Mixer Market Overview: Classification, Manufacturer Firms, Models, Prices.
Astrologers, magicians and other representatives of the occult teachings argue that no matter how people tried to get rich, he will not succeed, until he decides all the problems with plumbing in his house. Simply put, the current water "astrally flushes" our money on the faulty cranes. You can believe or not believe in astrology, but in this regard, words come to mind: "We left how the water through your fingers", "it was, yes swung." With folk wisdom it is difficult to argue. In addition, the time is not far from the mountains when we all become the happy owners of meters controlling water consumption. So not to start with the fact that change the mixer?! However, before you buy a new one, it would be nice to understand what.
So, mixers. From their diversity in stores and in the markets ripples in the eyes. The range is huge, the quality is hardworthy, the design is wonderful, prices! .. Well, let's try to figure it out. For purpose, all modern mixers can be divided into five groups: for a bath, for a washbasin (sinks, for example, tulip or "Moidodyra"), for kitchen sink, for a bidet and for a shower (faucet without "spout"). There are "hybrid" structures that can be attributed to at least two groups. Designers of major manufacturers are usually developing entire series, including products of all of the above-mentioned groups. The consumer has the ability to arrange a bathroom in a single style, picking up not only the mixers, but also other accessories (shelves, soaps, cups, etc.).
For washbasins
Most of the mixers for washbasins are mounted directly on the sink, although there are wall-mounted options. A distinctive feature of the first is the presence of a bottom valve that allows you to open and close the drain hole of the sink using a small lever inserted into the mixer body. Simply put, this valve replaces the usual bottom cork and is designed for hygiene reasons. Agree that it is not very pleasant to immerse your hand in dirty soapy water, gropping and sawing the plug, much more convenient to pull the lever slightly. But ... the invention is not ours, we are not used to recruiting water and wash your hands into the sink and the face. The tradition of such a wash was launched by the British since those times when the mixers, as such, were not yet, and from two separate crants they recruited hot and cold water and mixed directly in the sink. Conservative British come and so far, saying that this is a very economical way - less water is spent. However, everyone has their own habits.Like the kitchen, the mixtures for washbasins are sometimes supplied with a pull-in spill, intended for hygienic care for the sink surface (ORAS, Finland and Damixa, Denmark). This modification can be installed on the bidet and use it as a portable shower. Finns offer another option - a hygienic shower mixer, mounted next to the sink. This option is very convenient if you have a small bathroom and a toilet bowl, located next to the washbasin, is also used as a bidet. The mixer on the washbasin can be purchased for $ 45, and it is possible for $ 250.
For Bath
Bath faucets can be mounted on the wall or on the surface of the bath. In the second case, from the side of the bath, only the handles of the regulation and the spin ("nose") protrude. Of course, if you try to dry, you can drill a cast-iron bath and build such a mixer into it, but it is still designed for acrylic baths with wide sides, both corner and rectangular. Two thirds of the city's inhabitants of our country enjoy a wall variant, using all sorts of pipe supply schemes. It is not known whose, but a very sophisticated mind, who offered to once all the alliance for using the sink, hanging over the bathroom, gave rise to the same mixer with a long turning twist. Many are so accustomed to turn the scratch back and forth that with difficulty imagine another situation. Therefore, foreign firms focused on the supply of their products to our country are in no hurry to abandon the production of "long-axis" cranes. They are supplied Finland (ORAS), Sweden (Gustavsberg), Germany (Hansgrohe, Dm, Hansa, Jado), Italy (Fari, Fiori), Hungary (Mofem) and, of course, Turkey and Poland. The standard "nozzle" length is 30 cm, but it can be 20, 25 and 39 cm. Such mixers are certainly convenient, but still the best producers of Europe offer expensive (elite) series of sanitary equipment, which includes the benefits of bath faucets With a short stationary "nose". Such a design provides greater reliability: the smaller the details and various joints between them, the less likely that water will find a hole over time and starts to be out of the outside.
Schtihmas (the distance between the water inlet holes) in imported bath mixers is approximately 15 cm, besides, all of them are equipped with eccentric nozzles (adapters), with which it is possible to change it slightly, to focus on the distance between the pipes of hot and cold water. In some models of mixers, there are no elements of rigid fastening to the pipes of the water supply, and there are brass tubes (with or without thread), which play the role of inlet nozzles. For their attachment to tap pipes, special adapters are needed.
Prices for bath faucets of famous European firms do not match a bit in different stores, but in general depend on the model and can be from $ 70 to $ 300.
