Bathroom faucets
Overview of the best manufacturers of bathroom faucets
Bathroom - this is the place where the owners often come in order to escape from the many problems and relax after a hard day. For this reason, it becomes very sad if the condition of the bathroom itself is a problem. The greatest inconvenience here may be a poor-quality mixer, because, for example, it may cause neighbors to flood, or, by constantly dropping water drop by drop, will eventually lead to a significant increase in water bills.
That is why such plumbing detail should be purchased from the best manufacturers, who for many decades of hard work could prove their viability in this area.
Features
It would seem, it is enough to know the name of at least one eminent brand of plumbing - and you can go to the store for a bathroom faucet. Doing this, you get the result is not better, really from a completely ignorant person, jabbed his finger at the first available product.
Of course, the best manufacturers of such products are not in vain famous all over the world, because the mixers manufactured by them, like any other plumbing, have repeatedly proved their practicality. Many consumers sincerely do not understand why overpay for more expensive parts, even if it is not outwardly very different from cheaper ones, but here they are just wrong. As is known, the miser pays twice, and therefore the probability of a quick breakdown is always increased in a cheap mixer from a little-known manufacturer.
It is also good if the deficiency is noticed and eliminated in time, but if the flooding of his apartment and neighbors from below occurs, the owner can clearly see why it was not worth saving on plumbing fixtures.
At the same time, it is wrong to believe that the manufacturers rating gives the key to the one hundred percent understanding of which plumber to choose, because:
- Any rating is somewhat subjective, therefore it is not necessary to chase strictly the leader - any of the top five brands will be a very worthy decision.
- Any company will have both successful and comparatively failed models, because of which the rating may change every six months, and a particularly unlucky consumer may choose not the most inspiring decision from a generally impeccable supplier.
- It is necessary to understand by what criteria the selection of appropriate plumbing is made, because the mixer can be excellent, but completely unsuitable for the bath, since its planned scope of application is somewhere else.
Criterias of choice
Among consumers and advertising specialists, the phrase that choosing only high-quality goods is very annoying, however, as soon as it comes to choosing bathroom faucets, it turns out that the majority do not really understand what the quality of such a product is. All selection criteria can be divided into those that relate directly to quality, and those that determine the scope of application and personal preferences. We will look at the last factors a bit later, but let's talk about quality in more detail.
Insofar as choosing a well-known manufacturer is still a fairly substantial guarantee of quality., Let's start with this. A common mistake many newbies make is a theoretical choice in favor of one brand as opposed to everything else before going to the store. It is also good if it is at least checked personally by this buyer, but it also happens that the opinion is made solely from reviews on the Internet, which are often written by the sellers themselves.
Here it should be understood that there are many good manufacturers of mixers, because it is worth arming yourself with a whole list of brands that are worthy of trust. At the same time, it is extremely stupid to buy a mixer simply because it meets this single criterion - it is necessary that the chosen model win according to other criteria.
Such criteria, for example, include the material from which the mixer is made. At present, the most popular materials for the production of such products are either plastic or brass coated with chrome. With all the advantages of modern plastics painted in all areas of production in plumbing, it still loses to classic materials, since the brass tap turns out to be more durable, and therefore more durable. As for plastic models, their only advantage is often simply lower cost, but we have already talked about the risk of choosing according to this criterion.
This example makes it clear why Do not blindly chase the untwisted brand, because there may be a situation where the store will be relatively expensive plastic mixer from the untwisted brand and about the same brass for the price, but from a little-known company. A newcomer would buy branded products, and a professional would certainly prefer a higher-quality material.
A somewhat specific indicator of the quality level of the product is its price. A rather common opinion is that higher prices mean higher quality, but in practice this is not at all the case. There are a number of criteria forcing the manufacturer to raise prices even without improving the quality - these are increased costs for the workers' wages, if the plants are located in the West, and even the consumer’s banal belief that high prices mean quality.
Others, often little-known, companies often try to win competition by lowering prices, but the question is how they turn out to be profitable - often poor-quality materials or gaskets are used for this, some useful technologies can be excluded in the production process.
It is possible and even necessary to acquire cheaper goods, but only on condition that you understand what caused such cheapness. For example, if one crane is cheaper than another simply because it is produced next to the store and there is no extra delivery costs, then this, obviously, does not affect its quality.
