I'm glad the Delta Lahara worked for you, sas95 - I may have just gotten a lemon, and the manufacturing standards may have gone down since you bought it, hence my warning. The lovely stainless Delta pull out convertable spray/normal in my kitchen that's been in for 8 years still works great and has all metal compression fittings. Antss, the list on the Delta was $260, not to be confused with a Glacier Bay-type faucet; I paid about $150 for it on Amazon. The Grohe replacement was $170 in the DC area. Comparable price, big difference in quality. Another victim of JIT mfg to the lowest bidder-of-the-moment trend of US corps, IMO - but I'll avoid the political soapbox on that one (I'd be up on it all night!) and say I wasnt trying to slam Deltas, per se, just warn about the potential current lemons in the line based on my most recent experience with them and offer another option for those looking for top value at mid price in a design that non-plumbers can install flawlessly.

People seem to want to pay up to $399 but resist going to a higher price. OTOH, you use a kitchen faucet 10 to 20 thousand times in decade. (my estimation of number). A kitchen faucet is the one thing that doesn't fit into the decor by hiding along with the other lines and trim. It stands out. It doesn't blend in. It's round tubing, bent into a praying humanlike shape. I think it is worth it to spend more. " Does anyone have them, do you like them and how have they held up? " " I was leaning toward the Grohe ... I think this style has an on off button for the spray ..." Call or email Grohe about getting a model with a spray button that stays on spray once you press it. Call or email Delta about getting a model with a spray button that stays on spray once you press it. Some of the spray "wands" have a button you press once, others have a need-to-hold-down button. A spray button that stays on spray once you press it is a feature that I would like to have, and I would want to know about it on the main page describing the faucet. But, all too often, this is detailed feature information that the marketing people everywhere don't highlight on any web site of any faucet maker. I've heard them say to me that they prefer to hold back on this information so that the customer has to ask; it helps the showroom salesperson add value and play a more meaningful role. Hmm this might have been true back in the day when glossy brochures were the only text information available. The world has changed since then: participant discussion forums are now the key to getting informed. Terms vary. One fancy faucet maker has a term "mousseur" for a certain kind of wand, and they don't apply that term consistently across the line (!). Grohe is consistently high quality, and Grohe supports you if a problem happens. Delta is consistently medium quality, and Delta supports you if a problem happens. I may be too generous towards Delta. But, millions have them. Grohe is well known worldwide. Asia is where all the parts are made. There is no point trying to "manufacture" faucets inside the boundaries of any country, although it is possible to do some of the assembly (and call it made here). In Australia faucets often cost less, because it is too easy for any hardware store buyer to get on a plane and go negotiate face to facem and bring back a small batch (smaller than e.g. 5000 units). We are too far away, and nobody seems interested to place orders to bring small batches halfway around the world after using photos or video conferencing as their only way to see what they are talking about. -- Chrome can be very good looking when a high end manufacturer makes it. Chrome in medium quality faucet (the kind you can see in a hardware store) can be less than attractive. Stainless steel plate finishes can vary in hue from one maker to another. There is a range, from industrial gray to attractive light nickel to beautiful. If quality and looks are both important to you, broaden your search to compare KWC faucets. See them in person. Livello is available in 100% solid stainless steel; Ava in plated. A beautiful bent praying shape can be had in the Eve and Sin models, with a small pulldown wand that hides in plain sight, being housed inside the tubing. Of the four Sin models, I got the one with a Highflex memory hose that springs back to reset itself. Its wand has a press-once button to switch to spray. This is good for my Silgranite sink because it's much easier to rinse Silgranite sink walls down with a broad spray than with a narrow jet.

Regarding the hot/cold on the delta allora, I am right handed and like my control mounted on the right because that's the hand I reach with to turn it on. It's not really hard to get used to the front to back for hot and cold, there are also teeny little blue and red indicators to remind you which is which. If I can get DH to get under the sink to unscrew the mount, I would like to position that handle just a bit forward (it can spin in any direction) so when on full hot, it isn't so close to my windowsill. That's my only complaint and it was an install issue. I have heard many people complain over splashing on all the gooseneck faucets, not just the delta but it is a really easy fix....I got used to using less pressure (bonus is it saves water) pretty quickly. It doesn't splash at all in stream, only spray and then, only when turned up. I really only use my spray for sink cleaning and I always have the hose extended and the head sweeping around the sides...no spray even on high. My old side spray used to splash if it were turned up and held up high...I think it's the nature of the beast. I have a kindred undermount stainless sink, single bowl. The bowl insides are 27.5 x 17 and I find it a good fit. When I first opened my faucet, my first impression was holy smokes, it's toooooooo huge. Not so. I love love love it. In fact, my faucet and single bowl undermount sink are my favorite things in the kitchen.

I do have the new model and have the chrome finish due to 1) cheaper price tag and 2) my sink is right in front of a garden window and I like the look of the shiny facet in front of the window (I would prefer polished nickel to match with my other finish in the kitchen but they don't have that) I have polished nickel pendant lights and knobs/pulls. The shiny chrome fits well and the difference between the color tone is not pronounce as they are in different elevation and at a distance. I wipe down the faucet whenever I am done with the sink and I have no issue with water mark (although my kitchen is still new but I have had Grohe chrome faucet in my previous house bathroom for years and that was like new when I moved out) The model I have can lock the spray.