Korky Vs. Fluidmaster Fill Valves: Which One is Better?

Dennis Howard
by Dennis Howard

There is nothing more annoying than a leaky fill valve in a toilet. Leaking fill valves are also water waters that can run up your water bill significantly if ignored. When the time comes to replace a leaky fill valve in your toilet, which fill valve should you chose, the Korky or the Fluidmaster?

Fill valves are the most complex mechanical part of your toilet. The fill valve controls the flow of water that fills the tank between fills. Constant exposure to water leads to corrosion of the valve parts and ultimately to failure. A replacement fill valve should be sized appropriately for the toilet. Good fill valves last about five years on average.

The question then arises about which fill valves are the best and which one you should choose as your replacement. In general, we recommend either the Korky or Fluidmaster replacement fill valves. Deciding which one is best for you depends on your needs and expectations.

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Korky Fill Valves

Korky is an industry leader in toilet parts. If you need a replacement part of a toilet, Korky makes such a replacement part more than likely. The Korky replacement fill valves come in a wide array of styles and sizes, making it a sure bet that you can find a Korky valve to fit your toilet.

The Korky replacement fill valves incorporate some unique design features to make these replacement fill valves some of the best on the market. Among these features that make these fill valves so attractive are:

  • The Korky Platinum fill valve adjusts from 8.5 inches to 14 inches making it a fit for almost any standard toilet tank on the market.
  • The fill valve kit from Korky includes all the necessary hardware and gaskets to install the fill valve in your toilet tank.
  • The design of the Korky fill valve is compatible with all HET toilets
  • The valve assembly includes a sediment filter and fully accessible valve parts for maintenance and service.
  • Each Korky fill valve replacement kit includes:

What Users of the Korky Fill Valve Say?

Customers who purchase the Korky fill valve kit routinely give it high marks and score above average in the rankings. Comments came from professional plumbers to novice homeowners with no plumbing experience. The consensus of comments came in these areas.

  • Easy install in our toiler with no experience and no special tools. The instructions are excellent, clear, and precise.
  • Our toilets are more than fifty years old, and these Korky replacement fill valves fit and perform flawlessly.
  • Customer service from Korky is above reproach. Our toilets are old out-of-production models that needed special gaskets. Korky responded, and we had them in a matter of a few days.

A few negative comments can be found but generally tend to be about installation issues where the installer didn’t follow the instructions or failed to assemble the parts correctly.

How the Korky Replacement Fill Valve Stacks Up for Us

Overall, Korky replacement fill valves are a great product. These fill valves are reliable, easy to install, and perform reliably for years. We also like these other features of the Korky replacement fill valve.

  • Beyond the easy installation, the Korky fill valves can be serviced and maintained with little problem to extend their service life.
  • The internal float mechanism helps protect the valve float from becoming damaged.
  • The whole fill valve operation from start to finish is quiet and unobtrusive.
  • Korky replacement fill valves are usually a few dollars cheaper than their competitors

Overall, we like the Korky replacement fill valves for homeowner installations and repairs. The customer service provided by Korky can make a significant difference if you do run into problems with the installation.

Fluidmaster Fill Valves

Go into any home improvement store, hardware store, or plumbing supply business, and you will find Fluidmaster products front and center in the displays. Fluidmaster is probably the most recognized brand of replacement fill valves in the marketplace. This level of recognition didn’t happen without good reason.

Fluidmaster fill valves are often the go-to replacement parts for professional plumbers. The features of the Fluidmaster fill valves are part of the reason they are popular with professionals.

  • Fluidmaster invented this style of toilet fill valve in 1958. Long years of experience and refinement have culminated in a superior product.
  • The Fluidmaster design incorporates an anti-siphon component to protect your water delivery system.
  • Each Fluidmaster replacement fill valve is adjustable from nine inches to fourteen inches. The range of adjustability makes the Fluidmaster 400 fill valve compatible with ninety-nine percent of the toilets made or installed.
  • Corrosion-resistant materials in the Fluidmaster 40 fill valves ensure a long, trouble-free life.
  • Each Fluidmaster Fill Valve Kit comes with the following:

    One Fluidmaster 400 fill valve assemblyOne refill clipOne refill tubeOne shank washerOne shank locknutComplete illustrated installation instructions

The kit and the instructions are complete and ready to install. You don’t need anything else to make the replacement. No putty, no caulk, and no sealants make the installation clean and quick.

