Kingston Brass’ website reads: Embodying the soul of creative craftsmanship, inspired by the heart of ingenious designs. And indeed, their designs are inspired and creative.
The company’s goal is to mix functionality and aesthetics in every product that they offer. The company was born from the minds of a team of creative and focused minds back in 1998. Since its inception, the company has offered some of the best products in the sanitary and plumbing market.
The company used to sell its products only to local markets, but before long has moved on to the global market. This was made possible mainly through online platforms. In doing so, the brand’s popularity has grown, as well as its impact on the global market.
One thing that hasn’t changed since its start is the close attention that Kingston Brass gives to its customer base. It does its best to maintain direct communication with its clients, whether it is to resolve customer issues, to hear comments and suggestions from its audience, or to just listen to what the people need.
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Kingston Brass History
In 1998, Erik Chen founded the Kingston Brass company. It began as an importer of bathroom and kitchen products that are made in Asia. They sold the products through the brands Kingston Brass, Fauceture, and Gourmetier.
To this day, it remains one of the oldest and first Asia-Marketeers. Other companies in this market sector include Artisan Manufacturing, Kraus USA, Huntington Brass, and Vigo Industries.
The company has grown vastly via the internet, where it became more known in the US and other international markets, mainly because of its modern style and lower prices compared to its US-made counterparts. To this day, a lot of its products are mainly sold via online venues.
Kingston Brass began as a family affair. Some of the board-slash-family members remain in Asia to handle all purchasing and exporting of products. Another group is US-based and handles marketing and selling in North America.
It has gone a long way since 1998. Today, the company’s warehouse totals 200,000 square feet, which caters to more than 30 loading docks.
Kingston Brass Product Lines
The company started with only a few hundred products, but through the course of the past two decades, the company has grown greatly. Today, it carries more than 20,000 products in its inventory.
Of course, despite its global success and growth, Kingston Brass continues to develop and improve its current products and collections. Even with their existing products, they are organizing and rebranding constantly to refine and perfect the presentation to their customers. Here are some of the best product lines in the company:
Aqua Eden
This collection is comprised of bathtubs in all sorts of styles, ranging from pedestal, clawfoot, freestanding, and alcove types. They feature both classical and modern designs in cast iron, acrylic, or solid surface material.
Vintage
This collection is best described as an Old World aesthetic with modern-day technology. They have three amazing faucet collections all inspired by 20th century English aesthetics, namely Heritage, Restoration, and Vintage. If you are a fan of classic architecture for the bathroom and kitchen, then you’ll enjoy this range.
Designer Trimscape
Think of this line as jewelry for your kitchen and bathroom. These are specialty plumbing pieces that include items not often included in major product categories, such as showerheads, angle stops, and grab bars, among others.
Fauceture
This is one of the more famous product ranges from Kingston Brass. It offers various sinks and faucets for the bathroom that get inspiration from 21st-century artworks. Expect a lot of vitreous china and translucent glass in the pieces.
Gourmetier
If the Fauceture is for the bathroom, the Gourmetier is for the kitchen. Enjoy stainless steel faucets, sinks, filtration systems, and other kitchen fittings from this collection.
Is Kingston Brass a Good Brand?
There are mixed reviews when it comes to the quality and reliability of Kingston Brass. This will depend on the level that you are used to, or are expecting. As we mentioned earlier, Kingston Brass does not actually manufacture its own products like the other brands we have reviewed recently (see: Kohler, Grohe, Brizo, Hansgrohe, etc.) because it gets its goods from Asia from producers and exports these to the US and other countries abroad.
Despite some heat from user reviews and short-term company history to base, its reputation on the company has been constantly improving itself in terms of quality, customer service, and certifications. In fact, it holds more than a few certifications and is compliant with quality standards. To know more about these, read below.
Basic North American Faucet Standards
Kingston Brass is certified compliant. Its faucets have passed testing conducted by the IAPMO Group: Research and Testing. It has also passed (and exceeded) the certifications from the International Code Council Evaluation Service in the fields of performance, design, and safety. These are the comprehensive faucet standards for the US and Canada.
Lead-Free and Drinking Water Safety Certifications
It also is certified compliant for this very important – and pretty much mandatory – certification from the ANSI/NSF 61/9 for US and Canadian standards. You can rest assured that its faucets are free from lead and are safe for water drinking.
Energy Policy and ConÂserÂvaÂtion Act
The Kingston Brass brand complies with the Energy Policy & ConÂserÂvaÂtion Act of the US. This requires the company – whether it is a producer, manufacturer, assembler, or importer of sink faucets – to pass the certification from the Department of Energy. This affects all faucets sold in the US. The faucets should have a maximum flow limit of 2.2 GPM (gallons per minute).
WaterSense Partner
A lot of Kingston Brass bathroom faucets are qualified with WaterSense. You can find the official list of these particular faucets at the WaterSense® Qualified Products webpage.
Kingston Brass Warranty
The company values all of its customers – every single homeowner who has chosen to purchase a Kingston Brass product. Every finish and part of their faucets are covered by the warranty to the original purchaser, to be free from defects in workmanship and material for the duration that the purchaser owns it.
The company does recommend having a professional plumber do your installation and repairs. Please don’t forget to read all of the fine print mentioned in the warranty’s details – as this is a common area of debate for Kingston Brass customers. There have been a lot of negative reviews regarding their warranty offer. It would be best to get yourself with all the proper information before making the purchase.
Products that are eligible for the warranty will be replaced free of charge, as long as they fall under the eligible warranty period. Parts that have been proven defective under normal use and installation will be covered.
10 YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY
The faucets are covered in the warranty, with the guarantee that they should work flawlessly under normal residential use. If you experience leaks or drips under normal use, you are eligible to get replacement parts from the original place or store where you bought them.
In the case that these parts are unavailable at that seller, the company will mail the necessary parts or cartridge free of charge to your address. All parts will be delivered via freight prepaid ground service. You can request expedited shipment, but you will have to pay extra fees. Take note that this warranty only applies to products bought and installed in the US and Canada.
Other aspects of the faucet, as well as accessories, such as the finish, are also covered in the warranty as long as they are free of defects in workmanship and material during normal residential use. This is good for 10 years starting from the date of purchase, as long as the original purchaser files the claim. All finishes are covered except the oil-rubbed bronze and dark bronze, which are considered living finishes (finishes whose colors change over time). However, the oil-rubbed bronze and dark bronze finishes will still be covered under the 10-year mechanical warranty.
The company will repair or replace a part or whole product if the defect is found under normal use. Warranty will not apply if the damage is found to be caused by accidents, misuse, improper installation, or abuse. Improper cleaning and care will void the warranty as well.
You will need to show proof of purchase, i.e. the original sales receipt, together with your warranty claim. The company is not liable for any charges incurred for labor costs and installation fees. The company will also not provide liability that exceeds the original purchase price of the item in question.
To obtain the warranty guarantee, you’ll need to contact the place where you bought the product. You can contact the company by phone at 1-877-2KBRASS (252-7277) or via email at [email protected] or [email protected].
For more information on Kingston Brass’s warranty terms and coverage, visit their official website.
Where to Buy Kingston Brass
You can find out all of the authorized stores and sellers of the Kingston Brass here. If you plan on buying online, check out the official list of where to buy online.
Kingston Brass is also available on Wayfair, Lowes, and Overstock.