Kinds
It should be understood that the concept of a bathroom faucet can be quite different. Even according to the type of attachment and purpose, such plumbing varies greatly:
- Shower faucet It is, in essence, a watering can, which is attached to a flexible hose. The device is almost always mounted on the wall, which determines its shape.
- Washbasin faucets they are as varied as the shells on which they are placed. The difference lies not only in the form of the structure, but also in the functionality and method of opening and closing the water, because for all these criteria it is the shell that assumes the greatest variety.
- Bathtub faucets can also be mounted on the wall or on the bath itself, however, their typical difference is the increased length of the spout. This is especially true if the part is still mounted on the wall - then it is often hung quite high, so that the same spout can work on the bath and on the washbasin.
It should be noted that such multifunctionality contributes to accelerated wear of the structure, and it will be necessary to repair the mixer much more often.
Separately, it should be said about the functionality and the method of opening water - these factors are often striking to people in the first place. According to these characteristics, mixers are divided into several types at once:
- Valve The mixers were invented a long time ago and are still used as a tribute to the classical traditions of interior design. The advantage of such a crane is that it is relatively inexpensive, and even the owner of the house can often carry out its repair. At the same time, the need to open the supply of cold and hot water separately may take a lot of time to fine-tune the temperature, and because of the constant rotation of the valves, the need for water increases and the entire structure wears out faster. Although if you need to wash dirty hands, the valves will probably be stained too, but such a mixer impresses with its versatility - it is appropriate literally everywhere.
- Ball Mixers appeared a few decades ago and represent a single lever, which is also familiar to everyone, whose turns in different directions allow you to adjust the temperature and pressure of the water. This design has all the same advantages as the valve, and even allows you to keep the faucet clean if you need to wash soiled hands. However, in addition to the last clarification, the disadvantages also completely coincide with those of the valve mixer.
- Contactless Mixers are far more common in public institutions than in private homes, and this is quite reasonable. Such a construction is several times more expensive, it does not involve self-repair, and even in the bathroom it is not applicable anywhere except the washbasin, because it turns the water on and off only as a result of the movement response. However, under the conditions of the washbasin, a number of advantages appear, since such a mixer with the help of a battery and wiring never allows the tap to get dirty and never get dirty about it, and also accurately remembers the owner’s preferred water pressure and temperature, automatically including them every time. As a result, you do not have to waste time on adjustment, and in the process water is not wasted. In addition, this solution is considered very reliable, because there are no gaskets that can leak.
Popular brands
Judging by the popularity and mass character in our country, we have to admit that the majority of people are not focused on operational advantages, but on low cost. In this context, Russia and China as the manufacturing countries are leading unequivocally, but the world-famous German brands that produce the best plumbing equipment enjoy great success anywhere, but not here. However, attention should be paid to all.
Russian manufacturers
Russian-made mixers are extremely popular due to the low price, which is due to two main factors. First of all, the relatively low salaries of employees of such firms have an effect, the fact that such a manufacturer is geographically closer to the consumer also plays a significant role, because the cost of travel is greatly reduced, and the duties at border crossings disappear altogether. In fairness it should be noted that Russian cranes do not enjoy success abroad - if they are exported, then to neighboring, relatively small countries.
"Dewdrop" It is considered one of the most popular Russian brands, which calls the development of all models in Russia its own main advantage, thanks to which each product is optimally adapted to local conditions. If you believe the official site, all products are fully certified, even for use in the conditions more picky users than the Russian.
"Everest" - another Russian manufacturer, which can only be called such conditionally. The fact is that in fact such mixers are Chinese, and they are released by the Chinese brand Potato, which in a similar way decided to interest the domestic consumer. However, the advantages are the same - the price remains low, no one expects stunning quality, and right away such a mixer does not break.
Foreign analogues
It has already become a tradition for our consumer to praise products of imported origin, and in many cases this behavior is reasonable, because only the best samples usually pass through the border.
Grohe - The world leader in the field of plumbing, controlling 8% of the market of the planet. It is considered the most durable solution, since even the company itself, through official points of sale, provides a guarantee of ten years. Widely represented in the post-Soviet space thanks to a large network of official dealers.
