Faucet Aerators Built to Spec
Standard thread sizes, certified flow rates, and OEM configurations from 200 pieces. We manufacture aerators as integrated components of our faucet lines and as standalone wholesale SKUs. Every unit ships with the same QC documentation as the faucet it fits.
Flow Range
0.5 – 2.2 GPM
MOQ
200 pcs
Product Overview
What a Faucet Aerator Is — and Why the Spec Details Matter for Your Order
A faucet aerator is the threaded insert at the tip of a faucet spout that mixes air into the water stream, controls flow rate, and shapes the stream pattern. Every faucet we ship leaves the factory with one installed. We also supply aerators as standalone components for distributors who stock replacement parts, OEM buyers who source aerators separately from faucet bodies, and overseas manufacturers who need a certified aerator to complete their own assembly.
The reason spec details matter more than most buyers expect: aerator thread sizing is not globally standardized. North American faucets use different thread standards than European or Asian faucets, and the difference between a male and female thread configuration determines whether the aerator mounts inside or outside the spout tip. Getting this wrong means your downstream customer can't install the replacement, or your OEM assembly line is holding a part that doesn't fit the body. We've seen both situations — they're avoidable if the spec conversation happens before the order, not after.
The other variable that drives purchasing decisions is flow rate. Water efficiency regulations in California (CEC), the EU (EU 2017/1369), and Australia (WELS) all set maximum flow rates for residential faucets, and those limits differ by market. An aerator rated at 2.2 GPM clears US federal standards but fails California's 1.8 GPM residential requirement. We manufacture across the full range and can confirm compliance for your target market before you commit to a run.
Thread Configuration
Male vs. female thread determines inside vs. outside spout mounting. North American, European, and Asian standards differ. Confirming thread type before order prevents assembly-line mismatches downstream.
Flow Rate & Market Compliance
2.2 GPM clears US federal but fails California's 1.8 GPM residential cap. EU 2017/1369 and WELS (Australia) set their own limits. We manufacture across the full range and confirm compliance for your target market before you commit.
Three Buyer Profiles We Serve
Distributors stocking replacement parts, OEM buyers sourcing aerators separately from faucet bodies, and overseas manufacturers needing a certified aerator to complete their own assembly. Each has different spec and documentation requirements.
Engineering Data
Technical Specifications
Specifications shown are industry-standard values for this product type. Actual specifications may vary by configuration. Contact us for detailed product data sheets and confirmation for your specific application.
Thread Configuration
| Parameter | Standard Options |
|---|---|
| Thread type | Male (M) — external thread; Female (F) — internal thread |
| Common male sizes | M18×1, M20×1, M22×1, M24×1 |
| Common female sizes | M16.5×1, M18.5×1, M21.5×1, M23.5×1 |
| US standard (cache/recessed) | 15/16"-27 UNS (male), 55/64"-27 UNS (female) |
| Custom thread sizes | Available on OEM orders — confirm with engineering |
Flow Rate & Stream Pattern
| Flow Rate | Typical Application | Regulatory Fit |
|---|---|---|
| 0.5 GPM (1.9 L/min) | Ultra-low-flow, commercial restrooms | Exceeds all major market requirements |
| 1.0 GPM (3.8 L/min) | Water-saving residential, hospitality | Meets CA, EU, WELS |
| 1.5 GPM (5.7 L/min) | Standard residential, North America | Meets US federal, CA, EU, WELS |
| 1.8 GPM (6.8 L/min) | Standard residential, North America | Meets US federal, CA |
| 2.2 GPM (8.3 L/min) | Standard residential, non-CA US | Meets US federal only |
Stream patterns available: aerated (standard), spray, laminar (non-aerated), swivel.
Materials & Construction
| Component | Material |
|---|---|
| Housing | Brass (standard) or ABS plastic (economy option) |
| Screen/mesh | Stainless steel 304 |
| Flow restrictor disc | POM (polyoxymethylene) |
| Rubber washer | EPDM |
| Finish options | Chrome, brushed nickel, matte black, brushed gold |
Brass vs. ABS: Which Housing to Specify
Brass housing is our default recommendation for any market where the aerator will be sold as a branded replacement part — the weight and finish consistency are noticeably different from plastic, and that difference shows up in your downstream customer's perception of quality. ABS makes sense for high-volume OEM assembly where the aerator is hidden inside the spout and never handled separately.
Available Finishes
Chrome
Brushed Nickel
Matte Black
Brushed Gold
Need a product data sheet for your specific configuration?
We'll confirm thread size, flow rate, and compliance documentation before you commit to a run.
Compliance Credentials for Your Target Market
We hold cUPC certification for North American plumbing code compliance and CE marking for European conformity. Both certifications cover the aerator configurations we supply as part of our faucet assemblies. For standalone aerator orders, we provide SGS test reports on request.
