I've actually had pretty good luck with Japanese fixtures. Installed a Toto faucet in our guest bathroom about three years ago, and it's been rock solid—no leaks or drips yet. Haven't needed replacement parts, but I did check beforehand, and the local plumbing place said they stock common Toto components regularly. Might be worth asking around locally first to see what's readily available before committing to a brand...
"Installed a Toto faucet in our guest bathroom about three years ago, and it's been rock solid—no leaks or drips yet."
Glad to hear Toto's working out for you. Had a similar experience myself—put one in a rental property about five years back, and despite tenants being pretty rough on fixtures, it's still holding strong. Definitely reassuring when something just... works.
- Had mixed luck with Toto myself—installed one in a client's master bath about four years ago.
- Solid build quality, no leaks or drips, but the cartridge went out surprisingly early (around year two).
- Replacement was straightforward enough, but still... expected a bit more longevity given the price point.
- Overall decent fixtures, just wouldn't call them bulletproof based on my experience.
"Solid build quality, no leaks or drips, but the cartridge went out surprisingly early (around year two)."
Interesting you mention that—I had a similar experience with Toto fixtures in my own bathroom remodel a couple years back. I went with Toto because I'd heard good things about their reliability, and honestly, the build quality did impress me at first. Everything felt solid and well-made, no flimsy plastic bits or anything like that.
But then, just like you, I ran into cartridge issues way sooner than expected. Mine lasted maybe 18 months tops before it started acting up. Replacement wasn't too complicated, thankfully—just a quick trip to the hardware store and about half an hour of fiddling around—but still, for the price I paid, I was hoping for something a bit more durable.
Since then, I've actually switched to some mid-range brands for other projects around the house. Surprisingly enough, they've held up just as well (if not better) than the pricier Toto fixtures. Makes me wonder if sometimes we're paying extra just for the brand name rather than actual longevity...
Don't get me wrong, Toto makes decent stuff overall, but I'm starting to think there's a sweet spot somewhere between budget-friendly and high-end luxury. At least that's been my experience so far.
Funny you mention Toto—I had similar issues with a Grohe faucet cartridge going out after just over a year. Makes me wonder if they're all sourcing parts from the same cheap supplier these days...
