In my experience Baldwin is far superior to Schlage in every way.

This is a place to put your dollars to work. You will touch these things every day. You will look at them every day. I love my Baldwin hardware (Edinburgh levers). It looks exactly the same today as it did when installed six years ago. (The Schlage sets in the back hall still work well, but don't look as good. Why did I "economize" there?)

I have both near each other. Entry door hardware is Baldwin and closet door is Schlage. There is a noticeably higher quality of finish on the Baldwin. Both are satin nickel but in different styles so they compliment each other.

The Baldwins are solid brass while the Schlages are not. The Baldwins are more complex to install then the Schlages. Some of my customers find the locking mechanisms on the bath and bedroom locksets cumbersome.
Visually the Baldwins are heads and shoulders above the Schlages.
Ron

When we moved into our house, our budget was tight. We changed the front door hardware and all the interior door hardware. We selected Schlage because of the price....even though I really wanted Baldwin. Well, after a year in the house the brass finish on part of the front door hardware had worn off. We rarely use the front door. Its just from being outside. The interior knobs are holding up well. I don't regret my decision (I splurged on other things), but when I replace my front door I will definitely purchase Baldwin hardware. Hope this helps.

This is like comparing a Buick to a BMW. There is nothing wrong with the upper lines of Schlage products, but they are in a different league than the Baldwin. Just go to one of the big box retailers where they have display boards of the hardware set up and feel the difference between the operation and weight of the locks.

Aside from the Baldwin finish that will last forever, the rest of the mechanism is also covered by a lifetime warranty. I had a lever entry set break (don't ask how my son managed to do it) and Baldwin sent a complete replacement mechanism free of charge; didn't even need to provide any proof of purchase. Yes, Baldwin costs quite a bit more, but it's a knob that will never cost you a cent again, unless you get tired of it.

troubleseekeral ...I hate to dissagree with you but I got my locksmith license in 1983 and I have probably taken more locks apart than most people have ever seen.

As I stated in my prevous post, if the only schlage locks you have ever seen is that cheap low end homeowner junk that is sold in the big box stores you simply have never seen a quality schlage lock.

This is one area where you cannot make an assumption of quality by brand name alone. Schlage makes some locks that would rival any lock in the industry for quality and securtity and on the other hand, while Baldwin is without question a top of the line manufacturer. they too have a cheap homeowner junk grade to satisfy the needs of those who want the brand name but are not willing to pay the cost of true quality.

The Baldwin hardware costs much more than the typical consumer stuff, but is worth every penny. Not only is the quality and appearance of the hardware far superior, but Baldwin is a wonderful company to deal with. I recently purchased a home that is about 30 years old. Apparently there had been lots of angst in this house. Nearly every interior door showed signs of having been damaged in the past, and of 6 Baldwin privacy handsets, 5 had been forced, and the locks broken. At $125 per set, I was looking at giving up the beautiful hardware for lower grade stuff if I could not find a way to fix the locks. After searching on the internet for replacement parts, I finally ended up talking to Baldwin directly. In the course of the conversation, it had to be clear that I was not the original purchaser, and that I believed the locks had been deliberately forced. The only question I got from Baldwin was "Where do we send the replacement parts?" No charge. Not even for shipping. You can't ask for much more than that.

I know this is a very old thread, but can anyone comment on whether the Baldwin Prestige line is the same stuff as Kwikset, which I heard Baldwin has purchased? Is it an inferior product to the other Baldwin lines?

Baldwin and Kwikset are companies owned by StanleyBlack&Decker. Baldwin hardware is made in Reading PA but they offer the "Prestige" line that is designed by Baldwin but made in another country and is only for sale at Home Depot stores as is the case with all "retail" hardware sold by big box stores.

If you want good hardware and building materials you will be wasting your time and money at Home Depot. Most people know that is the case but they seem to be unable to stay away.

I realize this is an old thread, but I've also found research that supports renovatorB's info from Feb, 2014 (above). As is the case with many items, reliable brand names often produce cheaper versions for the "big box" stores. So unless you are actually comparing "apples to apples", that "big box" purchase may not be saving the money you think it is. That said, we buy many things from both Home Depot and Lowe's, but I think we are usually making informed decisions.

Can someone help me here? I need to buy door levers, locks, and entrance door handles. which do I buy and whats the best