I live in a 26-foot travel trailer most weekends. It’s me, my husband, our kid, and a dog that sheds like it’s his job. The stock RV kitchen faucet that came with our 2016 Jayco was short, stiff, and… splashy. I had to turn pots sideways just to fill them. That got old fast.
So I replaced it with a Dura Faucet pull-down RV kitchen faucet. Brushed nickel. Single handle. It looks fancy, but it’s light and meant for RVs, which matters more than looks. If you're curious about how this model stacks up in formal testing, an in-depth third-party review of the Dura Faucet DF-PK100-CP covers flow rate, durability, and long-term reliability.
You know what? It changed our tiny sink life.
Want the full play-by-play of the swap, including the gear list and the rookie mistakes I made? I've got it all documented in this step-by-step faucet swap guide.
The One I Installed
- Brand: Dura Faucet
- Type: Single-handle pull-down sprayer
- Finish: Brushed nickel
- Flow: About 1.8 GPM with an aerator
- Feels: Mostly plastic body with metal bits, which keeps weight down
I also tried a RecPro faucet in a friend’s rig last summer at Red River Gorge. It felt similar, just a hair shorter. Moen makes pretty ones too, but many are heavy. On thin RV counters, weight is a thing.
Install Story: Nothing Fancy, Just Real
I did the swap in 25 minutes while the dog watched like it was a cooking show.
- Turned off the pump and city water.
- Put a towel under the sink, because something always drips.
- My RV lines are 1/2-inch. The faucet came with 3/8-inch leads, so I used simple brass adapters.
- The deck plate covered the old three holes. Nice and clean.
- I used the foam gasket that came in the box. No plumber’s putty needed.
- I hand-tightened first, then snugged it. Don’t over-crank. These sinks are not cast iron.
Need a primer before you crawl under the sink? This comprehensive guide to selecting and installing RV kitchen faucets walks through connection sizes, deck plates, and weight considerations.
The one hiccup? The thin countertop let the faucet wiggle. I slid a small plywood shim under the clamp. Rock solid after that.
Side note: Fiddling with supply lines got me thinking about the rest of my plumbing, and when my fresh tank finally sprang a leak I chronicled the complete replacement in this water-tank saga.
Pro tip: Most RV sinks don’t have shutoff valves. If you forget the pump, you’ll get a surprise shower. Ask me how I know.
Day-to-Day Use: Tiny Sink, Big Help
The pull-down spray head reaches every corner. That alone fixed 80% of my gripes.
- I can blast coffee grounds out of the drain strainer.
- Rinsing berries is easy with the soft spray.
- The “pause” button saves water when we boondock. I soap, pause, rinse. It adds up.
- It fills my Dutch oven without a weird angle.
Now, my sink is shallow. On spray mode, it can mist the counter if I go full power. On city water it’s strong. On the pump, it used to pulse. I unscrewed the aerator, rinsed out grit, and it got smooth again. If you want to get fancy, an accumulator tank helps too, but I’ve done fine without it.
Road Test: Travel Days Get Weird
Tall faucets can thump when you roll. This one has a soft dock, but the magnet isn’t super strong. On washboard roads near Quartzsite, the sprayer popped loose once and kissed the backsplash. No harm done. Since then, I wrap a Velcro strap around the neck on travel days. I have also used a cozy sock. Don’t laugh—it works.
We gave it a real shakedown on a long weekend at Riverhouse Acres in western North Carolina, and the steady water flow made cleanup easy. While upgrading life inside the rig is great, you might also want to plug into the vibe of whatever town your wheels roll into next—swing by FuckLocal for an unfiltered, locals-only scoop on nearby hangouts, services, and events so you can spend less time searching and more time enjoying the stop. For example, if your next jaunt has you parking up near Fort Worth, the USA Sex Guide to Fort Worth can clue you in on adult-only nightlife spots, etiquette, and local do’s & don’ts so you roll in prepared rather than clueless.
Also, check cabinet clearance. When our slide comes in, the handle gets close to the window trim. It clears, but barely. Worth checking before you buy.
Water spots? Yep, brushed nickel shows them. I keep a cheap microfiber towel by the sink and give it a quick swipe after dishes. Two seconds, done.
What I Liked
- Pull-down sprayer reaches every corner
- Light weight, so no counter sag
- Easy install with basic tools
- Pause button saves water off-grid
- Smooth handle control, even with cold hands
What Bugged Me
- Spray can mist past a shallow RV sink
- Magnet dock could be stronger
- Finish shows spots (wipe and it’s fine)
- Plastic parts feel, well, plasticky
- Needed a shim to stop wiggle
Cost, Weight, and Little Gotchas
Mine was about $95. That’s mid-range for RV faucets. It’s lighter than many home faucets, which is good for travel. If you go with a heavy Moen or Kohler, check your counter. Thin laminate plus potholes equals sway.
Adapters are cheap and easy. I keep two spares in the drawer, along with Teflon tape and a tiny basin wrench. If something leaks on a Sunday night at a campground, I’m not waiting till Monday.
Real Moments That Sold Me
- Camped at Lake Ouachita, I used the soft spray to rinse fish smell off our fillet board. The sink didn’t stink after.
- Morning oatmeal panic? The tall neck fits our pot without turning it sideways.
- Winterizing day, I ran pink antifreeze through the sprayer head. No clogs in spring. Sweet relief.
- My kid filled the dog bowl with one hand and used the pause button like a pro. The dog slurped like he earned it.
- Curious how our water stayed reliably hot through all this? I had a whole adventure with the heater, detailed in my RV hot-water-heater story.
Tips So You Don’t Swear Under the Sink
- Use a pressure regulator on city water. Saves seals and your sanity.
- Clean the aerator if your pump feels jumpy.
- Add a small wood shim if the faucet wiggles.
- Strap the sprayer for travel days.
- If your sink is super shallow, stick with stream mode for less splash.
Who Should Get This
- Weekend campers who do real cooking
- Full-timers with shallow sinks
- Folks who boondock and need water control
- Anyone tired of two tiny knobs and a stubby spout
If you cook more than you want to admit—like me—this upgrade is worth it.
The Short Verdict
I’ve used this RV kitchen faucet for a full season now. It’s not perfect, but it’s a big step up from stock. It saves water. It reaches. It doesn’t sag my counter. And it makes a small sink feel bigger. Honestly, I should’ve done it sooner.