One of our primary services here at Stine-Nichols is fixture installations. Whether that be sinks, showers, toilets or what not, it’s always a great feeling when you bring a modern touch to your house! However, if you walk down the aisles at Home Depot or Lowe’s, you’ll notice there’s a nearly endless supply of manufacturers to choose from. Plus, if you browse Instagram or Pinterest, you’re encountered with that many more options. How do you know what’s going to give you the best bang for your buck? What is going to be the most durable and require the least maintenance? What are the new options today that are hot in the market?
Yes, it may JUST be a faucet or a toilet, but keep in mind how much you’re using these fixtures each and every day. You might want some tips to make sure you pick out the right one. Luckily, I’ve installed more of these than I can count and am happy to give you my personal recommendations. I’ll walk through some general criteria that we get asked about all the time to make sure you are able to purchase the perfect faucet for you!
Top Faucet Manufacturers
To start off, let’s take a look at the most popular companies out there. You’ll have no trouble finding any of these companies at the majority of retail locations.
? TOTO – Certainly, Toto has long been a staple in the plumbing fixture industry. They’ve always been at the forefront on new technological innovations. They sell pretty much every fixture there is, whether that be faucets, toilets, bath tubs and so much more!
? SLOAN– Established in 1906, Sloan has also been a leader for quite awhile! They actually invented the Royal Flushometer. As is the case with most other manufacturers, they can create all the other fixtures as well! If you get a chance, check out the sustainability section of their website. This isn’t an ad for them, but they’ve always implementing some cool new initiatives each year!
? DELTA – Next on our list is Delta, which is another widely-known name in the fixture world. Delta opened their faucet company back in 1954. Not nearly as old as Sloan, but still PLENTY of time to become a big name in the industry.
? MOEN – Started back in 1937, Al Moen created a brand that would revolutionize the plumbing world. His invention of the single handle faucet would greatly change the game!
? KRAUS – While all of the names above have been in the industry for awhile, Kraus was founded in 2007.
? GROHE – Last, but not least, we have Grohe. This German-based company is certainly one of the luxury brands. Keep in mind that there are a number of other different European-import brands that are usually going to be more on the end of luxury.
What To Look For?
Now that you know who the major players are in the faucet game, it’s time to examine what makes up a good faucet. Keep in mind that most manufacturers offer these same exact variables. It’s typically going to be the durability or ease of maintenance that varies from brand to brand.
- What finish does it have? Just a few to look at here include Bronze, Chrome, Nickel and Stainless Steel.
- What type of faucet do you want? There’s a few different types to choose from, depending on what your kitchen set-up is. The most common are pull-down and pull-out. Pull-down is without a doubt the most versatile option. It can pretty much work with any sink. Conversely, pull-out faucets are a little bit shorter and typically make more sense for those with smaller kitchens. Two-handle and touchless faucets are becoming more common, but are definitely still in growth mode and not as widespread as the previous two.
- Are there additional spray modes available? If you’re in the market for something with a little bit extra kick, it might be worth checking out the spray modes. A lot of the newer options offer some pretty cool features in terms of different modes!
Affordability
Our first criteria item will be affordability. We know you want a quality product that will revamp your kitchen. However, at the same time, you don’t want to break the bank on the faucet, as you very well may be making other home improvements in the process.
?Kraus, Moen, Delta – All of these brands offer some great single-lever options that are functional and durable. Plus, for those in the market for a commercial faucet, Kraus has some options under $200 that are just as good as the more expensive options, like the one linked here!
??Sloan, Toto – If we go up a little more in price point, we get to Sloan and Toto. Sloan is always going to be slightly more expensive because they place a major emphasis on the touchless technology. On the other hand, Toto is definitely one of our most common brands we use for upscale options. Toto supplies durable options that actually end up saving you a little in the long run compared to the ones in the first category.
???Grohe – While Grohe has some cheaper products, we’re listing them here because typically, they are utilized for their more expensive options. This is also the case with the majority of other European-imported faucets. Additionally, keep in mind that it can be difficult to get replacement parts here in the states for imported faucets. It isn’t uncommon to wait 6-8 weeks for them to arrive.
Warranty
When it comes to warranty, no one wants to be the one that loses sales because of not offering an adequate warranty clause. All of the companies offer lifetime limited warranties on their standard products. The warranty period various though with some of the newer technology, such as touchless. If you opt to go with something a little more high-tech, it wouldn’t hurt to check the warranty real quick before purchasing.
Something Unique About Each One (and a final sales pitch for each!) ?
?Kraus – For Kraus, we’re going to roll with their commercial style approach. We all know that design is a major factor in how your kitchen looks. Whether that’s due to an underlying theme or the specific products on display, there’s a central design behind all of this. At a surprisingly affordable price for it’s durability and unique aesthetic, Kraus does a remarkable job of creating a contemporary look while not breaking the bank!
?Delta – Delta is one of our favorite brands here at Stine-Nichols Plumbing. Simply put, Delta checks all the boxes. Premier quality. Durability. Design aesthetics. Innovation. This final point, innovation, is certainly what makes Delta different from the rest of the pack. While everyone has own their own unique touch to their products, Delta has repeatedly been at the forefront in general fixture innovation. While it’s easy to not reinvent the wheel and go with what works, Delta did just the opposite of that when they released their Touch2O technology in 2011. In essence, this allowed for touch-operating and eventually touchless operating with the second release. It certainly required some investment in R&D, but the plethora of benefits created made it more than worth it!
?Moen – Moen makes up another one of the brands that isn’t afraid to innovate. In fact, it’s a major part of their history as evidenced above with the creation of the single handle faucet. They offer a multitude of both classic and modern options. However, we’d rather stress their contributions to innovation as a differentiating factor. They created a special group of products that produce filtered water straight from the tap. Check out their Sip Range if you’re someone that would like filtered water from the tap!
?Toto – The Toto brand is going to come with a slightly higher price-tag. With that higher price point, you are certainly getting a more durable product that should have a longer lifespan. Toto is one of the leaders when it comes to new design ideas. Just take a look at their innovation page to their website. Although it’s not a faucet, check out this toilet here. It’s the Neorest 550H and it’s easy to understand how this epitomizes luxury bathroom design!
?Sloan – Sloan is certainly going to be your go-to brand when it comes to commercial bathrooms. With a high focus on touch-free technology, they have done a terrific job in making sure their products meet nearly all budgets. With modern designs like Basys, as well as their classic faucets, they also have options for different environments.
?Grohe – If you’re looking to get the best of the best, then Grohe should certainly deserve your consideration. With beautiful finishes and incredible functionality, it isn’t uncommon to see their products run over $1000, such as their K7 Single-Handle. Coming from Germany, it can be difficult to get the repair parts in-stock here in Kansas City, but the quality is beautiful!
Need More Help?
Still confused on which brand is going to make the most sense for your kitchen? Well, we’ve seen our fair share of faucets. Give us a call at 816-348-3481 and we can see which brand makes the most sense for you! Whether you’re up north in North Kansas City, Gladstone and Liberty, or down south in Johnson County, we also offer installation services! Our most common installs the last handful of years have been Toto, Moen and Delta. However, all of these companies above are industry-leaders and will give you a top-notch product!