Reviews? Explore Hardware door levers

last year

I’m considering buying a whole new house full of Explore Hardware door levers. It’s their “soho” in knurled black. They are Canada company based in Montreal.

On sale items, you can’t return them.
They won’t speak on phone, only through email.
They aren’t doing samples during Black Friday.

Anyone bought their door hardware and have any reviews? Reputable company? Quality of handles? I have to decide by Sunday 12/4.

Thanks in advance!
Jen

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Comments (5)

PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
last year
Waht made you choose these if you have no idea about the quality . IMO go local so you can see what you are getting and also be able to know what is available . I actualluy use Lee Valley for my hardware for myself and clients . No issues with returns and I have liked the quality. BTW I am in Canada .
Jennifer Cenedella
Original Author
last year
Patricia, that’s a great question. We had our hearts set on Emtek Hercules Knurled through our local vendor (saw samples in person)… until we blew out our construction budget and these are pricey. So she suggested Sureloc knurled. I don’t love the look as much but the price is half of Emtek. I’m waiting on the sample but it doesn’t come for a week.
Last night online I found Explore Hardware and LOVE the look. Like it as much as Emtek if not better. Their 30 reviews on their website and 5 on Facebook are all positive but those could be culled. Hence the post…
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The information posted above is not entirely accurate. Although most window and door dealers do not have "standard" non-lever handle styles, they are common and are available. They also perform well, if not in a round design, because the multi-point door gears do require additional torque to disengage. Levers work best, but oval handles are sufficient. Your door representative should simply apply some minor research and I'd bet that Andersen can supply them for you. If not, there are custom hardware manufacturers that make the correct hardware for most major window and door manufacturer's size specifications. One that comes to mind is named Emtek or Emtec, and their products are reasonably priced. Oval knobs have become quite common in bear country, as bears quickly determine how to use a lever handle to gain access into homes. We use oval handles on the exterior sides of almost all of our mountain home construction, and they are supplied by our window and door vendors. It was not an easy product to acquire up until about 5 years ago, but now it is a very common handle style. As for clearance on the interior, we have also used the extensions (we commonly use a combination of lever interior and oval exterior handles). The extension allows the interior blind to slip between the lever handle and the door. However, the blinds often requested on our projects consist of wide wooden slats, so the extensions still don't work well. We often suggest a cloth shade with brass rods top and bottom, in leiu of blinds, for door applications. This affords privacy, while also allowing some natural light through the fabric, unless they are pulled to the sides for full light exposure. Most importantly, this eliminates swinging blinds each time the door is used.
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Sabrina Alfin Interiors
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I'd be wary of buying anything you can't return. Emtek is pretty well-priced. I'd be concerned about the quality if you buy anything that's a lot less expensive than they are.
Fred
5 months ago
Jennifer - did you end up using the Explore Hardware handles? Here I am 11 months later going thru the exact situation. I did order one of the Explore Hardware Paris handles and really like it, I guess I'm just looking for someone that has lived with it for a year.
Jennifer Cenedella
Original Author
5 months ago
@fred yes, I bought 15 SOHO MATTE BLACK handles both passage and privacy. We installed them last spring and have had them covered by bubble wrap and paper for past 6 months, BUT just moved into the house last week. So I’ve only been using them for a week. However, we love them so far! At half the price of Emtek, so worth it in my opinion! They are solid, haven’t scratched yet, are operational. My fiancé who knows building products likes them a lot so far. I’d say it’s worth it. I really wanted fhe Knurled handles, so it was either these at $80-90 per , Emtek at $150 per, or Sureloc which didn’t look AS good aesthetically in the one sample I got. So I’d say buy em! Their customer service at Explore was great too. They originally sent me 2 less handles than I paid for, so they expedited them out for me, taking my word for it. Great service. I’ll buy from them again.

Reviews? Explore Hardware door levers

Comments (5)

Patricia Colwell Consulting

Jennifer Cenedella
Original Author

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Sabrina Alfin Interiors

Fred

Jennifer Cenedella
Original Author

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Reviews? Explore Hardware door levers

Comments (5)

Patricia Colwell Consulting

Jennifer CenedellaOriginal Author

Related Discussions

Sabrina Alfin Interiors

Fred

Jennifer CenedellaOriginal Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Jennifer Cenedella
Original Author

Jennifer Cenedella
Original Author