Problems with Bristan Easyfit Kitchen Taps - Part 1

Hamish the Plumber reviews problems he has been having with Bristan's Easyfit kitchen taps falling off and flooding people's kitchens. For further information and recent updates, please visit bristan-easyfit-reviews.co.uk

[@georgecole]

I came across your informative videos while doing some research on how to fix my Bristan Renaissance Easyfit Monobloc tap, which is dripping and also makes a whistling sound when the hot tap is turned on. Thank you for the very useful information. I only wish I'd seen them before I purchased my Bristan tap. I purchased the tap on 3rd March 2016, presumably the old design, and had it fitted by our plumber on 31st March 2016. Fortunately we've been lucky and our tap has not popped so far. I have immediately checked and tightened the grub screws, one of which seemed quite loose. Hopefully this may save us from an impending disaster and I will now check them regularly. Thank you for taking the time to highlight this problem and for the entertaining way you presented the information in your videos, oh and also thanks to Bertie.

[@HamishErskine1]

Hi George. If the tap is dripping, it probably needs a new pair of ceramic disc cartridges, but given the other issues with these taps, I would advise you just to get a whole new tap from a different company. About the whistling when the hot tap is turned on - I wonder if that's the tap whistling, or whether it is noisy flow in the hot pipe. Sometimes if the isolating valve is part closed to reduce flow, it can result in a bit of noise.

[@bernicewood8476]

Thank You for this. I looked up reviews of these taps because I was concerned that the screws would get furred up with hard water making them difficult to remove. I never even considered that they might come too loose. Our water pressure is really high, even with it only turned on a tiny bit at the meter, so now I know to take easyfit ones off my (very long) shortlist.

[@timleigh9268]

Thanks for the heads up Hamish. I was about to fit a Bristan tap. Saw your video and got a refund from supplier.

[@doghouse1960]

WAS going to buy one of these but not anymore thanks to this video thank you for the advice

[@JeffWardMusic]

Thanks for this most excellent video Hamish. It stopped me buying one just in time!

[@shellyallison4266]

Me too !

[@rjs71]

Thanks for the heads up was just about to buy one of these but not going to bother now. All the best

[@jonnycsuperplumb765]

Just watched your videos. Very interesting and true. Ive fitted an 'easyfit' today in a third floor flat. Ive just booked in to remove & replace it tomorrow. Im certainly not taking the risk as a Plumber Cheers

[@666cwg]

was just going to purchase a Bristan easyfit tap.. thanks for the warning as will keep well away now!

[@supersesqui]

Well made video. Simple and to the point. cheers

[@bagpopuk]

Nearly purchased Bristan Easyfit taps from one of the largest online retailers. Thankfully an unimpressed reviewer left a link to this video. I didn't have to watch any further than 3:45 to understand why these taps are a bomb waiting to go off, even when installed by an experienced plumber. Taps operating at mains pressure held on by two grub screws? You've got to be joking Bristan! Thank you Hamish, the insight is greatly appreciated.

[@ICGedye]

I have a conventional tap with 1 screw holding the spout to the base. It let go the other day! The tip of the screw must have worn from excessive lateral movement of the spout. I had noticed a slight leaking at the base of the spout, more of a drip when the tap was in use. I had no idea the screw would wear out. Single screw against main pressure? Also a crap design. A simple pin slid in from the side would suffice. If you have one of these, dont ignore that drip - meaning knackered o rings.

[@thephilpott2194]

This appears to be a good place to mention Bristan's 1901 bathroom basin taps. (Particularly as Bristan's video's have the comments field disabled!) Across a period of 5 years we are on our third pair of 1/4 turn chrome finish ceramic valve basin taps. The first one (cold tap) had a lump missing from the brass casting where the silicon ring beds into the body of the tap. This one was replaced under guarantee. The second pair have lasted a few years, but corrosion has now killed the interior of the valve. The replacement valves are indeed available, but the problem i have is with the materials used in the construction of these taps. Having ultimately replaced the cold tap a second time (upon seeing the shocking condition of the entire assembly) i took the old one apart and found: The following parts are made from a material which closely resembles mazak- a cheap and manky alloy of zinc and aluminium that was in commonplace use for unimportant castings around about the time of WW2! The thin plating of chrome on this material provides no protection on what is a cheap, inappropriate and useless material that is more suited to dinky toys than anything else (and you know how THEY rot when you leave them in the garden) The tap head (with the four traditional 'ears' )- Mazak or similar 'Crapalloy' The cosmetic (screw on) cover for the brass top of the valve- Mazak or similar 'Crapalloy' Now then, it matters little whether you are in a hard or soft water area- 'Crapalloy' is going to swell up, crack and rot, and significantly before the rest of the tap does. The rest of the tap is chrome plated brass (or possibly gold plated brass on the alternative version.) I don't know the reason why this alloy has been used for parts of the taps- electrolytic action is swiftly set up between the different metals and things start to sieze up. Both of the components could, and should, have been made out of BRASS. You are currently looking at £50 to £55 GBP (or more) for a pair of these taps, for which the least you should expect is the whole thing to be brass....not monkey metal. The only preventive action possible is being careful to only clean with a damp cloth, and re-pack the void under the decorative cover with petroleum jelly at intervals. Allow it to smurge up through the gap then wipe off any excess. Due to corrosion it is entirely possible for the valve to unscrew itself from the body as you unscrew the decorative cover- watch out! If you haven't turned the water off at this point you are going to get wet! Bristan. Pull your finger out. If you improve your products you get forgiven. Brass is cheap compared to what it was in 2008. Please use it.

