Honestly, from what I've seen, price doesn't always equal reliability. I've worked on plenty of high-end faucets that had solenoid issues just as often as budget ones. Usually, it's more about regular maintenance—like you did with the clean-up. Hard water buildup or debris can mess up any solenoid, cheap or pricey. I'd say stick to regular checks and cleaning every 6 months or so, and you'll probably dodge most headaches...
Totally agree on the maintenance point. I learned that lesson the hard way myself. A few years back, I splurged on one of those fancy touchless faucets thinking it'd be trouble-free because of the price tag. Nope. Within a year, the solenoid started acting up—randomly turning itself on and off, driving me nuts. Turns out it was just some mineral buildup from our hard water. After a good cleaning, it worked fine again...but man, did I feel silly for spending all that extra cash.
Since then, I've stuck with mid-range faucets and just made it a habit to clean and check everything regularly—every few months or so. Haven't had any real issues since. Honestly, spending more doesn't guarantee fewer headaches. It's more about staying on top of regular upkeep than anything else.
Ha, been there myself with the fancy gadgets. Glad you figured out the mineral buildup trick—saved me a plumber visit or two. Regular upkeep is definitely underrated, and easier on the wallet. Live and learn, right?
Yeah, regular upkeep is great and all, but sometimes it's just delaying the inevitable. I had one of those fancy pull-down faucets—looked amazing at first, but after a couple years, the hose started leaking like crazy. Tried every DIY fix in the book, ended up shelling out almost $200 for a replacement. Lesson learned: simpler is usually better (and cheaper). But hey, at least I got pretty good at crawling under sinks...
"Lesson learned: simpler is usually better (and cheaper)."
Yeah, I hear you there. But do you think it's always about simplicity or just luck of the draw with certain brands? I replaced mine last year—went super budget-friendly, nothing fancy—but now I'm noticing tiny drips around the handle. Makes me wonder if going cheaper really saves money in the long run or if I'm just setting myself up for another round of under-sink yoga...
