Franke FF-200 Kitchen Faucet

Affordably priced, clean design, ceramic disc faucet that fits well in a number of settings. In my own case: a remodeled kitchen in an arts and crafts style - and while no one could claim this faucet is historically correct to that style (hardly!), it behaves well visually because it is non-specific, lacks ornamentation, has a narrow and unobtrusive profile (single-lever), honors modern design influences, and plays well with chrome appliances. Functionally, I love the pull-out sprayhead with gravity retractor, and the aerated versus standard flow selection (selector can be locked in place if desired).

In terms of size and visual fit, I mated this with a Franke RGX160 double basin stainless steel undermount sink, and they seem made for one another.


CRITICAL UPDATE, Fall 2010 - Here's a significant design problem: the shower head is threaded to mate with the flexible articulated tube as a hand-tightened assembly. It can easily twist loose if you...Read more

We bought two of these faucets for our home and an apartment 3 years ago. I am now replacing both.

My comments:

Though Franke claims all brass, the shower head is "all" plastic.

The lock button on top of the shower head is impossible to use if your hands are wet. It is a truly stupid design.

The regulator handle on both units need too much pressure to control and are not smooth in operation. As a result, it is very difficult to get the flow we're looking for. We resort to nudges and beating it gently to adjust water flow.

On one faucet, it is very difficult to move the head side to side. It has binded and dismantling it shows no apparent problems and oiling it did no good.

The other faucet recently started to leak.

The prices shown above are both more than we paid from a boutique decorative hardware store.

You can do a lot better elsewhere.