[@valphillips7002]

So far our taps have not fallen off, however the hot tap is dripping so I went to change the valve and am having trouble locating the correct size of valve. I ordered valves for the specified tap but they are very slightly too long as they had an extra screw thread. I then found a couple that were identical to the valve I took from the tap, only to be told they were out of stock for another 10 days! Whilst it is a simple job to change the valve, having seen your video I am considering getting a plumber in to replace the whole tap with a different make and model as Bristan Easyfit are obviously not reliable. Thanks for the information!

[@chrisarcher5573]

I had exactly the same problem. They have so many similar looking valves, it is improbable that one can find the correct one.

[@TheTenant]

Thanks for the heads up. I just bought one but now having second thoughts before fitting it. As this video is almost 2yrs old, is there any update regarding Bristan's newer models? Are they more secure in any way?

[@MrMethusal]

Sticking to tried and tested systems is always best. Must be said though, that the standard horse-shoe clamp works well as long as it doesn't bend on tightening (and this sometimes happens when the hole in counter surface or sink is slightly too big.) I could never understand why the horse-shoe clamp is not made of a thicker gauge of metal, or a higher-tensile steel. I always buy an extra horse-shoe clamp when fitting these longer pillar-type mixers, so fit two instead of one. This has worked very well for me over the years.

[@laughingachilles]

I'm not a plumber but I have done a great deal of of DIY over the years and I recently chose one of these taps to replace my old kitchen tap. When I, a non-plumber looked at the grub screws, I instantly saw how the screws would come loose unless I used a thread locking compound. I am a little confused how a biologist like myself could recognize such an obvious vulnerability when this is most certainly not my area of expertise. Bristan EasyFit is a great idea but the implementation is awful.

[@twoeggcups]

Why use grub screws at all? Why not a proper screw connection?

[@laughingachilles]

@@twoeggcups Ask the designers.

[@chadchadman5056]

Thanks for the heads up ! I was on the verge of fitting one when I saw your video ! So I got the supplier to refund my money back.. Bristan charged me 20% restocking charge ! But what the hell ..rather that than a ticking bomb in a customers kitchen ....thanks again !

[@HamishErskine1]

You're welcome. I'm surprised you had to pay a restocking charge. Did you buy it direct from Bristan? Most plumbing merchants are happy to take back anything you end up not needing

[@chadchadman5056]

Hamish Erskine In answer to your restocking question , my plumbing supplier phoned Bristan simply to ask if they would take the wretched thing back they told him there would be a ...20% restock charge ! Then they asked if it hasn't been fitted why it was to be returned...we told them that the fitting system was poorly engineered and there were countless complaints online ! They agreed that they have had fitting issues and that they were always the installers fault ...so I used a Frankie instead !.. Frankie's arn,t high on quality these days either !

[@aliindacombe]

We had the problem with the same tap exactly how Hamish describes here. Bristan gave us the option of either sending out one of their plumbers......... but having to pay for it if they found our plumber at fault. Or asking our plumber to return the tap for which they would then reimburse him. Which we did. They gave us a customer reference number. They were fine but not overly helpful and definitely wouldn’t admit it was a common problem.

[@ritahester6306]

You have probably answered this before, but Is this problem connected with the kitchen mixer only because of its swivel movement? Does it occur with the fixed basin and bath taps?

[@elreid7488]

Same problem, rectified by using a different grub screw. The original had a cone shaped end which did not hold tap secure for very long. Flat ended ones hold well but still from time to time check they are still tight. Problem solved very easily.

[@omfgimgettingpissed]

Fitted one today. Wasn’t that easy. This video now has me worried as my client is elderly. I think I will return to her next week and put some Loctite on the grub screws for my own piece of mind.

[@babjikarri4432]

And here was I trying to undo the flexi tails from underneath, not a chance, another attempt this weekend now that I know what the crack is, Thanks, Hamish 🙂

[@lonsdale1744]

Thanks for the heads up cheers mate 👍

[@trudypolley4258]

I've had a Bristan Professional tap in my kitchen for the past 7-8 years. It looks great and I love the hose & versatility of it. However, just now going into year 8, it started to leak and make weird noises. Had a plumber in who told me the tap was faulty and needed replacing. Needless to say, I'm now replacing the tap with like for like and very happy to do so. Not only that, but finding a special offer on it saved me over £130 too! I'm a rare happy bunny by the sounds of the whinging going on here..... Hope my new one is as good as the last one. It certainly looks the part!

