I’m not totally convinced it’s just water quality, honestly. I’ve got pretty soft water here and still had a “fancy” faucet start leaking after two years, while the cheap one in the laundry room is ancient and works fine. Sometimes I wonder if the expensive ones are just over-engineered or have more parts that can fail. Maybe simpler is better, at least for stuff that gets used every day.
I get what you mean about the “fancy” faucets. I’ve seen a few of those high-end models come apart way sooner than the basic ones, which is kinda wild when you think about the price difference. Like you said,
My uncle’s got this old-school faucet in his basement that’s probably older than me, and it’s never leaked once. Meanwhile, my neighbor swapped in a touchless kitchen faucet last year and already had to replace a sensor.“the cheap one in the laundry room is ancient and works fine.”
Makes me wonder if all those extra features just mean more stuff that can break down. Do you think it’s worth paying for the bells and whistles, or is it smarter to stick with something simple that’s easy to fix? I’m still learning, but it seems like the more complicated they get, the more likely you’ll be under the sink with a wrench sooner than you’d like...
Honestly, I see this all the time—those “smart” faucets look cool, but when something goes wrong, it’s usually not a quick fix. You end up hunting for a replacement sensor or a weird battery instead of just swapping out a washer. I get why people want the convenience, though. Touchless is nice when your hands are messy.
But yeah, the old-school stuff just keeps going. My dad’s kitchen faucet is probably from the early 90s and it’s only ever needed a new gasket once. Meanwhile, my buddy’s fancy pull-down sprayer started leaking after two years and the replacement part cost more than a basic faucet.
I guess it comes down to how much you value the extra features versus not having to deal with repairs. Have you noticed if certain brands hold up better than others, regardless of how simple or complex they are? Sometimes it feels like it’s more about build quality than bells and whistles...
You’re spot on about the old-school fixtures just lasting. I’ve swapped out a ton of faucets over the years, and honestly, the ones with fewer moving parts almost always outlive the fancy models. I get the appeal of touchless, but when you’re managing multiple units, simplicity wins. Moen and Delta have held up best for me—parts are easy to find, and repairs don’t turn into a scavenger hunt. Sometimes it’s tempting to go for the latest thing, but I’ve learned that reliability saves way more headaches in the long run.
I get where you’re coming from, but I’ve actually had some pretty solid luck with newer touchless models lately. The tech used to be finicky, but it’s improved a lot—especially on commercial-grade stuff.
Thing is, with touchless, you cut down on wear and tear from constant use, and in some cases, water savings are noticeable. The initial setup can be a pain, sure, but once they’re in, maintenance is less frequent than I expected. Just a different angle to consider if you’re open to it.“when you’re managing multiple units, simplicity wins.”
