How to choose quality tapware.

'The poor man pays twice' definitely applies to tapware. How does someone decide what is best value purchase for their budget? We want everyone to  have confidence in their purchase, no matter what your budget, this information may help guide your purchase towards good value tapware that will last you a lifetime.

Purchase the best quality tapware you can afford within your budget. Do not try and cut corners with your tapware. Consider cutting budget from the vanity, toilet, light/fan or tiles and direct it towards your tapware. 21% reported that the installation cost of a new plumbing fixtures was higher than they expected. Install top quality gear and don't be worried about a leak or noise behind the wall after your new bathroom or space has been finished.

Check the warranty. A warranty will help safe-guard any issues that may arise. The warranty, really, is as good as its parts and labour when making the item and apart from manufacturers faults, the other main issue people have is that the surface becomes scratched or fades a little bit over time, all of which are not covered by warranty most of the time. Xude offer a lifetime warranty on the item and are industry leaders in providing great customer service through out the process.

WaterMark certification? All companies who sell tapware in Australia, must have their products tested so that they supply good quality, safe products. If a tap you are considering does not have WaterMark certification then do not purchase or install it. At Xude, we are watermark licensed (WM-032148), and our standards exceed the WaterMark standard by using superior manufacturing and testing standards compared to standard the government sets.

Materials. The raw material cost for us is high as we only purchase the best ingots for our manufacturing. DZR Brass stands for dezincification resistant brass and is made by combining copper and zinc. Copper does not react with its environment and is a very stable product, but can be easily damaged. DZR brass stands for dezincification resistant brass. If the brass is not mixed correctly the zinc ill corrode out of the copper and the brass will split and allow water to pass through it. Only purchase your tapware through reputable companies with long warranties. There are companies that use plastic, pure zinc and a number of materials that are not the best choice for this situation. Anything apart from DZR brass should be avoided.

Finish. Your choice between Chrome, Matt Black, Brushed Nickel and Matt Gold is important and the standards offered can vary. Chrome and Matt Black are commonly done by means of electroplating, where electricity is used to bond the coating the brass part.

A new technology, pioneered at Xude, an extra layer on top of our PVD finish to make them more durable, resilient and scratch resistant. A product is sprayed on then baked onto the product, its only very thin and helps to protect the tapware.

PVD stands for Physical Vapour Disposition and basically the parts are put in a vacuum chamber where a mixture of metals is atomised using a plasma arc and then the metal is fused to the product at an atomic level. Very good quality process, though can leave the tapware to be damaged by strong chemicals, acids or abrasive cleaners. take care of your tapware but not using any chemicals on it, clean it regularly and it will last a lifetime.

Aerator. Look for Neopearl brand of aerator, being an industry leader and top performing aerator company. An aerator puts air into the water stream at the outlet, saving water by mixing air into the water so that it feels like more water than it actually is. Cheap aerators makes the water not feel as good. This is a personal preference, but 95% of the time, people want a neat, full feeling flow of water.

Environment. An increasing concern is the planet and what world we are leaving for our children. Look for companies that have good environmental standards, offset their carbon, recycle and reuse where possible. One of the best ways to do this is to buy good quality tapware as it will not need replacing.

Every element in tapware is critical to is overall performance and endurance. Hopefully by reading this you share our desire for good quality tapware.