Does anyone have a faucet recommendation?

Question

In what is probably the dumbest landlord problem I've had, there's a faucet in a kitchen sink that the handle is getting looser/stripped on the inside, so I'm looking to replace it. I can't find a single faucet under $200 that doesn't have some kind of reviews saying that they leak after a few years. Is this just a problem I'm going to have or does anyone have a recommendation on one that'll last a lot longer?

Matt M. · Answer

@Lucas Hammer

I can tell you from experience, a Moen or Delta from a big box store is not the same as one from a plumbing supply house. If you want longevity, go to a supply house.

Nathan Williams · Answer

Ive had good success buying off-brand faucets on Amazon... the highly rated ones that look very nice yet are less than half the price of a Delta or Moen.  So far so good in my primary residence.

John Teachout · Answer

I usually use the Delta single handle faucets everywhere. I have 8 of them in my house for bathroom sinks and have only had to service the seals in one of them in the past 18 years. I have a single handle Delta faucet in my kitchen and serviced the seal kit in that this year for the first time in 18 years and it gets a lot of use. I've also used them in rental properties with good success. These are just the plain jane single handle faucets. A lot of people like the pull down sprayers that are part of the faucet but from my experience these don't seem to hold up well in the long run. (compared to a separately mounted sprayer.) I've never owned one but my sisters have had them.

Karl B. · Answer

I bought this one for my house over three years ago and it's been great: https://www.homedepot.com/p/MOEN-Walden-Single-Handle-Standard-Kitchen-Faucet-with-Side-Sprayer-in-Spot-Resist-Stainless-87427MSRS/203583446For my rentals I always try and buy Moen or Delta (I don't buy the $150 fixtures for my rentals but if you're looking for something under $200 I recommend the one listed above).

Matt R. · Answer

I put the 2009 version of this faucet (American Standard Cadet 6425) in my kitchen here at home and it's been OK since then: https://www.americanstandard-u...

Around the same time, I had a local plumber replace the valve and shower head in my main bathroom, as it was more than I felt comfortable doing myself.  He asked me if I wanted the cheapest thing at the supply house, or a "name brand", or what. So I asked him which one he fixed the least of.  :)  He said that in his opinion, both Delta and Moen were of about equal quality, but that Deltas were "easier to get parts for", so I had him install a Delta, and it's been working OK since then.

What I figured out later is that Moen has a lifetime warranty on many of their faucets/valves, BUT, you have to call them or contact them online, and then they mail out the parts.  Delta's warranty is not as long, but most big-box and hardware stores carry replacement parts for them - sometimes you even have the choice of a genuine Delta part or a cheaper knockoff.

If the faucet itself is OK, and just the handles are messed up, you should be able to find some "generic" replacement handles at the big-box store or hardware store.  The problem is that the valve stems are not all the same shape, so it's hard to tell which handles you need without looking at the faucet or taking the old handles with you.  Some of the generic handles come with bushings/inserts so they will fit more than one shape of valve stem.  Home Depot has various generic handles by Danco - some of them get poor reviews, though.  When I localize to the South Loop HD, it looks like they stock a dozen or so kinds that might work. https://www.homedepot.com/b/Pl...

If you know the exact brand and model of your faucet, you might be able to order new handles from the manufacturer.

I am not associated with any companies mentioned.

Jordan Rundell · Answer

I realize this is not really a kitchen sink faucet, and it is a bathroom faucet, but just trying to reiterate the point.  Also, maybe someone can use this in the future.  But I bought this faucet off of amazon, and it has been rock solid.  And, I mean, really, you just cannot beat the price.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/prod...

Erik B. · Answer

Unfortunately in that price range from the "box" stores the quality is going to be crap although it should last quite a few years.

You can try online stores like efaucet.com or faucet.com and get better quality and selection.

FWIW the quality at the box stores has really taken a turn for the worse. And often I'm finding that the prices are more then going to supply houses on most everything.

Christpher Schuebel · Answer

https://www.menards.com/main/kitchen/kitchen-faucets/american-standard-ellis-trade-one-handle-pull-down-kitchen-faucet/9391321-002/p-1444423981638.htm

I've put this in 2 houses and haven't had any issues.

George W. · Answer

if you want longer lasting ones go to a supplyhouse. Get a moen, delta or a gerber.

Mike B. · Answer

Black Friday.. get to Home Depot/Lowes and buy the $35 faucet set specials.  Save them in your garage and when they break, you can easily replace.

Does anyone have a faucet recommendation?

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