What are your views on flick mixers vrs ordinary taps? I currently only have ordinary taps in my kitchen, which after a time like to drip. I am told flick mixers never drip. Is this true?
Flick mixers vrs taps
- Thread starter Brenda Irwin
- Start date
Brenda Irwin said:
No.. its not true.. I had a "flick mixer" in my old house.. it started dripping.. it took 4 weeks for the local plumbing supply place to get the rebuild kit in for it.. O Rings etc.. I had to take a photo of the tap into them so they could identify it and order the right kit.. what a pain.
My new house has separate Cold/Hot taps in the kitchen, I feel more comfortable with these, easy to fix when they drip
flick mixers, have never had. Many/some(?) new taps have a ceramic cartridge (reading off the box dont know what a ceramic cartridge looks like) with "ten years no drip use, one quarter turn on to off". They were $8.99 at Kents, the Canadian-Bunnings, on sale. the taps were cheaper than new washers for the old taps.
Your favorite style might be available in a washerless now.
ps. love the kitchen, dont change a thing.
wanders off, quietly giggling
Your favorite style might be available in a washerless now.
ps. love the kitchen, dont change a thing.
wanders off, quietly giggling
I have never had a flick mixer in my own houses but have put them into IPs as kitchens were renovated. I have bought cheap ones (don't bother) and dearer ones (don't bother).
Even the dearer ones seem to be wobbly. We are in the process of replacing one which is only a couple of years old because it is wobbly. What a pain. I will concede that the problem may be partly the thickness (or not) of the steel sink and how much "play" it allows the mixer.
What we have in our own PPOR kitchen is a single tap with one middle spout and taps coming off each side. I would use this type again because I think it is the constant forcing up and down of the handle that causes the trouble in a flick mixer and we have not had any trouble with it ever.
Personally I have real trouble getting the temperature and pressure right with flick mixers. (Can you tell I'm not in favour of them, LOL.)
I know many people love them, but I don't.
Wylie
Even the dearer ones seem to be wobbly. We are in the process of replacing one which is only a couple of years old because it is wobbly. What a pain. I will concede that the problem may be partly the thickness (or not) of the steel sink and how much "play" it allows the mixer.
What we have in our own PPOR kitchen is a single tap with one middle spout and taps coming off each side. I would use this type again because I think it is the constant forcing up and down of the handle that causes the trouble in a flick mixer and we have not had any trouble with it ever.
Personally I have real trouble getting the temperature and pressure right with flick mixers. (Can you tell I'm not in favour of them, LOL.)
I know many people love them, but I don't.
Wylie
I am a big fan.
Its the only tap I have installed in over 20 kitchen reno's and also about 20+ bathroom reno's.
Generally use the cheapest available. ( $50 or less these days) If they break or leak throw them away and get a new one. Replacement takes about 20 min, in line with changing washers, without the worry about reseating etc.
One of the overheads with mixers is that you need to install those little cocktaps under the sink. In fact these have caused me more problems than the mixers, with leaks along the tap stem. But having these installed is what makes changing over the mixers such a breeze.
So as you are changing over the whole kitchen, no doubt you are installing extra power points, taps for dishwasher etc so the extra little bit of work installing the cocktaps shouldn't be a worry.
Cheers
Its the only tap I have installed in over 20 kitchen reno's and also about 20+ bathroom reno's.
Generally use the cheapest available. ( $50 or less these days) If they break or leak throw them away and get a new one. Replacement takes about 20 min, in line with changing washers, without the worry about reseating etc.
One of the overheads with mixers is that you need to install those little cocktaps under the sink. In fact these have caused me more problems than the mixers, with leaks along the tap stem. But having these installed is what makes changing over the mixers such a breeze.
So as you are changing over the whole kitchen, no doubt you are installing extra power points, taps for dishwasher etc so the extra little bit of work installing the cocktaps shouldn't be a worry.
Cheers
Give the mixer a flick
How timely.
