I'm not Kelly, but I got my Simplice recently, too. Just went out to the house to check it...It has the metal braided stuff from the faucet base and handle area to attach to the house plumbing, but the hose for the pull down is braided black --plastic, it looks like to me.

Mine is the black braided, too. It that a big deal? Doesn't bother me.

I assume that is why the Simplice faucet is not so highly priced? (Alot of the faucets I was looking at were much more expensive.)

I think the plastic or whatever it is looks pretty tough, and should stand up to water... ;-) I'm not going to worry about it unless it doesn't work well. I agree with Kelly that it was less than half most similar faucets, so I'm willing to give it a chance.

O.K., thanks you all--I went to Lowe's and saw that it's black braid around a rubber hose with a thin metal coil inside the hose and wondering if maybe that was the Lowe's low-budget version of the real Kohler, which is metal if you buy it somewhere else...let's hope it's o.k. The metal one that comes with the Contempra has been completely problem-free--I'm just hoping that this one will be as problem-free, since the only reason I'm switching out is for the longer reach.

I will relax until someone posts that it leaks or whatever else...hm, what is the lifetime of that kind of rubber, anyway?

O.K., I just found this verbiage from fausink.com:

ProMotion technology light, quiet nylon hose with ball joint configuration on the pull-down sprayhead provides superior ergonomic and easy-to-use functionality

So that must be the reason. DH was wondering if it's cheaper; I'm hoping they consider it an improvement...

Hmmm...this is what the site says about a Kohler Avatar, which is more expensive:

Double interlock brass hose prevents hose from kinking

Uh-oh...well, the die is cast already, guess I have to wait and see.

I have been shopping for faucets and have found the braided nylon (or whatever they are) hoses much harder to pull out than the metal ones. I am having a horrible time finding a pullout faucet that is contemporary and comfortable in my hand...irrespective of price (although I am not about to spend $1000 on a faucet, no matter what).

The PP Contempra is very comfortable (to me), and has a metal hose, easy to pull out, goes back securely (just has an 8" reach, which isn't enough for me)...I like that it's a pull*down* vs. a pullout--the pull*out*s seem awkward, ergonomically, to my particular hand. I haven't tried using a braided nylon pull yet, but I will soon.

Have other people found that it's hard to pull?

Update on the Simplice, after a few days use: It's *wonderful*, and I never thought that a faucet that looked so similar to another one could be so different. There's *something* about the way they've done the faucet head that makes the spray not splash around--it's basically a straight ahead spray, not a wide-angle, I guess--we haven't gotten spray on our window once--it's amazing how you can control water so differently with just tiny angles. I also really appreciate being able to switch back to stream from spray without turning it off. The fabric hose isn't hard to pull out--I find that it doesn't pop back as well as the Contempra, but it doesn't hang, either. I think we'll put just a bit more weight on the weight to see if that makes it more to my taste, but it's perfectly functional now. It feels comfortable in my hand, raynag, fwiw.

The contempra will be going in the laundry room--it's a fine faucet, but this one is just a step beyond. SO glad we got it :)

maybe it's just me, but I can't figure out what we need the stop-button for...what do you all use it for? Tia :)

Well, Tia. I think you should be on a Kohler commercial for Simplice. You would make a great salesperson. I am ready to buy another one. LOL.

I don't use the stop-button much. Primarily, if I am holding an item in one hand (like a plant) and want to stop the water flow. (Since both hands are busy, can't turn the faucet off.)

LOL Kitchenkelly--I do tend to wax rhapsodic about things I find to be of good quality...and I'll be looking out for situations like watering a plant or something. Guess it will save a bit of water, maybe?

(and by Tia I meant Thanks in advance for any answers to the question about the stop button -- maybe I should have capitalized all the letters but I get lazy :))

Funny, I didn't think you would be a Tia. And I definitely know what TIA is. Didn't even cross my mind. (I's been a long week....month...year.)

That's o.k...I also have to keep reminding myself that TIA doesn't mean "transient ischemic attack" so even all-caps isn't as distraction-proof as we would like to think :)

I'm going to revive this post to ask a quick question - if you have the simplice as your main faucet, what do you have as your prep faucet?

Tia. (HA. Sorry, I couldn't resist).

Okay, I'm not stalking you, but I love the color of your house! I vaguely remember you saying at one point that you chose one color for the entire downstairs of your house. I think I even remember the paint color. Moss something by Devine something.

They don't sell that brand of paint anywhere near me, but I have a great discount at our local SW store, and they will paint match anything. I don't supposed I could send you have any old paint swatches hanging around? Is that too stalker-ish for me to ask?

Also, I noticed that you don't have a prep sink in your kitchen, so please disregard my previous question. I also noticed that simplice has an "entertainment" size as well.

kbmas0n (aka Tia), you are too funny. And, no prep sink for me. My kitchen is too tiny.

I don't have any swatches. (I used to keep a few in my purse and they got so messed up.) I am busy this weekend but I could pick up a few for you next weekend and send them.

Let me know.

kitchenkelly - that would be fantastic! I have just admired your kitchen so much, and love the color! And my husband told me this weekend he loves it too...and for us to agree on a paint color is a miracle!

Any time you could get the paint swatch would be great. If you want to email me at kmason @ ic . edu (no spaces), that would be awesome!! THANK YOU!

PS- i won my Simplice on ebay this weekend! I am so excited!!!

I'm obviously not KK, but we do have a prep sink with the Simplice on the main sink. If we hadn't already ordered an Elkay Moda pull-down spray faucet that we'll use on the island, I probably would have used the smaller version of the Simplice. As it is, the 2 faucets will go together and not match, which is fine, but I liked the price and size better on the smaller Simplice.

thanks, rhome. I need to make up my mind of what to do! My DH found a faucet he liked at Lowes, but it was a Delta and a totally different style than the Simplice. I can't decide if I'm cool with that, of if I want it to match. I just love the clean lines of the simplice.

bumping for KK!

hey kbmas0n,

I just sent you an email.