For shower cabins
Mixers for shower cabins are distinguished by the fact that they do not have "nose" - water enters the hose immediately into the shower canken, fixed on the bracket holder or on the rod. They are mounted, naturally, on the wall. Separately, it is worth mentioning about their "hidden species". Hidden, because the mixing mechanism itself is immunified in the wall, and for use the handles and shower set are removed. It looks like this variant very stylish and can be recommended subject to the absolute reliability of reinforcement and high qualification of the wizard mounted, otherwise imagine what will happen if the mixer in the wall gives to flow, and you will not even notice. Choosing a mixer for shower, remember - at a price of less than $ 90 you are unlikely to get a good quality.For bidet
Of course, not in all bathrooms there is a bidet, but nevertheless, mixers are produced for this type of sanitary ware. They are two species - designed for one hole for fasteners of reinforcement in the body of the bidet or three holes. The first design is different from the mixer for the washbasin in that it has a rotating moving mesh nozzle on the "Nose". For the price, the faucets for the bidet almost do not differ from the mixers for washbasins - they are about $ 65-240.
For kitchen
Now about kitchen faucets. When you choose a model, pay attention not only to the shape of cranes-bekes, flywheel and handles, but especially on the view and design of the "nose". In addition to the traditional, "Nose" has an arcuate form, and it also has a drawing shower with a positional water jet switch. With the help of such a drawn soul, you can wash the sink of any shape and modification, pile of dishes and many vegetables and fruits. The cuisine mixer is usually mobile, that is, it is easily rotated, which is especially convenient if there is a double washing.The optimal option for the kitchen is a single-dimensional mixer, thanks to which water can be used with a slight movement of the hand, and if the hands are dirty, for example, meat minced meat, even elbow.
Materials
The best brass remains the best for the manufacture of the mixer housing. Sealing plates of the working valve - the basis of the ceramic cartridge - made from wear-resistant alumina, burned under pressure at 1200 ° C. Some manufacturers subjected these elements with ultrasound grinding (for example, Supergrif, Spain). High-strength ceramics increases the resistance of the mixer to the hydrowards. Details of fasteners and ball regulators in one-loading versions are made of stainless steel. Western firms use plastic with might and main - make it housings from it for cast brass enclosures, arms of monocomand (single-art) mixers, shower watering cans and other details. The outer parts of the reinforcement are nickelate to protect against corrosion, and then covered with chromium, white or color enamel. Coatings are under gold (matte and shiny), bronze and marble. Making up in one or another handle style, designers use glass, crystal, wood, natural marble, polished onyx, as well as combinations of various materials.
What kind of coating is preferable? Enamel is beautiful, but not very resistant - she is fighting. Nickel can cause allergies, and gold is expensive and needs special care. Optimal is considered chrome. The fact is that no microorganisms can live on the surface of this metal and multiply. And although the hostess often complain that spots from water instantly appear on brilliant polished cranes, we still recommend that this coating is. And to care for the mixer, you can purchase a special fluid, for example, Grohe company at a price of about $ 8 per vial.
A little about the operation
The most familiar, but not the most durable valve head has a rubber or leather valve (gasket) with rotational drive. Rubber valve can be easily replaced. Worse, if the "saddle" under the valve is damaged during operation. This can happen if you, for example, try to close the water, and the valve erased or between it and the "saddle" turned out to be a solid particle that fell out of the water pipeline. Do not torment your mixer, especially imported. At the very first signs of wear, cause a locksmith, otherwise ... The author of these lines, accustomed to the fact that the domestic crane can for months, "proceed by a tear" like the Bakhchisaray fountain, reacted quite lightly to the wear laying. The consequences were unexpected: the three flooded lower floors, the loud references of the neighbors about the damage of the recently accomplished parquet, the abnormative vocabulary of the representative of the emergency service, they say, they will not be represented. We add that such accidents have a strange feature occur at night. But everything is good ends. With the neighbors managed to negotiate. A locksmith from Dhaz, who came in the morning, resembled a good wizard. He artistically coped with his task, dispelled the myth that only "imported" hands should be told to imported "toys". My "Finn" continues to safely mix water.
In addition to rubber, the valve heads may have ceramic valves. They are durable and will not damage the "saddle" crane. In expensive high-quality faucets, for example, Grohe (Germany), a special graphite spray is applied to them, noticeably increases wear resistance and reduce friction. But when closed, you do not need to make special efforts and selflessly twist the handwheel (enough of one turn), otherwise the ceramic valve will not stand it.
Another problem is our far from the perfect plumbing. On the pipes on which hot and cold water comes into your house, it makes sense to put cleaning filters, at least the most primitive.
Now about the guarantee. The mixer is better to buy in a good store. Be sure to demand the seller warranty card. Typically, the warranty is given for 1 year, less often - for 2 or 3 years. Of course, if you purchased a mixer, such as Finnish, on the market, the warranty workshop will not refuse you to service, but will make a job for money.
Purchase care is quite simple. In addition to special means, the mixers can be cleaned from a lime floor with a soft cloth, moistened with a cutlery vinegar or a liquid detergent for dishes. It is impossible to clean them with metal washcloths and use hard abrasives.