Elbow Action Single Lever Basin Mixer

Quick Answer: The Elbow Action Single Lever Basin Mixer is a deck-mounted mixer tap for a wash basin in which one long lever, moved with the elbow, controls both how much water flows and how warm it is, blending the hot and cold supplies in a single spout.

One Lever for Flow and Temperature

A single lever basin mixer combines two controls in one handle. In most designs one direction of lever movement opens and closes the flow while the other shifts the blend between hot and cold, and a cartridge inside the body does the mixing. On this elbow action model the lever is extended so that both movements can be made with the forearm, which keeps clean hands away from the fitting after washing.

Compared with a mixer that has one lever per supply, such as the Double Elbow Action Surgical Basin Mixer, a single lever is quicker to use: the temperature position stays where it was left, so the next user usually needs only to open the flow. The trade-off is sensitivity to supply pressure. A single-lever mixer gives a steady temperature when the hot and cold lines arrive at similar pressures; if one comes from a low roof tank and the other from a pressurised line, the blend swings and the lever becomes hard to set. Check both supplies before choosing this style.

Basin mixers of this kind are usually monobloc, passing through one tap hole with two flexible inlet hoses underneath; the connection details of this model should be confirmed with the order.

Specifications

Applications

• Handwash basins in microbiology and pathology labs, where warm water encourages thorough washing.
• Clinical-skills and nursing labs that teach handwashing technique at a basin.
• Food-science and dairy labs, where greasy residues wash off more easily in warm water.
• Staff washrooms attached to laboratories that want one standard hands-free fitting.

Care & Handling

• Mark the hot side of the lever travel if the mixer carries no colour indicator, so new users do not swing straight to full hot.
• Fit strainers on the inlet hoses where the water carries grit, because mixing cartridges are sensitive to particles.
• Check the flexible inlet hoses under the basin once a year for bulges, rust at the ferrules or damp.
• Clean the lever and spout with a neutral detergent, not abrasive pads, to protect the plated finish.

Why Choose LabEquip

Labs building new handwash stations with a hot supply are the usual buyers, particularly where no-hands use is preferred. LabEquip lists this mixer in General Lab Products; share the basin type and supply arrangement through the contact page so the connections can be matched.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does a single lever mixer control temperature?

One lever movement opens the flow and the other changes the proportion of hot to cold passing through the cartridge. The lever stays where it was set, so the temperature is repeated for the next user.

Single lever or double lever: which suits a lab basin?

A single lever is faster to use and keeps its temperature setting. A double lever mixer gives separate control of each supply and copes better when hot and cold pressures differ, so the choice depends on your supplies and users.

Why does the temperature keep changing on my mixer?

Usually because the hot and cold supplies are at different pressures, or because pressure drops when another tap opens. Balancing the supplies, or fitting a pressure-balancing or thermostatic valve upstream, steadies the outlet temperature.

Can the mixer be used with cold water only?

It will work, but a mixer on a single supply offers nothing over a simpler elbow tap. It is worth fitting where a hot supply is available now or planned.

Can users scald themselves with a single lever mixer?

Yes, if the hot supply is very hot, because one sideways push can select full hot. Limiting the stored water temperature, or fitting a thermostatic valve before the basin, removes that risk; test the outlet after installation.

What maintenance does the cartridge need?

Very little if the water is clean. If the lever becomes stiff or the tap drips, the cartridge may be scaled or worn, and it can usually be replaced as one unit by a plumber.

Last Updated: September 2026