Our Certification Portfolio
cUPC and CE certifications are held at the assembly level — they travel with the faucet order. SGS test reports for standalone aerator SKUs are available on request and are included as part of the order, not as a paid add-on.
Flow Rate Compliance by Market
United States (Federal)
Maximum 2.2 GPM for lavatory faucets
Qualifying configs
California (CEC Title 20)
Maximum 1.8 GPM
Qualifying configs
European Union
Maximum 6 L/min (1.6 GPM) for water-efficient labeling
Qualifying configs
Australia (WELS)
3-star rating requires ≤6 L/min
Qualifying configs
Mixed Configuration Orders
If you're distributing across multiple markets, we can supply different flow rates for different destination markets within a single production run. We do this regularly for North American distributors who split inventory between California and non-California warehouses.
Compliance Documentation Included
For buyers entering markets with mandatory water efficiency labeling — WELS in Australia, the EU energy label, or California's CEC listing — we provide the test documentation your compliance team needs to complete the registration. The paperwork is part of the order, not an add-on.
How We Make Aerators: Process Details That Affect Your Downstream Quality
Aerators are small parts, but the tolerance stack matters. Here's what we control at each stage of production — and why it affects the quality your customers experience in the field.
Brass Housing & Thread Tolerance
The thread engagement between the aerator and the faucet spout needs to be tight enough to prevent leaks under normal water pressure (typically 0.3–0.6 MPa in residential systems) but not so tight that a homeowner can't remove it for cleaning without tools. We machine brass housings to a thread tolerance of ±0.05mm — the same tolerance we hold on our faucet valve seats — because a loose thread is the most common source of aerator drip complaints in the field.
Flow Restrictor Disc: Injection-Molded POM
The flow restrictor disc determines the rated flow rate, and it's where we see the most variation in the market. Some suppliers stamp the disc from thin sheet stock and rely on the hole diameter alone to control flow. We injection-mold the disc from POM with a calibrated orifice profile — the geometry of the orifice, not just its diameter, shapes the flow characteristic and keeps the rated GPM consistent across pressure variations from 0.2 to 0.6 MPa. This matters if your downstream customers are in markets with variable municipal water pressure, which is most of them.
304 Stainless Steel Screen Mesh
Screen mesh is 304 stainless steel, 40-mesh standard. We've tested finer mesh (60-mesh) for markets with sediment concerns, but the pressure drop across a 60-mesh screen at 0.3 MPa is enough to noticeably reduce perceived flow — most buyers land on 40-mesh as the right balance. The mesh is ultrasonically welded to the housing rather than press-fit, so it doesn't dislodge during installation or cleaning.
Multi-Layer Electroplating
Finish application on brass aerators follows the same multi-layer electroplating process as our faucet bodies: copper base coat, nickel mid-coat, decorative top coat. Chrome aerators pass 24-hour salt spray as a minimum.
Exact Finish Matching
If you're ordering aerators to match a specific faucet finish — brushed nickel, matte black, brushed gold — we run them through the same finishing line as the faucet bodies in the same batch, so the color match is exact rather than approximate.
Pressure Range: 0.2–0.6 MPa
Our calibrated orifice profile keeps rated GPM consistent across the full residential pressure range. Stamped-disc competitors show measurable flow drift outside a narrow pressure band — our injection-molded geometry holds spec across the range your customers actually see.
Process Summary: What Controls Quality at Each Stage
- Thread tolerance ±0.05mm — same spec as faucet valve seats; eliminates drip complaints from loose engagement
- Injection-molded POM orifice — calibrated geometry holds rated GPM from 0.2 to 0.6 MPa; stamped-disc alternatives drift outside narrow pressure bands
- 40-mesh 304SS screen, ultrasonically welded — won't dislodge during installation or cleaning; 60-mesh available but causes measurable pressure drop
- Same finishing line as faucet bodies — exact color match on brushed nickel, matte black, brushed gold; not batch-approximate
Market Segments Where Aerator Wholesale Moves Volume
Four distinct buyer segments drive the majority of aerator wholesale volume. Each has different reorder patterns, compliance requirements, and SKU priorities — understanding which segment you're serving shapes how you should structure your initial order.
Highest Reorder Frequency
Replacement Parts Distribution
Replacement parts distribution is the highest-reorder segment we supply into. Aerators wear out, clog, and get replaced — the replacement cycle in residential markets runs roughly every 2–5 years depending on water quality. Distributors who stock aerators alongside faucets capture the aftermarket revenue that the original faucet sale generates.
