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Elkay vs. Blanco Kitchen Faucets

goodjules
10 years ago

I'm trying to decide between the Blanco 157-094-CR Purus II With Side Spray Kitchen Faucet and the Elkay Allure - Kitchen With Side Spray LK6176. Your thoughts and experience on either of these brands would be much appreciated. Thanks.

Comment (1)

  • OldTimeCarpenter1
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    From StarCraft's faucet reviews:

    "Elkay, headquartered on Chicago's Near North Side for over 90 years, is a privately owned global player in the kitchen and bath world. It owns the Elkay brand of sanitary ware, faucets and bath accessories, and also MasterCraft, Medallion and Yorktowne cabinetry -- all major brands, with eight factories in the U.S. -- and the Revere line of plumbing fixtures.

    With manufacturing facilities in Broadview, Illinois; Lumberton, North Carolina; and Ogden, Utah, Elkay manufactures many of its sanitary-ware products (toilet, sinks, etc.) domestically. But, it also owns Zhuhai Daya S.E.Z., a manufacturer based in Zhuhai, China. And, only a few of Elkay's faucets are actually manufactured in the U.S. Most are merely assembled here from imported, mostly Chinese, components. See the Buy American Act list at left for faucet models actually manufactured in the U.S.

    Elkay has never been a name that immediately springs to mind when thinking about residential faucets. But, if you are building a hotel, restaurant or public restroom, it may be the first catalog you reach for. Its designs are conservative, but so are most faucets, and most buyers prefer more conservative traditional or transition styling which is Elkay's strong suit. Elkay faucets were, historically, famous for their reliability. We're not sure that is true any longer. Elkay seems to have begun using plastic in essential parts of their faucets to contain costs. The Arezzo faucet, shown here, used to be a heavy, all brass faucet. Now significant parts are plastic, including the nozzle and grip. We don't like this trend. Look for a heavy, all brass, Elkay faucet.

    Blanco America, Inc. is the American division of Blanco GmbH + Co KG. Founded in 1925 as Blanc & Co. by Heinrich Blanc in Oberderdingen, Germany, its main business is the manufacture of kitchen sinks. It is the largest sink manufacturer in Germany, and one of the largest in the world. Starting with stainless steel sinks in 1951, the company has since added granite composite sinks, and porcelain ceramic sinks to its lineup. Today the company is wholly owned by E.G.O. Elektro-Garate GmbH & Co. Holding KG of Oberderdingen , Germany; a manufacturer of mostly high tech components for home and industrial appliances.

    Blanco is a sink company that also makes faucets. But, it makes an excellent, mostly stylish line of faucets out of solid brass using uncompromising German ceramic cartridges. In quality Blanco faucets are comparable to Grohe, Graff or Hansgrohe and similarly priced. Blanco's faucets are intended to complement its sinks. Many can be finished to exactly match a Blanco sink. The company's faucets emphasize style, and in fact refers to itself frequently as a "design" company although it does manufacture most of its own products in Germany, Canada and Turkey.

    Foreign-made faucets comparable to Blanco include Dornbracht, Franke, Graff, Grohe. Hansgrohe Jado, KWC, Mico, Porcher, Rohl, and THG.

    Comparable American-made faucets include Brizo, California Faucets, Kohler, Newport Brass/Ginger, Phylrich, Sigma, and Waterstone. "