Finishes that take skill
Brushed chrome, satin chrome, matt gold, antique patina: these finishes are applied in several stages, with careful checks at each step. They hold up better than an entry-level polished finish, which shows fingerprints and gets scratched by a bunch of keys.
The mechanism matters as much as the appearance
A good lever handle returns to the horizontal by itself, without sticking. That is the job of the return spring housed in the rose, not the lock mechanism. On a door opened twenty times a day, you can hear the difference after a few months.
Where to fit them first
Fit them to the doors you see and touch most: the entrance, living room and main bedroom. For utility rooms, a well-made zamak lever handle does the job, leaving the budget for where it shows.
Also see solid brass lever handles, matt finishes and gloss finishes.