Poll

Which brand of kitchen faucet is best?

Only registered users are allowed to vote for this poll.
17 votes were received.

Delta	5		29%
Moen	5		29%
Kohler	4		24%
Other (listed in reply)	3		18%

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Kitchen remodel. How do I narrow down my choices? Features? Brand? Price?
Thoughts in no particular order:
I'm pretty sure I want stainless steel (to match the sink, not the cabinet hardware, which will be oil-rubbed bronze, which I feel is a fad in faucets, and is probably harder to keep clean and pretty).
I want pull DOWN, not pull out.
I'm leaning toward including a soap dispenser.
I trust the reviews I read here far more than any I read on Amazon or any other site.
Magnetic vs spring docking?
Touch activated or not?
Grasping size of the spray handle? (Insert all the jokes you want. I have. LOL. Waitin4CJ wants to have a full, firm grip. wink smiley)
I've been looking mainly at Delta (Addison, Ashton), but have broadened my research to Moen (Haysfield, Arbor) and Kohler [the specific faucet name is a word that has been banned from this forum for some unknown reason.]
If I could narrow it down by brand, the decision would be easier.
I think.

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Central VA

Grohe. skip the fancy Touch, It is just something that will fail before the valves do.

10+ years ago I bought two Moen faucets. Both are still going strong; never a day's problem with either. I called Moen Customer Service before purchasing and, they were great. They also had a great website; lots of good information you should see before you plan your plumbing project. Both of my faucets have pull out spouts that can spray or stream water. A feature I love and use regularly. The next time I need to buy a faucet, Moen would definitely be on my short list. I think you'll be good with any of the major names on your list as long as you don't buy an "entry level" model.

Whatever you buy, make sure it's actually metal and not plastic plated with a metallic finish.

Here is the ultimate faucet company guide: [starcraftcustombuilders.com]

Note that their Part 1 (basics) page is also very useful.

Personally I would avoid sensor faucets. There is no way those things will last a lifetime, or anywhere near it.

We did a lot of research on good and bad brands, mostly using the starcraft pages, and ended up with a Hansgrohe, this one:



One thing to beware regarding Moen, Kohler and Delta is that although they do make quality products, they are known to sell different (crummier) faucets at the big box stores under the same model number and name as the higher quality faucets they sell at plumbing supply houses. This is also true of some other manufacturers [starcraftcustombuilders.com] . The takeaway lesson is...don't buy faucets at big box stores.

Also note that many of the older high quality faucet companies have been bought by others, and several now sell utter garbage. Just because your 20 year old Moen is a nice piece of kit means nothing in looking at the Moen-labelled faucets of today. This is also explained in detail in the Starcraft pages.

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"In science it often happens that scientists say, 'You know that's a really good argument; my position is mistaken,' and then they would actually change their minds and you never hear that old view from them again. They really do it. It doesn't happen as often as it should, because scientists are human and change is sometimes painful. But it happens every day. I cannot recall the last time something like that happened in politics or religion." (1987) -- Carl Sagan

Quote
davester
Here is the ultimate faucet company guide: [starcraftcustombuilders.com]

Note that their Part 1 (basics) page is also very useful.

Personally I would avoid sensor faucets. There is no way those things will last a lifetime, or anywhere near it.

We did a lot of research on good and bad brands, mostly using the starcraft pages, and ended up with a Hansgrohe, this one:



One thing to beware regarding Moen, Kohler and Delta is that although they do make quality products, they are known to sell different (crummier) faucets at the big box stores under the same model number and name as the higher quality faucets they sell at plumbing supply houses. This is also true of some other manufacturers [starcraftcustombuilders.com] . The takeaway lesson is...don't buy faucets at big box stores.

Also note that many of the older high quality faucet companies have been bought by others, and several now sell utter garbage. Just because your 20 year old Moen is a nice piece of kit means nothing in looking at the Moen-labelled faucets of today. This is also explained in detail in the Starcraft pages.

awesome advice, great links. Thanks.

we have a number of grohes. one two handle job in the kitchen and a single lever job on the bar sink.
The 2 handle is a royal pita to change stems. And I had to chnge them after 5 years of use.
I haven't had to change the bar sink single handle. I like it way better for setting a temp.
Sorry I was "persuaded" to the 2 handle for the main sink.
That said, I would buy "American" next time. They're all junk, until you get to stupid prices.

In the past, my family has all 3 of the other makes. Their customer service was all good, replacing parts without question.
Hans, not so much.
Just because it's German doesn't mean it's a Mercedes or BMW.

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!#$@@$#!

proofraed by OwEn the c@t.

Quote
Fritz
we have a number of grohes. one two handle job in the kitchen and a single lever job on the bar sink.
The 2 handle is a royal pita to change stems. And I had to chnge them after 5 years of use.
I haven't had to change the bar sink single handle. I like it way better for setting a temp.
Sorry I was "persuaded" to the 2 handle for the main sink.
That said, I would buy "American" next time. They're all junk, until you get to stupid prices.

In the past, my family has all 3 of the other makes. Their customer service was all good, replacing parts without question.
Hans, not so much.
Just because it's German doesn't mean it's a Mercedes or BMW.

Buying American is virtually impossible today. Look at the starcraft website. For example, American Standard used to be a great brand. However, they were taken over by Bain Capital (Mitt Romney's company) which then fired all the american workers and exported manufacturing to Mexico and China. Their faucets are now cheap imported garbage but still have the American Standard name.

By the way, Hansgrohe and Grohe are different companies.

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"In science it often happens that scientists say, 'You know that's a really good argument; my position is mistaken,' and then they would actually change their minds and you never hear that old view from them again. They really do it. It doesn't happen as often as it should, because scientists are human and change is sometimes painful. But it happens every day. I cannot recall the last time something like that happened in politics or religion." (1987) -- Carl Sagan

Quote
davester
By the way, Hansgrohe and Grohe are different companies.

and both are disappointing from our experience.

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!#$@@$#!

proofraed by OwEn the c@t.

A number of plumbing supply houses sell name brand faucets on eBay. I have saved a great deal on them shopping there.

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“No persons are more frequently wrong, than those who will not admit they are wrong.” -- François de La Rochefoucauld

"Those who cannot accept the past are condemned to revise it." -- Geo. Mathias

The German word for contraceptive is “Schwangerschaftsverhütungsmittel”. By the time you finished saying that, it’s too late

excellent link, BTW, to starcraft.

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!#$@@$#!

proofraed by OwEn the c@t.

Bain Capital (Mitt Romney's company)

Starcraft link is a gem ... and very revealing regarding Grohe and what's happening to the brand.

I like the touchless sensor on my kohler faucets, very useful if your hands a full with food, dishes.

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All I ever really needed to know, I learned from watching Star Trek.