Best Shower Head Reviews – Tested & Compared (Updated – 2018)

People should choose a shower head based on height, water spray type, water pressure and few other factors. Furthermore, they should decide what type of shower head they want out of fixed, and handheld shower heads, or spray pattern like rain shower head, or condition based models like high water pressure and low flow shower head.

Now, it's very important that you read enough shower head reviews before picking one. This article will help you choose either fixed or handheld model according to the situation and facts. Also, it will explain to you about the top units available in each category.

Our Shower Head Reviews - 2017 Edition

1. Culligan WSH-C125 Wall-Mount Filtered Shower Head

In our list of fixed shower heads, Culligan WSH-C125 1000 gallons filtered showerhead comes first. It's considered as one of the best shower head models by many experts. This one comes with a reasonable price. This shower head reduces chlorine from the water by 99%. It also eradicates sulfur.

The capacity of the filter is 10000 gallons. You can set as many as 5 different spraying modes. Once it fails on duty, you can change the filter, and it will be back to normal.

This shower head has rubber nozzles for spraying with “Anti-clogging” features. Users won’t have any troubles installing it since it doesn’t require any tools. Culligan is NSF certified. The showerhead uses “Level Two” mounts. These help the user to position the shower head on the wall correctly.

H2oVibe Rain Shower head is one of the top fixed shower heads in the market and for good reason. H2oVibe drenches you with water and also lets you listen to the songs you love while taking a shower.The Bluetooth speakers are good for answering calls too. Just push a button, and put the call on loudspeaker.

The noise reduction feature is really helpful and provides you with crystal-clear music. You can connect these speakers while being as much as 33 feet away from the shower. Coming back to the product, it will provide you 3X more spray power than the contemporary fixed shower heads.

H2oVibe installs perfectly with minimum hassle, and time. Maintenance level for the shower head is minimal and the speakers can be detached and maintained properly if the user chooses. The price for the device is astonishingly low.

AKDY’s Bathroom Chrome Shower head comes next in our list. This is a rain-style shower head which gives you high-speed flow of water.

The measurement of the showerhead is 8 inches. The nozzles can clean themselves. The nozzles are made of rubber and give you a feel of standing amidst rainfall.

The AKDY’s shower head can be angled towards yourselves for better output through a swivel adapter. However, the warrantee support is very bad when you compare this to its competition in the market. The manufacturers will provide 1-year-warrantee only and that too on manufacturing defects only.

H2oVibe installs perfectly with minimum hassle, and time. Maintenance level for the showerhead is minimal and the speakers can be detached and maintained properly if the user chooses. The price for the device is astonishingly low.

It is the great product that can be used both as a fixed showerhead, and a handheld one. This HotelSpa® Ultra-Luxury showerhead follows a dual design.It has spiral flow design, and as many as 30 different types of water-flow options for you to take advantage of.

The HotelSpa® shower head comes with 6 settings and in 4”-6” width. There is a 5' hose made of steel. You will have brass hose nuts. These will make the installation effortless.

The manufacturers provide lifetime warrantee in limited cases. You need to purchase the product from the manufacturers directly to avail the warrantee otherwise it will be void.There is a “Clicking Lever” to make the shower more effective.

The Jets operate in three modes and the spiral patterns can vary in three ways too. You can adjust the angle for overhead fittings. There are anti-swivel nuts to prevent the showerhead from moving to different locations when it is tightened with the holder.

If you want a low flow showerhead for yourselves, Niagra Chrome Handheld Massage Showerhead is the way to go.It has an ergonomic look and the best thing is, it saves your water usage by 20%. The shower head provides you constant flow of water even in low pressure.

The Jet massager comes with 9 settings to provide different levels of therapeutic message. The body of the showerhead is made of ABS thermoplastic. The showerheads don’t let your hot water cool down, and at the same time save your energy due to non-aerated sprays.

ZenFresh Filteration Showerhead comes with heaps of features. It purifies the water before letting it go through your body. So, it's the best shower head for people looking for that sort of a feature.

In a way, it takes care of your skin. You can enjoy a shower which will provide you Spa-like feeling just without the price tag attached to it.

There are stones towards the handle of the shower which are bio-active as well. These stones help to lessen the secretion of oil. Thanks to the bio-active stones, the balance of oil glands will return. The filter system of this showerhead consists of 3 layers. The filter removes any impurities easily.

The shower head is eco-friendly. The makers take it as a responsibility to spread awareness about clean water through the shower head. The customer care of ZenFresh is truly one of the best that is around at this time.

