California Widespread Faucet with Cross Handles Review

Can’t quite put your finger on the perfect faucet for your kitchen?

Do even the best faucets today feel a little… standard for you?

Do you know why we adore medieval architecture and design? Because the emphasis wasn’t on comfort, but on making the structure as grandiose as possible.

Well, thankfully, as consumerism has risen, so has the demand for custom-made products, and that is where the California kitchen faucet comes into play. It is convenient and does not trade grandiosity off in the process.

Unlike the standardized faucets available on the market today, each California faucet is custom-made to suit your requirements.

However, the customized nature of California faucets does not imply that quality is compromised, nor do they scrimp on quality, but more on that later.

Moreover, to add to the “oddball” nature of the faucet (that’s a good thing here, who wants to fit in?), it comes in a “widespread” configuration, meaning it looks different than the sleek but dull minimalistic faucets of today.

So, why settle for what everybody else wants when you can get what you want?

But first, let’s take you through California’s features.

California Faucets 8" Widespread Faucet w/ Cross Handles 6502-PC Polished Chrome

kitchen faucet

Last updated on 2022-07-02 at 11:03 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Table of Contents

California Faucets Reviews 2022

Comes in a “widespread” style with the handles sitting on their platforms
The spout reaches to six inches (center-to-center)
Comes with two brass handles in a cross-style
Available in 30 finishes, of which 15 are available as PVD finishes
Made of high-quality solid brass
Features ¼ turn state-of-the-art ceramic disc valve cartridges
The flexible hoses are braided to ensure leak-free performance
Sports 1-¼ inch brass touch-style pop-up drain assembly
Each faucet is a brilliant example of top-class craftsmanship
The maximum flow rate is rated at 1.2 gallons-per-minute
Quality controls meet or exceed all the relevant government requirements

Now, let’s get to the actual review itself.

What we like about the California faucet

We fitted the California faucet in our kitchen and used it for quite a while, and we’re happy to report that there is a lot to like about this faucet. Here are what we like about it:

The design

This point should be quite obvious, but we simply couldn’t get over how good it looked in our kitchen!

From admiring the smooth curve of the arc to the finish of those cross-style handles, California Widespread will surely be a perfect companion to your designer kitchen.

In many ways, California Widespread is the best of the handbuilt and mechanized worlds. It looks as good as a handbuilt product and has the quality of a machine-made item, and speaking of quality…

The quality

Don’t let California’s crafted nature fool you into thinking it’ll come loose into your hand on the first use.

Far from it, the quality of California Widespread is right up there with some of the best faucets we’ve reviewed.

Can we tell that the faucet is maybe not quite as refined as the other faucets? Perhaps, perhaps not, because you’d have to be a first-rate nitpicker to know the difference!

California Faucets 8" Widespread Faucet w/ Cross Handles 6502-PC Polished Chrome

kitchen faucet

Last updated on 2022-07-02 at 11:03 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Operation

California’s operation is incredibly smooth and using it is a pleasure.

Perhaps that’s down to the ceramic disc valve cartridge which powers the faucet. Don’t know what that means? Basically, that means that California utilizes state-of-the-art technology to handle the splashy (or not) side of operations!

Further, we believe the braided hoses will ensure operation remains smooth and leak-free, as braided hoses are much tougher than standard hoses.

Also, the maximum flow rate of 1.2 gallons-per-minute is just about adequate, meaning it does not splash much and does not consume much water.

Installation

Installing the faucet is slightly tackier than installing other faucets, because the handles are separate from the spout, meaning you’ll have to do some extra routing to get the faucet to work.

However, the braided hoses we mentioned earlier, apart from being great for reliability, are also great for installation because you can handle them in pretty much any way you want, knowing that they won’t crack or leak.

Pros

Crafted rather than assembled
Fit and finish are of the highest grade
Way too many options to choose from
Sculpted spout and designer handles look elegant
Ceramic cartridge offers smooth and leak-free operation
Complies with all relevant government requirements

Cons

Design barely makes up for lack of features
Flow rate could’ve been higher

Conclusion

While California Widespread isn’t a very feature-laden faucet, it is worth considering. It is different when compared to the rest of the field, and it looks gorgeous without sacrificing quality. It’ll be a great addition to your designer kitchen.

Happy washing!

California Faucets 8" Widespread Faucet w/ Cross Handles 6502-PC Polished Chrome

kitchen faucet

Last updated on 2022-07-02 at 11:03 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Can’t make up your mind yet? Read our buying guide for kitchen faucets as well as reviews of various types of faucets before you proceed with your purchase:

You should also check out our individual reviews of kitchen faucets: