Touchless, Spring or Two-Handle: The Best Moen Kitchen Faucet

Moen makes a faucet for almost every sink, which is exactly the problem when you go to buy one. The same brand sells tall spring faucets, low pull-outs, touchless sensor models, side-spray sets and commercial two-handle faucets, and the names (Arbor, Align, Essie, Wetherly) say nothing about what each one does.

This guide sorts Moen’s kitchen faucets by the features that change how you cook: pull-down or pull-out, a Power Boost or Power Clean spray, MotionSense touchless control, and one handle or two. Specifications come from Moen’s spec sheets and the Amazon listings, lead-free statements are quoted as Moen gives them, and we say “not stated” where they are silent. For other brands, start with our main guide to the best kitchen faucet.

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Quick verdict: which Moen faucet to buy

Our main kitchen faucet guide already covers the Moen Cia MotionSense and the Moen Glenshire, so we left both out here to give you different options.

Five Moen faucets side by side

Our five standout Moen picks, one for each kind of sink, with each faucet’s control and Moen’s lead-free statement. All seven faucets are reviewed in full below.

Product images from Amazon. Flow rates, certifications and warranties are as Moen’s spec sheets or the Amazon listings give them; check the listing and your local plumbing code before you buy.

Our picks for the best Moen kitchen faucet

These seven cover the real choices within Moen’s range: lever or sensor, pull-down or pull-out, spring spout or side spray, one handle or two. Each pick explains who it suits and gives one honest reason to skip it.

How to choose a Moen kitchen faucet

Pull-down, pull-out or side spray

A pull-down (Arbor, Align, Essie) has a high spout and a spray head that pulls down into the sink; it is the easiest for filling pots. A pull-out (Method) has a lower spout and a wand that pulls toward you, which suits a sink under a window. A side-spray set (Wetherly) keeps the spout fixed and adds a separate sprayer on the deck. Pick the shape first; the rest follows.

Power Boost and Power Clean

These are Moen’s names for a stronger spray. Moen describes Power Clean as 50 percent more spray power than its pull-downs without it, and Power Boost as a button that gives a faster clean and a faster fill. Either helps with dried beans on a pot or masa on a mixing bowl. Moen’s listings and spec sheets name the technology model by model, so check the one you are buying.

MotionSense: is touchless worth it?

MotionSense Wave turns the water on and off when you wave a hand over a sensor; the lever still sets the temperature. It is useful when you handle raw meat, eggs or sticky dough and do not want to touch the handle. The costs are six AA batteries (or Moen’s optional AC adapter), more parts that can fail, and, per the listings, a five-year warranty on the digital parts instead of lifetime.

One handle or two

Most Moen kitchen faucets sold today are single-lever, and the only two-handle Moen kitchen faucet we found with normal stock on Amazon when we checked was a commercial model (the Belfield and Banbury showed limited stock). A single lever is easier to use with one hand; two wrist-blade handles like the M-Bition’s are easy to push with a forearm but have no sprayer. Match the handle count to your sink’s holes, or plan for a deck plate.

Holes, height and headroom

Count the holes in your sink or counter before you shop: the Arbor and Method use one or three, the Wetherly two or four, the Align one and the M-Bition three. Then measure the space above the sink. A tall spring faucet like the Align needs nearly 22 inches; a low pull-out like the Method fits under a window. If your sink is being replaced too, see our guide to the best single-bowl kitchen sink.

What Moen says about lead and warranty

Under the Safe Drinking Water Act, the EPA explains, “lead free” means a weighted average of no more than 0.25 percent lead across the surfaces that touch water. Moen’s listings state that every Moen residential kitchen and bath faucet complies with the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act and NSF 61, and most of the spec sheets we read go further and list certification to NSF 61/9 and 372. Moen’s residential spec sheets give a lifetime limited warranty against leaks, drips and finish defects to the original homeowner, with shorter terms for multifamily (10 years) and commercial use (5 years). The commercial M-Bition carries five years.

How we chose these seven Moen faucets

We looked for genuine Moen kitchen faucets that Amazon showed as in stock when we checked, then chose one for each real choice: lever, touchless, spring, pull-out, side spray and two-handle. Specifications come from Moen’s PDF spec sheets and the Amazon listings; where Moen’s sheet and the listing differ, we used Moen’s sheet. Several popular Moen models (including the Adler, Kaden, Nio, Weymouth and Sinema) were back-ordered or showing limited stock, so we left them out.

We have not installed or used these faucets ourselves. We also searched the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s site for Moen faucet recalls and found none for the models here; the Moen recall we did find there covered a battery back-up for its Flo water monitor, not a faucet. CPSC has, however, warned buyers about some cheap, no-name faucets sold on Amazon that can leach lead, and advises choosing faucets certified to NSF/ANSI 61.

Moen faucet questions, answered

Which Moen kitchen faucet line is best?

For most sinks, the Arbor: it comes as a plain pull-down or with MotionSense, installs through one or three holes and has Power Boost. Choose the Align for a tall spring spout and the Method for a low pull-out.

Do Moen touchless faucets need electricity?

They run on six AA batteries, which the listings say are included, or on Moen’s optional AC adapter if you have an outlet under the sink. The lever still works if the batteries run down.

Are Moen kitchen faucets lead-free?

Moen states that every Moen residential kitchen and bath faucet complies with the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act and NSF 61. The spec sheets for most faucets here also list NSF 372 certification; the commercial M-Bition’s sheet states NSF 61/9 and a maximum of 0.25 percent weighted average lead.

What does Moen’s lifetime warranty cover?

Per Moen’s spec sheets, leaks, drips and finish defects for the original homeowner, for as long as they own the home. Electronic parts on MotionSense faucets have a five-year warranty, per the listings, and commercial installations get five years.

Can I install a Moen faucet myself?

Many people do, and Moen’s Duralock quick-connect lines make the hookup simpler on several models. Check your local plumbing code first, and call a licensed plumber if your shut-off valves are old or leaking, or if the code requires one.

Our final word on Moen faucets

Buy the Moen Arbor if you want one dependable pull-down with a strong spray, or the Arbor MotionSense Wave if you want it hands-free. Pick the Align for a deep sink, the Method for a low window, the Wetherly to keep your side sprayer and the M-Bition for two wrist-blade handles. For Kohler, Delta and the rest of the field, see our full kitchen faucet guide; for the counter beside it, our kitchen soap dispensers and the under-sink water filters that fit beneath it.

All that rinsing usually ends in salsa; our guide to salsa roja and salsa verde shows what to make with the tomatoes and tomatillos. If you would rather skip the dishes, see our menu and call to order.