6 best cast iron bathtub manufacturers

Cast-iron bathtub became usual thing in our apartments long time ago. Moreover, only a couple of decades ago it was the only option of bathroom fixtures, as there were no other baths. Only relatively recently cast iron began to give up its position, giving way to lighter and more aesthetic acrylic. However, recently there has been a new surge in popularity of cast iron bathtubs. This is due to the fact that modern cast iron baths are free of most of the shortcomings that were peculiar to products manufactured in the USSR.

Cast iron bathtubs are produced by sanitary companies around the world, so today you have the opportunity to buy a product not only domestic production, but also brought from Europe or from Asia. Let's start our review with European companies.

Spanish company "Roca" is known on sanitary ware market for almost 100 years. The small company, born near Barcelona, began its activity with the production of radiators and boilers. Gradually expanding the range and opening new stores, the company has managed to win the hearts of customers around the world. Now the company has stores in 135 countries. Roca has its own factory in Russia.

Roca cast iron bathtubs appeal with their design - simple, elegant shapes and glossy glossy enamel delight the eye. Relief bottom protects against slipping. The manufacturer provides a 10-year warranty on its products, which says a lot about the quality of the products.

The cheapest bath of this company costs about 20000 rubles, its length - 120 cm, width - 70 cm. The most expensive models cost about 100000 rubles, in which case you pay for a unique, unusual design. A standard cast iron bathtub with a standard length of 170 cm, will cost about 26000 rubles.

The Jacob Delafon company has an even richer history, as it appeared back in the 19th century. Founded in France, the company has gradually expanded worldwide and today has 27 branches in different countries, including Russia and the United States. It specializes not only in bathroom fixtures, but also in the production of furniture, hotel management and maintenance of energy systems, although it does all this as part of the company Kohler, with which it merged at the end of the 20th century.

Kohler's cast iron products are characterized by great variety. You can choose from a variety of options available, including built-in baths, baths with holes for mortise faucets, wide and deep baths, whirlpool baths and more. The company gives a 25-year warranty on its products. A standard rectangular cast iron bath from "Jacob Delafon" will cost about 28000 rubles. The most expensive models - design ones, with bright prints or on an unusual frame cost about 300-400 thousand rubles.

Another French company "Oxame" specializes namely in the production of cast iron bathtubs and has already had a century of experience in this field. The company's factories are located directly in France, so the traditional European quality is maintained in everything. At the stage of manufacturing of cast iron bathtubs, special attention is paid to the enamel. It turns out completely snow-white and even a little shine. Enamel protects the tub from corrosion and mildew. Cast iron baths of the company "Oxame" serve for a long time, thanks to the formed during the decades of production technologies and the use of high quality materials.

Prices for cast iron baths from this manufacturer range from 18000 rubles for a regular bath and a half to 48000 rubles for a spacious bath, 180 cm long and 83 cm wide. Vintage baths on decorative legs cost a bit more.

Chinese company "Artex" is the most popular among Asian manufacturers of cast iron bathtubs. The peculiarity of this company's products is that Italian technologists and designers are involved in its creation. The development of the design and appearance of products is made by the European side, and the actual production takes place in China. This approach significantly reduces the cost of the final product, while maintaining its quality at the appropriate level.

Cast-iron baths, produced by "Artex", are well known to Russian customers. For relatively little money you get a high quality product. The equipment is very diverse. For example, many models are equipped with handrails and headrests. The smallest, only 120 cm, cast iron baths from the company "Artex" will cost you about 12000 rubles, and the largest, two-meter - 70000 rubles. The most popular model, with a length of 170 cm costs about 20,000 rubles.

Despite the presence of competition in Russia, the production of cast iron bathtubs is also in full swing. Companies that are engaged in this, quite a lot, but we will tell only about the most famous.

Russian factory "Universal" is located in Novokuznetsk and produces cast iron bathtubs since Soviet times, namely, since 1961. Do not think that the quality has not changed over such a long period. Not so long ago the factory was modernized and new German equipment was purchased, so you can safely say that its products meet the latest European standards. There are about a dozen types of cast iron bathtubs of different sizes, some of which are equipped with metal handles. All products look very aesthetically pleasing and, in addition, please with the "price-quality" ratio.

