Review on Moen 1200 One Handle Cartridge Replacement by Bruno Gilbert

I ordered one of these on November 1st 2012 to replace the plastic stem on our Moen sink faucet that was in constant need of O-ring replacement or grease. I thought maybe this is a Moen original part and the brass design of the valve sealing faces for the moving o-rings would be better quality and not require as much attention. This sink uses a lot of hot water, dozens of cycles on this valve every day. As of February 17, 2013, this stem is already worn and is very resistant to pulling the faucet handle. I took it off, carefully pulled out the inner shaft, cleaned and lubed it with FDA-approved silicone grease, and put it back together. It doesn't leak, but is still difficult to put on and creaks even when closed. The o-rings look like new, but since half the o-rings are grooved into the barrel on this model, rather than having them all on the detachable stock (stupid design!), it would be very difficult to try to get them on remove the hidden o-rings and install a new set without scratching the brass which could result in premature failure of newly installed o-rings. So I replace this piece of junk and go back to a cheap plastic stock. These CAN at least be serviced, after which they will work very well for several months until their o-rings wear out and need to be replaced and re-lubricated. Of course, if only Moen could make a faucet that didn't need all this attention, I wouldn't be in this predicament. But at least it lasts longer than the lousy single-handle Delta model it replaced.