I provide honest ratings and reviews on tech, toys, and consumer home goods that I've purchased and used. Reviews are based on hands-on testing and personal observations. All opinions and comments are my own.
Disclosure: ReviewedbyPhil is reader-supported. If you click on or buy something via an affiliate link on this site, I may earn a commission.
Takeaway: This tool makes it easy to remove stuck, broken, or frozen in place small pipes and pipe nipples. As part of a shutoff valve repair, I was having trouble removing a pipe nipple from the wall under my bathroom sink. I went off to Home Depot to get an internal pipe wrench set to remove the pipe nipple that connects the shutoff valve to the pipes inside the wall. I ended up getting their in-house HDX brand. In this pack you receive a 3/8", 1/2", and 3/4" pipe wrench tool. My pipes are 3/8" diameter, so I used the smallest one. It's real simple, you just stick the gear side of the tool into the pipe, then fit a wrench to the hex part that sticks out. Then twist counter-clockwise like you're unscrewing the pipe. The gears will catch on the inside of the pipe and give you the leverage you need to twist it off, even if it's stuck from overtightening or sediment build up. After a few turns I was able to remove the rest of the pipe nipple by hand. To extract the tool from the nipple, grasp the pipe in one hand and twist the tool clockwise to loosen and remove it (you may need a pair of channel locks or rubber grip pad if the pipe is slippery). Overall, the internal pipe wrench did exactly what I needed it to. It allowed me to remove a difficult to unscrew pipe nipple in just under a minute.
Takeaway: Easy to install, leak-free, gentle but effective spray for washing up. I used to be one of those folks a bit turned off by the idea of a bidet, but after installing one in the guest bathroom last year and using it regularly, I knew I wanted another one for the master bath. My first one was a cold water only one and while that was okay, the addition of hot water with a temperature mixer is multitudes of times better. In this self-install kit, you receive the bidet, 6.5' of hot water tubing, two seat couplers, a 25" flexible metal braided hose, 7/8" T-adapter with rubber gasket, a 3/8" T-adapter with rubber o-ring, and a set of illustrated installation instructions. The instructions are pretty basic and only show installation and not operation. A few quick observations: If you will hooking up the hot water, it's more convenient to have a sink within a few feet of the toilet with an exposed hot water line. If you have a sink over a cabinet, you may need to drill a hole in the cabinet/wall in order for the hot water to reach the inlet of the bidet. Also if you need longer tubing, you may need to reach out to the vendor for it. Like with the sink, it may take a minute for the water to warm up so if you want warm or hot water for immediate use with the sprayer, it helps to run the hot water in the sink first and also run the bidet cleaning mode to clear the cold water from the line so you'll get a warm spray from the get go. The hot water line installation is optional, and you can keep the cap on that inlet line if you'll be using cold water only.
The other tricky thing is that to activate the water stream you have to lift the temperature control handle up, which isn't described in the instructions. Turning it left and right only sets the temperature and pressure. The smaller dial changes the mode from bidet spraying mode to nozzle cleaning. Nozzle cleaning mode basically runs water out of the nozzle tip in case it gets soiled. In bidet spraying mode, make sure you're sitting on the toilet when you turn it on, otherwise water will shoot out of the toilet.
I recommend you turn the dial in the desired direction very slowly until you reach the temperature and pressure that's most comfortable for you. I found that even at the highest pressure the spray felt comfortable and gentle (unlike my other one which feels like you're being blasted with a fire hose at anything over the lowest flow setting), although this will depend on the pressure in the lines in your home. Overall, the installation of the bidet was pretty simple and straightforward and I haven't experience any problem with leaks. The bidet works well for its intended purpose and I think it does a great job of refreshing and cleaning your bottom versus using toilet paper alone.
Takeaway: Nice gentle spray, good flow with light pressure, easy to install, no leaks. The 10" shower head actually measures out to 9.75" square. It is made entirely of metal and has a shiny chrome finish. There are 196 rubber nozzles spaced every 3/4" in a 14 x 14 grid. On the back, the rain head is flat and attached to a ball joint and there is a plastic cap protecting the connector when you first receive it. The cap is threaded, so simply unscrew it to open it up. Inside there is a rubber washer with a debris filter/screen already included.
Installation was quick and easy with a little bit of plumber's teflon tape (not included) and simple hand tightening. The water comes out of the jets with medium pressure and there were no leaks at the connection. For the most part, the jets are pointed straight down and not off to the sides at all, so the spray doesn't spread a whole lot. The 10" square area, however, is an adequate size for showering. The flow rate is somewhat faster than my previous shower head, so the water heats up faster which is nice. The water is also quite gentle, feeling like the water is being poured over you rather than stiff streams of water hitting you like pins and needles. Overall, this showerhead works well, was easy to install, and looks great in my bathroom.