[@HamishErskine1]

Hi Trudy, if the old one was 7-8 years old it was probably pre-Easyfit. I still fit Bristan's basin taps and sometimes their mixer showers. Generally as a brand their quality is decent. It is just when it comes to their kitchen taps that their Easyfit design is a serious black mark against an otherwise decent brand. But good luck to you. Just be sure that if you ever see any hint of the tap body coming loose that you tighten the grub screws without delay.

[@flyaway3503]

Thanks for the great videos interesting and a great help. Good idea from Bristan sad they seem slow to react and rectify. Bought a Grohe tap instead for peace of mind.

[@pgupta30181]

We have a cherry model, which has had the similar issue of bursting out and flooding the kitchen..

[@davep4703]

May I ask has there been any design modifications to the taps up to now 2019, also what about using loctite on the grub screw threads.

[@HamishErskine1]

Please see my updates at bristan-easyfit-reviews.co.uk The base design was last tweaked in 2018. Failure now seems quite rare, but still happens in some cases, so the problem hasn't yet been fixed totally. About loctite - yes it might help, but Bristan don't recommend it. If that were all it would take to fix the problem I think Bristan would have added a small tube in the box and recommended its use.

[@berilevi3177]

Yeah, I had the same issue, the tap came off the base and was flooding the kitchen! Luckily I was at home when it happened and could stop the flood from main stop cock within minutes.

[@ann-mariebartlett6988]

Very helpful video as I was about to buy one of these taps.

[@5ivetimes1]

Watched this and rechecked the two grub screws, both were loose three years after fitting the tap. A thread locking compound is a must if anyone dare keep on using the taps. Ridiculous it was overlooked. Conventional tap ordered and the Bristan is for the bin.

[@kevincuthbert3058]

A case of re inventing the wheel, what’s so difficult about the standard way and I’ve done a good few. There are some very good trade tools on the market with long reach capabilities ( see JB plumbers videos ). Surely made for the DIY market as most pros are fine with the standard set up. On a personal note it’s GROHE all the way for taps as far as I am concerned.

[@arthurdent6447]

How are the tap handles removed ? Are they simply pulled off, because pulling them off damages the plastic spline….wonder if there’s a way to remove the handles without damaging the plastic spines

[@timlong4704]

Wow I was going to fit one tomorrow! I’ll get a normal one now it’s not worth the risk

[@stepzc]

Any experience or thoughts on the new design where they have reworked the grub screw system?

[@HamishErskine1]

Please see my updates at bristan-easyfit-reviews.co.uk

[@mizunoman2092]

Had this problem with other makes of taps.

[@twoeggcups]

We had an exploding Bristan easyfit kitchen tap - a spectacular water fountain as you describe. However, in our case it became apparent (when I investigated) that the base had been installed back to front, and the grub screws were therefore not in contact with anything. So, installer error in our case, rather undermining your 'professional plumber' assertion.

[@HamishErskine1]

The original base design did allow installer error like that. Since 2016 the bases have been symmetrical so it doesn't matter which way round you fit them, but some still fail. Bristan try to blame all failures on back-to-front fitting but it doesn't explain why some still fail with the newer base designs.

[@notthestig8524]

Customer service..... absolutely shocking, I wished I'd have seen this video earlier.

[@dpchaldon]

Hi - is the washer for these quite straightforward to fix / replace?

[@HamishErskine1]

Most, if not all, of Bristan's Easyfit taps have quarter-turn ceramic disc cartridges rather than washers. If the tap has started to drip, unlike with other brands where you might replace the cartridges, in Bristan's case I would recommend you replace the tap with a different brand.

[@screeminjesus]

I fitted a Britsan Echo for a customer in October 2020. 5 weeks later it failed. Fortunately they were in the house at the time. I’m waiting to hear from Britsan but I’m reluctant to replace it with another easy fit tap. I wish I’d seen this video five weeks ago.

[@HamishErskine1]

Thanks for the update. With the current base (design tweaked in 2018) failure seems to fairly rare as far as I can tell, but there are definitely still cases where they fail. So although their design tweaks have improved the situation, the problem isn't sorted. As a plumber it is definitely best to still avoid Bristan's kitchen taps.

[@willdings]

Our Bristan easyfit tap did this last night. tap flew off - water fountain in the kitchen - half inch of water all over floor before we knew what was happening. It had been on about a year, and there was no indication it was about to come off. Having looked at the tap and fittings I have to agree it is a very very poor design.

