Best Kitchen Mixer Taps in Australia: Pull-Out, Gooseneck or Filtered?

The best type depends on how you use your sink. Here is how the main kitchen mixer types compare:

• Standard mixer: a fixed spout and single lever. It is simple, reliable and usually the most affordable. Best suited to small sinks and secondary prep sinks.
• Gooseneck mixer: a tall, arched spout that gives plenty of clearance for filling and washing large pots. Best suited to deep single-bowl sinks.
• Pull-out or pull-down mixer: a spray head on a flexible hose that you can pull away from the spout. Best suited to busy family kitchens and double-bowl sinks.
• 3-way filtered mixer: delivers hot, cold and filtered water from one tap. Best suited to households that drink a lot of tap water or currently buy bottled water.
  If you're unsure, a pull-out or pull-down mixer is the most versatile choice for a main kitchen sink.

Both have a spray head on a hose, but they differ in spout height and how you use the spray.

Pull-out taps usually have a lower spout. You pull the spray head out towards you, which suits filling pots on the bench and rinsing a shallow sink. Meir's Piccola pull-out mixer, for example, has a self-retracting hose and a button on the head that switches between a standard flow and a wider spray.

Pull-down taps usually have a high gooseneck spout. You pull the spray head straight down into the sink, which suits deep sinks and washing large pots. Caroma's Liano II pull-down mixer has an anti-coil hose, magnetic docking that snaps the head back into place, and two spray modes: aerated flow and a veggie spray. Meir's pull-down mixer also uses a magnetic dock to hold the spray head securely.

Manufacturers and retailers sometimes use the two terms interchangeably, so check the spout height and hose reach on the specification sheet rather than relying on the name. A magnetic dock or self-retracting hose is worth looking for on either type, because it stops the head drooping over time.

A fixed-spout mixer has fewer moving parts and a cleaner look. It suits kitchens where you rarely need to spray, or a second prep sink.

A gooseneck spout gives more clearance under the outlet, so large pots fit easily. The trade-off is that water falls from a greater height, so a gooseneck can splash in a shallow sink. Pair it with a sink at least moderately deep.

Check the spout's rotation, too. A swivel spout lets one tap serve both bowls of a double sink. Caroma's Contura II mixer, for example, can be set to rotate 70 or 140 degrees. It also includes Cool Start, which delivers cold water when the lever is in the centre position, so the hot water system isn't triggered unnecessarily.

For a heritage or Hamptons kitchen, our classical sink mixers offer traditional cross-handle and lever styles. For a contemporary range, browse our Phoenix kitchen mixer taps.

A 3-way filtered tap is worth it if you want filtered drinking water without adding a separate filter tap to your benchtop. It delivers regular hot and cold water through one waterway, and filtered water through a separate internal waterway, controlled by its own lever.

Nero's Mecca 3-way filtered mixer, for example, uses separate levers for standard and filtered water. It is made from low-lead DZR brass and comes in six finishes, including brushed gold and gunmetal. Phoenix's Vivid filtered sink mixer pairs a 220 mm gooseneck spout with two levers for filtered and unfiltered water.

Before you buy, check three things:

• Under-sink space: the filter unit sits in the cabinet below the sink, so make sure there is room alongside the waste and any bin or drawer.
• Filter replacement: cartridges need replacing at the interval the filter manufacturer recommends. Factor the ongoing cost into your decision.
• Installation: a licensed plumber must install the tap and filter, and connect them to your water supply.

A few final checks make sure the tap suits your sink and water supply.

Finish. Chrome is the classic, versatile choice. Black kitchen taps, gunmetal and brushed brass look striking, but water spots and limescale can show more clearly, especially in hard-water areas. Clean them with mild soapy water and a soft cloth, and avoid abrasive or harsh cleaners that can damage the finish.

Water efficiency. Kitchen mixers carry a WELS star rating. Many popular models, including Caroma's Liano II and Meir's Piccola, are rated 5 stars at 6 litres per minute. Some models, such as Caroma's Contura II, offer an optional 6-star version at 4.5 litres per minute.

Lead-free certification. Since 1 May 2026, copper alloy taps installed for drinking water must be certified lead-free under WaterMark. Many current kitchen mixers, including Caroma's lead-free Liano II, carry this certification. Browse our lead-free taps.

Fit and pressure. Check that the tap suits your sink's tap hole and that the spout reaches the centre of the bowl. Also confirm the tap suits your water pressure. Some mixers, such as Meir's Piccola, are designed for mains pressure only.

When you're ready to compare spout styles, finishes and features side by side, browse our full range of kitchen taps, or shop the look below.