Does it matter where you buy a kitchen faucet, box store vs supply house?
Every faucet I've ever bought came off a box store shelf, and until last month I never thought twice about it.
Then the kitchen faucet that came with this house cracked at the base of the spout. No brand on it anywhere. I only caught it because the particle board under the sink went soft, and there's a towel wrapped around the base right now while I sort out the replacement.
That's how I fell into the old argument. The plumbing subs keep saying the box store runs of the big brands carry more plastic inside than what a supply house sells, and the manufacturers say there's no difference. The one specific thing I found is on Moen's own page, same grade of brass everywhere, different model numbers depending on the store.
The one I've been eyeing is $169 at Home Depot. I know I could walk into a supply house Monday and ask, but the counter guy's answer is always going to be whatever's on his shelf.
So I'd rather ask people who've lived with one. How old is the faucet on your sink? Where did it come from? Has it ever needed a part? And if the store thing is a myth, better I hear it now than after I've spent the money.