, we turned off the front sensor so she wouldn't get wet. After 2 days, my husband and I missed it so much we turned it back on and told my mother "tough luck - keep your sleeves out of the sink." 2 days after that, Mom said she kept waiting for the bathroom faucet to turn itself on! She adapted quickly, despite her aversion to gimmicks and technology in general. She misses it now that she's back home.

Faucets haven't changed all that much over the last 10 years. The innovations have been pull downs, high arc faucet/sprayer combo and most of all and the no-touch faucets.

I have a very high end nickel faucet and sprayer I could not afford to buy today. I'm not changing it. However, I am obsessed by the Kohler Sensate faucet. Not that I love the look but because of the function. Every time I clean a smudged faucet handle, I think how great it would be to have a sensor faucet.

If that type of technology calls it's a no brainer to me.

We have had the Arbor MotionSense for over a year and a half and love it. It takes a few wet sleeves to get the hang of it but now I'm always waving my hands over faucets to get them to turn on and unfortunately, none of them ever do except at my house! We have a GFI outlet under the sink and it is not an issue at all.

Thank you for the responses! I keep leaning that way and think I'll go for it! My kids love the idea. Young son says he'll be able to do "Jedi mind tricks" to make the water turn on!

I LOVE my Moen Motionsense. We have had it almost 2 years, and it is the only way I use my sink unless I need hot water for cleaning difficult things. My kids can use it, too, since they are not tall enough to reach the handle but can put a cup under the spout targeting the sensor. I have had no problems with mine. In two years, I have only replaced my batteries once, and I use my faucet all.the.time. We did put in a GFI outlet, but upon opening our motionsense box, only found directions for battery installation, and it has been fine.

My wife and I settled on the Arbor for our new kitchen last weekend, but we're still up in the air about the Motionsense. I understand that it will be more reliable than commercial models, and that you can quickly learn to avoid the wet sleeve issue. It also would be undeniably helpful when washing "chicken hands", and it would be good for our 4 year-old as well.

The issue I'm struggling with, is water temperature and the fact that washing hands is only a small part of the things we use a faucet for. In our kitchen, it normally takes a minute or so for the water to get warm. So, unless someone has been using warm-hot water recently, you'll have to wait with your hands in the water while it warms up. Meanwhile most other chores, like filling a pot for pasta or washing pots & pans, requires the use of the lever to get cold or hot water. I'm not that concerned about the additional cost, but it seems to me that we wouldn't get that much use out of it. Is there something I'm missing?

This thread couldn't be more timely for me... I too am in a faucet fog.