Bath Taps

Bath taps come down to a finish and a format. Popular finishes include brushed brass, matt black, brushed chrome and brushed nickel, so pick the metal that matches the rest of your bathroom taps and fittings. The format is one of three. A deck-mounted bath filler sits on the rim or the deck of the bath and runs hot and cold through one spout. A bath shower mixer does the same job with a handset and hose added on top. A freestanding bath shower mixer rises off the floor beside a roll-top or freestanding bath.

The thing to check before you buy is your tap holes: most baths are drilled for two taps or for a single combined mixer, and that decides what will actually fit. Read on for the buying guide and quick answers, or scroll down to the full bath tap range.

What to look for in bath taps

Bath taps are mostly a choice between three formats and a finish. Get the format and the tap-hole count right first, because that is what decides whether a tap physically fits your bath. Finish is the fun part, and it is where most people start.

Pick the format first. The standard bath tap is the deck-mounted filler. It sits on the rim or the deck of the bath, runs hot and cold through one spout and usually has a lever or handle each side, which makes it the simplest fit and the right call for most built-in and panelled baths. The Core Brushed Brass Bath Filler Mixer Tap at £99 is a deck-mounted dual-lever filler with a round body. The Core Matt Black Bath Filler Mixer Tap at £79.99 is the matt black filler from the same Core range, deck-mounted with a solid brass body, a ceramic cartridge, WRAS approval and a choice of knurled or smooth handles. If you want brushed brass for a little less than the Core, the Muro Brushed Brass Bath Filler Mixer Tap at £89 is a deck-mounted filler in the same look, with smooth ceramic disc control.

A bath shower mixer is that same deck-mounted format with a handset and hose added on top, so you can rinse your hair or clean the bath without a separate shower. It earns its keep if the bath is your only washing spot. The third format is the freestanding bath shower mixer, the floor-standing tower you see next to a roll-top. It is the showpiece option, but be honest with yourself about the install: the pipework has to come up through the floor in exactly the right spot, so it is a planned-in job rather than a swap. The Litchfield Select Brushed Brass Freestanding Bath Shower Mixer Tap at £199.99 is a brushed brass pick, with a single lever for temperature and flow, a quarter-turn ceramic cartridge and a five-year guarantee.

Count your tap holes before you buy anything. This is the bit people skip and then regret. Baths come drilled in different ways, and the tap has to match what is already there. Two tap holes take a traditional pair of taps or a deck-mounted filler designed for two holes. One tap hole takes a single combined bath mixer, sometimes called a mono mixer. No tap holes at all means you are going freestanding or wall-mounted, and the bath itself stays clean. The Litchfield ORO Brushed Brass Bath Filler Mixer Tap at £109 is a good example of the two-hole kind: a deck-mounted filler with knurled dual levers and a solid brass body, made to fit standard two-tap-hole baths. Whatever catches your eye, count the holes in your bath first, then make sure the tap is made for the same number.

Match the finish to the rest of the room. Finish is where most searches start, so it is worth getting right. Brushed brass is the warm one, and it works in modern and period bathrooms alike. The Core Brushed Brass, Muro, ORO and Litchfield Select freestanding taps above all sit in that camp. Matt black is the bold, graphic option and looks sharp against white and pale tiles. The Core Matt Black filler at £79.99 covers it, as does the Litchfield Select Matte Black Bath Mixer Tap at £89.99, a twin-lever bath mixer with a ceramic disc cartridge and a round, contemporary body. Brushed chrome and brushed nickel are the softer, more forgiving silvers, easier to keep looking clean than polished chrome and happy alongside almost anything. Brushed bronze is the deep, warm alternative to brass if you want something less common.

Whatever you pick, keep the taps, shower fittings and any basin taps in the same finish family across the room. Mixing a brushed brass bath tap with a chrome basin tap is the kind of thing you notice every day once it is in. If you want a coordinated look, the Litchfield range covers both brushed brass and matt black, as the ORO and Select taps above show.

A few practical checks before you order. Water pressure comes first, because some taps are happier on low pressure than others. If you are on a gravity-fed system with a tank in the loft rather than mains or a combi, look for the minimum operating pressure on the listing before you buy. Next, read the listing for what is in the box rather than assuming, because it varies from tap to tap. Last, think about spout reach: on a deck-mounted filler the water needs to clear the rim and land roughly in the middle of the bath rather than dribbling down the inside, so check the spout projection where the listing gives it.

Quick answers

Are brass bath taps a good idea, or do they wear off? They are a good idea, and brushed brass is more forgiving than it looks. It has a matt, brushed surface rather than a mirror shine, so water marks and fingerprints show less than on polished metal. The Core Brushed Brass listing describes its finish as fingerprint-hiding and the ORO listing calls its finish fingerprint-resistant. Keep cleaning to a wipe with a soft cloth, avoid abrasive and acidic cleaners, and it will keep its look. For peace of mind, the Core Brushed Brass, Muro and ORO fillers each list a lifetime guarantee, and the Litchfield Select freestanding mixer lists five years. Brushed brass picks worth a look include the Muro Brushed Brass filler at £89 and the Litchfield Select Freestanding Brushed Brass mixer at £199.99.

What is the difference between a bath filler and a bath shower mixer? A bath filler just fills the bath: hot and cold through one spout, nothing else. A bath shower mixer does the same but adds a handset and hose on top, so you can rinse off or clean the bath without a separate shower. If the bath is your only washing spot, the shower mixer earns its keep. If you already have a separate shower, a plain filler is usually all you need and it keeps the bath looking tidier.

How many tap holes do I need for a bath tap? It depends on your bath, not the tap. A bath drilled for two tap holes takes a pair of taps or a two-hole deck-mounted filler. A bath with one hole takes a single combined mixer. A bath with no holes is set up for a freestanding or wall-mounted tap and stays clean itself. Count the holes before you order, because the tap has to match what is already drilled.

Can I fit a freestanding bath tap to any bath? No, and this is the honest catch with the floor-standing towers. A freestanding bath shower mixer needs the hot and cold pipework brought up through the floor in exactly the right position next to the bath, so it is a planned-in job that suits a freestanding or roll-top bath rather than a quick swap on a built-in one. If your pipes come out of the wall, or the bath is drilled for deck taps, a deck-mounted filler or mixer is the sensible choice.

Will a bath tap work on low water pressure? Most of the taps picked out on this page will, but check the listing rather than assuming. The Core Brushed Brass filler, the Muro filler and the Litchfield Select Matte Black mixer all list a minimum operating pressure of 0.5 bar, and the Core Matt Black filler is listed as low-pressure compatible. If you are on a gravity-fed system, that minimum figure is the number to match against your supply.

Do bath taps come with a waste? Sometimes, sometimes not. It varies by product, so check the listing for what is in the box before you buy rather than assuming the waste is included.

What is the most popular finish for bath taps right now? Matt black and brass, going by what people search for on bath taps. Both work against white and pale tiles and suit modern and period bathrooms alike. Brushed chrome and brushed nickel are the safer silvers if you want something that goes with everything and is easy to keep clean. Whichever you choose, keep your bath taps, basin taps and shower fittings in the same finish family so the room hangs together.