The Best Showerhead

Buying Guide

It can be dizzying to shop for showerheads when you need a new one. It will surely be worth it when you invest in a new one, and there are only a few things to consider when making this purchase. Researching before you hit the store will help immensely when you go to buy a new showerhead.

The numbers and letter combinations on the showerhead packaging will tell you the flow rate of that particular product. The flow rate is the amount of water dispensed every minute from the showerhead. If it says 1.75 GPM, you know it sprays 1.75 gallons per minute while in use. The maximum allowed flow rate of showerheads is 2.5 gallons per minute set by federal regulations.

There are several types of showerheads for your specific needs and wants. Think about what would work best in your shower and household before heading to the store.

If you aren’t picky and you just want a showerhead that is stationary and does the job, a fixed showerhead is probably best for you. They are screwed onto the shower arm, and most of them can be adjusted with different settings for different pressure and sprays.

The hand-held showerhead has a hose attached to it, and when not in use, it rests in a fixed holder at the tip of the shower arm. There are countless reasons to purchase a hand-held showerhead. If you have kids, it makes rinsing them off easy; it is great for cleaning bathtubs and spraying down those corners and niches; and they are great for elderly who need to sit and need a showerhead to accommodate them.

If you prefer both fixed and hand-held, there are combination showerheads that offer that. These dual products are often seamless, so it looks like one piece when hanging. You can detach the interior, hand-held portion from the rim that is fixed to the shower arm. There are quite a few varieties of the dual style showerheads, so you can shop for one that matches your bathroom style.

A slide bar can be an added option for your showerhead. The bar is added to the shower wall and has a cradle that the showerhead rests in when you have set it to your desired height. These make the most sense if you have kids or need to just wash your body and not your hair. The adjustable height is an accommodating feature for everyone in the family.

In addition to style, there are several other options that might appeal to you when buying a showerhead. The settings you will find in the showerheads include massage, jet, aeration, pulse and mist to name a few. Most showerheads will offer all these settings in an adjustable head. Carefully read the packaging to check what setting the product offers.

One of the most popular settings is the rain shower setting. They now make showerheads that are exclusively rain showerheads. With large surface areas and carefully designed holes, these showerheads will give you a feeling of standing in the rain. These types of showerheads will surely give you that relaxing shower experience that you seek.

If you are a consumer that is conscientious about conserving water and keeping natural resources in check, there are quite a few water-saving showerheads on the market for you. Some showerheads use as little as one gallon per minute. The other advantage to these showerheads is that they will cut back on the electricity or gas used to heat the water as well.

Showerheads will last quite a few years when you take the time to research, and pick the one that’s right for you and your household. You won’t regret buying a new showerhead when your old one starts to give you problems.

• Get a budget in place before shopping. This can help you narrow down the showerhead selection.
• Rely on reviews to get a well-rounded idea of quality.
• In-store displays or photographs can help you to picture the showerhead in the setting of a shower, so you can see what it will look like in a bathroom. This is particularly helpful during a bathroom remodel.
• If you decide to do a panel showerhead that runs along the wall of the shower, it is advised to hire a contractor.
• Purchasing a showerhead with a lower GPM will increase your energy savings.
• If you have hard water or water with impurities, consider a unit with a filter in it.
• For a true rain shower effect, use a top-mount shower arm to fix the product overhead.
• Some cities, towns or counties place limitations on multiple showerheads in one shower so be sure to check your environmental restrictions in your area before moving forward with that option.
• Lighted showerheads are a modern twist on the shower experience. They are created with LED lighting that can be adjusted for creating the perfect ambiance.