Finding the right fixtures, appliances, and accessories for your home can be a complicated experience, and you’re likely to run into popular brands during your search.
In order to understand the quality of the products you’re looking for, it’s important to understand what each of these brands produces and how it is viewed by previous consumers.
To help you with choosing the right one for your needs, let’s take a look at nine common bathroom brands you are likely to encounter in your search.
Kohler
They are one of the last companies to carry cast iron bathtubs in the United States. Their toilets and sinks are known for their unique hand-painted and customizable graphic compositions, and their designers strive to release unique products.
Recently, they released fixtures that are powered by Google Home and Amazon’s Alexa. These Wi-Fi-connected items include toilets, showerheads, shower valves, and mirrors.
See how Kohler compares with: American Standard | Duravit | Rohl | Toto
Toto
The Toto brand prides itself on demonstrating the heritage of Japanese pottery and porcelain in its products. The company also focuses on accessibility and strives to make its products easy to use by every member of the family. They call this their “Toto Total Design,” and they want their products to be accessible to anyone regardless of age or disability.
Their showerheads utilize AeroJet air injection technology, which inserts air into each water droplet to increase water volume while also conserving water. This technology guarantees that their showerheads are using less water than a standard substitute.
They are most famous for their line of Washlets, toilet seats that include a bidet function. All of their products are designed to fit into a broader design aesthetic that covers multiple fixtures so that all of your required items fit together seamlessly.
See how Toto compares with: American Standard | Duravit | Kohler
Delta Faucet Company
The H2Okinetic heads used in all of their faucets ensures that water waste is kept to a minimum.
Delta Faucet Company was named the WaterSense Manufacturer Partner of the Year award in 2013 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
See how Delta Faucet compares with: American Standard
Glacier Bay
However, they are also suitable for new construction and professional remodelers.
DIY installation kits are available which makes these fixtures an approachable choice. Their wide availability makes them a popular choice, as does their price point; they are 50% cheaper than comparable fixtures from other well-known brands.
Home Depot took over companies like The Home Way from China and Your Other Warehouse and has incorporated their inherited designs into the Glacier Bay collection. Because they are focused on cost-effectiveness, these products sometimes have malfunctions. Users report that repairs to electrical components are needed frequently and that replacement parts are hard to find.
The trade-off is that their faucets are easy to return to any Home Depot store for 20 years with a receipt, so they’re easily replaced as soon as a failure occurs. They also come with a drip-free protection included in the return policy, however their sprayers only come with a 12-month warranty.
See how Glacier Bay compares with: American Standard
Moen
Their faucets for kitchen and bathrooms incorporate technologies like Magnetix, Power Clean, and MotionSense. The MotionSense technology allows you to activate the water stream from your faucet by waving your hand, which is great if your hands are soiled and you don’t want to dirty the fixture.
They’re famous for providing excellent customer support, and usually respond to any inquiry you might have within a few hours.
Pfister
During World War I and II, they shifted their manufacturing and focused on grenade shells, aircraft fittings, and other wartime necessities. In the 1950s, they began creating residential kitchen and bathroom faucets and gained wide popularity.
They were famous for their advertising catchphrase: “Price Pfister, the Pfabulous Pfaucet with the Pfunny name.” Users will find that their faucets are designed to last for decades.
Chicago Faucet
They are best known for their faucets meant for kitchens and bathrooms that come equipped with sensors. They also produce bubblers, remote spouts, glass and pot filler, and urinal valves among other things. Construction crews and designers favor their products because they can be configured to fit almost any situation as they offer a wide range of interchangeable plumbing components.
They produce both residential and commercial items and are popular in both markets. Their items come with a lifetime warranty in a time when most products come with a five-year limited warranty.
Kingston Brass
Some items include a 10-year limited warranty, however most items only come with a one-year warranty. They are well stocked with all of the parts you’ll need to fix anything you buy from them which leads to hassle-free repairs.
Whirlpool
He parlayed this into the founding of the Upton Machine Company in 1911 which produced the first electrically driven wringer washer. In 1929, it merged with New York’s Nineteen Hundred Washer Company to meet demand. During World War II, production shifted to the manufacturing of P-40 Warhawk aircraft, propellers, gear cases, pitch controls, carburetor parts, hydraulic steering equipment, and tank retrievers.
When the war ended, the business was booming and they became the first manufacturer of fully-automated washers and the electric dryer. In 1949, the company assumed the name it has today: Whirlpool Corporation. Then, in 1955, they obtained the Seeger Refrigeration Company and began producing refrigerators.
In 1958, they began to expand globally. By the 1970s, Whirlpool was creating laundry appliances, home cooling and heating, and food preservation and preparation products.
Whirlpool Corporation established the first toll-free customer support line in the United States. They created equipment needed for food preparation and hygiene in space, in partnership with NASA. In 1986, KitchenAid became a Whirlpool brand and all products created today under that name are owned by Whirlpool Corporation. Maytag came under their umbrella in 2006 which increased their product portfolio.
They are eco-conscious, and their current products emit 95 percent fewer toxins into the environment than they did in 1987. Throughout their history, they have supported social welfare initiatives and continue to do so which means part of your purchase is invested in needy communities.
Today they are known for being the most reliable grouping of brands available with excellent warranties, which is why almost every home has a Whirlpool Corporation product in it.
Summary
Knowing which brand to purchase when you’re creating or updating your living space is wise. Each brand on the market has its pros and cons and depending on your needs, there is a product out there designed around your specific requirements and desires.
While this list of brands is not exhaustive, it highlights common manufacturers that you will run into when shopping for items for your bathroom and any other room in your house that needs work.