Reviews
Plumbing gear compared on published specification: what each unit is rated for, what it is not, and which one a given house needs.
Units compared on what their makers publish and what the standards require, never on bench tests this site did not run. Where a spec is not published, the page says so.
Toilets, faucets and showers 10 pages
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Best upflush macerating toilet, by maker spec sheet
Maker sheets compared: Saniflo Saniplus 15 ft lift, 150 ft run, 1/2 HP; Sanibest Pro 25 ft, 1 HP grinder; Liberty Ascent II 25 ft; Sanicompact 9 ft, sink only.
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Best shower head for low water pressure, by spec
No head adds pressure (2.5 gpm at 80 psi federal cap). Maker sheets compared: High Sierra Classic 1.25 gpm, Delta 52668-BL 1.75 gpm, Speakman 2.5 gpm.
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Best toilet repair kit: fill valve and flapper kits
Maker pages compared: Fluidmaster 400H kits adjust 9 to 14 in, Korky 528MP kits 8-1/2 to 14 in; measure the old flapper, 3 in across means a 2 in flapper.
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Best bathroom faucet: sink faucets by maker sheet
Maker sheets compared: Moen Genta LX 6702 1.2 gpm, 1255 cartridge; Delta Trinsic 559LF RP101762; Kohler Devonshire K-394-4. All under the 1.5 gpm WaterSense cap.
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Best instant hot water dispenser: maker spec sheets
Maker sheets compared: InSinkErator HOT150 750 W, 2/3 gal, 160 to 210 F, 1 year; HOT250 same tank, 3 years in-home; Moen IH2300 1500 W, 140 to 190 F, 40 cups/hour.
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Best toilet by MaP score, gpf, rough-in and height
MaP list and maker sheets compared: TOTO Drake and Entrada, Kohler Cimarron and Highline, Woodbridge T-0001 all print 1000 g; Champion 4 one-piece 800 g at 1.6 gpf.
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Best shower head, by maker spec sheet and gpm
Maker sheets compared: Moen 26009 2.5 gpm rain and handheld combo, 60 in hose; Delta In2ition 75655 and Kohler Forte 1.75 gpm WaterSense; High Sierra 1.8 gpm.
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Best kitchen faucet: pull-downs by maker spec sheet
Maker sheets compared: Moen Arbor 7594 1.5 gpm, 1255 cartridge, 68 in hose; Delta Essa 1.8 gpm, MagnaTite; Kohler Simplice 1.5 gpm. All under the 2.2 gpm cap.
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Best toilet seat: hinge, material, warranty compared
Maker sheets compared: Mayfair Cassel wood, Easy-Clean and Stay-Tite; Kohler Brevia plastic Quiet-Close; TOTO SS124 top-mount. All print 5-1/2 in holes, 1 year.
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Best bidet attachment and seat, by maker spec sheet
Maker sheets compared: LUXE NEO 120 needs no outlet, 18 months; TOTO C5 403 W tank heater, 1 year; Kohler E580 hybrid, 3 years; Bio Bidet BB-2000 1400 W, 3 years.
Water heaters 5 pages
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Best thermal expansion tank, by maker spec sheet
Amtrol ST-5 for a 40 to 50 gal heater (2.0 gal, 50 psig precharge, 7-year warranty), ST-12 for 60 to 80 gal, Watts PLT-12 when IAPMO and NSF 61 must be printed.
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Best gas tankless water heater, by maker spec sheet
Maker sheets compared: Rinnai RX199iN 199,000 BTU, UEF 0.98, PVC vent, ENERGY STAR; Rheem RTG-70XLN 160,000 BTU, UEF 0.82, outdoor; Rinnai V53DeN 120,000 BTU budget.
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Best point-of-use mini-tank water heater, by spec
Maker sheets compared: Stiebel Eltron SHC 2.5/4/6 at 1300 W, 11.3 A on a 120 V outlet, EcoSmart ECO MINI at 1440 W, Bosch at 6.8 GPH, and who needs a pump instead.
