Taps - cheap vs expensive?

[msmorgan]

I've noticed in nearly every bathroom thread the advice is to go for expensive taps. I'm wondering what the difference is? I've been comparing and the cheap basin tap I like,this www.victoriaplumb.com/Taps/Basin-Taps/Basin-Mixer-Taps/Hampshire-Basin-Mixer_249.html seems to be a similar spec to the more expensive branded taps I've looked at (Crosswater, Bristan). Many of the cheap taps state they are chrome plated brass, but so are expensive taps.

We need kitchen, downstairs loo, and two sets of bathroom taps, I don't really want to spend a fortune on them. I was thinking I'd get expensive kitchen and cloakroom taps as they will be used the most then spend less on the bathroom taps.

Our current bathroom taps are unbranded from Victoria Plumb, they have lasted 7 years so far, the bath tap could do with replacing as the shower attachment now leaks a bit but our DD's are quite heavy handed with it. The others are fine. Our more expensive branded kitchen tap from Magnet had to be replaced a few years ago.

Would expensive, branded mixer taps last massively longer than cheaper taps?

save up for Bristan taps.

If you buy a budget tap, do please try to avoid ceramics, especially those with a joystick. They are quite troublesome, and although replacement cartridges are available for major brands, Mr. Whiztap might not be in business when you need him.

What sort of tap did you have that went wrong?

Do all mixer taps have ceramics? Are Heritage brand taps any better than the non branded? I'm looking for a traditional styled basin mixer and floorstanding bath taps.

The kitchen tap was a mixer style, cost around £200, so not very expensive but not cheap and the cheapish replacement has lasted longer! It started dripping and apparently couldn't be fixed.

Crosswater make Bathstore taps. I was told by a salesman in a bathroom shop that Crosswater own brand are better but not sure I believe that to be true....who knows.

And Heritage is part of the Bristan group of companies

I didn't know that. I've been comparing the spec between Bathstore, Victoria Plumb, Crosswater and others and I don't know why some are so much more expensive.

I'm starting to think I'd be happy if a £40-£50 basin tap lasted 5 years or so rather than paying £200.

a tap where you turn the knob or lever by only a quarter of a turn has a ceramic cartridge. Also if it has a joystick.

I am especially fond of Bristan Regency which has a knobby capstan head and an easyclean shroud (unlike many "Victorian" style taps) and is comfortable to use and easy to clean.

Thanks Motleymop, so Heritage taps should be decent quality. I've found a floorstanding bath tap I like by Ashford, I've never heard of that brand though.

You probably won't be interested in doing this, but when I wanted new bathroom and kitchen taps in a nicer style than the awful cheap ones that were already fitted in this house, I went on Ebay and bought second hand ones, in an 'old fashioned' style I guess, and that was seven years ago and tehy are all still fine and going strong, no problems, no leaks or anything. Cost £2.30 for the kitchen ones and I think about a fiver for the bathroom one that was complete with shower (hand held, for a bath)

I like the Bristan Art Deco taps which are similar to the Regency.

ThunderboltKid do you think the floorstanding bath taps in the basin tap range above would be ok quality?

I don't mind buying off Ebay but we need to order everything soon so would depend if the right taps came up.

I like those art deco numbers as well. Couldn't have them in my own bathroom due to size issues but I like them- the heritage versions are really nice too.

Though they don't have the 'easyclean' nozzles that pigletjohn mentioned, they look good! (says she who chose style over practically throughout in whole house refurbishment)

*practicality

Is the shroud the spout part? I'm clueless, and I tend to go for looks over practicality too.

yes I think it's the rubber bit around the nozzle. I cldnt bring myself to type 'easyclean shroud'!! but now I've done it! (infantile thoughts...)

no, the shroud is the smooth, bell-shaped part, under the capstan head, that conceals most of the spindle, and the nuts that hold the components of the tap together.

If you look at a Regency tap you will see that it looks quite smooth, unlike the 1901 tap, for example, where the spindle and nuts are on show. If you have ever tried to clean a Victorian tap, you will find that dirt accumulates, and the sharp edges of the nuts tear and snag your cloth. Hence I would not recommend them, even if you want your bathroom to look old fashioned original.

The spindle and nuts are still present under the easyclean cover, which unscrews and lifts off after the capstan or cross-head has been removed. Some modern taps have a big round knob which conceals the spindle and nuts. To my eye it looks like a budget tap.

part 4 in this drawing

Ha, easy lean shroud does sound slightly wrong. Thanks PigletJohn, not the part I thought. I would never have thought about the cleaning of the taps. I like the Colonial taps which look like they would be fairly easy to clean.

I found the Art Deco basin mixer and bath/shower mixer taps on ebay for £150, this seems very cheap. Having looked on the Bristan site it seems they may have been discontinued so maybe that's why? Do most bath/shower mixer taps fit on stand pipes? It doesn't say but I'm assuming they would.

you can get an adaptor to put taps onto stand pipes, or stand pipes that connect to taps. For a piece of chromed pipe it might be quite expensive. Ordinary UK taps are intended to connect into a pipe coming from below, but their underparts are expected to be out of sight so are not ornamental. The adaptor will hide them. Look at adaptors and taps carefully before you buy. I have seen them in passing but never paid attention.

ah, I stand corrected!