Kohler vs Moen bathroom faucets
Same format, same hole spacing, and — to within fifteen thousandths of an inch — the same spout reach. Kohler publishes more numbers; Moen publishes a lower price.
By Sawyer V. · · How we research

The short answer
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Quick picks
Tap any row for the full write-up. Prices are checked against Amazon rather than remembered — where we have no verified figure the button says so.
Like for like, on what each publishes
- Flow rate. Kohler: 1.2 gpm at 60 psi. Moen: not published, WaterSense criteria cited. What the published water numbers mean is here.
- Spout reach. 5-7/8 in. against 5.86 in. — 5.875 against 5.86, which is not a difference you can see or feel. Reach is the usual tie-breaker between two widespread faucets, and here it does not break the tie.
- Drain. A metal pop-up with a 1-1/4 in. tailpiece, against a push-down drain whose material Moen does not publish.
- Valves. Kohler publishes ceramic discs. Moen publishes no valve type on this model.
- Warranty. Both publish a lifetime limited warranty, which is the category norm for a non-electronic faucet.
The one thing that is identical
Both need three holes at 8 to 16 in. centers. If your basin is drilled for a single hole or a 4 in. centerset, neither of these fits and the shortlist is a different one entirely. Count your holes first.
Finishes, and matching the rest of the room
Kohler publishes Polished Chrome, Vibrant Polished Brass, Vibrant Brushed Nickel and Oil-Rubbed Bronze. Moen publishes Matte Black, Spot Resist Brushed Nickel and Bronzed Gold for the Findlay — no chrome at all. Neither brand’s bronze matches the other’s, so pick the brand before you pick the accessories. Chrome against brushed nickel is here.
What a lifetime warranty actually covers
Both brands publish a lifetime limited warranty, and on a faucet with no electronics that is worth more than it sounds: the parts that fail on a basin faucet are the cartridge, the aerator and the finish, and all three sit inside that cover. It is also why the touchless version of a faucet carries a shorter clause on its electronics — the makers know which part has a service life.
What a warranty does not cover is availability of service parts years later, which is the real argument for buying from a brand with a wide range. Both of these qualify; a supermarket faucet usually does not. The other big-brand matchup is here.
The install is the same job either way
Widespread means three separate pieces — two handles and a spout — connected under the basin, so it takes longer than a single-hole faucet and needs more room in the cabinet. Both of these fit the same 8 to 16 in. drilling, both need the supplies disconnected and the old drain assembly pulled, and both rate Owner-only.
If the existing faucet is a single hole or a 4 in. centerset, neither of these is a swap — it is a new basin or an escutcheon plate.
Which to buy
Kohler if you want the published flow rate, the metal drain and the stated valve type, and the budget allows it. On a faucet you expect to keep for a decade, those three are the things that age.
Moen if you want the same widespread geometry for less, and a push-down drain rather than a lift rod behind the spout. You are paying less and being told less.
Who should skip both
Anyone with a single-hole basin. A one-hole faucet is a different product and a much simpler install. The one-hole options are here.
Renters. This is a supply-line, shut-off-valve and drain-assembly job, and it is the landlord’s plumbing.
Every pick in full
2 we would buy. Each carries its Renter-Safe Install Rating, the published specs behind it, and the honest gap in what we know.

1. Best documented
Devonshire Widespread Bathroom Sink Faucet, 1.2 gpm
Kohler · K-394-4 · best for knowing the flow, the reach and what the drain is made of
1.2 gpm at 60 psi, 5-7/8 in. reach, ceramic disc valves and a metal pop-up drain, under a lifetime limited warranty.
Kohler’s Devonshire widespread publishes the numbers a buyer actually needs: “1.2 gpm (4.5 lpm) maximum flow rate at 60 psi”, a spout reach of “5-7/8″ (149 mm)”, installation “For 8" – 16" (203 – 406 mm) centers”, and “KOHLER® ceramic disc valves”.
The drain is the quiet differentiator: “Includes metal pop-up drain with 1-1/4″ (32 mm) tailpiece”. Drain assemblies are where cheap faucets save money, and they are the part you notice in year five.
Certification covers WaterSense, NSF/ANSI 61 and 372, with “ADA compliant for handles only”, and the whole fitting sits under the Kohler Faucet Lifetime Limited Warranty.
Renter-Safe Install Rating
- Drilling
- None
- Tools
- Not published
- Time to fit
- Not published
- Power
- None
- Reversible on move-out
- No
Why: Plumbing work on the property's supplies and drain, even with Kohler's quick-connect fittings.
Read from published documentation, not from fitting one. Kohler — Devonshire K-394-4 specification sheet. How the verdict is derived: renter-safe ratings explained.
What’s wrong with it
The most expensive of the two by a clear margin, and a 5-7/8 in. reach is a lot of spout for a small basin.
What we can’t tell you
Kohler publishes no cycle count for the valves, only that they exceed industry longevity standards.
Published specifications
| Installation | “For 8" – 16" (203 – 406 mm) centers”; widespread |
|---|---|
| Flow rate | “1.2 gpm (4.5 lpm) maximum flow rate at 60 psi” |
| Spout reach | “5-7/8" (149 mm)” |
| Valves | “KOHLER® ceramic disc valves exceed industry longevity standards” |
| Drain | “Includes metal pop-up drain with 1-1/4" (32 mm) tailpiece” |
| Fitting | Handles preassembled on the valves; quick-connect fittings |
| Certifications | WaterSense; NSF/ANSI 61 and 372; “ADA compliant for handles only” |
| Finishes | Polished Chrome, Vibrant Polished Brass, Vibrant Brushed Nickel, Oil-Rubbed Bronze |
| Warranty | KOHLER Faucet Lifetime Limited Warranty |
#ad Price $271.28 as of October 19, 2026 $289.74 (6% off). Prices change; Amazon’s listing is the one that counts. How we’re funded.