SKU Matrix Strategy
A distributor stocking 6–8 SKUs covering the most common male and female thread sizes in their market can service the majority of installed faucets without a custom order. We can help you build that SKU matrix based on your market's dominant faucet brands and thread standards.
Volume Fit-Out & Maintenance
Hotel and Hospitality Procurement
Hotel and hospitality procurement buys aerators in volume for two reasons: initial fit-out and ongoing maintenance. A 200-room hotel installs 400–600 aerators at opening and replaces a portion annually.
Compliance Is Non-Negotiable
Flow rate compliance is non-negotiable in this segment — hospitality properties in California, the EU, and Australia face regulatory audits, and a non-compliant aerator is a liability. We supply hospitality procurement teams with certified 1.5 GPM configurations and provide the compliance documentation their facilities managers need for audit files.
Component Supply
OEM Faucet Assembly
OEM faucet assembly is where we supply aerators to manufacturers who source components separately. If you're assembling faucets and need a certified aerator that matches your spout thread spec, we can supply to your drawing or match to a reference sample.
Low Entry MOQ for Qualification
MOQ for OEM aerator orders starts at 200 pieces per configuration — low enough to qualify a new thread size without committing to a full container.
Sustainability Compliance
Green Building and LEED Projects
Green building and LEED projects specify low-flow fixtures, and aerators are the lowest-cost path to compliance for a project that's already installed standard faucets.
Water Consumption Reduction
A 1.0 GPM aerator retrofit on an existing 2.2 GPM faucet reduces water consumption by 55% at the fixture — that's a meaningful contribution to a project's water efficiency score.
Contractors and project procurement teams buying for LEED or BREEAM projects need the flow rate test documentation to submit with their certification application; we provide it as standard.
OEM and Custom Aerator Configurations
Standard catalog aerators cover the most common thread sizes and flow rates. For OEM buyers who need something outside the catalog — a non-standard thread pitch, a specific orifice profile for a proprietary flow rate, a custom finish that matches an existing product line — we handle that through our OEM process.
What Can Be Customized
-
Thread size and pitch — male or female, metric or UNS
-
Flow rate — any value from 0.5 to 2.2 GPM, calibrated to ±5%
-
Stream pattern — aerated, spray, laminar, swivel
-
Housing material — brass or ABS
-
Finish — chrome, brushed nickel, matte black, PVD gold, brushed gold
-
Packaging — retail blister pack, bulk poly bag, custom branded packaging
What Affects MOQ and Lead Time
Standard Catalog
lead time
Standard configurations, all catalog thread sizes and flow rates.
Custom Thread or Flow Rate
lead time
Includes tooling for the flow restrictor disc. Non-standard thread pitch or proprietary orifice profile.
Custom Finish
lead time
Custom finish on a standard configuration. All in-house finishes available.
Custom Branded Packaging
added to any configuration
Retail blister pack or custom branded packaging added to any configuration above.
Matching to an Existing Faucet Body
For buyers who need a custom aerator to match an existing faucet body — whether it's a body we made or one you're sourcing elsewhere — send us the spout thread dimensions or a physical sample. Our engineering team will confirm the fit and send back a spec sheet within 3 business days.
- Submit spout thread dimensions or a physical sample
- Engineering team confirms fit and returns spec sheet
- Turnaround within 3 business days
Related Aerator Products
Packaging, Container Loading, and Reorder Logistics
Aerators ship in one of three packaging configurations depending on your channel. Container loading is efficient, and reorder specs are locked after first confirmation — your warehouse receives the same product every time.
Bulk Poly Bag
OEM & Wholesale Distributors
50 or 100 pieces per bag, master carton of 500–1,000 pieces. Standard for OEM assembly buyers and wholesale distributors who repackage for their own brand.
Retail Blister Pack
Shelf & E-Commerce Ready
Individual carded packaging with thread size and flow rate printed on the card. Ready for shelf or e-commerce listing. We can print your brand name and logo on the card — minimum 500 pieces per SKU for branded packaging.
Installer Multi-Pack
Plumbing Supply & Contractors
5 or 10 pieces per pack, designed for plumbing supply distributors selling to contractors. Includes a thread size reference card.
Container Loading
20GP capacity & consolidation
Container loading for aerators is efficient — a 20GP container holds approximately 200,000–400,000 pieces depending on configuration and packaging type.
Most wholesale buyers consolidate aerator orders with faucet orders in the same container, which we coordinate from our end to optimize packing and minimize void space.
Reorder Logistics
Locked specs, consistent batches
Reorder logistics are straightforward because aerator specs don't change between runs. Once you've confirmed a configuration — thread size, flow rate, finish, packaging — we lock the spec sheet and every subsequent order runs to the same parameters.
