As a doomsday prepper and avid vanlifer, Dometic’s battery-powered Go Faucet has, for the past few years, played a central role in my boogie bug out kit and my camping rig’s water system. So it took me two minutes with Dometic’s new Recon 360 faucet to realize that it’s an upgrade in every way that matters — and then it was confirmed after a week of testing.
As for upgrades, the Raven 360 faucet simply ditches the Miss Touch surface for real mechanical buttons. One button produces a standard stream of water for brushing your teeth or filling a glass, and the other, the larger button pot, emits a more vigorous stream for washing your hair, or quickly filling a water bottle before heading out for a hike. The water flow stops with the second press of the active button, otherwise it will automatically stop the flow after 90 seconds or 1.5L/3L to avoid wasting this precious resource.
In my testing, pressing the small button dispensed a liter of water in 41 seconds (at an arm’s length-sharp 52db), while the fast button produced a liter in just 24 seconds at 60db. The low-flow mode is quieter than the original one-button go faucet, with a less annoying drone due to its lower pitch. However, it’s still too high for wineleafers to hide a glass of water at night while others sleep, although the bright LED light that illuminates the stream certainly makes it possible.
And as the name suggests, the base can be rotated 360 degrees for more space options. It’s a welcome change that should reduce the number of times I have to clean water off my kitchen counter when the stiff, wretched water hose—included with both Dometic models—causes the lightweight faucet to deflect away from the sink.
Thankfully, the new faucet has also moved to a USB-C connector for micro USB charging, with a battery that’s still good for around 150 liters (about 40 gallons). The Recon 360 faucet now also has a 4-stage LED meter on top that shows the remaining charge.
The faucet is slightly smaller but slightly heavier than the Go model. It comes with a selection of metal picks that can be adhered to a countertop or water jug to create a platform for the faucet’s magnetic base. The strength of the new magnet feels twice as strong as the old model, which should keep the faucet in place better when on the streets. That’s a good thing because I’ve sent my go faucet flying through the van five or six times now, and it still just keeps pumping. I hope the Recon 360 Faucet is just as durable.
The only real problem is the price: GO for the faucet. $149.99 for the Recon 360 faucet instead of $99.99, which Dometic still sells. GoTwenty is great, but the Raven 360 fixes so many minor complaints that I think it’s worth every extra penny. Yes, there are cheaper and less functional alternatives available on Amazon and AliExpress, but if you need to use a portable faucet regularly, like I do, Dometic’s durable and feature-rich faucets won’t disappoint if you can afford them.
All photography by Thomas Ricker/The Verge
