Straight from the Victorian era, the Danze D454557RB is a total retro fit faucet that rests on a single hole mount. While other faucets tend to provide a single or at most, two finishes, this one has five fantastic yet completely different looks. Conventional Victorian oil rubber bronze, modern stainless steel, futuristic chrome, antique copper and full black satin finish are what you can choose from. Intricate detailing and its curved design give it a handcrafted feel. Adding to its custom look is a 17.75 inch high neck and a length of 7.5 inches. Full swivel allows you to use a dual sink setup with this faucet. Besides, with the quick hose extension that smoothly extends and retracts out of the faucet head, you can reach out of the sink onto the kitchen countertop with ease. The faucet head also offers dual flow mode of spray/aerated that is ideal for any kind of task. It also uses ceramic none drip valves. Covered by a limited but lifetime warranty cover, this faucet meets ADA requirement of low lead compliance.
Functionality:
Quite simply, this is a stunning piece of artwork. Its statuesque and perfect for a retro décor. But that is all it is best at… Honestly, installing this was a bit of a nightmare for me. At first I thought it was a single hole faucet so how hard can it be? Well as I found out, the water feed pipes are about 2 inches short for my 8 and half inch kitchen sink. Eventually I did get it fitted after one trip to the home improvement store. Once installed, the operation was decent. I say decent because the pull-down sprayer seems to get stuck if I pull it to the limits. The counterweight is a bit rough inside the spout and tends to get stuck at times. The only way to overcome this is to slowly push the sprayer back into place. Other than that I haven’t faced any other problems. Zero drip, decent spray pressure and aerated flow gives a good clean throw.
Style:
Danze calls this the Opulence faucet. When it was released, it retailed around $500. Thankfully, today it costs under $300 without any change in styling. In fact, you still get a choice between 5 awesome styles that all look antique in their own right. Owning this opulent faucet is no longer an expensive proposition and I have to say, although I personally don’t like retro faucets, this definitely looks elegant and pristine sitting by itself on my stainless steel sink. Heads up, I went with the stainless steel finish to match it with my sink.
Durability:
Ahhh…. What can I say. I expected more from Danze. Ok so it doesn’t actually keep the antique look for long but at least they should have thought about the nagging counterweight issue. I fear that repeated manhandling of the counterweight to get the sprayer back in place will eventually corrode and breakdown the interior of the faucet. Moreover, after a month, you will find a bit of slack in the sprayer as it sits pretty inside the spout. Thankfully, this faucet is covered by lifetime warranty so any damage should be covered.
Extra Features:
As far as extras go, it is mostly the styling that differentiates the Danze D454557RB from other faucets. Get it in the oil rubber bronze finish or the antiquate copper finish. I found these two to properly replicate Victorian styling. As for additional features, it has none – basic functionality with a decent spray pattern.
Warranty & Repair:
Danze is awesome with its customer support and actually provides a lifetime warranty on this particular model. However, being a limited type warranty, you will have to pay for replacement parts. As long as you get a plumber to install this faucet for you, it should last you a good five or ten years. Remember that peeling of the finishing or paint is not covered under warranty, so take good care of it.
Conclusion:
Once I got over the installation glitch, I had a decent experience with the Danze D454557RB. I might be a bit prejudiced towards retro fittings but even with my cynical view, I have to give it a full 5 star for looks and styling. As for features, operation and use, I think it deserves a 3.5 star at best. Basically, if you are after a Venetian or Tuscany feel for your kitchen get this faucet but if functionality drives you, this is definitely not a faucet designed for you.
Features and Specifications
- Single hole mounting Victorian styling with an additional and optional deck plate.
- Uses drip-free ceramic disc valves for optimal performance.
- Provides a choice between aerated and spray stream.
- Spring retraction and extending pull-down spray head.
- 17.75 inch high, 7.5 inch long reach of the faucet spray head.
- Lifetime limited warranty cover.
Danze D454557RB
Elegantly styled in a prudish old age design, available in total of 5 finishing, each equally distinct and vibrant, its got a pull-down faucet head , sturdy construction, ceramic valves and counterweight operation.
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