A smart faucet uses a sensor and an electric valve under the sink to turn water on by touch, a wave, your voice or an app. Some pour exact amounts at a set temperature. It's worth it if you cook a lot or want hands-free use, and less so if you don't want batteries, an outlet or extra upkeep.
The kinds of smart faucets
There are three levels, and each one adds something.
### Touch faucets
Tap the spout or handle and the water turns on; tap again and it stops. Delta's Touch2O instructions describe it this way: "Whether you grab the handle or tap it, water will flow. Once water is flowing, a tap will turn it off." This is the simplest kind, and it helps most when your hands are covered in raw chicken or bread dough. You bump the faucet with a wrist instead of smearing the handle.
### Touchless (motion) faucets
A sensor sees your hand and opens the valve. On Kohler's touchless kitchen faucet, you open the handle to your temperature, then "wave your hand under the sensor to turn OFF the water" and wave again to restart. Delta's Touch2O with Touchless Technology bathroom faucet turns on when you put your hands within 4 inches of the faucet and stays on until you remove them. Moen's Smart Faucet with Motion Control goes a step further: Moen says users can control temperature and water flow with hand motions, without touching the fixture.
### Voice and app faucets
These link to the maker's phone app, and through it to a voice assistant. Moen lists four ways to control the handled version of its Smart Faucet with Motion Control: voice through Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, the smartphone app, the handle, and the motion sensor. Kohler's touchless kitchen faucet pairs with the KOHLER Konnect app, and its instructions note that setup must be completed within 10 minutes. Delta's voice line is called VoiceIQ.
### Metered dispensing
This is the feature people end up using most. With Moen's Smart Faucet and Google Assistant, you can ask for an amount of water at one of three preset temperatures (Hot, Warm or Cold) that you set in the Moen app, or save a preset with a volume and temperature and call it by name. Moen's example: "Ok Google, dispense 1 cup of warm water." Moen also notes that asking for a custom amount at a custom temperature on the fly isn't supported; you use a preset. Moen says hot water takes time to arrive depending on how your water is heated and how far it travels, so a smart faucet doesn't fix a slow hot water line. Our page on getting instant hot water at every faucet covers that.
| Type | How you turn it on | Power | Good fit for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Touch | Tap spout or handle | Batteries or AC adapter | Messy-hands cooking, simple upgrade |
| Touchless | Wave or hand near sensor | Batteries or AC adapter, by model | Kitchens and bathrooms where you'd rather not touch the handle |
| Voice and app | Voice assistant, app, sensor or handle | Varies; the Kohler Konnect model needs an outlet | Measured filling, presets, tech-friendly homes |
How smart faucets are powered
Power is the first thing to check, because it decides what has to go under your sink.
| Faucet | Power source | What the maker says |
|---|---|---|
| Delta Touch2O with Touchless (bath, 109438) | 6 AA batteries, or C batteries in some kits; optional AC adapter | AA batteries last up to 2 years; C batteries up to 5 years |
| Moen MotionSense hands-free kitchen (INS10323F) | 6 AA alkaline batteries; optional AC adapter sold separately | Use only non-rechargeable alkaline batteries; the adapter outlet needs continuous power |
| Moen Smart Faucet with Motion Control | Six D cell batteries included; AC adapter included | Battery powered, "no electrical work is required" |
| Kohler Touchless Kitchen Faucet with Konnect (1387795) | Unswitched 120 VAC outlet | Outlet within 5 feet of the control box, GFCI protected |
Two outlet rules show up again and again. Kohler says: "Do not use a switch-controlled electrical outlet (typically used for garbage disposals) to provide power to the faucet." Moen says the outlet for its AC adapter "will require continuous power." In other words, the faucet can't share the switched outlet your disposal uses. Kohler's instructions also call for a GFCI-protected circuit and say a qualified electrician should make all electrical connections. If there's no unswitched outlet under the sink, budget for an electrician before you pick an AC-only model.
How smart faucets fail, and the manual backup
Most problems are power, debris or settings, and most have a quick fix.
