We live in an awesome age. Bathroom design is fabulous; no longer a tiny room with the bare essentials. Shower design is awesome, with large walk-in shower options as well as steam showers. And then there are today’s showerheads that offer all kinds of luxurious spray options.
If you’re as excited about enjoying a luxury shower as we are (I love my daily showers), this article is for you.
How to Find the Perfect Showerhead
The one thing you need to worry about when buying a new showerhead is the water pressure in your home.
You may be attracted to larger models because they look like they might provide a more luxurious shower, but you need to have enough water pressure to make it work.
So, before you start looking at new models, buy a water pressure tester and figure out what kind of pressure you’re getting on a regular basis. Then, you’ll be able to either decide on a new showerhead or make the appropriate adjustments to remove your flow.
Benefits of Using the Right Showerhead
Buying the right model has three tangible benefits.
1. They improve your shower experience.
First, your shower experience will improve dramatically because the correct showerhead will make the most of your water pressure. As you know, some showerheads, typically larger ones, require more pressure to work properly. Without it, the water may trickle out.
2. Modern showerheads can save water and money.
The second benefit of finding an appropriate showerhead is the potential savings on water and on energy bills. Studies have shown that modern showerheads save more water – up to 40 percent – because they lessen the speed of the flow and spread the water out more evenly instead. That’s how showerheads create a better shower experience without forcing your pipes to work over time.
3. You can choose the filtered option.
It’s also possible to purchase new models that can be fitted with a filter. These filters can convert hard water or water with high levels of chlorine to make the water softer and safer to shower in.
Here’s What Made Our List of the 10 Best Showerheads
1. LED Showerhead by Symple Stuff
- Style: Adjustable showerhead
- Design: LED showerhead with adjustable spray and chrome finish
Flow Rate: 2.5
Warranty: 1 Year
Weight 0.5 lb
Symple Stuff offers an LED showerhead designed to be as low maintenance as a plain showerhead.
We love this showerhead because unlike other models, it doesn’t require batteries. Instead, it’s powered by the running water and a built-in sensor changes the color according to the water temperature.
If you’ve never thought about buying an LED showerhead, you might be wondering what purpose the colors serve. After all, few of us shower for a wild light show.
There’s a practical side to LED lights. You’ll be better able to recognize the right temperature without having to get in because the lights are activated by water temperature. This is great for kids because you can set it to their favorite temperature and avoid the blood-curdling screams of a toddler who’s gotten in the shower that’s too cold or too hot.
It’s also practical to use. It has a 3-zone dial and is easily adjustable. The chrome finish means it fits well with most bathroom designs, and the beveled rim adds clean lines.
2. 2.5 GBP Rainfall 2 Piece Jet Showerhead and Handheld Shower Wand Set by AKDY
- Style: Adjustable showerhead; rain showerhead; dual showerhead
- Design: Plastic dual showerhead with a rainfall option
Flow Rate: 2.5
Warranty: 1 year
Weight: 2.3 pounds (showerhead and wand)
Here’s a dual action showerhead from AKDY including both the showerhead itself and an added wand.
The main head provides a rainfall style shower, but it also includes massage jets for the best of both worlds. We like it because you can switch between shower types with a knob rather than having to fidget with the showerhead itself.
AKDY’s shower wand also comes with two shower options: rainfall and waterfall. Choose your option with a simple switch on the side.
This showerhead is best if you’re looking for a combination package that stands up to hot showers. It’s made of ABS thermos material, which means it won’t struggle if you prefer the water extra hot.
3. Shower Combo by HotelSpa
- Style: Dual showerhead
- Design: Chrome finish dual showerhead with 6 settings
Flow Rate: 2.5
Warranty: Lifetime limited
Weight: 1.5 pounds
Made of stainless steel, the Shower Combo by HotelSpa dual showerhead is a good option for those who want a showerhead and a hand held but don’t want to bother with the fussy installation.
The HotelSpa shower combo’s biggest selling point is the number of settings included. Choose between:
- Power rain
- Pulsating massage
- Hydrating mist
- Rain/massage
- Rain/mist
- Economy rain
The flexible settings are supported by a flexible hose and an adjustable overhead bracket.
4. 16” Ultra-Thin Square Rain Showerhead by Alfi Brand
- Style: Rain showerhead
- Design: Stainless steel, ceiling-mounted rain showerhead
Flow Rate: 2.5
Warranty: 1 year (manufacturing defects)
Weight: 4.5 pounds
The Alfi Brand’s Ultra Thin Square Rain Showerhead is a high-end rainfall showerhead with a unique design. Its square shape contains 324 tapered nozzles (and includes 5 replacements) and can be mounted on the wall or the ceiling.
