What’s the Best Door Handle in Australia?
Curious to know who makes the best door handles in Australia? What’s the best lever style? Are expensive door handles actually worth it?
Across Australia, homeowners, builders and renovators are increasingly paying attention to door hardware quality, not just appearance. With homes ranging from coastal properties to inner-city apartments and heritage renovations, choosing the right door handle comes down to materials, finishes, durability and how well the hardware suits Australian conditions.
Rather than there being one single “best” door handle brand in Australia, the strongest results come from understanding how leading Australian hardware brands design their ranges, and what each is best suited for.
What Makes a Quality Door Handle in Australia?
When comparing door handles available in Australia, quality is typically defined by three key factors:
Base materials
Solid brass and stainless steel are widely preferred for Australian homes due to their strength, weight and resistance to corrosion.
Finish technology
Electroplated, powder coated and PVD finishes perform differently depending on environment, usage and exposure.
System design
High-quality door handles are designed to work seamlessly with locks, hinges and accessories, ensuring long-term performance.
Brands with a strong presence in the Australian market focus on all three.
Lockwood
Lockwood is one of Australia’s most recognised and trusted door hardware brands, with a long history in both residential and commercial applications. Their products are widely specified across apartments, offices, education facilities and well-built homes throughout Australia.
Lockwood’s lever handle ranges, including Vivid, Velocity and Symphony they are designed to suit a wide variety of architectural styles while maintaining consistent quality and finish options. These ranges form part of a broader hardware ecosystem that includes mortice locks, door closers and architectural hardware, making them well suited to projects that require a fully integrated solution.
With finishes developed for durability and performance, Lockwood door handles are commonly chosen for high-traffic environments and long-term installations across Australia.
Iver
Iver has become a leading choice in Australia for homeowners and designers seeking a complete, whole-of-home door hardware solution. Rather than focusing solely on door handles, Iver offers a comprehensive range that includes internal and external door hardware, hinges, door stops, cabinet handles and accessories.
This breadth makes Iver particularly well suited to Australian homes where consistency of finish and design language is important throughout. Iver hardware is typically constructed from solid brass and finished using high-quality electroplating or PVD processes, delivering both refined aesthetics and long-term durability.
As a result, Iver door hardware is often specified in premium residential projects across Australia.
Zanda
Zanda Architectural Hardware is well known in Australia for offering door hardware that balances contemporary design with commercial-grade performance. Their range includes door levers, entrance handles and architectural accessories suited to both residential and mixed-use projects.
Zanda’s products are frequently selected for modern Australian homes and developments where clean lines and cohesive finishes are a priority. In addition to residential hardware, Zanda also supplies commercial components such as door closers, allowing for consistency across projects that combine residential and commercial spaces.
Their finish options are designed to align with current Australian architectural trends while remaining practical for everyday use.
Gainsborough
Gainsborough is a familiar brand in Australian households, offering a wide range of door handles and hardware designed for everyday residential use. Their collections are well suited to modern Australian homes, renovations and new builds.
Popular ranges such as Avant and Neue focus on clean, contemporary styling, making them common choices across Australian interiors. These ranges are designed to integrate across internal and external doors, supporting a consistent look throughout the home.
Gainsborough also offers a variety of other ranges that cater to different architectural styles and budgets, giving homeowners flexibility while maintaining reliable performance.
Tradco
Tradco is particularly well regarded in Australia for heritage, Victorian and period-style homes. Their extensive catalogue includes traditional door handles, knobs, pull handles, hinges and accessories that support historically sympathetic restorations.
Tradco’s designs draw inspiration from classic craftsmanship while meeting modern expectations for function and durability. This makes them a popular choice for Australian homes where architectural detail and authenticity are important, particularly in older terraces and character properties.
Door Handle Finishes: What Works Best in Australia?
Finish choice plays a significant role in how door handles perform in Australian conditions:
Electroplated finishes are commonly used on premium hardware, offering strong wear resistance and colour stability.
Powder coated finishes, especially matte black, are popular in modern Australian homes and perform well when applied over quality base materials.
PVD finishes provide exceptional durability and resistance to corrosion, making them suitable for long-term use and higher-traffic environments.
Matching the right finish with solid materials such as brass or stainless steel is key to longevity.
So, What’s the Best Door Handle in Australia?
There is no single door handle that suits every Australian home. Instead, the best choice depends on the style of the property, level of use and desired finish:
- Whole-of-home hardware consistency: Iver
- Residential and commercial crossover projects: Lockwood, Zanda
- Modern Australian homes: Gainsborough
- Heritage and period properties: Tradco
Understanding how each brand approaches materials, finishes and system design makes it easier to choose door hardware that performs well and looks good for years to come.