Plumbing Product Standouts – December 2014

I’m going to start a monthly post that includes some plumbing product standouts that I have either trialed or come across that I think are really cool. I will include a mix of plumbing and items for kids because these days, I’m changing more nappies than washers.

Which brings me to my first stand out product Monster Washer. A couple of months ago my shower started to drip which meant the ceramic disc spindles needed to be replaced. I was sent a trial pack of Monster Washers at the beginning of the year and I have been waiting for the right opportunity to use them. So seeing my shower drip was a good thing! I had to change the spindles to suit washers and inserted these new brass washers in.

 

In plumbing language, I’ve copied and pasted the description from the Monster Washer landing page because I couldn’t describe them any better. The beauty of these washers is they are a 2-part product consisting of a base and jumper valve. The base simply pushes into the tap seat and uses hydrodynamic pressure to hold it in place. The jumper valve sits on top of the base and provides a 7-point locking system. Due to the patented design the Monster Washer cannot be damaged from over-tightening and fixes cracks, grooves and splits in tap seats without cutting threads or using stainless steel seats.

Dad and I would sometimes be called back to leaking taps within 6 months using plastic washers. So far I have had these washers in my shower for 3 months and there are no leaks.

Monster washers are only sold directly to plumbers. If you don’t have a plumbing license you are unable to purchase these washers. If you’re keen to get them into your home, ask your plumber what washers they use and ask them specifically for Monster Washer. Government owned properties and larger Commercial Property owners get their plumbers to specifically use these washers because of their guarantee to last. It saves on future plumbing maintenance bills and can add life to dripping taps. Plumbers, head here to get more information on purchasing this product.

The next product that I recently installed and tested was this smooth plastic shower hose from Tip Top Select. One of the downfalls of using hand showers is the metal rippled hoses can start to look drab due to soap scum. They are often harder to clean because of their grooves and sometimes over extending can cause leaks through the ripples. My dad has hand showers and he had to replace the hoses after a couple of years being in his new home.

This modern plastic hose is much cheaper than a metal one and is easier to clean and maintain. I tested this one and found it to be a good quality hose. Some plastic hoses can be poor quality as the end fittings are compromised with inferior materials. This plastic hose from Tip Top Select has proper brass ends for easy attachment.

 

The third product which I haven’t used myself, but I saw it at the Pregnancy, Babies and Kids expo in June is the Charli Chair.

It’s a baby shower chair that can be used to bath baby in the shower at a high chair height. I loved this concept and think it would be great for hotels around Australia to offer in their bathrooms when there isn’t a bath to bathe the baby. Jacob and I have had this predicament twice this year with Phoebe. Once when we went to Problogger at the QT Gold Coast and on our recent trips away to Ballina and Melbourne. We innovatively turned the toy bucket into a bath when we went to Ballina, but at the Gold Coast, we had to take Phoebe into the shower with us which can be dangerous when holding a smooth skinned bub and soapy water.

It’s also suitable for new mums recovering from c-sections because it avoids them bending to bath their bub or carry a baby bath full of water which you are not meant to do after having surgery.

The Charli Chair can be using for infants and babies up to 17kgs and has a 5 point adjustable harness to prevent baby from slipping out. The feet are also made from rubber to prevent the chair sliding over in the shower. For more information to purchase, head here.

Have you come across any great products lately? Which items above are you impressed by?

This post has been written in accordance to my disclosure policy. I was sent a trial pack of Monster Washers and 2 plastic hoses from Tip Top Select for the purpose of this review. All opinions are my own.