There has been a debate between chrome faucets and stainless steel faucets for decades. Before buying a faucet, you want to know about the differences between the two types of faucets.

When selecting decor for your house or business premise, choosing the metals can be hard. This is because bathroom fixtures, kitchen, and decor have different requirements for durability and aesthetics. This is why most people need to understand the difference between chrome and steel before buying faucets.

If you are interested in finding out the difference, read on to find more.

The main difference between a chrome faucet and a stainless steel faucet is the construction. Stainless steel is designed with a metal alloy containing nickel, carbon, aluminum, silicon, molybdenum, and chromium. It is constructed without plating, more than 10.5% chromium, and 8-10% nickel to enhance its durability.

Various kinds of stainless steel can be created by varying the amounts of chromium and nickel in the alloy.

For the chrome faucets, they don’t mean that the fixture is made of solid chrome. A chrome faucet can be made from steel, brass, plastic, or stainless steel. Chrome is the plating that is applied on top of the base metal using the process of electroplating.

Therefore, there is not much difference in makeup between the two. It all depends on personal judgment.

Chrome faucets are constructed with a gleaming and polished finish. These two features plus the ability to withstand corrosion makes it suitable for decorating your kitchen or bathroom. Chrome faucets are made of light metal, but that doesn't mean they're necessarily light. The weight of the chrome faucets varies depending on the material used inside the faucet. Take OUBAO silicone kitchen faucet as an example, the internal waterway adopts low-lead copper materials. That not only lets these faucets have moderate weight but also makes the water that comes out of the faucet safer and healthier.

Additionally, chrome faucets also can be used in sinks of health care facilities, such as clinics and patient rooms. However, they are not preferred for use in operating rooms or similar environments that require long-term care. This is because these faucets are not easy to clean. Therefore, they are not suitable for use in the area which demands high hygiene care.

On the other hand, stainless steel faucets can be used in any health care environment. Their longevity and easy to clean surfaces make cleaning and controlling infection much easy.

These are the reasons why stainless steel faucets are currently produced in large volumes, in various grades and finish types, including texture and color. Most people, who are remodeling their homes, are attracted to this product due to its numerous benefits such as wear and atmospheric corrosion resistance, cleanability, fire resistance, durability, and strength.

Stainless steel faucets are constructed with the same materials both inside and outside. Steel can withstand scratches on the surface for its resistance to rust. This makes it suitable for use in kitchens and bathrooms.

Chrome faucets are also anti-rust, but their appearance will become dull when they are exposed to poor conditions and damaged. However, their inner surface and outer surface are not the same, because just the outer surface is the one which is rust-resistant. The inner surface is exposed to rust if the outer surface gets damaged or is removed due to wear and tear.

However, if it is a high-quality faucet manufacturer, they will generally provide high-quality electroplating to ensure the thickness of the outer surface of the protective layer to protect the normal use of chrome faucets for a long time. The corrosion resistance of the chrome faucet is improved by delaying the time of exterior surface damage. Just like OUBAO faucets, they use 7 layers of electroplating. Up to 7 layers of electroplating process make the faucets form a precise protective layer in the outer surface, heat-resistant, wear-resistant, smooth touch and no rust all can pass 24hr salt spray test. 

Steel faucets are fully recyclable, but chrome faucets are partially recyclable. This is because the latter is likely to tarnish over time which changes their appearance making them not attractive anymore.

Additionally, to keep chrome faucets clean, you need to use harsh cleaners which will cause deterioration when used regularly. This is what makes chrome faucets have a considerably short life cycle. On the contrary, stainless steel is rust-resistant and does not get tarnished with time. This makes it suitable for recycling even after being used for long.

At this point, stainless steel faucets are better.

The durability of chrome faucets depends on how frequently they are used, the level of care taken, and the plating quality. A high plating quality faucet could last for many years in dry environments and low usage areas.

And the exterior color that stainless steel faucet can choose is met less. Most stainless steel faucet does surface finishing color with the color of stainless steel itself more. In this respect, the chrome faucet is superior. 

With the above information on the difference between chrome faucets and stainless steel faucets, you should be able to decide on which type of faucet best fits your house. 

Additionally, the costs also vary due to the choice of design, and stainless steel faucets are generally costlier as compared to chrome faucets. This is why when buying either of these two types of faucets, you should be guided by your taste and preference and how you intend to use it.

If you want to get more information about faucets, or still have no idea about the selection of faucets, welcome to contact us now, OUBAO is glad to provide professional advice for you.