If you really want to save water, and have a quality shower at the same time, Niagara Earth Massage Handheld Shower is the ideal one for you.It will save you 40% water whenever you shower.

It is another Low-Flow type showerhead which has a patented pressure technology that contributes to keep water output the same without letting you worry about the pressure.

It has a Jet that is compatible with 9 settings. It can be gentle on your skin as well as quite forceful when it needs to be for therapeutic massage.Non-Aerated Spray means you won’t lose temperature of your water. It saves the energy ultimately saving you a lot of money over the entire year.

With an ABS thermoplastic body, it is a shockproof showerhead. The manufacturers provide 10 years of guarantee as usual and it exceeds the ANSI codes for safety.

Waterpik SM 653 CG is a great showerhead for massage as the name suggests. The manufacturers call it the Powerspray because of these settings.

You will have the “Spray Control Ring” to control the flow of water.The 5-feet hose is there. The showerhead will provide you with 30% more water than its competitors in the market with the Optiflow technology.

Enjoy full body massage, pulsating massage, Powerspray™, rainfall experience with “Drenching Rain” settings and many more with this shower head. Waterpik SM 653 CG has a filter and a flow restrictor as well. It comes at a modest value of $24.98 for your convenience.

Delta 75700WH Hand Shower comes from a reputed company. It has ergonometric model which lets you grip this showerhead easily. There are 7 modes of water spray which you can use.

You can start from a gentle tickle and then move up to intense speed of water. The hose length is 72 inches.

You will get a vacuum breaker with this shower head. This breaker ensures that your water-lines remain safe whenever you use this shower head. Delta Seven Spray Hand shower comes with unique “Internal Way to Manage Waterflow”.

The nozzles that come along it are anti-clog nozzles. Now that we are finished with our Fixed and Handheld Showerheads’ list, we will look into few factors that people should consider before buying these.

You can have as many as 50 different spray types with this model. In addition, it provides you with 8 different pulsating massage settings for your body. You can select any one of these settings or can opt for a combination.

The Speakman S-2005-HB Hotel Shower Head has a plastic construction which makes it lightweight.

It comes in 2.5 GPM and 2.0 GPM capacities which of course fit into normal plumbing connections in the US. The nozzles that come with it are self cleaning. The Speakman shower head is especially suitable for commercial establishments such as hotels. It provides you with powerful water spraying options.

Final Verdict

​So, you want a solid shower head for the perfect shower experience everyone dreams of. Now, people have become choosy in every aspect of their lives. They always want the lucrative one for themselves, same for shower head. There are many factors that can make a shower head great, and you should choose one of the models that meets those factors. An ideal model should be offering useful features that make hygiene an “Easy to Achieve” quality. At the same time, not all models are meant for everyone.

A shower head should be able to withstand shocks. In bathroom, it may sometimes slip from the hands, if it breaks on impact; it is of no use at all. Try to buy one with hard physical construction. Also, high-quality shower heads consume low energy, and keep your hot water as it is.

Purchase a shower head that is within your price range. Notice that top rated shower heads offer great value to their customers by offering state-of-the-art technology to their customers along with a great price. Our list of great shower heads is created after hours of research and testing, you can blindly purchase any of them.

How to Choose Your Shower Head?

Your Height

Before buying a showerhead, you should think about what your height is. If you are moderately tall, a fixed unit will be good enough for you as this type of shower head delivers water from a fixed height. If you are taller than average, choose a handheld shower.

One can use this shower to pour water on every part of his/her body without any fuss. That means you can clean yourself better too. If you need to have them both, just choose something which can be used as a fixed head as well as a handheld one.

Decide on the Spray Pattern You Want

People prefer water coming at them in different speeds. Some may like the water to be gentle on their skin; others may like it pouring down heavily. Decide what you want with the water.If you like gentle stream of water, you should purchase the showerhead accordingly.

If you want your water speed to be vigorous, you should be able to change it. The shower head you choose must have a regulator to control water speed. If you can use it to control the speed with a touch of a button, even better.Be extra careful when purchasing a shower head for a shared bathroom.

You will need to consider the other person’s choices regarding waterflow as well. Choose a shower head which supports multiple settings.

Keep The Water Pressure of Your House in Mind

The pressure of water in your house is critical. A sufficient pressure helps to wash away dirt, soap and other cleaning agents. The normal shower heads in the market are rated as 2.5GPM.

These are good when it comes to normal water pressure. But when the water pressure is low, you will need the ones with Low-Flow technology.

