Renshui rethinks the bathroom faucet

True revolutions in faucet designs may be few and far between, but China's Renshui is certainly doing its part to shake things up, and has now introduced yet another faucet sure to amaze and confuse visitors to your humble abode. In addition to breaking with the usual faucet design, this model packs a touch panel that will let you switch between hot and cold water, or dial in the exact temperature you want -- which is, of course, displayed on the faucet itself (it'll even warn you if the water is getting too hot). No word on availability over here, but it did recently win a red dot design award, so the chances of a release may have gotten a bit better.

[satish Posted Jul 9th 2010 8:49PM]

Useless Crap. but i would show it off if i had a gazillion $

[Smart People Play Tuba Posted Jul 9th 2010 9:16PM]

The faucet is the LAST thing in my house that needs a "power" button.

"power" + water = bad things, man

[Quetzalcoatl Posted Jul 9th 2010 9:18PM]

@satish
not useless, not pretty, but the idea is cool

[tavisjohn Posted Jul 9th 2010 9:29PM]

@Quetzalcoatl Yes useless. If the power goes out, you can't wash your hands.

Another issue could be cats.

Cats + Touch Sensitive = high water bill

[Avaviel Posted Jul 9th 2010 9:47PM]

What about designing it so it is powered by the water?

[aschettler Posted Jul 9th 2010 10:00PM]

@tavisjohn My cats already do this with the toilet. Funny to watch them do it the first couple times, but then it gets irritating (especially living in a desert where water is not cheap).

[EggoEspada Posted Jul 9th 2010 10:06PM]

@satish I want the one with the bigger GBs and the Wifiz

[xconan Posted Jul 9th 2010 10:48PM]

@Avaviel
solar powered faucets, ie Sloan faucets or mini hydro turbines
http://www.geek.com/articles/gadgets/minimini-hydro-turbine-literally-taps-electricity-from-your-faucet-2009043/

[onlyk Posted Jul 9th 2010 11:05PM]

@Smart People Play Tuba
O'rly? Then what are these?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatic_faucet

[Firehazel Posted Jul 9th 2010 11:13PM]

@Smart People Play Tuba unless the faucet has a distiller, then we'd be fine.

[Slappy Wag Posted Jul 10th 2010 1:02AM]

@satish
Hosw f$%#Jked up is it that people NEED icons on their faucets? What happened to blue=cold, red=hot??

[juanvaldez Posted Jul 10th 2010 4:11AM]

@tavisjohn Give it a manual overide and your “problem” is solved.

[wolfticket II Posted Jul 10th 2010 5:57AM]

@Smart People Play Tuba
umm electric showers?

[rlopin Posted Jul 10th 2010 7:19AM]

@Smart People Play Tuba

What about hydro-power?

Wouldn't it be cool is the very water streaming out charged a small watch-type battery to power its own LEDs ?

[bigcow05 Posted Jul 10th 2010 9:56AM]

@satish

You can stick with turning mechanical faucets 0.00001 degrees to go from ice-cold to scalding. I'll take this one!

[domhnall Posted Jul 10th 2010 8:31PM]

@Smart People Play Tuba
I actually felt a little sick when I saw that power button.

[DougieBear Posted Jul 11th 2010 2:26PM]

@Smart People Play Tuba

You mean like your shower?

[GaryZ Posted Jul 9th 2010 8:51PM]

ugly...

[Zslap Posted Jul 11th 2010 1:49AM]

@GaryZ you're ugly

just kidding

no im not, you really are ugly

[DefusedHero Posted Jul 9th 2010 8:51PM]

Why does it remind me of Star wars?

[wolfticket II Posted Jul 10th 2010 5:59AM]

@DefusedHero
you're right, i think it looks tie fighterish

[wakeup Posted Jul 9th 2010 8:51PM]

AWESOMEAOMZ

[AlienSix Posted Jul 9th 2010 9:00PM]

Innovation!!

[jeff0529 Posted Jul 9th 2010 9:02PM]

I hate touch sensitive faucets. Sometimes they stop, or work in bursts, low flow, etc. Pain in the ass water saving measures. Some things are better left simple; It's why-tech.

[ShadowMaker SdR Posted Jul 10th 2010 2:06AM]

@jeff0529 What a wonderful word: why-tech . If you came up with it I'd start spreading it, it's a great word. I'm putting it up on Twitter.

[Tommy Five Posted Jul 10th 2010 10:01AM]

@jeff0529 I like that word as well... I will use it often in my ID schooling.

[BigD145 Posted Jul 10th 2010 12:14PM]

@jeff0529 Low flow is a requirement in many places.

[Bad S Rome Posted Jul 9th 2010 9:05PM]

Form factor is weird. I think we should have had something like that in year 2000. Also, I want to see the shower version.

[geniusdog254 Posted Jul 9th 2010 9:29PM]

@Bad S Rome

Agreed, a shower version would be awesome!

[admlshake Posted Jul 9th 2010 9:15PM]

that thing looks like it would snap the first time I hit it with a big pan

[stratosigma Posted Jul 9th 2010 9:21PM]

@admlshake you may want to reconsider your use of large pans in the bathroom

[sonicyoof Posted Jul 9th 2010 9:15PM]

Should have won an award for most wasteful use of technology/resources.

[Flix C Posted Jul 10th 2010 5:09AM]

@sonicyoof
Exactly. Quite ironically it a faucet a.k.a water dispenser which is like the most sensible resource.

[JPB Posted Jul 9th 2010 9:19PM]

The name means 'person water' in Chinese or 'man water', which I found funny. Interesting design, but I'd prefer the controls on the base. . .

[Gavin M Posted Jul 9th 2010 9:34PM]

@JPB
I agree controls on the base would be way better design. I think this way (current design) makes retro fitting to current faucets easier.

[collywobbles Posted Jul 9th 2010 9:20PM]

Is it running Android?

[That guy 2 Posted Jul 9th 2010 9:33PM]

@collywobbles No, symbian, I believe it has a 1mhz processor, and wifi and Bluetooth, you can get 3G with tmobile (it's funny because it's not mobile, it's in your [someones] bathroom)

[Alexpeegs Posted Jul 9th 2010 9:42PM]

@collywobbles give it time...give it time.

[DrDr Posted Jul 9th 2010 9:21PM]

this should be in alt...

[Gad Get Posted Jul 10th 2010 5:25PM]

@DrDr

Why?

[obarthelemy Posted Jul 9th 2010 9:22PM]

ugly. hard to clean. probably dangerous.

[Robhimself Posted Jul 9th 2010 9:26PM]

Takes forever for my water temp to adjust anyway.

[Appletz Posted Jul 9th 2010 9:26PM]

can it play crysis?

[blenderx360 Posted Jul 9th 2010 9:30PM]

How's it powered? 9-Volt batteries?

[BuzzMega Posted Jul 9th 2010 9:31PM]

Perfect for the bathroom without a coffee cup holder.

[That guy 2 Posted Jul 9th 2010 9:31PM]

Please downrank this comment, I'm bored, please do it because I told you to, not cause you want to :)

[Jukah Posted Jul 9th 2010 10:55PM]

@That guy 2
Must... hit... negative.... GAH I can't do it! 1+

[reallynotnick Posted Jul 10th 2010 2:13AM]

@Jukah
I feel we should all just keep it at neutral, that way we don't give him any satisfaction.

[loocas Posted Jul 10th 2010 5:31AM]

@reallynotnick Seems you blew it... :/

[That guy 2 Posted Jul 10th 2010 10:22AM]

@Jukah Aw man you guys suck! Haha I don't care I'm not bored anymore...I had a feeling you would all do that tho...