Cheap tubing/fitting - false economy?

[seanpk]

Learnt my lesson with electrical sockets - cheap sockets are a false economy, what about copper tube and fitting? First reaction seems to suggest there is insignificant difference to warrant not going for the cheapest source.

Comments?

Am using a pipe bender, that seemed the only potential issue.

If yes for cheap, anyone suggest the cheapest source? - doing the whole house so after quite a few meters of 15 and 22

Cheers, Sean

 

[warmadmax]

Don't know cheapest place, but i brought two lengths of 2m x 22mm the other day from wickes, instead of £17.99 the girl on the counter put it through as 15mm, £9.99, even though i said 22mm, 2 meter

used the pipe bender on these to do my bath tap feeds, one of the pipes had creases on the inside of a 90 degree bend, the other didn't
long as you get normal stuff (half hard??) you should be ok.

ask your local plumbers merchants first, see plenty of trade plumbers going to my local one.

 

[Charnwood]

We used to sell nothing but British branded fittings; Yorkshire, Endex, Kuterlite, Triflow, Delcop, Conex, Prestex, and did very well.

Now, we sell hardly any branded stuff. China rules, nowadays, sadly.
Pegler even have a factory in China now!

 

[longdogs]

went into a shop a couple of weeks ago and they were selling 3mx15mm copper at £22.99.

 

[mickyg]

the cheaper stuff ripples when you bend it and its also harder to bend I find. Not worth the minimal saving over decent stuff imo.

 

[swbjackson]

I always insist on British tube. Continental stuff is harder to work and regularly throats (ripples) when you bend it.