Problems with Bristan Easyfit Kitchen Taps - Part 2

With the help of Bertie (Albert Erskine), Hamish the Plumber examines where the design flaw lies in Bristan’s range of Easyfit kitchen taps. This is Hamish and Bertie’s first ever video together!

[@lindamarsden4249]

Thank you for this video. It's 20th May 2021 and my Bristan Easyfit Pecan tap, fitted early October 2020, yesterday flew off the sink as I was washing up and flooded the kitchen. My plumber was able to come out within a couple of hours and he removed it and fitted a new tap. I am thankful that it didn't blow when I was away from home. He immediately identified the design flaw and blamed poor engineering as well as that Bristan would probably blame the way it had been fitted. Bristan have evidently not acted to fix this problem in the four and a half years since you made this report.

[@kingvman2000]

I generally put a small dab of clear silicon on grub screws, they always come loose even when there isn't mains water pressure involved. Just a dab, enough to increase friction but not enough hinder maintenance.

[@terryg8382]

Bought one of these this morning and fitted it. Found your videos about how they are not fit for purpose 4 hours later. Oh god!

[@ronb8302]

hi Hamish, what do you think of the new easyfit base .it no longer pulls the tap down onto the base but it is possible to miss the holes when tightening the grub screws .

[@philjohnson7038]

Some interesting points here I had not previously considered, particularly the grub screw and bevel theory and that tightening the grub screws might not necessarily force the tap downwards and fully secure it, also that a high pressure water level could cause the grub screws to loosen over time. To mitigate, while I consider whether to replace the Monza easyfix tap recently fitted, I have reduced the force of the cold water tap by adjusting the isolation valve which hopefully might help and have rechecked that the grub screws are tight.

[@HamishErskine1]

Hi Phil, turning down the isolation valve on the cold will reduce the flow but not the pressure. You would have to use a pressure reducing valve to do that. Bristan guarantee these taps up to 5 bar pressure. Normal mains pressure is typically in the range 3 to 4.5 bar, depending on things like location, time of day, and local demand. In my experience they are popping off under normal mains pressure. As long as you keep an eye on the tightness of the grub screws, you should be okay in the short term. But the Monza was the worst affected model in my experience. Out of 6 fitted, 3 failed, after 9, 11 and 13 months. That's a 50 percent failure rate!

[@philjohnson7038]

Thanks for the reply Hamish. Since showing my wife your video yesterday and your reply today she is now most uneasy so it is odds on we will be getting a new conventional tap! We had a Monza before (3 years) but the movable spout started to leak. Bristan sent us some new O rings but they didn't do the trick hence having that replaced by the easyfit. As Bristan seem only to do easyfit in the type of range we want do you have any alternative recommendations?

[@davidhamlin5256]

Thanks Hamish for alerting people to this problem. Would using locktite (or similar) thread binding/stiffner fluid on the grub screws help ?

[@HamishErskine1]

Yes, probably. But I think it's still important to check them for tightness every now and again. The normal way to do that would be to apply a bit of torque on each of the grub screws using the allen key, but if you have locktited them you don't want to break the seal. By just a visual inspection of the grub screws I don't think it's easy to tell if they are working slightly loose. So although locktite might help while you wait to see if Bristan are going to issue a recall, I wouldn't see it as a long term fix.

[@cateloud2047]

Thank you - very understandable explanation. I'm replacing my Bristan Easyfit kitchen tap - can you recommend a different manufacturer please

[@WaschyNumber1]

Thank you very much for your honestly video, it saved me for buying this crapy build tap and flooding my girlfriend kitchen :-)

[@HektorBandimar]

Hamish, have you made a video update 2023 regarding the problems with these easyfit taps?

[@arnoldrimmer9161]

Hi Hamish, great vid. Was just wondering why it was you became a plumber in the first place, seems like a lot of hassle to me? Great work.

[@handyandy6050]

Hi Hamish! One of the best steaks I ever had was in the Erskine Bridge Hotel! (Also had great view of the bridge from room)!

[@handyandy6050]

Oh and yes, I've got 2 of these taps! Grub screws loosened on 1 of them after a year!

[@paulday9564]

Why not use thread lock?

[@gm9075]

March 2023: The other problem you may find is if/when the tap starts dripping. No problem, I thought, I'll order a couple of new cartridges and replace. Only problem is that the original cartridges were factory installed and are so tightly fitted it has improved impossible to unscrew them. Even called in my local plumber to assist and he had no success either. End result: I have had to order a complete new tap (interestingly, this time it's a Ebb+Flo Hele Mono Mixer tap and it's identical in appearance to the Bristan, at approximately a third the price). Like the Bristan product it has a 5 year guarantee. (Sadly, Murphy's Law dictated that I'm a year past the Bristan guarantee period). Buyer, as they say, beware.

