Grohe are the best I have fitted, but I agree with other posters that they are not what they were. However, I will explain why I have always tried to use Grohe (Bristan are ok for mid-range) over other brands. I live in a soft water area so brass is prone to dezincification - Grohe use zinc treated brass and sometimes bronze alloy, so they are durable in these soft water conditions. In addition, Grohe taps are 'non-splash' which is a great user benefit, especially on high pressure systems. Thirdly, Grohe, being German, have meet min requirements for sound, hence they are virtually silent in operation on high pressure systems. Finally, being one of the major brassware manufacturers in the world, Grohe parts are nearly always available.