Nickel vs. Chrome vs. Stainless for kitchen & bathroom faucets and accessories

A. Hi, Holly.

Chrome plating is actually comprised of nickel plating followed by a very thin flash of chrome plating. The chrome is slightly blue compared to the slight yellow of nickel plating, and most people today, like you, prefer the somewhat warmer look of nickel to the colder look of chrome.

Although the chrome plating symbiotically contributes to corrosion resistance, making the chrome more corrosion resistant (theoretically) a good nickel plating is superior to a poor nickel plus chrome plating. Plus, the terms today probably refer more to color than the actual plating process. Realistically a consumer like you or me cannot judge the corrosion resistance of a part from the sales description and must pretty much go by the manufacturer's reputation.

So pick a reputable brand with the look you prefer, and you should be fine. Good luck!

Ted Mooney, P.E. RET finishing.com Brick, New Jersey

A. Ted's right--unless you contact the manufacturer and verify the materials used, there's a very strong likelihood that the applications "nickel" or "chrome" really mean "nickel colored" or "chrome colored."

If they really are the actual metals, they are probably only plated on anyway, and the substrate could be nearly anything from copper to stainless to plastic.

For practical purposes of "living near the beach" either metal should be fine, although the best would be a solid marine stainless steel alloy or a marine bronze, with a nickel plating.

Since anything you buy (unless made to order) is most likely going to be plated, the important part is how well the plating is done; make sure you get a solid guarantee or warranty!

The thickness of the coating is important to the longevity of the equipment, as every time it gets polished it will lose some of the plating.