[@HamishErskine1]

Oh dear, that's a lot of mopping up to do. I hope it didn't make the bottom of your kitchen units swell and ruin them all, or ruin your floor. My guess is the tap blew off when a cold tap was turned off somewhere, or when the washing machine or dishwasher got to a point in the cycle where it closed its inlet valve. That sends a pressure pulse through the cold water pipework and was probably the final straw that made the tap blow. I believe it is this pressure pulse that causes a hammer effect on the grub screws and works them lose over time. In the last few weeks I've had two people write to me that Bristan have offered to pay up to £250 to cover their insurance excess. Effectively it's an admission that their taps are flawed, but it would cost them too much to issue a full recall. So they are hoping the insurance companies will pick up the tab and that they can appease individual customers by offering to pay their excess.

[@cosh52]

Totally agree installed one. Of these taps nine months later flooding in the kitchen the grub screws slackened off never installed an other tap of this kind so one tap one fail 100%failure

[@HamishErskine1]

Hi Colin, out of interest, do you know which base design the tap had (Mark 1 2014- late 2015, Mark 2 late 2015 - late 2018, or Mark 3 late 2018 - present)?

[@cosh52]

Hamish Erskine 2018 Mark 3

[@HamishErskine1]

@@cosh52 Thank you. Further confirmation that there is still a problem with their current design. Plumbers have been reporting problems with these taps since January 2015, and over five years later they still haven't fixed the problem!

[@cosh52]

Hamish Erskine only ever fitted one these taps I will never fit another one Keep up the good work Hamish. Cheers Colin

[@somaaelsapak6361]

thank you

[@brucecurrie6913]

I see Bristan have redesigned the tool for fitting the grub screws and suggest you use the large allen key for extra torque when tightening the two screws (by inserting it crossways through the grub screw tightening tool's handle)...so maybe they have listened to you after all Hamish!

[@jonnyslater9942]

Is it still an allen key to tighten the grub screws?

[@susanbaker-brian9027]

Fitted an Easyfit Tap in August and it fell off in December - making a right old mess. Grub screws were done up tight as evidenced by the indentations on the base of the tap. Sent it to Bristan who said there was no fault with the tap and that the tap had not been seated properly when fitted i.e. an installation fault. Will not go near another tap of this kind and neither should anyone with any common sense.

[@HamishErskine1]

Bristan's current policy of blatant denial is quite effective, and it is hard to really argue when they blame the installer - it's their word against yours. In reality, they need to issue a full recall of their Easyfit range and I'm sure they know it. But it would cost them millions to do so, and who knows if and when they ever will. My guess is that the occurrence rate of these taps blowing off will increase exponentially over time, so the longer they keep blaming the installer rather than facing up to the flaw in their design, the more it will come back to bite them in the end. I expect it will seriously damage their reputation as a company. Right now they blame the installer and use him as their scapegoat, but eventually it is their CEO who will have to take the blame.

[@qmayz5174]

too tight

[@rayhill6345]

Have been looking at buying a Bristan tape as i like some of there designs especially the echo did wonder about the easy fit did not look safe glad i found this review as i will definitetl not bye Bristan tap now

[@bighammerfan]

Ignore this video...proper tradesmen don't post on youtube

[@HamishErskine1]

Proper tradesmen put their name on their van, and on what they post online. That aside, what do you recommend when the manufacturer is failing to admit the fault with its product, and is unfairly passing the blame onto those who fit them?

[@WaschyNumber1]

bighammerfan and what are you?!?!

[@theorgazoid4918]

Fitted one today. Don't see the point. Not any easier to fit infact harder. Maybe easy to replace like for like but customers unlikely to want exact same tap again and by that time probably be discontinued

[@chriswhittle7678]

Looks like the base is at fault. I've fitted surface mounted showers with the same system. Not a problem.

[@kennethhawley2752]

Putting a dab of locktite to the grub screws, sorted,

[@BilalBrown]

Why are Screwfix still selling these!?

[@HamishErskine1]

Really good question! Bristan's relationship with UK plumbing merchants goes back a long way. Bristan make lots of different products, most of which are decent in quality. Their Easyfit taps are an odd exception. I guess the plumbing merchants trust Bristan's word on the situation because of the general confidence they have in them as a brand.

[@michaelgoode9555]

I have one of these in my kitchen. This far there have been no grub screw issues BUT I find that the cartridges lasted about 5 years and 1 month. Bloody ridiculous.

[@MegaLukeash]

Wish I'd seen this before I fitted one! Lasted 6 months and then popped off last week, thankfully I was in as mains pressure water spraying the ceiling was not a great sight! To be honest, I found it more fiddly to fit than a standard tap. When I swopped this out for a standard tap fixing it took me less than 10 minutes to install a new tap. Can't see the benefit at all especially with the risk.

[@willdings]

Having now had our 'new' plumber visit (ie not the plumber who originally fitted the tap). I can confirm that the tap was actually fitted incorrectly originally. Having had this pointed out to me I can clearly see that the base of the tap was fitted back to front, and therefore the grub screws did not correctly locate into it. This is what caused our tap to malfunction. However, I still agree with Hamish that the design is poor, and also that the installation instructions should be updated to make them idiot proof, and their youtube video with Roger Bisby should be re-shot with him making very clear how the tap should be fitted. Bristan should also write to all customers pointing out that this easy mistake can be made when fitting their easyfit tap, and asking them to check their installation as a matter of urgency. We have re-fitted the original Bristan tap, but I will be checking it every month in future to make sure the grub screws are not working loose again.

