Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

First let me start out by saying I sometimes wish I could go back to the days when internet was not available and the only 'research' I did was reading the information on the boxes at the store. With that being said, I know I spent way too much time of my life reading reviews on pull down faucets and going to Home Depot and Lowe's multiple times to test out various features. It came to a point I had to hide what I was doing from my husband because he could not believe that I had not picked a faucet yet. I just really want to get the best product for our money and needs. I narrowed down my search quickly to just Delta faucets because they are the only brand that has a Magnatite docking system so the faucet head stays in place. From other reviewers, a big pet peeve was that the faucet heads of various brands eventually hung down and would not stay securely docked. I was standing in Lowe's staring at all the faucets and an employee asked if I needed help. I said no, I have already done so much research, just trying to narrow it down. He said, well I will offer this one bit of info, go for the delta with the magnet because I just installed this one (referring to a moen) for my mother and the faucet head constantly hangs down. I just installed this faucet on 12/29/13 and have only been using it for 2 days, but I LOVE the magnet docking system!! You may be saying, why is she writing a review after only 2 days? I am just so excited about this faucet and could certainly comment on installation, look, size, and function. Of course, I will update this review after months and maybe years regarding durability. I do dislike when people give a 4 or 5 star rating but say, "I haven't used it yet, but it looks like a great product, can't wait to try it". Really? That doesn't help me one bit. I want to provide you with hopefully valuable information to help drive your decision just as I relied on the reviews from others. There was an error with my first shipment of the faucet (missing pull down head). Went on live chat that evening (Friday 12/21) and amazon quickly took care of the problem and confirmed delivery of new faucet on Monday 12/23. I simply attached the pre-paid postage to the box and dropped off at UPS. Kudos to Amazon for making it right. Some of my concerns based on other reviewer comments: Weight of faucet: too flimsy. I didn't think that at all. I feel like it is a sturdy, quality piece especially at the base of the unit. Yes, the pull down part is plastic but that is common simply because the extra weight would be too much (as per delta site). I'm ok with it because it doesn't look cheap. Color has a bluish tint: I have read mixed reviews when others have questioned this. Some say they think it matches their stainless sink perfectly with no bluish tone. I would have to disagree. I also got a brand new stainless steel sink and the faucet is a slightly darker color (bluish tint) but even with me being very picky, this doesn't bother me at all. The range of movement of the handle. ***This would have been a deal breaker for me and one part of the faucet I agonized about mainly because this is not sold in stores (around me anyway) so I couldn't get my hands on it to try it. I had the builder grade single handle on top with a nice 180 degree movement side to side to go from hot to cold. With the side load handle, many people complained that it was difficult to find that 'sweet spot' for warm water. It was either hot or cold because the range of movement of the handle was so little. My sister has another delta model and before even thinking about replacing my faucet, I noticed this annoying detail at her house and complaining (to myself) that it was hard to find the middle temp. And, others say that the faucet is left running unless you bring it back to the middle section. For those who are not familiar with the side handles, to turn water on/off you pull the handle to the right (away from the faucet) and back to the left or side/side. Hot/cold is up and down but it is on a ball and socket type fixture so it's not just strictly up/down. I tested many handles out at HD and Lowe's and instantly could take a 1/2 dozen off my list because of the handles only moving less than 90 degrees. This faucet has a Euro style fixture. The handle position at cold sits at 12 o'clock. It does not go past that so it would be good if you have concerns about the handle hitting the backsplash. I don't have this issue because I have a corner set sink but again my concern was the degree of movement from cold to hot. The handle moves forward (pulling toward me) only to the 9 o'clock position. It really is enough movement and I can very smoothly move from cold to hot with varying temperatures with no problem. Phew!!!! I can even shut the water off in the hot position (9 o'clock) and it is fully off. If you look in the comments section on other reviews, I asked this question (movement of handle) and they also confirmed that it was not a problem. Installation: I have always been intimidated about fixtures but this was incredibly easy to install. The directions were very detailed. Many complained of poor instructions on other models but were able to 'figure it out'. This would not be good for me because I need details especially since I have never installed a faucet. Now, it was especially easy because I installed a new sink all together so accessing it was not a problem as it was done with the sink on my dining room table! So, your set up under your sink will determine ease of installation but the steps itself were very easy. I had to use the escutcheon plate because this is a 1 hole faucet and I didn't want to use the stainless plugs in the other holes. Delta made it sound like you needed this specific plate for the Trinsic faucet, which was quite expensive by the way- around $55 I think. The width of the plate is a bit larger than the