I have just had a flick mixer attended to in a rental last week.
The tap was leaking profusely between a change of tenancies.
Since the complex is still 'under warranty', it did not cost me a stitch. The good Tap Doctor came and changed the cartridge.
The model is the Milano Range and believe the carts cost $50 - $80.
There are no 'O' rings or washers. Hopefully, it will last for a while, but I know what I am up for the next time around.
The going rate for a call out fee - just for a tradesperson to rock up to your door is $90 in this neck of da woods.
Lizard King
How timely.
I have just had a flick mixer attended to in a rental last week.
The tap was leaking profusely between a change of tenancies.
Since the complex is still 'under warranty', it did not cost me a stitch. The good Tap Doctor came and changed the cartridge.
The model is the Milano Range and believe the carts cost $50 - $80.
There are no 'O' rings or washers. Hopefully, it will last for a while, but I know what I am up for the next time around.
The going rate for a call out fee - just for a tradesperson to rock up to your door is $90 in this neck of da woods.
Lizard King
We have ceramic taps in our home - previous owner was a plumber, not a very good one I suspect...
Anyway one seized tight and I went to the plumbing place to replace the inside bit. Seemed that they were $90 each. And it is a fancy gold plated dolphin thing either.
I ended up replacing it with a normal washer unit and two years later it is fine.... there are all sorts of non drip gucci washers available now. Not like my grandpop who used to fix them himself from leather offcuts from his workshop!
Anyway one seized tight and I went to the plumbing place to replace the inside bit. Seemed that they were $90 each. And it is a fancy gold plated dolphin thing either.
I ended up replacing it with a normal washer unit and two years later it is fine.... there are all sorts of non drip gucci washers available now. Not like my grandpop who used to fix them himself from leather offcuts from his workshop!
Ditto...have used them for years in PPOR and IP's without any probs. Plumber tells me some of the cheaper ones are not so reliable.
Also a flick fan here.
Ease of use and if you buy good ones, will give you years of trouble free service...I've had $10 ones before in an IP and they lasted about 14 months, installed $90 replacement 4 years ago and have never heard anything since.
cheers
Ease of use and if you buy good ones, will give you years of trouble free service...I've had $10 ones before in an IP and they lasted about 14 months, installed $90 replacement 4 years ago and have never heard anything since.
cheers
my PM cant get a quote unless a particular model number is given. What is supposed to be a good model. He rang Bunnings but was given the flick on flickmaster!
I dont like turning the ordinary taps anymore, with flicks you just push down.
For IPs though, it depends on what the 'market' (or what people in general want). It's sort of like being in government, what do you do?
But seriously, probably both types are ok as long as they don't drip.
For IPs though, it depends on what the 'market' (or what people in general want). It's sort of like being in government, what do you do?
But seriously, probably both types are ok as long as they don't drip.
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Big flick fan. I wouldn't be happy if I had to go back to the stone age and use twist knob taps or whatever you old folk call them. I have never had a problem.
Geoff, what are you still doing behind the times? When I worked at subway, we had the gucci infra red no touch taps.
BR
Geoff, what are you still doing behind the times? When I worked at subway, we had the gucci infra red no touch taps.
BR
Ahhh. Thems the brakes.
BR
BR
Putting new vanity unit in bathroom of an IP, Plumber says, don't touch thouse flick mixer taps - too much trouble.
Next IP I bought has 2 of them in kitchen and bathroom - both of them wobbly as all get out. Bet my plumber will say I told you so when I have to get him out to fix them!!!
Next IP I bought has 2 of them in kitchen and bathroom - both of them wobbly as all get out. Bet my plumber will say I told you so when I have to get him out to fix them!!!
I suggest you change plumbers
Sounds like he has no idea on how to fit them.The only thing you have to be aware of when buying the mixers is the diameter of the hole in the sink and the diameter of the tap. There are now smaller diameter taps on the market and you will have problems fitting them if the hole is to big ie result will be a wobbly fit.
Cheers
