ProPress Ball Valves

Alan (California Radiant) Forbes

The price of Viega ball valves is four times that of Bluefin. Is there that much of a quality difference?

I like buying products that work well, especially when they hold up after years of use. Having to use a cheater pipe extension on a ball valve is a drag and I want it to work as well as the day it went in. But price is a consideration.

Ironman

Haven’t used Bluefin, but Webstone and Nibco are much better priced. Both are double O ring. No leak issues and we’ve put in hundreds. We did have the stem snap off of a Webstone. It wasn’t forced, just defective.

STEAM DOCTOR

Primarily using Webstone. Zero problems

EBEBRATT-Ed

Apollo's are the gold standard in the northeast. We have seen and used a lot of Milwaukee valves. personally I think Apollos are better.
Don't know how they match up price wise

ScottSecor

The majority of the time we use Apollo domestic valves , and I agree with @EBEBRATT-Ed they are the standard around here (NJ). We also use Webstone and Apollo imported valves occasionally with pretty good results. Legend, Viega and Watts don't seem to last as long and tend to bind up faster when used in harsh conditions (typically hotter dhw piping).

Snowmelt

sometimes I still buy male adapters and thread them on to a threaded ball valve.

Steve Minnich

I used Viega and Apollo at first, then went to Jomar. No problems with Jomar and less $$.

hot_rod

Steve Minnich said:

I used Viega and Apollo at first, then went to Jomar. No problems with Jomar and less $$.

Hard to beat Italian made valves Jomar have always been Italian made.
Maybe they also have a price point made in PRC?

Alan (California Radiant) Forbes

I'm talking about Propress ball valves. I didn't know that Apollo, Jomar and others mentioned make them.

hot_rod

Jomar is partnered with Pettinaroli in Italy I used their valves for many years, that have some unique valves, the filter ball and valves with hose connections on one end. Like most manufacturers they offer various quality and rating options.

Bonomi is another quality Italian valve that I see on shelves.

Nibco has some good valves, I think they source some lines from China through their Webstone merger?