beveled edges on the sink so I will have to apply some clear caulking to the tiny gaps. I probably could have used a universal one but this looks beautiful. Another reviewer said the plate was not meant for a drop in SS sink because there was a metal piece hanging down through the sink hole. I asked delta about this and they said it could be used with a drop in. I see what the reviewer was talking about....there is a metal piece that drops down where the stud attaches. For some reason the plate is not just a flat metal piece that sits flush on the top of the sink. I'm guessing the drop piece gives a flatter surface for the mounting washer to lie against. We'll see if it holds up over time. Automatic retraction of faucet head into unit: Some complained that they had to give a little push to guide it up to the unit. Yes, it doesn't automatically get 'sucked in' to the unit but that doesn't bother me. I wouldn't want that anyway as I would risk damaging the unit by having the faucet head ram into the top unit every time I let go. You could play around with the magnet (under the sink) I suppose but why bother. But It also isn't getting 'stuck'. Some mentioned using silicone to help the retraction. Drips: Ok, so I have noticed that there is 1 or 2 leftover drips after I have turned the water off or especially after I have toggled from spray to stream. It is not constant and I will just keep an eye on it. Mammoth faucet: I was aware of the measurements of the faucet before ordering (almost 16" high) but honestly it doesn't look that big. It may be because I do have a huge sink (33"wide). I also went from a double bowl to a single bowl and from 8" depth to 9" depth. It fits nicely and in fact It looks a little smaller and I thought they sent me the bar faucet by mistake. It does splash a little more when I am in spray mode but my sink is 9" so I would expect it. In the end, I am extremely happy with my decision. It is beautiful and sleek and I highly recommend this faucet. I will keep you informed about the durability but I'm also glad this is a lifetime warranty. Update: 9/27/14. Absolutely no regrets! It is working great. I love this faucet so much. Update: 12/30/15. Still LOVE this faucet. No drips. I did recently notice some leaking from the pull down spout; however, it was just the screw was loose that secures the tubing to the pull down piece. I just chalk that up to the kids handling it and using the pull down part a lot and they aren't exactly gentle! I just tightened it and no further problems. I have also accidentally whacked the spout when rinsing big pots or pans and it didn't break it or deny the spout. Update: 1/23/17. It's been awhile since I updated! I am still happy with my faucet. I do still have the leak coming from the pull down spout. When the water is running in stream and spray, there's a drip at the same time. The leak is actually coming from the top of the pull down spout. When the water is off, it does not continue to leak. Now, I have not called the company yet, I probably shoud. What I really love about this faucet is the Magnatite feature. The faucet never just "hangs" and the recoil of the pull down spout works perfectly. I never have to force it back up. Maybe this just has to do with the weight that is hanging on the tubing under the sink, but all I know is my mom has a pull down faucet (not sure of brand) and it is so annoying when it just hangs there. The finish of the faucet still looks beautiful after 3 years of cleaning and I don't use any special product- any spray cleaner does a good job. Not sure what there is left to say about this faucet. I guess my next review will be in 10 years commenting on durability!! Peace out..... UPDATED 5/27/20- I can't believe I'm back!! It's nice to see over 450 people found my review helpful. Well, the lifespan for my faucet is done. There has been a leak on and off under the sink along the cold and/or hot water lines for over 1.5 years. One time it was just the matter of tightening the bolt underneath but now it seems like it is an internal leak. If I remember correctly, the head of the faucet has the 3 lines attached. There doesn't seem to be a way to take it apart to investigate. So I got this faucet on 12/31/13 and will officially put it to rest on 5/27/20. 6 years and 5 months. Not too good overall since my first cheap faucet lasted 11 years. As far as the finish...it still looks great with no blemishes and scratches. The water pressure was great and the magnet to attach the head of the faucet worked great. I will downgrade this review to 3 out of 5 stars because on several occasions, it really leaked a lot of water under my sink because I didn't know there was a leak because its toward the back of the sink cabinet. Good luck and I am signing off for good on this product! 1/11/21....I'm baaaack! Not sure anyone cares at this point and I know I said in my last update that I was done with this faucet but I decided to call customer service to see if they could troubleshoot the leak. I explained exactly where it was coming from and he said it was the gasket in the handle. I was skeptical because it wasn't leaking from the handle. His explanation made sense but I can't remember it to write it down here. He sent me a new part for free, took a few minutes to replace and voila, no leak and back to full function! 11/14/21- here we go again...I'll make it short and sweet.....another leak that I didn't notice for a while because it comes down the supply lines toward the back of the cabinet and I rarely need to access the stuff I have back there. It has ruined my cabinet. Do not buy- I don't recommend. If you do buy, please put a bucket under the supply lines so you are not surprised. I am signing off for the last time...I promise! Now to find another brand because I don't trust Delta products. Lowering stars to 1 because when it does work, it's a great faucet but has caused so many headaches and damage.