This technology ensures that no matter what the water pressure is, the water from the head flows at a constant speed. Aerated showerheads can be great alternatives when it comes to negating low pressure. These push air along with the water to speed it up.

Paying Attention to the Types of Shower Heads

When buying a shower head for you, types of these shower heads often play a part. Your purchase decisions ultimately come down to which type of shower head you need for your bathroom.

At this point of this buyers' guide, let me discus these shower head types in detail.

Types of Shower Head in the Market

Rain Shower Head

A rain shower head is the one which provides you multiple speeds of water pouring down on your body. You’ll notice it can provide a fierce speed of water that will drench you from head to toe. You’ll also have water trickling down your body at a slow speed.

Yes, this is a “Multiple Speed Shower Head”. These come with many holes and with a disk-like head. Some of the striking points of these are:

Fixed Shower Heads

These are the most common showerheads that you will come across. So much so that you’ll find some of the most popular models dedicated to this style. These types are fixed to one position. Hence the name fixed shower heads.

Since you cannot move it around, you’ve got to be careful and choose one that goes well with the height. Although you can’t move these, these can be swiveled to better angles to offer you better showering experience.

A drawback with most fixed models is that they don’t come with a regulator. So, you end up getting a tool with only one spray pattern. Thus, choose yours carefully depending on what type of spray you like.

These Fixed Shower Heads come with different types of constructions. Some offer you bronze finish; others go for LED or Chrome. The finish plays a direct part in “Corrosion Resistance” and longevity.

Fixed Shower Heads - When & Why Should We Use?

Fixed shower heads are the most favorite choice for everyone now a days. If you have determined the height of your head, you can place a fixed one at that height. Generally, fixed units provide you with a steady flow of water. If you want water to pour on your body rapidly, switch to a fixed shower head.

Fixed shower head is hassle free.

The rapid flow of water helps you to clean up quickly. The last reason I’d prefer a fixed shower head is that you can join two of them and create a customised shower for two. If you have a enough space in the bathroom, you can enjoy showering together with your partner, thanks to a fixed shower head.

Handheld Shower Head

Handheld shower head is exactly as the name sounds. You can hold the it in your hands and enjoy the shower. This type of models offer you the flexibility of handling the it and spraying water all over your body!

The main feature of the shower head is that it can be used in any bathroom. There is a wall mount just to hold it when you are not using it. Also, you get a long hose. This attachment extends your reach.

If you want, you can use this as part of a combo with the fixed, wall mounted shower heads. In this case, you’ll need a diverter that will supply water to both the fixed and the adjustable handheld showerhead.

Assembling this type can be time-consuming. But honestly, it is worth the time. The advantage of such a type is that you can customize the flow of water in different ways.

Low Flow Shower Heads

If you are worried about the water bills, this low flow shower head type you’d want to have. Yes, low flow shower heads are known for saving water and reducing bills. A traditional model will eat up 2.5 gallons of water per minute.

That is a lot! But a low flow shower head uses water from 1.5 to 2.0 gallons per minute. These WaterSense certified products contribute hugely to saving water and reducing energy usage.

Using the low flow units, an average person can help by saving 250 gallons of water per year. The energy savings are a bonus. These are the Eco-friendly options if you must have one.

High-Pressure Shower Heads

Opting for a low-pressure shower head is fine since you are looking to save the water. But for most people, the best option is the one that delivers water at a high pressure aka the high-pressure shower heads. Low-pressure shower heads are fine for saving water.

But sometimes, the water pressure is so low that the water cannot rinse through your body perfectly. You end up having an unpleasant shower as a result. But the High-Pressure Showerheads offer you a constant water flow. That too in high pressure.

Water comes down to your body at speed you’ll cherish. The dirt and sweat will wash away. The pouring water will give you a satisfying and quality shower.

Having these showerheads doesn’t mean you are missing out on slower variety at all. These showers often come with adjustable features where you can have showers at the water speed which you prefer.

LED Shower Head

LED Shower heads don’t have much to differentiate themselves from mainstream models. Rather, these are the same ones but with radiant colors. Yes, these LED Shower heads come with various LED lights inserted inside the shower heads.

These shower heads often emit light when you are using them. They have different settings for the lights. Some LED lights in the shower heads are timid while others shine brightly.There are shower heads which flash lights according to the varying temperature.

The manufacturers often add multicolored lights to make shower more fun experience. Of course, these shower heads aren’t only lights. They come with multiple regular functions as well, such as changing the spray patterns, choosing multiple positions, etc. While selecting a shower head in this genre, always look at the energy source.

