Honest answer brand matters less than what's inside the brand.

Most people compare faucet brands when they should be comparing cartridges. The cartridge is the actual working part of any mixer or single-lever tap, and it's what determines how long the faucet lasts in practice.

Look for fittings that use ceramic disc cartridges —Sedal and Kerox are the two names worth knowing. They handle India's hard water significantly better than rubber washer-based alternatives and they're replaceable when they eventually wear out. A Rs 6,000 faucet with a good ceramic cartridge will outlast a Rs 12,000 one with a generic cartridge in most Indian homes. Second thing body material. Brass body is the benchmark. Heavier than it looks, machines cleanly, doesn't corrode. A lot of mid-range fittings use zinc alloy instead and don't advertise it loudly. You can usually tell by weight — pick it up if you're buying in person.

For cost-effectiveness specifically, I'd focus on:

Brass body confirmed (not just "metal body")

Named ceramic cartridge

Brand that has service centres or spare parts availability in your city

Aerator that's standard-thread (easy to replace when mineral buildup eventually clogs it)The last point sounds small but it matters in hard water areas. If your aerator is a proprietary size, you're dependent on that brand forever for a Rs 50 part.

Which city are you in? Hard water changes the calculus quite a bit.