Quality tub drain?

[RickFlorida]

Does anyone recommend a stainless steel tub drain assembly? (I just need the drain assembly for the bottom of tub, not the overflow).
When I remodeled one of my bathrooms a year or two ago, I didn't think I needed to worry about the quality of the drain assembly like I did for other components but now I see that after only one year or two, the finish is already going bad. I see a stainless steel one on Build.com but it's 93 dollars with the whole trim kit. Is there just drain assembly that is solid stainless at a better price?

The 29 dollar ones at Home Depot and Lowes are all the same low quality. The problem is they use a cheap finish or cheap base metal underneath. Is there really not an in between price/quality one or I have to go to 100 dollars for a small drain assembly?

I would have thought a quality tub drain pop up assembly in solid stainless steel should be 45 bucks at most but I don't even see any but the 93 dollar one on Build so far. That's ridiculous for a simple part.

 

[Twowaxhack]

I’ve never see one that’s stainless steel. Maybe a stainless finish but not the actual metal stainless steel

I use chrome plated brass

 

[RickFlorida]

I’ve never see one that’s stainless steel. Maybe a stainless finish but not the actual metal stainless steel

I use chrome plated brass

Yes, quality chrome over solid brass can last. The issue is Home Depot and Lowes just stocks some kind of base metal that is poorly plated.

And I think you are right, so far I see zero. The one that I thought was stainless comes in different color finishes so it's plated like you said. That's probably why NONE of them are solid stainless, because they want to offer 3 or 4 different finishes/colors. Brass is easier to plate with different finishes than solid stainless steel. Pure nickle would be worse to use.

I do know there are solid stainless steel drain covers like for showers.

I'm going to keep looking or try to get a solid brass one that is plated. How can I know that one is solid brass and then plated with quality finish? (it's the cheap base metal underneath that is causing finishes to go bad early).

 

[RickFlorida]

Here's one for a bathroom sink, they may have a tub sized one?
https://whitehauscollection.com/products/solid-stainless-steel-pop-up-drain-with-overflow

 

[Twowaxhack]

Delta makes a good waste and overflow. Brass with the finish applied.

A lot of the ones you see for $30-50 are zinc pot metal junk with a finish applied. It corrodes like the one in a recent pic I posted.

 

[sawsaw]

What do you think? Noah Plus Pop-Up Mechanical Drain

 

[Twowaxhack]

What do you think? Noah Plus Pop-Up Mechanical Drain

Looks like a quality product.

 

[havasu]

I love those pop up's. Way better than the mechanical arm that collects hair and seem to get hard to open after a year or two.

 

[GReynolds929]

What do you think? Noah Plus Pop-Up Mechanical Drain

Looks nice but it appears that it's for a kitchen sink not a bathtub.

 

[sawguy]

Looks nice but it appears that it's for a kitchen sink not a bathtub.

2 1/2" diameter.

 

[Twowaxhack]

2 1/2" diameter.

They must be for lavatories that don’t have an overflow. Vessel sink ? I don’t know

 

[GReynolds929]

2 1/2" diameter.

Good point. I had bigger than a lav drain in my head and instinctively went to kitchen. Like twowax said possibly for a vessel sink, could be a Jr basket for a utility sink also. Depending on where they are measuring the diameter if it's the flange od the threads could be about 1 7/8" which would most likely work for a tub if that's the case.

 

[sawguy]

Good point. I had bigger than a lav drain in my head and instinctively went to kitchen. Like twowax said possibly for a vessel sink, could be a Jr basket for a utility sink also. Depending on where they are measuring the diameter if it's the flange od the threads could be about 1 7/8" which would most likely work for a tub if that's the case.

You will never know how bad a vessel sink is until you have one. Then you can call twowax to replace it!