Look Ma, No Hands!

No hands on faucets, that is. What was once a novelty found only in public restrooms, hands-free touchless faucets are now moving into home kitchens. The new hands-free faucets feature high-arc swiveling necks and pull-down spigots for all sorts of uses from filling pots to rinsing fresh produce.

The innovation addresses two concerns both from a consumer and environmental perspective. Touchless faucets switch on and off using a combination of motion and light sensors which help prevent the spread of germs. That in itself would makes it a wise investment. But more than that, a touchless faucet also conserves water by dispensing it only on demand. That's because for every minute a conventional faucet is left running, two gallons of water are lost down the drain.

Hands-free touchless faucets are available in price ranges from $750 to $1,000 and are sold by manufacturers such as Kohler, Danze and Brizo.