[@HamishErskine1]

If the base was fitted back-to-front, I am really surprised the tap lasted as much as a year, and I am also unimpressed by the intelligence of your original plumber. However, at about the beginning of 2016, Bristan modified the design of the base to make it symmetrical, so on current models it no longer makes a difference which way round it is fitted. So they fixed that flaw at least. I would imagine that by now most cases of back-to-front fitting on the 2014-15 models have already blown by now. I can't imagine that many qualified plumbers would have fitted these back-to-front. None of the cases I have witnessed of these taps blowing off were due to such back-to-front fitting of the base. Unfortunately Bristan still haven't addressed the design flaw that causes the grub screws to gradually loosen on correctly-fitted taps. In my Part2 video I tried to explain the reasons for that design flaw. Because it involves a bit of A Level Applied Mathematics, I guess it doesn't make sense to everyone. In simple terms, the angle of the bevel against the grub screws means there is a component of force tending to push the grub screws outwards. The pressure pulse that occurs every time the cold tap (or another cold appliance) is turned off causes a hammer effect that gradually loosens the grub screws bit by bit over time. Concerning Bristan's official install video with Roger Bisby and the fitting of the tap body to the base: - the paper install guide, paragraph 5 says "Push-fit the tap body onto the connector. Align the body and tighten the grub screw at the rear of the body, using the long end of the 2.5mm hexagonal key as shown below until finger tight. Remove the hexagonal key and insert the short end into the grub screw and tighten an extra 3/4 to 1 complete turn more to ensure the tap body is securely tightened to the push-fit connector." In the video, Roger Bisby does it the wrong way round. See what I mean between 1:32 and 1:36 in the video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/r56XoX6GrNKNnMU The fact that the video was published in October 2013 and Bristan still haven't fixed it is shocking incompetence on Bristan's part. Having said that, the instructions in the paper guide are intended so that you get the grub screws nice and tight at time of installation. In practice, however tight you manage to make them, they still have a tendency to work loose over time, because of what I call the 'hammer effect' combined with the direction of the force on the grub screws. Now that you have experienced what it is like for these taps to blow, I am surprised you have agreed to have the original tap refitted. I guess you were lucky this time and the damage to your kitchen was minimal because you were at home at the time and able to turn off the water fountain. You might not be so lucky next time.

[@lewisbates3468]

We have had a lot of problems with our Easyfit kitchen mixer tap. Do not recommend it. Do not fit on a solid wood surface.

[@stevendouglas3860]

Looking at those tiny Grub screws look flimsy, way to small , I can tell you pressure, vibration from movement and most worrying "washing machine vibration would definitely loosen these "grub screws"... i wouldn't never buy them .....ever ....THIS "GRUB SCREW "IS NOT NOT A GOOD DESIGN. stay clear

[@michaelgoode9555]

Be very careful not to overtighten the grub screws for fear of stripping the threads.

[@Paul-pb3vq]

Bristan taps are rubbish I have a swivel mono block tap , it's leaking were the tap swivels when it turned on . Have replaced O rings with overhaul kit . That only lasted few weeks now leaking again . Tap was over a hundred pounds . Very disappointed . Will replace tap ,but not with a Bristan .

[@sentinel6957]

I would have preferred it if you had addressed the problems with water syphoning out when the tap is turned off. This is known to Bristan. I think that the design of the polycarbonate washers isn’t very good. Two separate plates rubbing together to form a watertight seal isn’t my idea of sealing a space to make it watertight. Water pressure varies and on my twin taps causes it to emit spurts of water. ...not just a few drips and not continually. I have taken them to pieces to see if perhaps there is a build up of limescale in between the two abuting plates that would let water through. . There wasn’t, so all I can conclude is that these engineered components need redesigning to better tolerances. Of course, with a long spout water would remain in it, however to syphon out it needs water pressure . So the problem is in the tap design. As for the tap unit blowing off that must be very rare as the unit has no rotational movement. I find it very hard to believe that grub screws work their way loose if well tightened originally.unless again their is a manufacturing problem with the threads.

[@HamishErskine1]

Quarter-turn ceramic disc valves are common to many brands of modern taps and generally work fine. Of course like anything, they have a life, and when the tap starts to drip you have to change the pair of cartridges, not just washers like with old compression valves. About the spout emitting spurts of water after you turn the tap off - see my comments on the 'Annoying dribble problem' in my blog at bristan-easyfit-reviews.co.uk As for the grub screws working loose - I didn't expect that either when I started fitting them, but seeing is believing. And when they do, the result is quite dramatic!