[@3619jon]

I've had an easy fit tap for 2 years, hasn't failed yet, but I've noticed when wobbling the tap there is a gap between the metal base plate where it meets the bottom of the tap...Does anyone know if these taps have been fixed in the last couple of years?

[@ayejayuu49]

Did you manage to fix it - I have the same problem

[@CDigata]

@@ayejayuu49 the new bases are not beveled, they have a hole that the grub screws in to

[@videovu2127]

Had a Monza fitted about 18 months ago. As soon as I saw your videos I went to check the grub screws. One of them was fairly tight but the other required a full turn or two to tighten it. Thanks for the information. I will check the grub screws on a regular basis now.

[@caparn100]

I'm convinced by your argument. I'm just wondering why Bristan haven't recalled all the taps.

[@HamishErskine1]

I'm told that Bristan have sold 4 million Easyfit taps. If my analysis of the problem is correct, they need to recall the lot, but it would probably bankrupt them. Therefore not surprising they are denying there's a problem. I imagine it would take a lawsuit to force a recall.

[@caparn100]

Self-loosening screws and bolts are a well known about problem. It's very stupid of Bristan to build a tap that has such an obvious design flaw and irresponsible of them to carry on selling them. In a frictionless environment this design of tap would fall apart immediately after it was installed. I think the person who recommended using LOCTITE should be taken seriously as it is a good safety measure for any taps that have already been fitted. LOCTITE have some Threadlocking products specifically designed for this type of problem: www.loctite.co.uk/threadlocking-9150.htm. In addition to the upward pressure of the water and the movement of the tap by the users there is also the change in temperature when the hot tap is turned on and then later the tap cools down. This can cause different metals to expand at different rates and add to the loosening action on the grub screw.

[@hamishgregory6380]

thanks bud

[@roytucker9056]

I am so worried, I have fitted so many of these easy fit Bristan taps and the first one has just blown off causing havoc and drowning the clients and their kitchen, TV is gone, the dishwasher and a whole load of damage, very concerning and time to stop supplying these taps.

[@grahamkennethgarbutt9261]

great video

[@HamishErskine1]

Thanks Graham, glad you found it helpful. Have you experienced this problem with an Easyfit tap?

[@grahamkennethgarbutt9261]

No watched your video decided not to take the risk so I am replacing them with Franke Mixer. Never would have been able to sleep had I fitted the Easyfit. Good idea though just a few tweaks needed. Thanks again Hamish.

[@HamishErskine1]

You're right, the Easyfit idea is good in theory, as long as the interface is secure and reliable. Unfortunately they haven't achieved that. Better to stick with a reliable solution until they fix the flaws in their current design. I offer Bristan my suggestions in Part 3. They haven't given me any feedback so far. The longer they leave it the more it will eventually cost them to recall the current Easyfit range.

[@JeffWardMusic]

Excellent vid Hamish...although slightly confusing...in Part 1 you're Hamish Erskin (skin) and Part 2 you're Hamish Eriskine (skyne)...! Perhaps Bertie can clarify it?

[@HamishErskine1]

Albert Erskyne fits better with the genius persona than Albert Erskin. Okay, the whole Bertie idea was a bit naff, but as I indicated, I felt it was my turn to have a laugh. None of that in Part 1 which was entirely serious. Bristan may think they can blame plumbers for their design flaw, which quite frankly I regard as them taking the pi** out of people who have trusted the quality of their brand name, only to end up in an uncomfortable situation, and who generally speaking don't know how to defend themselves against a such a large corporate playing pass the buck. Erskine is an old Scottish clan name pronounced err-skin, meaning literally 'upon the knife' after an ancestor of mine who was knighted for killing a Viking in a Scottish battle. Hope that clarifies.

[@JeffWardMusic]

Clarified indeed! I thoroughly enjoyed the vids, naff or not, and they saved me a possible flood so thanks very much for posting them. I was ready to buy one of their exploding taps and was just browsing the internet looking for reviews...so Grohe got a sale instead! All the best.

[@pugmanick]

Is this still a problem please Hamish?

[@kurtsteiner8384]

Simple solution, don't use easy fit taps or fittings.. I totally agree with you. I am also an engineer marine. Royal Navy.

[@paladin0150]

One just popped off and water flooded my kitchen

[@Harmonical1]

So even after Hamish's smarter brother quotes Newton's Law at them, Bristan still ignore him!

[@premierdeal]

Way too eloquent compared to the 'plumbers' I've had to my homestead. How has the bipolar therapy been working for you? Shame I don't live in Exeter, you'd have a new customer. Awesome stuff, keep up the good work and surprised that a tap company hasnt offered you the design director position by now! ' Hang tight' , unlike Bristan easy fit taps.. 😉

[@hamishgregory6380]

p.s i like your name

[@Tokyolanuit]

Thank you for highlighting these shoddy taps provided by this lousy tap supplier

[@tamkaraoke]

it erskin not erskine

[@Panzerbeast]

I can hear a Scottish twang in your voice....