Bristan vs Grohe?

[Martin Robiette]

I'm currently looking for a mixer shower (I have a fairly new combi boiler btw), and my local Plumb Centre has a choice of 2 special offers: A Bristan Artisan for £80 (RRP £127), or a Grohe Grotherm 1000 for £180 (RRP £270). They both seem to be recognised brands and both have 5 year guarantees.

So is the Grohe worth the extra £100? Apart from liking the look of the Grohe, are there any other reasons it would be better - reliability, durability, performance? The Bristan looks OK (if not quite as nice a finish as the Grohe), but I'm just a bit nervous cos it's so much cheaper than all the other mixer showers I've seen. Where have the corners been cut?

Thanks for any advice or prior experience, Martin

[Andy Hall]

Here's one data point. I stay in (typically) good quality hotels all over Europe (including the UK) for business, probably 10-15 nights a month, varying seasonally.

I see Grohe and HansGrohe taps and shower controls very regularly - perhaps 80% of the time.

In the UK, I sometimes see Aqualisa or Mira. I have never seen Bristan.

I've only once seen a Grohe valve with a problem. They always seem to work properly and smoothly.

Hotels are not known for spending £200 where £100 would do.

I have been quite happy with my Aqualisa valve at home, although it has needed a new cartridge twice in 12 years. However, when it comes to replacement time, it would be difficult to buy other than a Grohe product.

[Doctor Drivel]

Bur they don't pay what you and I pay.

I have had two Grohe is in 26 years. I also have a Triton which is not bad. Grohe are good but pricy. BTW, the Grohe words on the front of the lever mixer wore off. So much for quality

Surface mounted mixers have 110mm centres. A mixer can be changed within minutes from one make to another. Lidl sell on specials bar type mixers for £15 with a 5 year guarantee. Buy 3 or 4. If one goes replace within 15 minutes. The four should outlast a Grohe and save a wedge.

[Capitol]

Do Tritons work with combis?

Regards Capitol

[Doctor Drivel]

The high pressure, equalised Combi version does. It is for mains pressure systems. The one I have does.

[Ben Micklem]

They have a range of three bar-type thermostatic mixers ('unichrome') that are combi-compatible (these are the models I've been looking at, they probably have more).

I was thinking of going for the top-end Triton Bar mixer, called 'Tyne' and selling for around £120. If the Grohe showers have a good reputation, I might go for the Grohtherm 1000- I've seen them on that auction site for about the same price.

Ben

[Glenn Booth]

Hi,

The Grohe valves are great, but watch for delicate plastic bits on the visible side. My first Grohe valve didn't put a foot wrong in the time I had it (more than

5 years) but the plastic parts (the pretty bits on the front) were very fragile. Grohe were *very* good at replacing broken bits though - a quick phone call and they just chuck one in the post. Didn't ever ask me when I bought it, so they didn't seem to care if the warranty had expired. If it's one of the all metal ones, I'd say go for it.

My plumber mate rates Hudson Reed, but that might just mean they're easy to fit.

Just my 2p.

Glenn.

[Martin Robiette]

Hmm, interesting - 2 opposite views. My data point recently involved staying in two good quality hotels in the UK for business over the last couple of weeks, and the score was Grohe 1:Bristan 1. So that didn't help me much!

So the general opinion here that Grohe are very good, which I was expecting after a quick search (and they are indeed very nicely made). I was hoping there might be some experience of Bristan too, as I've seen the Artisan showers mentioned in the archives a few times. So do you think the difference in price would pay back in reliability? Are Bristan known for being reliable or unreliable?

A bit more background is that I'm quite likely to end up moving in a couple of years, and will either sell or rent out this house, so the choice is not just which I would like best for my own use (which would be the Grohe), it's also what it's worth me spending on it (and I guess it depends whether I end up selling or letting, ie whether I'm bothered about it going wrong in a few years). FWIW they are both bar mixers with the same distance between pipes, so changing them shouldn't be a problem.

Cheers Martin

[Andy Hall]

Little track record that I could find.

Ah.. New data.

If you are going to let the house, if the shower fails you still own the problem. I don't think that hotels fit Grohe mixers out of altruism for their guests. Plus you will have had the use from a known good product.

If it's more likely to be a sale, then you probably won't recover the money on the more expensive valve, although if it's part of a good quality bathroom refit then it might make the house more saleable.

[Doctor Drivel]

Simple minded buyers are impressed by branded goods. Like some on this ng.

[Andy Hall]

So tell us what impresses you....

