Brushed nickel and chrome are very popular in making bathroom and kitchen accessories and fixtures which makes them more expensive than other materials. But to decorate your home it is necessary to know which one will be perfect and why. So that’s why in this article on Brushed Nickel Vs Chrome Faucet you can learn everything about these two metals.
Chrome has a mirror-like finish which makes it attacks more lighting than brushed nickel which is more undertoned, matt, and muted. If you want to go for looks then surely chrome finish is for you. But if you want quality and longevity then there is no comparison for brushed nickel.
Here you will learn about the color differences of chrome, brushed nickel, polished, nickel, satin nickel, and also will know about their texture and finish in detail which you must need to know before you spend your money on them.
Compared Brushed Nickel Vs Chrome Faucet
| Brushed nickel | Chrome |
| Color and shine | |
| Brushed nickel has a matt silver color with a yellow or brown tint underneath which makes it less shiny and gives a more rustic vibe. That’s why brushed nickel is perfect for warm-tone rooms. | Chrome has a pretty shiny bright silver color that catches more light towards it. It has an almost mirror-like finish that makes it more prone to getting handprints all over it. So chrome fixtures are great for cool-tone rooms. |
| Texture | |
| Brushed nickel has a grainy texture as its making process requires brushing to remove the shiny polish. | Chrome has a silky smooth finish and has no texture. |
| Maintenance | |
| It tends to catch dirt inside the grains which makes them darker at times. But they are very easy to clean and low maintenance. Also, brushed nickel does not get scratched or rust very easily which makes them long-lasting. | It is a very high maintenance material as it gets dirty very easily. Chrome gets handprints, dirt buildup, watermarks, and rust if not taken care of regularly. |
| Suitability | |
| As brushed nickel is rustic looking it suits well in traditional style kitchens and bathrooms. | Chrome fixtures suit great in modern-style homes as they look shiny and vibrant. |
| Cost | |
| Because brushed nickel is durable and the low maintenance quality it comes in a much higher price range than any other material. | For high maintenance, chrome fittings are much more affordable than brushed nickel. |
What Color Is Chrome?
The short form of chromium is called chrome. This kind of metal is core plated with a thin layer of chromium veneer. Standard chrome is super shiny that almost looks like a mirror. Chrome metal has almost a similar color to silver but it is more shiny and polished which makes it more eyecatching. But the only downside to this is that it is more prone to be stretched when you use it.
There are also some varieties on the chrome plating like satin or brushed chrome which has more of a matt finish. As chrome plating prevents rusting they are more popular to be used on product surfaces but they can look dull over time.
What Is Nickel Color?
This is another very common element used in many different applications. It’s a hard metal that is great to have because from this if you add it with iron you will get steel and it’s good grade steel. Nickel is so common that people will call it nickel, meaning coin in the United States. Because nickel is made of ¾ nickel and one part copper.
Nickel has a matt dull gray color which almost looks like silver but it is more rustic and has very little shine in it. When copper is mixed with nickel it loses its color and then you get just the white metal-looking finish.
What Does Brushed Nickel Look Like?
Brushed nickel is more like matt nickel. Meaning brushed nickel has a softer matt finish to it. You can easily turn a nickel into a brushed nickel if you want. All you need is just a scotch pad and move it in one direction gently.
This way the mirror finfish will start removing and it will blur out the surface. Keep rubbing the pad until you get your desired finish. For larger items, you can use polishing machines to achieve that brushed nickel finish.
Polished Nickel Vs Chrome
Chrome metal is probably the brightest material and most favorite when it comes to kitchen or bathroom accessories. Because chrome is brighter, it reflects the light well and has a very silky smooth texture. It lasts longer in terms of rust. On the other hand, polished nickel is a little bit darker and has a brownish or yellowish tint underneath which makes it grainy looking and attacks more dirt.
Matte Nickel Vs Brushed Nickel
Matt nickel is another favorite color of homeowners in terms of kitchen or bathroom accessories. It has more of a subdued silvery look with a yellowish undertone. On the other hand, brushed nickel has a dark accented grainy finish to it and more in the whiter undertone side.
Polished Chrome Vs Brushed Nickel
Polished chrome is less shiny and bright silver color than chrome itself. It has a light blue undertone which makes it even more cool-toned. Brushed nickel is a little bit darker than polished chrome and has a brownish or yellowish tint on it. That’s why polished chrome is suitable for cool-toned rooms and brushed nickel is suitable for warm-toned rooms.