Although it can be mounted on either surface, you’ll need to be wary of the strength of the surfaces in your bathroom. The showerhead is ultra-thin, but it’s also 16 inches,
We like this model because unlike other rainfall showerheads, this model works well even with low water pressure.
5. Victorian Kingston Brass Victorian Showerhead
- Style: Adjustable showerhead; fixed showerhead
- Design: Wall-mounted showerhead available in 4 finishes
Flow Rate: 2
Warranty: N/A
Weight: 2 pounds
Here’s a standard showerhead from Kingston updated to improve water flow. With 141 water channels and an adjustable head, it even distributes water across your body rather than spraying it across the shower. The showerhead is small enough to get the pressure required
The brass look isn’t for everyone, but if it matches your bathroom, this could be the one.
6. Forte 2.5 GPM Multifunction Wall-Mount Showerhead by Kohler
- Style: Adjustable showerhead
- Design: Wall-mounted adjustable showerhead with 3 spray patterns
Flow Rate: 2.5
Warranty: N/A
Weight: 2 pounds
Kohler’s Forte model offers three classic and distinct sprays designed to provide whatever shower experience you need. The adjustable showerhead provides:
- Wide coverage spray
- Soft aerated spray
- Massage spray
All you need to do is turn the moveable section of the showerhead to the correct setting and enjoy.
In addition to three sprays, the Forte comes in several finishes including chrome, gold, brass, bronze and nickel, making it easier to find the perfect finish to match your bathroom.
We’d replace an old showerhead with this one because installation is simple
7. Speakman Reaction 2.5 GPM Showerhead
- Style: Fixed showerhead
- Design: Round design fixed showerhead finished with blue and polished chrome
Flow Rate: 2.5
Warranty: 1 Year Limited
Weight: 0.7 pounds
Low water pressure? No problem. The Speakman Reaction isn’t just capable of dealing with low pressure but it makes the most of a bad situation with tempoflo technology.
The Reaction offers a single-function spray, but that one function may feel like a miracle if you’ve been using a subpart showerhead. It offers a turbine-powered engine that creates a powerful spray performance that replicates the spray of a hotel shower.
You’ll need to have a shower arm to install this showerhead, but it’s worthwhile.
8. 2.5 GPM Rainfall Pressure Balance Showerhead by AKDY
- Style: Adjustable showerhead; rain showerhead
- Design: ABS showerhead with a rain fall setting and 2 spray patterns
Flow Rate: 2.5
Warranty: 1 Year
Weight: 1.3 pounds
This is the second AKDY model we’ve included on this list, but only because AKDY makes consistently high quality products.
This Rainfall Pressure Balance Showerhead benefits from AKDY’s use of ABS thermos material, which makes it great for those who love hot showers. It also has 112 nozzles to function as a rainfall or as waterfall shower, and switching between rainfall and waterfall is simple.
The great thing about this model is that it’s easy to install and it fits onto most existing, standard shower arms.
9. Hot Springs large Volume Control Showerhead by Elements of Design
- Style: Rain showerhead
- Design: Brass, wall-mounted rain showerhead with 1 spray pattern
Flow Rate: 2-2.5
Warranty: N/A
Weight: 2.35 pounds
Elements of Design presents an 8-inch, oversized showerhead with volume control. It replicates the rainfall shower effect from its wall mount.
We appreciate wall mount options because most rainfall showerheads still require an overhead connection, which can sometimes require new plumbing and even a remodel.
The Hot Springs model includes plenty of spray openings, but those openings are fairly small, so you’ll need to keep them clean to keep the water flow like new.
10. Exact Temp Complete Shower System with Lever Handle by Moen
- Style: Dual showerhead
- Design: Complete shower system offering a full and rain spray pattern through overhead showerhead and four body sprays
Flow Rate: 2.5
Warranty: Lifetime
Weight: 23.1 pounds
Moen’s Exact Temp Complete Shower System is certainly a high-end and expensive model, but it is possibly the closest you can come to installing a full spa in your home.
The showerhead is 7-inches in diameter and offers the rain shower experience with a difference. Moen uses a self-pressurizing technology to generate spray power three times stronger than the typical rain shower.
It also includes a handheld shower that can be used with the simultaneously with the showerhead.
The Complete Shower System isn’t exactly easy to install, you may need a plumber to deal with all the moving parts. You may also need to reconfigure the plumbing to meet the requirements of the system, but Moen does include all the parts necessary in the package. So, if you’re remodeling already and looking for the most luxurious home shower experience, Moen provides a good option.