What Users of the Fluidmaster Fill Valve Say?

The purchasers of the Fluidmaster 400 fil valve consistently rank it at the highest levels. Comments also reflect a high level of customer satisfaction with the Fluidmaster 400 fill valve kit. Overall, the comments about the Fluidmaster 400 fill valve focus on these topics.

  • Easiest tank fill valve I have ever installed. The instructions were clear, and everything fit as described.
  • Being able to adjust the tank and bowl fill rates separately has made our large old toilet much more efficient.
  • The Fluidmaster 400 tank fill valve is so quiet it is almost impossible to hear it operate.
  • Setting the float levels and water levels is painless. Made our toilet work like it was brand new.

Some purchasers of the Fluidmaster 400 tank fill valve did find the instructions included with the kit a bit hard to follow. These problems usually seem to be the result of being unfamiliar with some plumbing terms.

How the Fluidmaster Replacement Fill Valve Stacks Up for Us

When it comes time to replace a toilet fill valve in my house, I reach for a Fluidmaster replacement fill valve. In fact, I keep a spare in my shop all the time. I may have to spend a few dollars more for the Fluidmaster label, but those few extra dollars have consistently yielded easy installation and trouble-free operation for me. The other features that keep me coming back to Fluidmaster include:

  • Top-quality construction and a proven design
  • Easy adjustments that allow me to use water more efficiently without sacrificing flush power
  • Fluidmaster flush valves and repair parts are available almost anywhere

In the end, I don’t like doing toilet repairs. I will spend more money to buy what I consider a superior part that I think will last longer without problems. In my opinion, the Fluidmaster fill valve fits all these requirements.

Other Considerations when Replacing a Toilet Fill Valve

When it comes time to replace that leaking or noisy toilet fill valve, you should consider some other things as part of the repair job. We always suggest looking at your toilet as a mechanical device needing routine care and maintenance. Performing some of these other maintenance chores when you replace a fill valve can prevent more problems and possible damage.

Replace the Flapper Valve

The flapper valve in the toilet tank is the key component in the flush cycle. Several things can go wrong with a flapper valve.

  • The valve may get soft and flimsy over time, preventing the flapper from creating a tight seal and allowing water to leak by.
  • The edges of the flapper may erode and allow water to leak into the toilet bowl, causing the fill valve to cycle on and off.
  • The attachments of the flapper may tear or break, which keeps the flapper valve from seating properly.

If your toilet leaks water constantly, you probably need to replace the flapper valve as soon as possible. Even small water leaks around the flapper valve can dramatically increase your water bills over time.

Check the Flush Handle and Chain

If your water is rich in minerals, the flush handle and chain connected to the flapper valve may corrode and fail. If the flush handle gets hard to operate or your flapper valve behaves erratically, check the flush handle, bar, and chain.

If any of these parts are corroded, replace the assembly, and adjust the chain connection to the proper length. A replacement will ensure consistent and trouble-free flushes.

Replace the Water Line

We suggest replacing the water supply line from the wall valve to the fill valve on your toilet every time you replace the fill valve. A failed water supply line can be disastrous. If it occurs when you aren’t home, you may suffer a catastrophic fluid doing thousands of dollars in damage to your home.

Always use the highest quality supply line of the proper length to connect the toilet fill valve with the water supply valve in your bathroom. Steel braided hoses with chrome-plated brass fittings are the best. Use a supply line of the proper length to prevent the excess line from hanging onto the floor where it can be damaged.

Do You Need to Install or Repair a Toilet?

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Which Replacement Fill Valve is Right for You?

That is a question only you can answer. In our view, both the Korky fill valves and the Fluidmaster fill valves are excellent products and will perform to specification. We prefer the Fluidmaster because that is the product we have used for years without problems. We can’t fault you if saving a few dollars and going with the Korky valve is your choice. In either case, your toilet should operate more efficiently and quieter over the long run.

Dennis Howard
Dennis Howard

Dennis is a retired firefighter with an extensive background in construction, home improvement, and remodeling. He worked in the trades part-time while serving as an active firefighter. On his retirement, he started a remodeling and home repair business, which he ran for several years.

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