Hello JJ,
I am sorry that you are not pleased with the operation of the Delta faucet. The Mandolin has a laminar stream flow which is a non-aerated flow. Lowering the water at the shut offs of the faucet will reduce the amount of back splashing.
I'm sorry sorry that your not pleased with the pop up assembly. We do manufacture a metal pop up drain which is part number RP26533. I apologize for the inconvenience this has caused you but hope this information is helpful. Feel free to reach out to us with any questions.
Best regards,
Brandis
Phone: 1-800-345-3358 Email: customerservice@deltafaucet.com