[@simoncollibrook6509]

Hi Hamish, I have read through your info on the problems occurring with the Bristan Easy fit taps and wanted to ask your advice. Over the past few years I have installed around a half a dozen or so of these taps, one of which did pop off..! I am now worried about others doing the same and wanted to see where I would stand should one pop off & flood someones kitchen? will Bristan take any responsibility or will an insurance claim be coming my way? I feel like I personally should contact every customer I have fitted one for to advise them of this problem but can’t help & feel like this will make myself look like a fool and panic the customer. I was considering attending each job to apply some kind of glue to the grub screws to prevent them from unwinding. What have you done in this situation? Will loo forward to your response. Regards Simon

[@HamishErskine1]

Hi Simon. If you've had about 1 out of 6 taps blow, that fits with my experience of having had 4 out of 21 blow. Bristan have left plumbers like you and me in an awkward position. It is reasonable to be concerned about potential liability when an Easyfit tap blowing could cause tens of thousands of pounds worth of damage to a property if it occurs when the home owner is out, or on holiday in a worst-case scenario. My response was to raise my concerns with Bristan and give them a list of all my customers in the hope they would acknowledge there was a flaw in their design and replace them for all my customers. I didn't get far until I made this video, emailed the link to my customers and asked them to each contact Bristan. Bristan then sent engineers out to replace them with the latest model. By informing my customers in this way, I felt I had fulfilled my responsibility to my customers. Having since analysed the easyfit design in more detail, it still concerns me that their current models are still flawed, even though they have made some changes to the base. At this point, I suspect that if your customers were to request the same, Bristan would insist there's nothing wrong with the design and that all problem taps have been caused by installer error. Now that they've sold 4 million of these taps, they probably cannot afford to publicly acknowledge there's a problem with the design. A public recall might bankrupt them. Their customer services department have also recently stated that if you add loctite to the grub screws, then you invalidate their guarantee. Although loctite would probably be a practical fix, I wouldn't advise it. If by doing so you invalidate Bristan's guarantee, then you transfer Bristan's liability upon yourself. I guess that if Bristan acknowledge loctite as a good idea, they would be obliged to send engineers out to apply it to 4 million taps, and at say £50 per engineer visit, you just have to do the maths to work out it would cost them about £200 Million. The best solution for your customers would be a replacement tap that is not an Easyfit design. Currently my favourite kitchen taps are those by Vapsint that you can buy heavily discounted on Amazon. The question is, if Bristan won't pay for the recall, then who will?

[@rawcusfawcus]

@@HamishErskine1 hello, thank you for your videos. When you stated "Bristan then sent engineers out to replace them with the latest model", do you believe this problem has been rectified in 2020? Thanks

[@rawcusfawcus]

​@@HamishErskine1 hello, in fact on this website they discuss the problem ​ in the FAQ www.bristan.com/bristan-easyfit-taps does it seem reasonable to you that the problem has been fixed? I have one that I'm reticent to install and wondering whether to return it. Thank you

[@HamishErskine1]

@@rawcusfawcus Hi. Please see my overview of the Easyfit problem with recent updates at bristan-easyfit-reviews.co.uk Bristan modified the base design in late 2015, and again in late 2018. The 2015 design 'tweak' definitely reduced the failure rate significantly, but did not fix the problem entirely. I think it's still too early to say whether the 2018 base is a further improvement or not. A percentage are still failing. It is possible the 2018 base has made things worse as it needs slightly longer grub screws than the 2015 base, but they failed to increase them. So the 2018 base introduced a new problem in that it is now possible to over-tighten the grub screws, to the point where they disappear all the way through the tap body into the recess in the base. If you haven't fitted the tap yet, I would strongly advise returning it and fitting a different brand. From a plumber's perspective, Easyfit taps are not worth the risk. I'm sure you have public liability insurance, but best to make sure you don't have to claim on it!

[@rawcusfawcus]

@@HamishErskine1 thank you, have returned the tap now

[@NickyTesla99]

Just put a dab of threadlock on the grub screw to prevent it from turning.

[@_GarethRossUK]

I see no evidence on amazon or screwfix reviews of this.

[@two-countiesdashcam]

Look at Screwfix today. Sort reviews by low to high.

[@StatesStyle]

It's shocking to see such a poor design flaw in these Bristan taps - two pathetically small grub screws to hold the tap in place against both mains and hot water pressure. I have thread locked the screws on my tap, hoping this will lessen the possibility of a flood. Shameful they haven't changed the design. I assume the video dislikers are Bristan employees or distributors.

[@timbunker4529]

Had one on for 4 years and no issues, checked the grub screws and still firm.

[@mgbroadsterJ]

Greece the black rubbers first .It looks like they aren't pushed on enough .

[@Stillbusy105]

I like how you couldn't keep a straight face at 0.25 seconds about flooding the kitchens! As a fellow plumber, common sense told me to take a wide berth of a tap holding mains pressure held on by a grub screw... I don't believe the easy fit hype, the old fixing mechanism is not broke so why try & fix it!

