Kitchen sink tap replacement Q

Why can't you just replace the ceramic insert or washer, whichever you have?

Lots of small taps share the same inserts or washers. I fixed my cheap ceramic kitchen taps when I realised they used widely-available standard inserts.

nib

IME all single pillar taps are crap

Whatever else you choose make sure it has a METAL SECURING NUT. Plastic is useless

Personally I would go for stainless steel and ceramic.

I have not found price to be a reliable guide of quality

On 11 Mar 2026, nib wrote

Ditto. Our kitchen was re-fitted 6 or 7 years ago, in a *very* hard water area. Can't remember when it started dripping, but it became a steady drip a couple of weeks ago (about a bucket per hour).

We replaced the ceramic inserts/cylinders and cleaned the screw-on filter at the end of the tap with a bit of limescale remover, Good as new. (It had been leaking for so long that it's taken us the better part of a week to stop thinking how weird it is to not hear a constant drip.)

If it's a ceramic type, as is common now, you might first look at the tap mechanisms. They're not a standard size, but it should be possible to find very similar replacements.

I did that, then after reassembly, examined the old taps. I assumed that being ceramic, there was nothing to be done, but there was limescale present on the hot tap. After removing this and refitting it, no drip. I assume the disc was flexible enough to be distorted by the limescale.

I did put the new tap back, but next time, I'll look at the discs first. I have had another problem with this tap, leakage at the bottom of the moving column. This was cause by deterioration in two rubber O-rings, which were easy to replace.

We have a '1 1/2' sink design, with the tap behind the small sink. It looks like a real pig to replace without proper plumber's tools, if it ever comes to that.

If it's ceramic: replace the insert (check dimensions on one of the many websites that list them. If it's not ceramic: replace the washer and re-cut the seat to remove the groove which will be there - cheap seat re-cutters aren't brilliant but will do the job.

I was moved to check, and, yes, you can

or .... just replace the insert ?

What insert would that be if they're not ceramic?

a "normal" insert which is not ceramic

like these

a brass valve with a rubber tap washer

e,g

Aha! I've always called those replacement glands.

Bristan Easyfit is a great concept. It's a tap base, with a removable tap. The base will last practically forever. The tap part may wear out, but fitting a new one takes about 5 minutes.

The taps are good quality. I've fitted several without any problems at all. They are also easy to fit to an existing sink, as you do most of the work from above.

I have seen them called "capsules" "cartridges" "refills" etc etc

(and glands)