We replaced a leaky old (2007) Moen single handle pull out with this Delta âLelandâ 9178-AR-DST
last week.
This was a DIY install, so I was quite grateful for much of the thoughtful sharing of experience and lessons learned by many other reviewers here, particularly Mr Mojo.
I wasn’t sure whether to give this 3 or 4 stars because we do like it, but there are significant shortcomings. It seems that mid-range plumbing fixtures like this tend to have serious design and quality issues affecting reliability and durability. We would have been willing to buy a significantly more expensive fixture, but I saw too many bad experiences with much more expensive faucets, so the higher price point would only have been more infuriating had there been issues.
It really is a nice looking fixture, and will certainly complement a kitchen with stainless appliances, etc. Be aware that though the hub and spout arm seem to be metal, the rest seems to be plastic. Arctic Stainless is a color/finish, not a descriptor for stainless steel.
We installed the faucet with the handle on the left, and had no problems. If you are attentive to the installation instructions and the space limitations in your kitchen, you should be able to install this unit with the handle on the left, right, front, or back with no problem. We like the fact that the sprayer magnetically attaches to the arm so you can pull it off or turn slightly and remove it even more easily by exposing opposite poles of the magnets.
The sprayer toggles with a switch on the spout from stream to spray, as we expected, and the sprayer turns freely, so you can keep the toggle switch hidden on the back, in full view in the front, etc. As of this writing, the listing info above for this faucet shows a third “Multi-Flow” feature with “a higher flow for quick fills” – that is not correct. Low flow stream, low flow spray, thatâs it. If I REALLY need a quick, high volume fill for something, Iâll probably go to the laundry tub anyway â lots of room and no flow governor there.
Some have mentioned that the retractable hose for the spout can bind after some time. A few suggested silicone grease, which I would be concerned may collect dirt and gunk up on the hose and within the faucet arm (where you canât easily clean) after some time. So, I used âBâLaster Silicone Spray Lubricantâ, similar to this one https://smile.amazon.com/Blaster-16-SL-Silicone-Lube-11-Ounces/dp/B0019LV3GO , instead. The sprayer hose slides like butter on a griddle! To lubricate, I laid the fixture assembly in our laundry tub to catch overspray, pulled the hose ALMOST all the way through the fixture assembly, sprayed it on the exposed hose and wiped it around with my hand, let it dry/soak in for a while, and gently wiped with a paper towel to remove any excess. Then I pulled the hose ALMOST all the way back through the other side, and repeated the procedure. I’ve also used this silicone spray with shower rods in the baths. I’ve also installed plastic shower rod covers over our wood hanger rods in our closets, coating with the silicone spray, air drying for some time, and wiping them prior to install. CLEAN, extremely smooth, almost disarmingly easy movement on these rods years after application.
One thing that concerns me about the sprayer hose is that there is no brake to keep the hose from being pulled out so far that it would stress the rigid plastic junction where the vulnerable rigid plastic clip is installed. The weight that comes with this unit slides freely along the hose, and is not designed to be clamped on. We have some extra weights around here from other fixtures such as the Moen I just removed, and on those fixtures they were affixed to an appropriate point along the hose in order to prevent excessive hose withdrawal. I may try putting one of them on our new Delta 9178 hose. Or, since my kids are pretty much grown, maybe weâll just hope no one gets too enthusiastic with the sprayer.
The main thing that concerns me about the sprayer hose is the precarious way that the hose assembly attaches to the faucet assembly, held in place by a rigid plastic clip. This is a serious, unnecessary risk resulting from stunningly bad design. Before buying this faucet, I called Delta to see if they have redesigned this junction â unbelievably, they have not. However, the customer service lady said that if the clip breaks or comes off, they will provide another clip free under the warranty, but that wonât do much for the water damage. I almost didnât buy the 9178 because of this design danger, but other products I looked at all had their own reliability and durability issues. Reviewer Mr. Mojo thoughtfully articulated a solution, complete with photo, so I thought I would give the 9178 a chance. I saw first hand how easy it would be to dislodge that clip â accidentally bumping it knocked it off rather easily. In fact, in attempting to replicate Mr. Mojoâs solution, the zip ties, when installed per his photo, actually dislodged the clip from the hose junction as I tightened the zip ties at the specified locationsâ the clip was left hanging in place but the junction was no longer secured. To solve that problem, I relocated the zip ties per the photos attached to this review, and they are situated so that the clip can not come off so long as the ties are in place and the clip remains unbroken. Just donât overtighten the ties, or the rigid clip may eventually break from that pressure.