Sometimes it feels like the cheap stuff is designed to make you give up and call a plumber.
Man, I swear the “universal” label is just code for “good luck, buddy.” I tried to save a few bucks with one of those kits, and the thing barely fit. Ended up with a leaky mess and a pile of leftover parts. I get wanting to save money, but sometimes the hassle just isn’t worth it. Still, I can’t help but try the cheaper option first... stubborn, I guess.
Totally get what you mean about those “universal” kits. I tried to help my uncle swap out his old sink drain with one of those and it was a comedy of errors—wrong size gasket, pipes that sort of lined up but not really, and somehow we had two washers left over. Ended up making three trips back to the store. Sometimes paying a bit more for something that actually fits right the first time saves a lot of headaches... but yeah, I still get tempted by the cheaper stuff too. It’s hard to pass up a deal, even when you know it might bite you later.
Sometimes paying a bit more for something that actually fits right the first time saves a lot of headaches...
That’s been my experience too. I’ve lost count of how many “universal” kits I’ve seen cause more trouble than they’re worth. The parts rarely match up with older plumbing, and you end up improvising with extra washers or cutting pipes to fit. Honestly, I’ve found that buying the correct brand-specific parts up front usually saves both time and money, even if it feels like you’re paying more at the register. Those leftover pieces always make me nervous—like, what did I miss?
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been burned by those “one size fits all” plumbing kits. Last year, I tried to save a few bucks replacing a sink drain in one of the older units. Ended up making three trips to the hardware store and still had to cobble together parts from two different kits just to get it to stop leaking. In the end, I spent more than if I’d just bought the specific OEM part in the first place. Lesson learned, but it’s tempting every time when you see that cheaper universal kit on the shelf.
Honestly, those leftover pieces always make me uneasy too. If there’s a spare gasket or weird connector left over, I’m double-checking everything because I don’t trust that it’s “optional.” Maybe in newer homes it’s less of a hassle, but with older plumbing, I’d rather bite the bullet and pay for what actually fits. Saves me from frantic tenant calls about drips under the sink at 2am...
Those “universal” kits always seem like a good idea until you’re kneeling under the sink, surrounded by random washers and pipes that don’t quite line up. I tried one on my 1960s kitchen—ended up with a Frankenstein setup and a slow drip I couldn’t fix. Wound up ordering the exact drain online, paid more, but at least it fit first try. Now I keep the leftover bits in a box labeled “maybe someday,” but honestly, they just collect dust.
