"What does Pol. Chrome/PVD Brass mean?"
These faucets are polished chrome with PVD brass accents.

"What does PVD stand for?"
Physical Vapor Deposition (used mostly with polished brass or gold finishes). This is a modern plating process used in faucet manufacturing. Vaporized zirconium reacts with nitrogen and other gases to form a VERY durable plated surface. Unlike former days when polished brass would easily tarnish over time, polished brass finishes with PVD are extremely durable and won't generally tarnish or discolor.

"Why do some faucets cost so much more than others?"
Some faucets are simply made better than others with higher quality material such as solid brass, which generally provides a superior look, performance, and durability. While you may pay more for a quality faucet, you're likely to receive more value for your money as a result of longer, more reliable, trouble-free service. Paying more doesn't always mean you'll get a better value, but generally, a more expensive faucet (just like a more expensive automobile, etc) does give better and longer service. We recommend that you DO shop around once you know the exact brand and model that you want, as you can avoid paying extra for the exact same faucets if you spend time to shop. Or save time and money by buying from us right away instead of after a few hours of searching - our prices are very low and that is because of our low overhead and the fact that we have been doing this for so long.

"Any helpful hints?"
ALL faucets WILL leak and need servicing eventually. A good idea is to once or twice yearly, open and close all shut off valves under all faucets (if any). This will help keep them free of sediment and will allow them to be closed when needed.