Brushed Chrome Vs Brushed Nickel
Brushed chrome has a more brownish tint with a grainy surface and a little bit of muted tone whereas brushed chrome is more shiny and reflective without any visible grainy surface. So brushed chrome is on the cool tone side and brushed nickel is on the warm tone side.
Brushed Nickel Vs Polished Nickel
The difference between polished and brushed nickel is pretty simple and visible. Polished nickel has a smooth matt texture whereas brushed nickel is more grainy and textured. Polished nickel looks almost similar to chrome. So if you compare both the metal side by side you see the polished nickel is warmer in color than chrome.
Satin Nickel Vs Chrome
Satin nickel is another kind of tinted silver color that has a more brownish undertone. That’s why this material attacks less light and gives a rustic vibe. Chrome is also silver in color but it has a blueish hue which makes it more reflective of the light and shiny outlook. If you want to add more light to your room then you should surely go for chrome fittings. But if you want that rustic old vibe then satin nickel is to go for.
Final Verdict
No matter which material you choose for your kitchen or bathroom fixtures it is always necessary to do some research before you purchase one. In terms of fixtures, both brushed nickel and chrome are very popular among consumers. But of course, they have their differences which makes them slightly more popular than one another. So this article on Brushed Nickel Vs Chrome Faucet has all the details that you might like to know.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Do Brushed Nickel Rust?
Brushed nickel is an absolute favorite when it comes to kitchen sinks, faucets, bathroom fixtures, and so on. The reason behind its popularity lies in its color quality and resistance to rusting. But you have to understand one thing, that when you take good care the most inexpensive kinds will last and when you don’t the expensive ones will get wasted. So if you brushed nickel fixtures are exposed to too much water and you don’t clean them they will eventually rust no matter what.
Is Brushed Nickel Better Than Chrome?
Brushed nickel is always more favorite and preferable to homeowners when it comes to kitchen or bathroom fixtures like sinks, faucets, sprayers, etc. Because they are extremely durable and long-lasting. They tend to get less rusty and are less prone to get watermarks on them. Also, brushed nickel is very easy to clean up and does not get scratched easily.
Although chrome fixtures are more lavish looking and shinier they get handprints so easily that you have to clean them pretty often. Also, they get scratches and get rusty if not taken care of. So even though brushed nickel is inexpensive they last longer than chrome.
What Is Better Nickel Or Chrome?
Both nickel and chrome fixtures are popular choices when it comes to kitchen or bathroom accessories. So it completely depends on the homeowner’s personal preference. But no one thing that you should know is chrome is more prone to lose its shiny coat than the nickel.
Chrome fixtures are more expensive and definitely on the higher maintenance side than a nickel. As nickel is pretty easy to clean and needs low maintenance most people prefer to choose nickel fixtures for their homes. So in a casual sense, you can say that nickel is better than chrome.
Why Is A Brushed Nickel More Expensive Than Chrome?
As we’ve already mentioned that brushed nickel survives most scratches, gets less dirty, takes less time to clean, adds a classy rustic vibe to your kitchen or bathroom, and lasts longer than chrome so they tend to get more expensive than chrome.
Also, the making process of brushed nickel is very lengthy and complex. Meanwhile, chrome is a pretty easy material to process and has more availability. That’s why brushed nickel is more expensive than chrome.
What Is The Most Popular Faucet Finish?
Depending on the quality, maintenance, color, and lasting effect any kind of nickel finish is extremely popular on the market which makes them more expensive as well. There are a couple of different finishes on nickel such as brushed nickel, polished nickel, and satin nickel. Among all the three finishes brushed nickel is probably the most popular.
Are Brushed Nickel And Chrome Both Silver?
Both brushed nickel and chrome have a silver-looking color. Chrome is shinier and brighter than white or silver whereas brushed nickel is more muted brownish or yellowish silver.
Does Brushed Nickel Clash With Chrome?
According to the professionals’ brushed nickel can be mixed with dark bronze or brass with chrome or brass with nickel etc. are pretty common. But it is not recommended to mix brushed nickel with chrome. Because they will surely clash with each other.
There is a rule that when mixing two metals one can be the main finished and the other as an accent. So both brushed nickel and chrome will act as the main metal or the finish but they can not be mixed at any cost.
What Is The Difference Between Chrome And Brushed Chrome?
There is no excessive difference between chrome and brushed chrome. Usually, chrome is used on top of the metal base as electroplating for decoration and shine. And making brushed nickel has almost the same process as making brushed chrome where a brush or scratchpad is used to remove the top shine of the finish but not the actual finish itself.
So you can say that chrome is like a mirror surface which is very sharp, shiny, and bright light reflects the light more. And brushed chrome has more of a matt finish and muted tone to it.