Spec sheet locked after first confirmed order — no configuration drift between batches
Your warehouse team receives the same product every time
Downstream customers don't encounter fit or flow inconsistencies between batches
Sibling Products in the Faucet Aerator Components Range
Aerators are one component in a broader faucet components catalog. If you're building a replacement parts program or sourcing components for OEM assembly, these related products ship from the same facility — one purchase order, one container, one set of shipping documents.
Kitchen
Kitchen Faucet Aerators
Larger-diameter configurations (M22, M24) suited to kitchen spout sizes, with swivel and spray stream options for pull-down faucet heads.
Bathroom
Bathroom Faucet Aerators
Smaller-diameter configurations (M16.5, M18.5) for bathroom lavatory faucets, with laminar stream options for vanity applications.
Water Efficiency
Low Flow Faucet Aerators
0.5 and 1.0 GPM configurations specifically for water efficiency compliance, with WELS and CEC documentation.
Sink
Sink Faucet Aerators
Aerator configurations sized and rated for sink faucet applications across residential and commercial installations.
Supply
Kitchen Faucet Hoses
Braided stainless supply hoses for kitchen faucet replacement and OEM assembly.
Shower Valve
Shower Faucet Cartridges
Ceramic disc cartridges for shower valve replacement, tested to 500,000 cycles.
All components available for consolidated ordering
One purchase order. One container. One set of shipping documents.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sourcing questions we hear most often from procurement teams and distributors — answered with the specifics you need to make a decision.
What thread size do I need for a standard US faucet aerator?
Most US kitchen faucets use a male thread of 15/16"-27 UNS (external, on the outside of the spout tip) or a female thread of 55/64"-27 UNS (internal, recessed inside the spout). Bathroom lavatory faucets more commonly use the smaller 13/16"-27 UNS male or 3/4"-27 UNS female.
If you're stocking replacement aerators for the US market, covering these four thread sizes handles the majority of installed faucets.
European market note: The dominant sizes are M22×1 male and M24×1 male — different from US standards. Confirm before ordering if you're supplying both markets.
What is the difference between an aerated stream and a laminar stream aerator?
Aerated Stream
Mixes air into the water, producing a white, bubbly flow that looks full and feels soft. Standard for residential kitchen and bathroom faucets. The most common configuration in wholesale volume.
Laminar Stream
Produces a clear, glass-like column of water with no air entrainment. Used in medical and laboratory settings where water splashing is a contamination concern, and increasingly in high-end hospitality where the visual effect is part of the design. Also quieter.
If you're supplying to healthcare or premium hospitality procurement, ask us about laminar configurations.
Can I order aerators to match a specific faucet finish I'm already selling?
Yes, with one condition: the finish needs to be one we run in-house. Our in-house finishing range covers chrome, brushed nickel, matte black, PVD gold, and brushed gold.
Sourcing faucets from us
We run the aerators through the same finishing batch as the faucet bodies, so the color match is exact.
Sourcing faucets elsewhere
Send us a finished sample. Our finishing team will evaluate the match and confirm before production.
What's the MOQ for a custom flow rate aerator?
500 pieces per configuration for a non-catalog flow rate. The tooling cost for a custom flow restrictor disc is absorbed into the unit price at that quantity.
Multiple flow rates: If you need, say, 1.2 GPM and 1.6 GPM for different market segments, each configuration runs as a separate SKU with its own 500-piece minimum — but we can run them in the same production window and ship together.
Do your aerators come with compliance documentation for WELS or California CEC?
Yes. For configurations rated at 1.8 GPM or below, we provide SGS flow rate test reports that document compliance with:
- WELS 3-star (≤6 L/min)
- California CEC Title 20 (≤1.8 GPM)
- cUPC-certified configurations — certification documentation ships with the order
If you need documentation formatted for a specific regulatory submission — WELS product registration, CEC appliance database listing — let us know at the quote stage and we'll confirm what's available.
Get a Quote for Faucet Aerators
Send us your thread size, flow rate, finish, and target quantity — or a reference sample if you're matching an existing product. We'll come back with a detailed quote within 24 hours and, if you need it, a recommendation on which configuration fits your market's compliance requirements.
New to sourcing aerators as a standalone component? Tell us your target market and the faucet brands your customers are currently using — we'll suggest a starter SKU mix based on the thread sizes that cover the most installed base in that market.
What to include in your enquiry
Thread size and type
Male or female, US UNS or metric M22/M24. If unsure, send a sample or a photo of the spout tip.
Target flow rate
GPM or L/min. If you have a compliance target (WELS, CEC, WaterSense), mention it here.
Finish
Chrome, brushed nickel, matte black, PVD gold, or brushed gold. Or send a sample for matching.
Target quantity
Per SKU and total. If you're running multiple configurations, list each separately.
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