I got a lift and turn with my remodel, and I like it. You do have to reach down through the water to release it, which might or might not bother some folks.

We had a lever and it's been fine. We're currently renting during our remodel, and the rental house has the lift/turn type. I'm not liking it, maybe it's just me but it's always frustrating for me to work it. Trying to close it doesn't always work, and sometimes when I open it it drains for a few seconds and then pops back closed. Again, it may be me or that it's broken, but I haven't liked it. We'll be sticking with the lever type in our remodeled bathroom.

I have the lift and turn that we did with a remodel and the plumber put it in without asking. Ours has a little knob on top. I am not sure if they all do. I dont like it because i bathe my two youg children, 4 and 2, and if they sit on it, it is painful. This happens every now and then since I bathe tham at the same time. I think there is a flat one that you can push up and down too. I would have gone this route if I had been asked.

I think I prefer the flip knob. The only drawback for that is if you want to lean against that end of the tub, you'll have a big flipper in your back.

I had a lift and turn in my previous house. There can be drawbacks with reaching through the water, for instance, if you're bathing kids or something and didn't need to get your arm wet otherwise (if you're in the bath, I figure your arm is already wet).

Thanks for the great input. If anyone else has an opinion on their preference, I'd love to hear more! Thanks!!

Although I don't have one, I like the toe-tap drains. Push down to close, push again to open. My mother-in-law has one in her garden tub. It does get clogged with hair every year or so and has to be removed and cleaned but that is not a big deal.

i have the toe touch drains, which are basically a spring that you compress with one push to seal the drian closed, and then release with another push to open the drain. they can be irritating if you don't want to put your hand in the water... but i like them because they make the tub look less cluttered and only rely on themselves... you won't have a trip lever to break. i also was very happy i chose this type for my new air jet tub (center side drain) because we ended up in a situation where if we'd had to connect the trip lever to the drain, we would have had to do some extra maneuvering & possibly floor or joist cutting, since the tub rested on the floor & a joist was directly between the overflow & the drain.

the only problem i've run into is when i switch sides in my tub (extra air jets on one end) - sometimes i accidentally kneel on the drain & it opens & i don't notice it right away. i've gotten used to where it is now & it's not a problem, but i can see with little kids where it may be - it wouldn't hurt them to sit on it, but it may open the drain before you want it to be open.

lisa

Oh wow. I didn't know about the toe touch drains. That adds another option! So, since I don't know about plumbing (I suppose I should ask this in the plumbing forum, but let me ask anyway). Are these options available for some kind of universal drain/overflow kit (the actual pipes)? I found conversions kits online, but they don't give much info. I've seen kits for trip lever and the lift and turn, but not the toe touch. What if you try one and ends up you'd like another. Do you have to have the whole assembly replaced (drain over flow kit as well as trim kit)?

TIA!

-Chris

i am a definite amateur here, but i bought my toe touch drain without pipes & used regular pvc. we had to have the drain & overflow pipes separate for a rather long stretch (as compared to more traditional setups) because of that joist, so having the traditional pipes wouldn't have worked anyway.

at the lowes near me, they had inexpensive toe tap & other drains with the pipes included in the box, so maybe check those out in the store & see how they'd work for you.

also, moen was very helpful explaining installation for me over the phone for their toe tap drain i bought... they may be able to help you with these other questions too.

also, one thing i remembered while getting my bath ready last night is - my tub is 36 inches wide & the drain is on the far side of an alcove in the center of the far side of the tub. if i had a tub that was any wider, i'd have to climb into it in order to close the drain before i started filling it up. not sure how much a trip lever would help, since it would still have to be far away, but it wouldn't be on the tub bottom, which may help.

Here is a link that might be useful: moen toe touch