My understanding is that the faucets sold at big box stores have lesser internal parts - ie: plastic instead or ceramic. Also, the plumbers that we work with do not warranty their work unless the fixtures are purchased from a plumbing supply house. Moen does offer a lifetime warranty however, and I believe that is honored no matter where you purchase from. They will send you parts as needed, but you will still have to pay a plumber.

Faucets get so much use, and are not something that you change often, so it's worth it to spend a little more IMO.

A matte black faucet sounds like a cleaning headache.

The faucet manufacturers will tell you that if the faucet at the big box store has the same model number as the one at the plumbing jobber, it's the same faucet. But I noticed a few years ago that Delta faucets in the Blue Big Box Store had an L tacked onto the end of the model number. Take that as you will.

I never get tired of chrome faucets. There was a once trendy antique brass faucet in this house when we bought it. I loathed that ugly dirty looking thing. Long since replaced by a chrome faucet that I'm still very pleased with.

Delta vs Moen. Both good brands. I default to Delta because the parts are easy to find and because I could never figure out how to disassemble a leaky Moen kitchen faucet that came with the house. (Pre-YouTube days.) Every Delta that I've owned has been nearly trouble free and changing out the seats and springs if it ever did leak was stupid easy to do.

I installed a Delta widespread lav faucet in the 1980s. With a few repairs, it still works fine.

However, I think all the single-handle Deltas I've worked with since have been lemons. One started leaking from the spout within a year after installation. Rebuilds last less than a year, too. Maybe it's the hard water around here.

I'd switch to Moen, but their single-handle faucets don't open and close smoothly for me. That lever-lifting-a-cylinder design sticks every time.

It runs against my grain and my better judgment, but I'm starting to think that the easiest answer is to buy the cheap and cheerful Chinese house-brand faucets in the big box stores, and not bother to fix them when they start leaking -- just junk them and replace with new cheapies.

David, I have great luck with Deltas. Bottom of the line single handle Delta Classic kitchen faucet--at least 10 years old and haven't had to make any repairs on it. Moderately hard water here.

Also had single handle Deltas when I lived in OK with more minerals in the water there. I did have to replace the seats & springs every two or three years under those conditions. But parts are inexpensive and repair is very easy.

Haven't yet had a chance/ need to try one of the Deltas with the Diamond Seal technology.

http://www.starcraftcustombuilders.com/sources.faucets.Delta.htm

Maybe I've just had bad luck. :(