Hansgrohe - akin to the previous company, and so much so that they were founded by father and son. According to many experts, the products of the father's company are no worse, and the differences are mainly in design and pricing.
Jacob Delafon, in contrast to the two described above, the company is French, therefore the fundamental difference between them lies precisely in the design. If the Germans make the main emphasis in the design on conciseness and refined simplicity, then the French are important charm, because they are ready to even turn a simple bathroom faucet into a work of art.
Geberit continues our ranking of the top European manufacturers of plumbing. This company comes from Switzerland, where they simply do not know how to do poor quality, but the underlined style is perfectly combined with the most modern technologies. The minus of the choice in favor of this brand lies in the fact that wealthy Swiss make very expensive taps that most of our compatriots cannot afford.
Oras - A great solution for those who want to purchase European plumbing without an extra overpayment. The headquarters and production facilities of the company are located in neighboring Finland, because the nearby Russian regions in some cases can buy such a mixer is quite inexpensive. It should be noted that this brand is largely focused on the markets of the post-Soviet countries, thanks to which its plumbing equipment is adapted to local conditions and serviced in official centers.
High quality is indicated by the fact that the company's products are very popular among demanding residents of Scandinavia.
Roca - Spanish brand plumbing for those who want to give their bathroom a completely non-trivial look. Some consumers even complain that in pursuit of an unusual appearance, developers sacrifice ease of use, but if you immediately evaluate all the advantages and disadvantages and come up with an antidote for the latter, such a mixer can become a real highlight.
Vidima - a rather popular producer in Bulgaria from our country, which mainly focuses on the Russian market. Since Bulgaria is part of the European Union, all its products must meet the highest quality standards, while wages in this relatively poor country are quite low, and this affects the price.
All the manufacturers described could be attributed to the rather well-known - they have all heard about them, they are recommended and written about them. At the same time, it often makes sense to turn your attention to other imported mixers, whose brand does not yet enjoy such widespread recognition. It is likely that the quality there will be approximately comparable, but there will not be a cheat for the brand. To foreign manufacturers of good mixers, which so far only gaining popularity in our country, include the following brands:
- G-lauf;
- Zerich;
- Ledeme;
- Zegor;
- Oute;
- Calorie;
- Elghansa;
- Dikalan;
- Orta;
- Haiba;
- Ganzer;
- Esko;
- Frud;
- Edelform;
- Milardo;
- Gappo;
- Diablo;
- Orange;
- Boou
Reviews
Comments on specialized websites on the Internet confirm for centuries the proven truth that the miser pays twice. As practice shows, often an attempt to save on the purchase of plumbing leads to the fact that the product will have to be repaired or changed in the near future.
The most well-known global manufacturers of sanitary ware do not usually offer very cheap products, since they spend considerable money on the use of modern technologies and high-quality materials, as well as on the work of official stores and service centers.
In some cases, a well-optimized system leads to the fact that the manufacturer is able to reduce the cost of its products without loss.
As for products from the segment of extremely inexpensive mixers, it, of course, is also in demand in our country. At the same time, a paradoxical situation develops, in which none of the “budget” brands has ever won any particular fame. A brand may sell a significant amount of goods, but it does not become recognizable by this - it is not recommended to others, or they simply do not know. To find reviews about such products is also very problematic, which means that the consumer risks each time, giving money for such a product.
Tips
If you want to buy a good bathroom faucet from a good manufacturer, follow a few simple guidelines:
- If the choice fell on really popular branded products, it is better to buy it either from authorized dealers or in large hardware stores. By purchasing goods on the market, the buyer significantly increases the probability of acquiring a false, defective product without a guarantee.
- In the company stores, where plumbing of one particular brand is sold, the buyer will probably be told that all the mixers of this company are equally good, but they will advise the most suitable model so that you do not give up on the brand. In a large construction supermarket, an employee’s consultation may be far more honest, because he doesn’t care what kind of brand the customer chooses, but he can give you something that is not selling well in this store.
- The assortment of any self-respecting store will be large enough for an unprepared consumer to simply become confused, so be prepared - just imagine for this purpose a mixer that suits you completely.
For information on how to correctly select the faucet for the kitchen or bathroom, see the following video.