2. Best value in the same format
Findlay Two-Handle Widespread Bathroom Faucet
Moen · 84517 · best for a widespread look on a smaller budget, at the same spout geometry
A three-hole widespread with a 5.86 in. reach, a push-down drain, WaterSense criteria, ADA compliance and a limited lifetime warranty.
Moen’s Findlay fits the same basin drilling — three hole, “8" - 16" Center” — and publishes a spout reach of 5.86 in. against the Kohler’s 5-7/8 in. That is a difference of fifteen thousandths of an inch: for the purpose of choosing one, these two faucets are the same size.
Moen publishes compliance rather than numbers: WaterSense criteria, ADA, AB1953 and S152, the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act and NSF 61, plus a “limited lifetime warranty”. What it does not publish is a flow rate.
The drain is a push-down type with no lift rod behind the spout, which is the fitting most people prefer to clean. Moen does not publish what it is made of, where Kohler publishes metal.
Renter-Safe Install Rating
- Drilling
- None
- Tools
- Not published
- Time to fit
- Not published
- Power
- None
- Reversible on move-out
- No
Why: A faucet swap on the property's supplies and drain. Owner's work.
Read from published documentation, not from fitting one. Moen — Findlay 84517 product page. How the verdict is derived: renter-safe ratings explained.
What’s wrong with it
No published flow rate — WaterSense criteria implies 2.0 gpm or less, but Moen does not state the figure — and no chrome in the published finishes.
What we can’t tell you
No published valve type and no published drain material. Moen listed it as sold out in the finish we checked; it is stocked elsewhere.
Published specifications
| Installation | Three hole, “8" - 16" Center”; 1/2 in. IPS |
|---|---|
| Spout reach | 5.86 in. |
| Drain | Push-down drain |
| Finishes | Matte Black, Spot Resist Brushed Nickel, Bronzed Gold |
| Certifications | WaterSense criteria; ADA; AB1953 and S152 |
| Warranty | “limited lifetime warranty” |
| Flow rate | Not published on the product page |
| Availability | Sold out in the finish we checked |
#ad Price $143.88 as of October 19, 2026. Prices change; Amazon’s listing is the one that counts. How we’re funded.
Where to buy
Everything recommended on this page, in one place. Each link is an Amazon Associates link — we earn a commission at no extra cost to you, and it never decides a pick.
- $271.28View on Amazon
Devonshire Widespread Bathroom Sink Faucet, 1.2 gpm
Kohler · K-394-4 · Renter verdict: Owner-only
- $143.88View on Amazon
Findlay Two-Handle Widespread Bathroom Faucet
Moen · 84517 · Renter verdict: Owner-only
#ad Prices are not shown because we only publish figures we have verified on the day. How we’re funded.
Questions people actually ask
is kohler better than moen
On these two widespread faucets, Kohler publishes more: flow rate, valve type and a metal drain. Moen publishes compliance, a push-down drain and a lower price, at a spout reach within fifteen thousandths of an inch of the Kohler's.
what spout reach do i need on a bathroom faucet
Enough for the stream to land near the middle of the bowl and no more. These two publish 5-7/8 in. and 5.86 in., so measure from where the faucet will sit to the center of the basin — and on a small basin, look at a shorter spout than either.
does a plastic drain assembly matter
It works, and it is normal at lower prices. A metal pop-up with a 1-1/4 in. tailpiece, which Kohler publishes here, is the part more likely to still be sound in ten years. Moen publishes a push-down drain for the Findlay without stating what it is made of.
do kohler and moen use the same hole spacing
For these two, yes — both are widespread faucets published for 8 to 16 in. centers, so they fit the same three-hole basin.
Sources
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