Prices for products of the plant "Universal" have quite a small range: from 10 to 17 thousand rubles, so even with a limited budget, you can afford a normal full-size bath.

Another popular domestic manufacturer of cast iron bathtubs is the Kirov factory. About 10 years ago, the factory launched a production line by the method developed in Germany. All products manufactured here comply with sanitary state standards, they are environmentally friendly and safe. Kirov cast iron bathtubs are covered with a special, patented enamel containing silver, which cleans the surface and disinfects the water during its entire service life. Moreover, water enriched with silver ions has beneficial effects on human health.

Kirov factory offers cast iron bathtubs at the lowest prices. The cheapest bath, "Malyutka", costs less than 10000 rubles, and the most expensive models are 170 cm long. They cost about 12000 rubles.

Many of you probably remember the monstrous cracks and scratches that covered the inner surface of Soviet cast iron bathtubs. They used low quality enamel, so to maintain a more or less decent appearance, the bathtub had to be repainted almost every year. Today, the quality of enamel has increased several times, so the cast-iron bathtub won't lose its original appearance even after many years of use.

Another disadvantage of baths, made of cast iron, is considered to be large weight and huge size, which makes the bath almost impossible to lift. All this significantly hampered the transportation and installation of this type of sanitary equipment. Modern production technologies allow to produce quite lightweight cast-iron baths, with wall thickness of only a few millimeters, which do not lose their original strength and stability.

The main advantages of cast iron baths have been preserved since Soviet times, but new ones have been added. Cast iron baths that are produced today are still the most durable of those offered on the market. They won't be damaged by shocks or falls from a small height during installation. In addition, such a bath does not need additional reinforcement, because it is stable by itself. It easily withstands a lot of weight and can do without support. All this, firstly, facilitates installation, and secondly, adds aesthetics. You have to agree that a bathtub that is installed only on legs looks much more elegant than a bathtub on a frame.

Another indisputable advantage of cast-iron baths is the ability to retain heat. Water in such a container cools down very slowly, so you can spend longer time basking in the warm bath. Among other things, the cast-iron bathtub is not capricious in care. The thick layer of wear-resistant enamel is very difficult to damage, so you can clean such a bathtub by any means, without fear of damaging the surface.

Of course, the advantages of cast-iron baths should not be ignored:

• long service life. Some manufacturers promise that their baths will serve you for 50 years;
• excellent soundproofing. The sound of beating against the bottom of the tub water jets will not reach the ears of your neighbors;
• affordability. Among the options on the market this one is the most affordable.

Of course, the cast-iron bathtub, as well as everything in this world, apart from the advantages, is also endowed with a number of disadvantages, but they are not so many.

The most significant disadvantage of baths made of cast iron is the following: despite the fact that compared to their Soviet counterparts, they have lost a lot of "weight", such baths are still quite bulky. It is almost impossible to install such a bath by yourself, so find a helper in advance. Another drawback is the monotony of shapes and sizes. There are only a few varieties of cast iron bathtubs. For a non-standard bathroom, it will not be easy to choose a bathtub made of this material.

Modern cast iron bathtub has an almost unlimited lifespan, so it does not need special care - it is very difficult to damage it. However, like any other sanitary ware, without basic care, over time it will lose its shining whiteness. To avoid this is very easy!

Just follow our recommendations.

• Although cast iron bathtubs are covered with a protective layer of high quality enamel, which is not prone to scratches, try not to use harsh brushes and aggressive cleaning agents to clean the bathtub.
• If possible, buy a detergent from the manufacturer of the bath. Also the surface is well cleaned with ordinary household soap or dishwashing detergent.
• After completing all hygienic procedures, it is better to wipe the tub dry with a soft cloth. Try to do it at least once a day and then your bath will shine like new.
• Stains that appeared on the enamel should be removed as soon as they appear. Vinegar and citric acid are excellent for this purpose.