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Best electric tankless water heater, by breaker line
Stiebel's Tempra 24 prints 2 x 50 A breakers, 2 x 8/2 AWG, 150 A service and a 54 F rise at 3.0 gpm; a 27 kW unit is 112.5 A on 3 x 40 A and 200 A service.
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Best hot water recirculation pump, by maker spec
Watts' 500800 manual prints 120 VAC, a 15-minute timer, a 140 F maximum and not for tankless; Taco's Hot-LinkPlus-e prints 44 W max. Who should skip both.
Drains and disposals 4 pages
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Best laundry sink drain pump, by maker spec sheet
Maker sheets compared: Liberty 404CV 38 GPM at 5 ft, 21 ft shut-off, 4.3 gal, cCSAus; Superior 92017 1,800 GPH at 10 ft, 6 gal; Liberty 405 34 ft shut-off, 180 F.
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Best plunger for toilet and sink, by drain shape
Korky prints a 6 in beehive head (99-4) for round and oblong toilet outlets and a 5.5 in cup (94-4) for flat sink and tub drains. Drano: never plunge after its gel.
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Best garbage disposal, by grind stages and warranty
InSinkErator's chart: Badger 5 at 1 grind stage and 5 years, Evolution 0.75HP at 3 stages and 9 years, Evolution 1.0HP at 4 stages and 10 years.
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Best drain snake and auger, by cable and guard
Klein's 53016 drum auger prints a 0.25 in cable at 25 ft; its 53017 toilet auger a 0.5 in cable with a porcelain boot. DrainX says a drum snake may damage a toilet.
Leaks and shutoffs 4 pages
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New homeowner gifts: leak sensors, alarms, test kits
Eight housewarming gifts, each for a month-one check: USFA alarms on every level, EPA radon test below the third floor, the 80 psi code limit, CDC well test.
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Best smart water shutoff valve, by maker spec sheet
Maker pages compared: Moen Flo in-line on 3/4 to 1-1/4 in with flow sensing; Frizzlife LP365 in-line, no hub; YoLink bolt-on for ball valves; Flume monitors only.
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Best sump pump and battery backup, by 10 ft GPH
Zoeller rates the M53 at 34 GPM at 10 ft of head; Basement Watchdog rates the CITS-50 backup at 1,850 GPH at 10 ft. Neither helps if the check valve sticks.
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Smart leak detectors and insurance credits
Mercury publishes up to 4.6 percent off a homeowners premium for a qualifying leak device. Amica publishes a programme and no percentage at all.
Dehumidifiers 3 pages
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Best dehumidifier UK and EU: compressor or desiccant
Meaco prints 8.5 L/day at 20 C 60 % for the Arete One 20L and 7.5 L at 10 C for the DD8L Zambezi desiccant. Why three makers' 20 L labels are three tests.
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Best dehumidifier in Japan: 50 Hz vs 60 Hz picks
Corona prints 16.0/18.0 L/day at 27 C 60 % for the CD-WH1826, Panasonic 10.5/12.5 L/day for the F-YEX120B hybrid. The big tatami number is the concrete one.
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Best dehumidifier for basement, by 65 F rating
ENERGY STAR lists the Midea Cube MAD50PS1QWT-A at 49.67 pints/day and IEF 2.01; Midea prints 41 to 95 F and a 14 ft pump. Why hOmeLabs' 50 is an 80 F number.
Pipes and freezing 2 pages
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Best outdoor faucet cover and frost-free sillcock
Woodford 17 and 19 print ASSE 1019 Type C, 125 psi and 4 to 24 in walls; Prier P-164 ships 4 to 24 in. Every sheet says remove the hose or the faucet may burst.
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Best heat cable for pipes: self-regulating vs fixed
HEATIT's JHSF prints 3 W/ft, a 37 F on / 50 F off thermostat and overlap allowed; Frost King's 7 W/ft kits say never overwrap. Who should skip both.
Water pressure 1 pages
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Best water pressure regulator (PRV) and gauge
Watts LF25AUB-Z3, Watts LFN45B, Zurn Wilkins NR3XL and 70XL and Resideo DS06 compared on adjustable range, factory setting, max inlet, bypass and ASSE 1003.