How to Identify Faucet Brand and Model (Even Without a Sticker)

How to identify faucet brand and model is the first question most homeowners hit when a repair starts — and getting it wrong is the single most expensive mistake in DIY faucet work. It isn’t dropping a screw down the drain or stripping a handle. It’s buying the wrong replacement part. Cartridges aren’t universal — even within a brand. Buy a Delta RP19804 when you needed an RP46074 and your $25 fix doesn’t fix anything; you’re back at the hardware store, this time with the right part, frustrated.

So before you order a cartridge, before you head to Home Depot, before you start unscrewing anything — figure out what brand and model your faucet actually is. This guide walks you through how to identify faucet brand and model in order from easiest to most laborious. The good news: most faucets installed in the last fifteen years have a model tag hidden under the sink. You just need to know where to look.

No sticker? Identify your faucet from a photo. Take clear shots of the handle straight-on, the spout from the side, and any markings under the sink, then upload them to the manufacturer’s identifier tool or email support – Kohler, Moen, Delta, and Pfister all identify a faucet from photos, usually within 1-3 business days. Our free Repair Finder can also point you to the likely part from a few quick questions. The manual methods below get you there without the wait.

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Start Here: Look at the Faucet Itself

Before you crawl under the sink, spend ten seconds on the faucet in plain view – it often hands you the brand for free.

Find the logo. Most faucets carry a small brand name or logo, and there are four usual spots: the base of the spout, the decorative escutcheon or base ring, the handle, and underneath the little index cap on top of the handle (the button that often pops off to reveal the handle screw). Wipe the area and shine a flashlight across it at an angle – on older or high-end faucets the logo is faint or embossed rather than printed.

Read the handle shape. Even with no logo, the handle is a strong brand tell. A single lever points to Moen or Delta (Moen handles tend to be curved and sleek, Delta’s more angular and geometric); cross handles lean Kohler or American Standard, which tend toward a more traditional, ornate look. Delta and Peerless single-handles often have a red/blue temperature indicator built into the cap. These cues won’t give you an exact model, but they narrow the brand before you ever pick up a wrench – and they tell you which section below to read first.

This table is the at-a-glance version – the logo or wordmark to look for, where each brand hides it, and the handle cue that confirms it:

Brand	Logo / wordmark	Where to look for it	Handle / visual cue
Delta	“Delta” wordmark, often with a triangle	Base of spout, handle, and a “DO NOT REMOVE” tag on the cold supply line (2012+)	Single lever, angular and geometric; red/blue temp indicator on some caps
Moen	“Moen” wordmark	Embossed on the spout body, under the handle trim ring, or a supply-line tag on newer models	Single lever, curved and sleek
Kohler	“Kohler” plus a K-XXXXX number	Stamped or printed on the faucet body behind/under the spout, or on the bottom of the deck	Cross handles lean traditional, ornate
Pfister	“Pfister” (older units: “Price Pfister”)	Label on the shank or supply line under the sink	Check the under-sink label first; styles vary
American Standard	“American Standard” wordmark	On the faucet body or trim	Cross handles, traditional look

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Method 1: Find the Original Documentation

The fastest path is the most boring one — paperwork.

If you bought the faucet yourself: check the box (basements, garages, and storage closets are full of “I’ll keep this just in case” boxes), the original receipt, or the installation manual. Anything that came with the faucet has the model number on it.

If the home was built or remodeled by someone else: check builder paperwork, home inspection reports, or any “fixtures and finishes” lists from the closing documents. Larger builders sometimes provide an appliance/fixture spec sheet.

This works maybe 30% of the time for current owners and almost never for inherited fixtures. When it doesn’t work, move to Method 2.

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Method 2: Look Under the Sink for a Model Tag

Most modern faucets have a small label hidden somewhere under the sink. The location varies by brand. Here’s where to look:

Delta

Most Delta faucets manufactured from roughly 2012 onward have a model identification tag attached to one of the flexible supply lines — typically the cold-water line. The tag is small, usually a paper or plastic label, and often marked “DO NOT REMOVE” in bold letters.

Get under the sink with a flashlight. Trace the supply lines (the braided steel hoses) up from the shut-off valves. The tag is usually within the first 6–12 inches of the hose. The model number on the tag — something like “9159T-AR-DST” — is everything you need to look up parts.

If your Delta is older than ~2012, there’s likely no supply-line tag. Move to Method 3 or 4.

Moen

Moen faucets are less consistent than Delta. A few places to check:

• Original packaging — Moen’s most reliable identifier (most accurate when you have it)
• Supply lines — some newer Moen single-handle models have a small tag, similar to Delta’s
• Faucet body — Moen often embosses a series number on the body itself. Common locations: the back of the spout, underneath the handle trim ring, or on the underside of the spout where it meets the deck. Use a flashlight and feel around with your fingers; the embossing is small.

Kohler

Kohler typically does NOT use supply-line tags. Instead, the model information is usually printed or stamped directly on the faucet body or valve.

Common spots: behind the spout (you may need to lift the spout slightly), underneath the handle (remove the handle if you have to — most modern Kohler handles use a small set-screw under a decorative cap, accessible with an Allen wrench), or sometimes on the bottom of the deck where the faucet body meets the sink. Look for a small “K-XXXXX” pattern stamped or printed.

If there’s nothing visible, Kohler’s customer service team is excellent — they’ll identify a faucet from a photo. More on that in Method 5.

Pfister

Pfister places a model label under the sink near the faucet shank (the part of the faucet that goes through the deck into the cabinet). Sometimes the label is on the supply line, sometimes on the shank itself. Look for a small Pfister logo with a model number underneath.

