Which mixer to choose – tips and tricks

To replace the gasket, you will have to turn off the water, unscrew the tap with a key and re-seal the connections. In addition, domestic cranes have a rather unassuming appearance that does not fit well with modern repairs. The main advantage of such a crane is its relative cheapness (the difference with imported counterparts can be up to ten times). The advantage of rubber gaskets can be considered insensitivity to the quality of the supplied water, to the smallest particles of sand that can deform the ceramic crane-axle box.

If, for example, your house is equipped with gas water heaters that regulate the water temperature, it is better not to use single-lever mixers. For this purpose, it is better to use two-valve mixers..

Our kitchen faucets are generally of the herringbone design, with integral valves angled around the edges of a fixed spout pipe. In the bathroom, faucets are usually used with an elongated swivel spout that reaches not only the washbasin, but also the bath. A shower hose and a watering can is attached to this mixer from above. In this case, the metal braid of the long hose begins to deform over time..

The range of imported materials available for sale is much wider. In the retail market, you can find products from all over the world: from well-known Western manufacturers producing high-quality and elegant goods, to cheap Chinese counterfeits. The price range may include a budget domestic model ($ 50–120), a middle class model ($ 150–250) and more. More expensive models differ not structurally, but design delights.

The price of a model usually consists of the cost of materials and the quality of the finish. The most inexpensive and common option is chrome plating, which prevents the emergence and spread of pathogenic microorganisms. More expensive models are plated with brass with precious metal inserts.

In budget models, characterized by the best ratio of cost and quality, the spout and eyeliner pipes are made from brass. The body, built-in handles, as well as the swing arm are made of extra strong plastic. In practice, this material is in no way inferior in strength to metal: you cannot accidentally break or bend it. Moreover, such plastic is much easier and cheaper to manufacture. To guarantee an attractive presentation, the visible parts of the mixer must be chrome plated. You will not be able to immediately understand where is the metal part and where is the plastic.

The most expensive models not only mix and block water, but also filter with high quality. In addition, they have a built-in movable spout with a pull-out spray, they can have several ways of supplying a water jet, various control mechanisms – limiters, fuses, a built-in thermostat, as well as contactless sensors.

In the face of extremely tough competition, beautiful design has become the trump card of many mixer manufacturers. According to their ideas, the mixer should become an interior decoration. The leaders of the plumbing market use the services of leading design masters to develop their faucet collections. As a result, the shape of the taps and handles can be completely different. Often, designers draw their ideas from the work of the surrealists, medieval traditions, the aesthetics of Gothic art, or simple forms of the twentieth century. In the manufacture of handles, inserts of glass, crystal, wood, natural marble, polished onyx are often used, as well as a combination of materials of different origin..

The price of mixers largely depends on the degree of quality and reliability. The standard of quality, in this case, can be considered German mixers. For example, the manufacturer carefully analyzes the composition of brass – the slightest deviation from the norm leads to the remelting of the entire batch. After completing the casting of the one-piece mixer body, every hundredth part is sawn to analyze the correct shape of the internal channels. Finished mixers are subjected to the highest possible pressure from the flow of water and air.

According to the way of operation, the cranes are divided into single-lever and two-valve variations. The former are much more expensive, but at the same time they are compact and easier to use. Inside the water shut-off unit, a seal made of rubber or leather is usually built-in, which is of low cost, but quickly fails. In more advanced models, a ball cartridge is used – a mixer or a system with built-in ceramic plates.

Try to give preference to models with the most smooth surface that does not have noticeable joints. Such a mixer is much easier to operate and easier to maintain the chrome surface..

In almost every famous collection you can find a single-lever model with a convenient hole inside the handle, with which you can operate the mixer with just two fingers. Working with such a tap is quite simple – if you have already soaped your hands, you can turn the lever with the back of your hand or elbow. The ball valve has a very simple design. The water from the mains flows through two inlet channels into a hollow mixing ball made of stainless steel. It has two compact inlets and one large outlet. The position of the mixing ball is determined by the regulator. All existing connections are sealed with strong fluoroplastic rings, which guarantee tightness of the connections and free rotation of rubbing parts. The convenient shape of the holes and their diameter make it easy to set a comfortable water temperature. The large diameter of the mixing chamber makes the ball cartridge less sensitive to hard and dirty water.

Another design option is the use of a ball cartridge made of ceramics, resistant to the destructive effects of an aqueous environment, and potentially considered the most reliable design at the moment. Such a faucet does not leak due to the most tight fit of the joints. Since our water purification requirements are inferior to the European standard, the smallest pebbles can quickly deform the smooth ceramic surface. To eliminate possible problems, it is necessary to install an initial cleaning mesh filter at the outlet of the water supply pipes, which will have to be washed every year and a half..

Since all ball structures are protected by patents and it is not so easy to replicate them, some companies make single-lever devices with a built-in check valve, consisting of ceramic plates ground to each other, connected to an actuator. The plates have several specially shaped holes. For the water to flow, you need to turn the lever and shift the plates so that the holes in the plates coincide and the water enters the mixing zone. The plates are so tightly joined that when they touch, the effect of sticking occurs. By the way, this may indicate the high quality of the mixer..

Often, an additional component of modern mixers can be the use of some adjusting devices – a screw, as well as a special nozzle on the cartridge. At the same time, the screw regulates the limiting water pressure in the tap, reliably fixing the vertical position of the handle of the working mixer. The nozzle allows you to adjust the extreme vertical position of the handle, stopping the supply of hot water to the system. With this nozzle, you will not only avoid accidental burns, but you will also be able to significantly save energy if you heat the water using the installed boiler.