### Dead or weak batteries
Each brand signals low power with a light. On the Delta touchless bath faucet, three red flashes before the valve opens or closes means replace the batteries. On the Moen MotionSense kitchen faucet, a slow-blinking blue LED means low battery voltage and a fast-blinking one means dead batteries or rechargeables in use. Moen also warns that weak batteries "can cause an erratic signal to the faucet," and says lithium batteries are not recommended.
### Water won't shut off
Moen's troubleshooting for this starts simple: confirm the lever handle is firmly closed, check the power source, then reset. When you plug the power back in, Moen says all objects need to be at least 8 inches clear of the front or side sensor. Kohler's troubleshooting adds that a drip or trickle when the faucet is off can mean the manual override is partly engaged.
### Low flow and clogged screens
Smart faucets have extra screens to protect the solenoid. Kohler's instructions show a screen in the sprayhead and one in the solenoid inlet, and list a clogged screen as a cause of low or no flow. Delta's instructions describe removing and cleaning a screen-type filter in its solenoid assembly. Moen's MotionSense ships with filter screens pre-installed in the hose ends. In the Valley's hard water, plan to clean those screens along with the aerator. Our pages on low water flow at one faucet and how hard Phoenix water is explain the scale problem.
### Automatic shut-off
These faucets time out on purpose. Kohler's touchless kitchen faucet shuts the water off after 4 minutes of inactivity. Delta's touch bath faucet runs for up to 2 minutes after a tap, or until you tap it off. If you fill a big stockpot, you may need to restart it.
### The manual override
If the power goes out, you can still use the sink. Here's how each maker handles it:
- Kohler: "In the event of power loss, bypass the sensor function by turning in the override feature on the solenoid valve. The faucet can then be operated manually." Kohler Assist adds that the sensor can't be used while the faucet is in manual mode, and for Sensate and Beckon models you turn the override clockwise on the solenoid valve for manual and counterclockwise to go back to automatic.
- Delta: For immediate, temporary operation, Delta says the solenoid assembly may be removed and the tube connected directly to the faucet outlet for manual operation.
- Moen: Moen lists the handle as one of the four ways to control the handled Smart Faucet with Motion Control. Check your model's manual for how it behaves without power.
Find the override before you need it. That's the play.
What to know before you install one
A smart faucet installs like a standard faucet on top of the sink. The difference is underneath.
- Cabinet space. There's a control box, a solenoid valve and sometimes a battery pack. Kohler says to keep the solenoid valve 7 to 8 inches from the faucet centerline and to keep coiled supply hoses at least 3 inches across so they don't kink.
- Mounting. Moen's MotionSense kitchen faucet installs with the handle on the right side only. Check the handle side against your backsplash and window.
- Power. An unswitched outlet for AC models, or a spot for the battery pack that the cable can reach.
- Flush the lines first. Kohler says to flush hot and cold water for 1 minute before connecting, to remove debris.
- App setup. Voice and app models pair with the maker's app during setup, and Kohler's has to be finished within 10 minutes once it starts, so have your phone and network details ready.
- Warranty. Kohler's touchless faucet is covered by its Electronic Faucets, Valves, and Controls Five-Year Limited Warranty. Electronics are often covered differently from the faucet body, so read the terms. Our pages on Moen's faucet warranty and Delta's faucet warranty cover the standard terms.
Smart faucets still have to meet flow limits. A kitchen faucet installed under Phoenix's current code is capped at 1.5 gallons per minute, the same as a WaterSense bathroom faucet; see whether low-flow faucets work well. For the basic swap steps, see how to replace a kitchen faucet.
So, is a smart faucet worth it?
It's worth it when the features match how you use the sink.
| A smart faucet makes sense if you... | A standard faucet is the better call if you... |
|---|---|
| Cook often and handle raw meat or dough | Rarely use that sink |
| Want to fill a pot or bottle to an exact amount | Don't want to change batteries or add an outlet |
| Find twisting a handle hard | Want nothing under the sink to maintain |
| Already use Alexa or Google Assistant at home | Have very hard water and won't clean the screens |
For most kitchens, a touch or touchless model delivers the everyday benefit with less setup than a voice model. Voice and metered dispensing earn their place if you'll really use them.
HQ Plumbing and Air is licensed and insured, gives free estimates with upfront pricing, and can install a smart faucet or get a failed one working again.