Delta Leland Brushed Nickel Kitchen Faucet, Kitchen Faucets with Pull Down Sprayer, Kitchen Sink Faucet, Faucet for Kitchen Sink with Magnetic Docking Spray Head, Arctic Stainless 9178-AR-DST

Why it's worth it

Delta's ShieldSpray wraps a hard cleaning jet inside a ring of water, so the splatter stays in the sink. Otherwise it's a conventional single-lever pull-down with magnetic docking, a deck plate in the box, and a valve Delta rates to last twice the industry standard.

ShieldSpray is the one spray mode here that changes how you clean. The idea is simple: a forceful jet in the middle, a curtain of droplets around it. Delta rates it at roughly 90 percent less splatter than a standard spray. Aim it at a crusted casserole dish and the mess stays in the basin instead of on your shirt. If you soak pans because spraying them makes a bigger mess, this is the fix.

The DIAMOND Seal valve is built to outlast everything around it. Delta uses a diamond-coated ceramic disc and cuts down the internal connection points where leaks start, then rates the whole thing to last twice as long as the industry standard. In plain terms, the drip you'd normally get somewhere around year eight probably never shows up.

From our review of 10 pull-down kitchen faucets, by David Sinclair, Managing Editor

What we like

• +ShieldSpray is the one spray mode here that changes how you clean
• +The DIAMOND Seal valve is built to outlast everything around it
• +Magnetic docking keeps the head flush and quiet
• +It fits either sink, and the finish is built to take abuse

What to know

• –The Arctic Stainless finish spots faster than a PVD coating
• –The shape is traditional, not minimal