Maybe one option is explorehardware.com? Has anyone bought from them before?

It is thier own brand. Most likely imported from somewhere. Buy one and check it out. Quality hardware comes at a price and in reality Emtek is not considered an over the top expensive brand. Was in the residential window and door business for 25 years and been in commercial now over 15 years and I have never heard of them.

They have been around for more than 40 yrs I have used them often with no issues aand honestly the pricing pretty fair. Sometimes you just need to either lower your expectations or up the budget . Maybe use those just in certain places . Sometimes thye are the only game in town. If I google that style there seem to be many at very decent prices

It's a 40+ year old company based in Los Angeles. I have used Schlage, Emtek, and Baldwin over the years--depending on budget, and I would place Emtek a bit below Baldwin, but it seems like a solid product. I used Emtek about 20 years ago in my last place and it's still there and in good condition, even though the house has changed hands twice. I have been in it both times it has been for sale.

In the house I live in now, I replaced the interior door hardware in the house with a commonly used brand door hardware, and rented the house out for two years and it was falling apart by the time we moved in. The renters were hard on everything, but you don't necessarily expect door hardware to fall apart in two years.

" It's a 40+ year old company based in Los Angeles. "

Emtek or Explore?

Oh, Emtek, not Explore. I have never heard of explore either.

I was just mostly saying where I would place Emtek and I think it would be worth the money instead of something that might look similar but not be durable.

I've used Emtek a lot both interior and exterior.

Great quality, abundant finishes. A lot of finishes and styles, (just as above), that you are not going to find on Schlag or in a big box.

Hardware , hinges, are not something to skimp on. Get what you love the first time.

Pretty costs more, and pretty is generally worth it:)

Emtek is a nice quality product. I've used it many times for myself and clients.

I love their French antique finish.

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Just another thought--doorknobs, cabinet pulls and knobs, faucets, all are used multiple times daily. They need to be very durable and well made. They also need to feel good in your hands. It's worth paying a little more to get something (as W. Morris said) beautiful and useful, and that will stand the test of time.

Emtek top is $158 in passage

Coolnews bottom is $39 in passage.

How much can they have in common, quality-wise when one is 25% the price of the other? That's the question you have to ask yourself. And since they are distinctive, what happens when you have one that malfunctions? Are you going to be able to find another one on Amazon? Honestly I can't find the same thing on Amazon 2 weeks in a row.

Neither choice is wrong, necessarily, but you have to make an informed decision.

There are many beautiful types of door hardware that I love, take a look at Nanz and PE Geurin if you want to see really high end hardware. But I can't afford it. Even if I could find a cheap lookalike, I don't think I would buy it. I would rather just have something sturdy, less "designed" something that they have made forever, so it's relatively inexpensive to produce that may be higher in quality because it's not new machining and marketing.

It's really up to you, the cheaper option may give you the look you want.

When I remodeled my bungalow, looked at other brands that might have looked similar, but the quality felt noticeably lower to me. I went with Emtek for all my doors, inside and out. I am surprised that their passage knob is $158. I don't think I spent that on my front door lock set but it's been several years. I wonder if there is a way to get a discount, through your contractor or designer or if you buy a lot (?). You won't get a 75% discount maybe 5 or 10% if you're lucky.

That is a discounted price allegedly

We're replacing every interior door in the house, so even though I also like nice high-quality things, I'm hoping for a fairly good alternative version. This is the Explore Hardware version (below) $58 compared to $158 Emtek brand so I'm hoping someone has used the brand and can tell me if it's durable/ a good alternative.

Patricia Colwell Consulting, are you saying you've used Explore Hardware often with no issues or Emtek often with no issues?

I used Emtek and am very happy with it; the products (I replaced all the interior doorknobs and used their handles in new cabinetry) feel solid and good to use. In the examples you show of Explore vs Emtek, I honestly think the Emtek looks far nicer. If you are really tempted by the Explore, why not order one of each so you can compare how they look and feel in person?

It's possible that one door set is made in the USA and the other is a copy from China. That could account for the price difference.

I'd advise you to order one of each and compare the two in person.

When I ordered my imported door sets, I ordered an extra one for parts, though in my entire life I have never had an issue with an interior door set.

Spend your money where it counts.

You're replacing every door in the house. How long do you plan to be in the house? What is the door you are using?

Everything lives in a context.....

That context includes a projected length of stay, budget, the door style, how MANY doors. It includes the fact hinges should be a match.

A privacy set is more expensive than a dummy for a closet door. Do your kids bedrooms need to match? Many things to consider: )

Add it all up both ways, and divide the difference. Twenty- five doors over ten years @ 100 bucks difference/delta in price, assuming all are passage or privacy.....is 2500.00

But over ten years and God knows how many touches? It's 250.00 a year to have the one you really want.

What do you spend on take out pizza in a year?

Note also? EVEN in Emtek, the square back, which has two sharp prongs in the back to grab the door face? I will tell you right now, the cheaper will go off kilter and drive you insane.: ) You are warned....... yes... the Emtek is prone to that as well. Askew. I wouldn't trust the sharp edges on the Explore finish either

If I were only replacing the doors and this was the only calculation I had to make, I'd be with you @Jan Moyer. But it's part of a bigger renovation and everything adds up.

The new doors are two panel wood shaker doors. We had the cheap hollow core doors throughout the house.

I do get it. But..........the labor and product expense to replace them on a finish fail, on crummy passage mechanisms, will mean you toss and start over and end up with more spent.: )

No different than the 1200.00 sofa that goes to the landfill every 15 mos.

Sample ordered. Stay tuned. In fact, if anyone else is interested, they will let you order three free samples on their website.

Update: I got the sample from explore hardware and it's a no. The handle is more brass than satin brass, which is not what I want. Looks like I have to go back to the drawing board.

Now that you have the sample, I believe that the description online stated that it is an acrylic knob. The ones from Emtek are glass. I don't know the other brand you are asking about, but I have sold a lot of Emtek and have not had any issues.

Good luck!

I know Emtek is not inexpensive, but consider how often you’re going to touch these doorknobs over the time you’re in your home. Get something that makes you happy, not regretful. I’m happy every time I open an interior door with the Emtek knobs I chose- they feel so great in my hand for seconds on end:) (I chose the egg shape.). It’s a small but important thing.

121.55 passage/less in a dummy is the best bet after the Emtek.

As you can see? You will get what you pay for.: )

Baldwin, and it is a GLASS knob

I can tell you no client regrets Emtek and I too especially love the oval rosette , french antique with oval glass knob .

To die for : ) and looks every penny, feels every penny!