If no label is visible, Pfister’s “Ask a Question” support specifically invites photos — they’ll identify a faucet from a clear shot of the handle and spout.

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Method 3: Use the Manufacturer’s Online Identifier Tool

If the under-sink tag hunt comes up empty, try the brand’s online tools:

• Delta — search for “Delta faucet identifier” or use Delta’s parts finder. Their support site lets you input partial info (handle style, finish, valve type) to narrow down the model.
• Moen — Moen’s “Solutions” site has a faucet identifier specifically designed for this. Input what you know (handle type, color, approximate age) and it’ll narrow to a few likely candidates.
• Kohler — Kohler’s parts catalog is searchable by faucet style and finish.
• Pfister — Pfister’s “Pforever” parts site lets you upload a photo, and their team often responds within 1–2 business days.

These tools work best when you can describe the faucet clearly. Take a few photos before you start (handle straight on, handle rotated, full faucet from the side, faucet from above) so you have reference shots. Or let our free Repair Finder walk you to the likely part — describe your faucet and it’ll suggest the most common cartridge for that brand and handle type without needing the exact model number.

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Method 4: Identify by the Cartridge Itself

If you’ve gotten this far without an answer, the next step is to remove the cartridge and inspect it directly. You’ll need to do this anyway for the actual repair — and the cartridge often has its own identifying marks.

(Quick safety check: shut off the under-sink supply valves before disassembling anything. Open the faucet to confirm no water flow. See the Complete Guide to Faucet Repair for the full repair safety sequence.)

After removing the cartridge, look for:

Delta cartridges are typically plastic with a distinctive thick stem and a colored cap. The two most common Delta cartridges look very similar but differ in cap color: RP46074 has a gray top cap, RP19804 has a white top cap. The white-cap RP19804 also has a visible metal spring at the bottom; the gray-cap RP46074 has a flat brass bottom. If your cartridge has a stamped Delta logo or a part number in raised lettering, that’s your answer. Once you’ve confirmed it’s a Delta, our guide to Delta cartridge identification walks through telling the families apart (RP19804 vs. RP46074 vs. the 17 Series) before you buy.

Moen cartridges are typically all plastic, white or off-white. The 1200 and 1225 cartridges are nearly identical visually — both white plastic cylinders with two flat tabs. The PosiTemp 1222 (used in shower valves only) often has a blue accent ring on top. The model number is sometimes embossed in small raised letters near the top edge.

Kohler cartridges are usually metal-bottomed (often brass) with a plastic stem on top — they look more substantial than Delta’s or Moen’s mostly-plastic units. Look for a stamped part number on the brass base.

Pfister cartridges vary by model series. Many Pfister cartridges are simple plastic units with no distinctive color cues. The model number is usually embossed somewhere on the body, but it may be small and hard to read without a flashlight.

Read the stem broach (the pro method). For a two-handle or older valve, pull the handle (pop the index cap, back out the screw) and look at the top of the stem where the handle seats – that splined pattern is called the broach, and its shape is brand-specific. A few common tells: Delta uses a D-shaped broach; Moen and Mixet are oval; Kohler runs a 16- or 20-point spline; Chicago Faucets is a smooth square with no teeth. Plumbing-supply pros match these with an inexpensive broach gauge (a tool with male and female keys you fit the stem into until one matches). Count the splines and note the shape – with the broach plus the stem length, a supply desk can pin the exact stem.

One more shortcut: the removed cartridge or stem usually carries a stamped part code (and often a size number) on its body – that alphanumeric is the single fastest path to an exact-match replacement, so photograph it before you buy.

If you’re still stuck after pulling the cartridge, take it to a hardware store with you. The plumbing department staff can often match it visually within a minute or two. Bring it dry and clean. For an off-brand or import faucet with no manufacturer to call, brand-agnostic stem/cartridge finder catalogs (BrassCraft, Ferguson) and a posted photo on a plumbing forum (such as r/Plumbing or Terry Love) are how people identify the genuinely unmarked ones.

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Method 5: Contact the Manufacturer Directly

If everything above fails, reach out to the manufacturer’s support team with photos. All four major brands have responsive support that can identify a faucet from clear photos.

What to send:

• A straight-on photo of the faucet handle (showing handle shape and any decorative caps)
• A photo of the spout from the side
• A photo of the underside of the faucet from below the sink
• The cartridge itself if you’ve removed it

Expect a response within 1–3 business days. Faster if you call during business hours.

This sounds like the slowest option but it’s actually quite efficient — you’ll often get the model number AND a recommendation for the right replacement part in a single response. And if your faucet is under warranty (Moen and Kohler both offer Limited Lifetime warranties for original homeowners — see the Complete Guide to Faucet Repair for details), they may ship you a replacement cartridge for free.

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How to Identify Your Faucet Brand: Step-by-Step

Work through these five steps in order, from easiest to most laborious:

What’s Next

Once you know your faucet brand and model, the next step is matching it to the right replacement part. Brand-by-brand cartridge identification guides (Delta, Moen, Kohler) are coming next in this series — sign up for the email list below and you’ll get each one the week it publishes.

If you’re ready to do the actual repair right now, head to the Complete Guide to Faucet Repair — it covers the four faucet types, the six most common failure modes, the tools you need, and when to stop and call a plumber.

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Sources

• Delta Faucet – official support and parts identification
• Moen – customer support and faucet/part identifier
• Kohler – find a service part
• Pfister – replacement parts and support
• Family Handyman – faucet identification and repair
• This Old House – plumbing and faucet repair

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Educational content only. Not a substitute for licensed professional advice. Local plumbing codes vary by jurisdiction. Use of any guidance from this guide is at your own risk.

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