[Doctor Drivel]

I used Unibond bathroom and shower sealant from the local shed. Expensive at 8 quid a go but it's so bloody waterproof it's v.difficult to smooth it after application 'cos it sticks to

*everything*. Flexible too, the only thing that broke it in our case was for some reason the shower tray managed to drop a few mm (don't ask why, I dunno yet!) and the stuff stretched and broke the grout on the surrounding tiles resulting in much leakage.....

The moral to this tale is if yer tray doesn't drop this stuff is good! IMO obviously.

cheers

witchy/binarydinosaurs

[Andy Hall]

I used Unibond bathroom and shower sealant from the local shed. Expensive at 8 quid a go but it's so bloody waterproof it's v.difficult to smooth it after application 'cos it sticks to

*everything*. Flexible too, the only thing that broke it in our case was for some reason the shower tray managed to drop a few mm (don't ask why, I dunno yet!) and the stuff stretched and broke the grout on the surrounding tiles resulting in much leakage.....

The moral to this tale is if yer tray doesn't drop this stuff is good! IMO obviously.

cheers

witchy/binarydinosaurs

[Doctor Drivel]

I used Unibond bathroom and shower sealant from the local shed. Expensive at 8 quid a go but it's so bloody waterproof it's v.difficult to smooth it after application 'cos it sticks to

*everything*. Flexible too, the only thing that broke it in our case was for some reason the shower tray managed to drop a few mm (don't ask why, I dunno yet!) and the stuff stretched and broke the grout on the surrounding tiles resulting in much leakage.....

The moral to this tale is if yer tray doesn't drop this stuff is good! IMO obviously.

cheers

witchy/binarydinosaurs

[Andy Hall]

I used Unibond bathroom and shower sealant from the local shed. Expensive at 8 quid a go but it's so bloody waterproof it's v.difficult to smooth it after application 'cos it sticks to

*everything*. Flexible too, the only thing that broke it in our case was for some reason the shower tray managed to drop a few mm (don't ask why, I dunno yet!) and the stuff stretched and broke the grout on the surrounding tiles resulting in much leakage.....

The moral to this tale is if yer tray doesn't drop this stuff is good! IMO obviously.

cheers

witchy/binarydinosaurs

[Doctor Drivel]

I used Unibond bathroom and shower sealant from the local shed. Expensive at 8 quid a go but it's so bloody waterproof it's v.difficult to smooth it after application 'cos it sticks to

*everything*. Flexible too, the only thing that broke it in our case was for some reason the shower tray managed to drop a few mm (don't ask why, I dunno yet!) and the stuff stretched and broke the grout on the surrounding tiles resulting in much leakage.....

The moral to this tale is if yer tray doesn't drop this stuff is good! IMO obviously.

cheers

witchy/binarydinosaurs

[Tony Bryer]

From their display at Interbuild they are a fair sized firm and the taps I've fitted have been good quality. And you'll be pleased to know that they do spare parts!

[Andy Hall]

I used Unibond bathroom and shower sealant from the local shed. Expensive at 8 quid a go but it's so bloody waterproof it's v.difficult to smooth it after application 'cos it sticks to

*everything*. Flexible too, the only thing that broke it in our case was for some reason the shower tray managed to drop a few mm (don't ask why, I dunno yet!) and the stuff stretched and broke the grout on the surrounding tiles resulting in much leakage.....

The moral to this tale is if yer tray doesn't drop this stuff is good! IMO obviously.

cheers

witchy/binarydinosaurs

[Doctor Drivel]

I used Unibond bathroom and shower sealant from the local shed. Expensive at 8 quid a go but it's so bloody waterproof it's v.difficult to smooth it after application 'cos it sticks to

*everything*. Flexible too, the only thing that broke it in our case was for some reason the shower tray managed to drop a few mm (don't ask why, I dunno yet!) and the stuff stretched and broke the grout on the surrounding tiles resulting in much leakage.....

The moral to this tale is if yer tray doesn't drop this stuff is good! IMO obviously.

cheers

witchy/binarydinosaurs

[Capitol]

I used Unibond bathroom and shower sealant from the local shed. Expensive at 8 quid a go but it's so bloody waterproof it's v.difficult to smooth it after application 'cos it sticks to

*everything*. Flexible too, the only thing that broke it in our case was for some reason the shower tray managed to drop a few mm (don't ask why, I dunno yet!) and the stuff stretched and broke the grout on the surrounding tiles resulting in much leakage.....

The moral to this tale is if yer tray doesn't drop this stuff is good! IMO obviously.

cheers

witchy/binarydinosaurs