Evolve ShowerStart Thermostatic Shut-off Valve, Water- and Energy-Saving Valve for Most Bathroom Fixtures, Not Low Flow, Uniform Plumbing Code Certified, 1-Pack

This is a great, low-lift way of saving water. I'm honestly surprised there isn't a competitor making this product, too, after all of these years; it must be patented. We had the original version at our previous house. In that one, the cord broke after a few months (not too much of a problem, just an annoyance) and the little flipper stopped being effective after a couple of years. This version has a cord that seems sturdier, and time will tell how long the product lasts. But, even if it's just a few years, it will have paid for itself a few times over in water savings, if our previous experience is any indication.

This device has been a Godsend! I was so frustrated with the amount of water my teenage son wasted; he would turn on the shower then get distracted on his phone while the shower ran for 10-15 minutes before he finally got in the shower. I decided to give this a try, and it's amazing! He still gets distracted, but now the water flow drops to just drips, saving a ton of water. When he's ready to shower, he just pulls the cord to release the flow. Now I don't have to yell at him to hurry up. I'm so thankful for it!

I had one of the original ShowerStart TSVs back in 2017. It was a metal component, well made, and still works great. I bought some of the newer ones, thinking they'd be equivalent quality. They are not. They have all either failed within a year of installing, or failed IMMEDIATELY upon installing. Leaks out the back, threads just stripping and dropping a showerhead off, cracks appearing at the mold seams. The product is still a great idea, they just got too cheap with the manufacturing. Go back to metal construction, and I'll buy another

First thing to know: No, these valves do NOT last forever. I tend to have to replace them every 5 or 6 years. It probably depends on the type of water you've got and how much you use them. One of these days, I'll do a deep dive on trying to rehabilitate a dying valve (soak in a descaler like CLR, clean the inlet screen, ...?). In the meantime, it bothers me to waste water and energy by running the hot water past the point where it's reached the shower. I've seen some people's reviews complaining that these valves aren't made well anymore. Perhaps? I see that this Amazon seller (ShowerStart) is offering two models: One ("Chrome Polish") looks like it might be made of plastic, and costs about 20% less than the one that I bought ("Brushed Nickel"), which is definitely mostly metal. That's the version I've always bought, and it lasts years, in our home. In terms of finances -- no, the savings in water/energy probably won't recoup the cost of the valve. I buy it because wasting the water and energy just bothers me too much. But I live in SoCal, where water and energy are often constrained resources.

Love these for kids and adults that let the shower hot water run long after the water is hot!! The plastic threads on these are fragile, so that's the only thing I would say is a detriment to this product. Be careful when putting on the pipe and attaching the shower head, or whatever other outlet

I love this idea: You turn on your water and, once it gets hot, this device is supposed to shut off the water, until you pull the cord. If your water can take a while to heat up, and you don't want to stand around constantly checking it, this can not only reduce water usage and costs, but also "notify" you once the water is hot. In practice, I found this to be a bit flaky. It works best when you heat up the water all the way—but that also means you'll need to adjust the temperature back before jumping in. In addition, the device feels like a cheaper material, and I will be curious to see if it ends up springing a leak with constant use. That said, it is pretty noninvasive, and really nice when it does work. Currently, my local utility in Seattle offers is offering a rebate on these which effectively makes them free. For that price, they're well worth the experiment. If you're like me, you will probably fuss over the design of the pull cord. Fortunately, it's a completely detachable element, which isn't obvious in the photos. If you are tall or have a low showerhead, you can just remove it entirely, and pull down on the lever directly. Otherwise, you can easily replace this with any cord of your choosing. I used a chain, but you could get creative here and use e.g., a thin piece of rope with an ornament hanging off the end, or something like that.

I've purchased these since they first came out as the Evolve Showerheads Ladybug. Originally they were metal and were robust but still had limited lifespan of several years before the auto shutoff quits working. We have hard water so that may contribute to that limited lifespan. Cost was $30. Now, sold as Showerstart TSV, still $30, they are cheaply made out of plastic and break easily just tightening by hand. With a handheld shower head chances are they will soon fracture if they don't break immediately. With a shower head that's never touched they may last longer, perhaps up to a year. They are a useful device but need to go back to metal construction to be worthwhile. There is a three year warrantee per the manufacturer. I've sent them a couple messages about failed items via their web page but have never received a reply.

Product worked great after some trial and error with the teflon tape.