Brass faucet vs. stainless steel faucet, and zinc alloy faucet
Which Faucet is Better?
The faucet is the most frequently used household item in our daily life. We must choose it carefully. The material of the faucet is directly related to the quality of the faucet. At present, the common faucet materials in the market are mainly brass, stainless steel, zinc alloy, plastic, etc.
Brass
Brass is the mainstream material for excellent faucets, but there are different grades of brass on the market, and the metal element content varies. The lower the grade, the less copper content, the cheaper the cost, the worse the processability, and the higher the content of related heavy metals and impurities.
High-quality faucets will use 59A grade brass and low-lead copper as the main material, while inferior quality faucets will use low-end copper materials such as 55 copper.
In the process of producing copper ingots or copper rods, trace amounts of lead and other elements need to be added to improve the cutting and other processing properties of brass. If the faucet is completely lead-free, not only will there be problems such as difficulty in cutting and poor casting and forging performance, but the finished product will also crack due to poor stress corrosion resistance. Therefore, high-quality brass faucets will be lead-washed at the end of manufacturing to make the lead content very low and meet national standards (0.5μg/L). Our corporate standards are higher than general national standards.
Stainless steel Faucet
Stainless steel is mostly used for kitchen faucets, and the shape is relatively simple. Some domestic brands' economical products will use stainless steel. Stainless steel is lead-free, corrosion-resistant, and does not release harmful substances. It is a healthy, environmentally friendly, and durable material. Therefore, stainless steel faucets are safe to use, acid- and alkali-resistant, lead-free, and odor-free. They will not leak harmful substances, pollute water sources, or affect water health. The hardness and toughness of stainless steel faucets are very good, more than twice as high as copper faucets, and they are very durable. Kitchen supplies generally use 304 food-grade stainless steel, which is very safe.
However, stainless steel casting and cutting are more difficult and more expensive to process. Good quality stainless steel faucets are more expensive than brass ones.
Zinc alloy
Zinc alloy is cheap, but usually contains a high amount of lead. It is easy to rust and oxidize. When corroded by water, it is easy to release heavy metals such as zinc and lead, which pollute the water quality. The coating is easy to fall off, the material has poor toughness, and the service life is short. It is rarely used now. It is strongly not recommended.
| Advantages | Disadvantages | |
| Brass | Mainstream in the market, the most widely used, mature technology. Corrosion-resistant, copper ions have a bactericidal effect and are not easy to breed bacteria | Contains lead. The lead content of qualified faucets meets international standards. |
| Stainless Steel | Hardness and toughness are better than copper and very durable. No rust, no lead, healthy and environmentally friendly. | Lead-free. Stainless steel is difficult to cut and is more expensive than copper. |
| Zinc Alloy | Low price | It is easy to rust, contains high levels of heavy metals, and has a short service life. |
Recommended brass and stainless steel faucets.