[@robertdixon9587]

Grohe all the way. They are expensive but smooth as silk and ....as always....you get what you pay for

[@tonygoshive785]

Could not agree kore. Was fitting a easyfit Tap for a customer today. It was not an easy fit as they advertised. No clear instructions on how to fit, eventually got the hang of it, and realized they don’t fit worktop over 30mm thick!!!!!!!!!!!! I will just stick to traditional fitting, these tapes are crap as!!!! Worst than Asda’s value range crisps!!! Will never go anywhere near these taps

[@neilbaker1]

Just use Loctite 243 on the grubscrews prior to fitting, I don't know why Bristan don't advise this or simply supply the grubscrews with Loctite pre-applied. Most car manufacturers do it with their components. Simple!

[@neilbaker1]

Further to my previous comment, Bristan should supply the taps with Loctite 205 already applied to the grubscrews, this way it's not reliant on a plumber to apply it and therefore cannot be overlooked.

[@HamishErskine1]

Looking at the technical data sheet for Loctite 205, it includes the following note: 'NOTE: LOCTITE® DRI 205TM is not recommended for use on copper or brass surfaces.' Unfortunately Bristan tap bodies are made of brass, so I don't think this would work. See data sheet here: tds.us.henkel.com/NA/UT/HNAUTTDS.nsf/web/AD985485898892C5882571870000D5FD/$File/DRI%20205-EN.pdf

[@HamishErskine1]

This loctite 243 says it works with all metals, so it might work. But you apply it during installation, so there is a risk or omission by the installer. Also, it is essential that you can loosen the grub screws when you need to eventually replace the Easyfit tap. If they have been loctited, it may be difficult to undo them without stripping the head of the grub screws. Then you would be snookered because you remove the base without first removing the tap body from the base. The Easyfit design is only beneficial if it makes subsequent replacement of the tap easier than a traditional tap with horseshoe clamp and backlit. I don't think the loctite method would be compatible with that goal. So once again, the Easyfit design is flawed. Back to the drawing board.

[@neilbaker1]

Yes, I've read the datasheet prior to posting, the casting of the tap may be brass, but the grubscrew is presumably stainless steel (or zinc plated steel) and the tap itself will also be plated (chromium usually, but this obviously depends on the finish) so the Loctite isn't actually coming into contact with brass. Also, Loctite is designed to still allow the item to be dismantled if intended, and also has the added benefit of sealing the thread from the environment which helps prevent the fastener from seizing due to galvanic corrosion. I agree the design is poor, as to rely on two small grubscrews to secure an entire tap seems rather optimistic to say the least.

[@HamishErskine1]

In that case, pre-treatment with loctite 205 might be a fix. However, Bristan also need to cover the situation where the tap body may be temporarily removed, e.g. to facilitate replacement of silicon around the sink, and they would have to ensure that fresh loctite was applied on refitting. A difficulty is that a lot of installers and DIYers don't read instruction guides, or will have thrown away the instruction guide by the time they remove the tap for silicon replacement and refit it without a thought. A tap blowing off at night or when the occupant is out could cause flood damage as much as 20 or 30 thousand pounds, so the tap design needs to be fool-proof and not dependent on following a discarded instruction guide. The other problem is that if Bristan admit there is a design flaw with these taps, they would be under obligation to send engineers out to hundreds of thousands of tap owners to apply the fix. Who knows whether they can afford to do that? But if they can, they need to first make absolutely sure they have sorted out the design issues once and for all with these taps. As you say, the existing design relies on a degree of optimism!

[@heirpin]

Don't see what the problem is, if its fitted correctly and the grub screws tightened up they're fine, I've got two of them and they've been in for a couple of years with no problems whatsoever and I'm not a qualified plumber!

[@HamishErskine1]

You don't see what the problem is because you haven't seen one of them fail yet. And hopefully you won't! Because you're not a plumber you've only fitted two. I don't know the exact stats, but with the current models the failure rate may be only one in a hundred. So chances are you'll be lucky. But if you're a plumber and fit lots of them, every install makes it more likely you will have to claim on your public liability insurance.

[@collin6238]

if it's too good to be true it's probably false

[@pip5461]

Hamish, why were you not aware that this could be a problem, surely as a plumber, you should have seen the flaw, and stopped fitting any tap of a similar design.

[@HamishErskine1]

Hi Phil, I certainly haven't fitted another Easyfit tap since I had the first one fail on me in 2016! But when I started fitting them in 2015, I trusted in Bristan's quality, reputation and 5 year guarantee, and the fact they are WRAS approved. It was reasonable to assume that as Britain's largest tap manufacturer, they had surely subjected the Easyfit design to rigorous testing, and that they were safe to fit. It was only after customers started calling me back because they were failing after a year or so that I looked closely at the design from the perspective of my mechanical engineering degree / background. What is absurd is that Bristan are still selling Easyfit taps in 2020, five years after plumbers started exposing the problem.

