When it comes to bathroom and kitchen fixtures, you obviously want the highest quality products for the amount of money you are willing to spend.
Therefore, it is likely that you are focusing on some major brands, with Rohl and Grohe being two of the most popular. So, between them, which one should you choose?
A Brief History of Rohl and Grohe
First off we have Rohl, which is a true infant in the world of kitchens and bathrooms. It was founded by Ken Rohl in 1983. The company was first called Western States Manufacturing Inc., and in 1991 was changed and reorganized as Rohl LLC. Until 2016, the company was owned by the Rohl family but was then purchased by Fortune Brands Home & Securities Inc, which also owns Moen and Riobel.
Now, as a brand, Rohl is very interesting, and it has to do with the unique business structure. The reason for this is because Rohl does not actually make any of its own products. Rohl works by importing very high-end kitchen and bathroom fixtures from Europe, which it then rebrands and sells under its own name. For instance, Rohl sells English made Perrin & Rowe faucets, as well as German-made Jorger faucets. One of Rohl’s flagship products is the pull-out kitchen sink.
Rohl is not, with estimated annual revenues totaling well under 20 million dollars, a very large company. It currently has somewhere around 50 employees.
On the other hand, we have Grohe, which was first started in 1911 and was called the Berkenhoff & Paschedag company. It traces its origins to Hemer, Germany. In 1936, Friedrich Grohe took the company over and started focusing on sanitary faucets. In 1948, the company was renamed to Friedrich Grohe Armaturenfabrik. The company was then later renamed to Grohe.
To this day, Grohe is still registered in Hemer, Germany, with its headquarters in Dusseldorf. In 2014, Grohe was purchased by the Japanese Lixil Group. Over the past few years, Grohe has received over 300 design and innovation awards.
It has also been ranked as one of Germany’s most sustainable brands, and at this time is known as Germany’s largest producer of bathroom fixtures. Grohe is a fairly large company, currently employing somewhere in the neighborhood of 6,000 employees generating estimated annual revenues totaling somewhere around 1.35 billion Euros, or just under 1.6 billion dollars.
Rohl vs Grohe: Which Offers Better Quality?
While Rohl may be a relatively small company when compared to many of its competitors, it is well known for selling some of the very highest quality products that can be found in North America.
Once again, this is kind of odd because Rohl does not actually produce its own products, but rather imports them from Europe. That said, Rohl is known for importing only the best of the best, particularly from popular European brands. Most Rohl products sold in North America are imported from Italy, Germany, and the UK. A select few products come from New Zealand.
All of this being said, remember that you get what you pay for, and because Rohl sells such high-end and designer brands (rebranded under its own name), you can expect to pay a whole lot of money for Rohl products. They are regarded as being some of the most functional, durable, stylish, and high-quality bathroom fixtures on the planet.
This is a brand to consider if you want to have a luxurious and elegant bathroom and have a significant budget.
On the other hand, we have Grohe, which unlike Rohl, does in fact manufacture its own products. Now, Grohe is quite interesting in this sense, because it is also known as a leading manufacturer of high-quality bathroom and kitchen fixtures.
Some Grohe products are very high end, fashionable, functional, and yes, quite expensive too. However, with that being said, Grohe does also produce mid-range products for the average consumer. Although some Grohe products may not be as expensive as Rohl products, they are still generally regarded as being some of the best in the world.
What is interesting to note about Grohe is that the majority of this brand’s products are made in Germany, and well, we all know that the Germans produce some of the highest quality products in the world. Whether that’s bathtubs, kitchen sinks, or cars.
Which Offers a Better Warranty?
Rohl offers its customers some really great warranties, which as far as we are concerned is necessary seeing as the products are quite expensive. All Rohl products come complete with limited lifetime warranties.
On the other hand, Grohe offers lifetime warranties on all finishes, a limited lifetime warranty for mechanical parts, and five-year warranties on electronic faucets, valves, and controls.
When it comes down to it, Rohl does offer the better warranty of the two.
Rohl vs Grohe: Which Has a Better Product Portfolio?
What can be said here is that in the grand scheme of things, Grohe does have a bigger product selection than Rohl.
Remember, Rohl imports select high-end products from Europe. Rohl is all about quality as opposed to quantity. That said, they still have many options available. Unexpectedly, the selection of products depends on the exact category, as both Grohe and Rohl excel in certain product types.
Which Brand Offers a Better Selection of Toilets?
In terms of toilets, surprisingly enough, although Rohl does focus on quality, it still has a far larger selection to choose from than that of Grohe.
Which Brand Offers a Better Selection of Faucets?
Coming to a conclusion here is quite difficult because both of these brands sell literally hundreds upon hundreds of faucets. Counting them all would take until the end of time!
Which of the Two Brands Should You Choose?
The biggest difference between these two brands is quality, and yes, the price too.
Rohl imports high-end products, some really nice stuff, and sells it at very high prices. Grohe is also not cheap, but not quite as pricey as Rohl. Moreover, with Grohe, you can find lots of high-end products, but also goods made for the average consumer on a tighter budget.
Summary
At the end of the day, if you are looking to build a normal yet beautiful bathroom for a decent price, Grohe is probably your best bet.
However, if you want to live in luxury and you have the money to spend, Rohl is the way to go.