What I have found is that there are no more "reasonably priced" faucets. Most are chrome plated plastic, with plastic valves and rubber washers etc... Also what I have found if buying from box store, you'll mostly get these cheaper lower quality model faucets by the same manufactures you mentioned above, the wallmart model.
If you go to a plumbing supply house, here we have Standard Plumbing, you will pay 2-3x the price, but the parts are actually metal!! Some will have the ceramic disks instead of rubber washers and the valves are metal.
Here is an example. I was trying to find a shower wand that mounted to the wall on a metal bar, vs the ones that hang off the shower head. NO BOX STORE carries anything like this. I found a $40 one at Bed Bath and Beyond and it looked nice but 100% plastic. Later I went to standard plumbing, they had a few in stock that I liked, ended up ordering a Moen but got a solid metal one, and paid $250 for it, but I am sure it will last much longer than anyone at a box store.