[@jerryjunkere7070]

Thank you Hamish. I won’t be buying 😏

[@bighammerfan]

As a company who sells approx. 400 of these taps a year and never had 1 single problem I question the fitter

[@HamishErskine1]

If it is the fitter's fault, then the fitter isn't doing the grub screws up tight enough, but I assure you that is not the case with the taps I have fitted. There's only so much you can tighten the grub screws before the allen key starts to bend. I don't know whether you have watched Part 2, but in that video I examine the design of these taps and explain why the grub screws work loose over time. It does involve a little bit of applied mathematics and an understanding of vectors, but I hope it will make sense when you watch it. I strongly recommend that you stop selling these taps.

[@WaschyNumber1]

bighammerfan you are one of the sellers that sell crap and dont stand for the Garantie.

[@stevesteven71]

Fitted about 5 of these easy fit taps by Bristan and two blew off the sink !! Very fortunately for me both customers were home and had the intelligence to turn off the water They are absolute garbage Do not install them !!!

[@brianiswrong]

So if you have one of these taps you need. 1) locktight on the grub screws 2) water blockers on both hot and cold feeds to the tap tails.

[@rawcusfawcus]

What are water blockers?

[@brianiswrong]

@@rawcusfawcus Water blockers are a completely mechanical item that we use on vending machines and water coolers.you fit it (a grey plastic roundish shape item,about 6 " long) to the flexible pipework after the stop cock/ shut off valve,you can set it to stop after 1 litre to 20 litres of water. So if set to 5 litres and the mains pipe it's fitted to /or machine it's fitted to,springs a leak (not just a trickle) the unit will shut the water off after 5 liters of uniteruped water supply. Lots of commercial properties also fit them to washing machines.

[@HamishErskine1]

I've not heard water blockers proposed as a solution before. How much would it cost to add those to hot and cold? Probably makes more sense to choose a brand of tap that isn't flawed like this.

[@dreadlysmellybum]

As a consumer my legal contract of supply would be with the fitter, if you told me to go to Bristan directly I would go to trading standards.

[@tsvetomirslavov5133]

So the "professional " plumber knows about this weak point of Bristan Easyfit taps but every time is fitting them the same way and just waiting for the results after a few months?1? Have you heard about thread locker? Use a tiny drop on each of the small bolts when you are fitting the tap and forget about the videos against the Bristan Easyfit.Or now is the time for this "professional "plumber to spend 5£ for a bottle of thread locker and to visit all his customers with Easyfit taps. Bristan taps are modern and stylish and I have one in my kitchen for years without any problem.

[@1943eduardorodriguez]

the idea is to easy replace, if you put thread locker, you will increase the problem, and probably ruin the tap

[@tsvetomirslavov7963]

No idea what you are talking about. Probably you never installed taps like this. Thread locker is not like welding the screws.You still can remove them if you need to.But once installed how often you are changing kitchen taps?Thread locker is just to prevent unscrewing of the screws by itself.On the new models this problem is fixed.

[@HamishErskine1]

@@tsvetomirslavov7963 So why are some people still reporting failures, even with the new models? And why don't Bristan recommend using loctite if that is all it would take to fix the problem? Out of interest, how many easyfit taps have you fitted? Statistically I think it is only a fairly small percentage that fail, so if you have only fitted a small number it is not surprising if you have been lucky so far.

[@tsvetomirslavov7963]

@@HamishErskine1 Statistically for any product on the market some small percentage fails. So no mater if it is Bristan or any other brand ,you can have fail.If the taps are so badly designed the company would be out of business long time ago.

[@HamishErskine1]

@@tsvetomirslavov7963 I agree that a small percentage of failures is common to any manufacturing brand. The difference with Bristan Easyfit taps is that when they fail they turn into a water fountain in your kitchen, with water bouncing off the ceiling. I haven't come across another brand of tap that can fail like that.

[@jedward3250]

Maybe the fault is with the plumber that fitted the taps.

[@HamishErskine1]

That always used to be Bristan's argument, especially with the original Easyfit base design which wasn't symmetrical and could be fitted the wrong way round. They always tried to attribute the problem to that. In reality, even if these taps are installed correctly, a small percentage of them fail over time.

[@qmayz5174]

it can't just fall off. it means you haven't tightened the grub screws properly. don't pass the blame. take ownership! Be a man not a mouse.

[@pt6423]

The design problem is the grub screws are a poor choice of fitting. The screws are seriously undersized and have a weak thread detail meaning they work loose. Don't ever rely on a grub screw. Hamish is a pro.

[@user-xr9bo5gj2w]

Absolute garbage! Do not buy one of these taps

[@bighammerfan]

Utter nonsense. Proper plumbers don’t use KZbin

[@HamishErskine1]

Then why are you watching KZbin?

[@londonlad80s]

This was a solid informative video backed up with evidence that can be cross checked. The only nonsense is your comment.