Some of them are battery powered and the batteries required can come in different numbers sizes. Read the manuals for detailed insights.

Solar Showers

Yes, there are showers and shower heads like that too. When you look at it, a simple solar shower is nothing but a shower bag. It holds roughly 5 gallons or so water.The bag can be filled to provide you the water supply.

This can be done from the hatch on the top. Just open it, fill the bag and that is it.Another thing is, you can even hang this shower over a tree. Then you need to just turn the shower on.

The solar power will heat water, and that will make it warm enough for a nice outdoor shower.This shower is particularly useful when you have an outdoor party at home.

You can take this shower along with the shower head for camping trips, vacations, and beach outings as well.

Bluetooth Shower Head

Now this is a type of shower head I like. This type of shower head falls under the “Lavish” category. While some of the best shower head have Bluetooth functionality, they are costly as well.

Having said that, these have some perks those normal ones don’t. For example, a Bluetooth-equipped model comes with speakers. You can listen to your favorite songs while taking a bath.

It really goes well if you love singing.All you have to is connect FM/AM radio, wifi enabled devices or your phone with these high-tech units and you are good to go.

The Bluetooth shower head keeps these speakers out of harm’s way by waterproofing them. The speakers generally run on batteries. Being a lavish shower head, a Bluetooth model is pricier than normal ones.

Sliding Bar Shower Head

If you haven’t heard about it until now, here you go. There is a type of showerhead that is called Sliding Bar Shower Head. This type has a bar that the head attaches to. It can move up and down along the bar.

The biggest advantage such a showerhead has is that it can be customized as the user demands. So, people with any height can use this. Also, a solution like this is easy to install. One can easily mount the sliding bar either vertically or horizontally for that matter.

For flexibility, you can keep one end of this type of head fixed and the other end movable so that you can apply water to different parts of your body.

This allows the disabled people to use this shower perfectly. They people who are challenged with mobility can take advantage of this shower head’s movement while taking a bath.

Watch Out for the Spray Patterns of Your Shower Head

Besides the types of shower heads, you should pay keen attention to the spray pattern of each shower head. This will allow you to buy the perfect shower head for your use without wasting too much time or water.

Obviously, the first spraying pattern is the normal spray. This comes with all the shower heads. Be it the highest-end model or the average one, you’ll always get the default setting. But even the regular spray has some varieties.

For example, there is the “Directed Hole” regular spray where water droplets are guided through holes. As a result, they become big and fall slowly. Water temperature remains constant.

You get a nice bath while saving money on your energy bills. Then there is the random spray. It is much faster and invigorating. Thanks to the higher pressure, it will provide you with a satisfactory bath.

Next one is rain shower head. Sounds familiar? That is because I already have discussed it when speaking about the Rain Shower Head in the types section. These shower heads provide this privilege of rain pouring down on your body. This type of spray soothes your body while providing you maximum coverage.

The massage spray is another type of spray some of the shower heads come with. This type of setting allows you to relax your body muscles. You can even increase the water pressure to stimulate yourselves while bathing.

This type of spray works best for therapeutic purposes. You are free to choose from circular massage, the pulsating one or the twin massage.-

Among the multiple spraying settings, full body spray is one people get confused about. It is close to a rain-like spray, but it is not. Instead, the shower heads often come with nozzles that are spread all across their faces.

When a shower head utilizes all the nozzles to provide a nice and vigorous spray that is the full body spray. It covers more area and comes with a higher water pressure.

There is another way to get a circular motion of water spray. Just get the shower heads which offer you “Jet Spray” pattern. The holes in these models are positioned in a circle. Also, there are nozzles at the central part of these units.

Using these nozzles, shower heads through water at you at a rapid pace. It is a popular choice if you are looking to stimulate your skin, massaging your body or even looking for a way to clean your bathroom.

Aeration Water Spray is another type of spray we seen in current and high priced shower heads. The trick here is that these shower heads infuse air in water. As a result, water droplets become bigger.

The speed is comparatively less than other spray patterns. But that results in a soothing sense on your skin. This spray pattern syncs perfectly well with low flow shower heads to save water. This type of shower head is best suited for the young ones in your home.

If you want a spa-like treatment at home, go for shower heads which facilitate the mist spray. You get this spray when water goes through the nozzles at high speed. Due to the tiny nozzles, water quickly turns into smaller droplets.

This allows the water to lose its heat and turn to mist in the process. Just got back home after a rigorous workout at the gym? You badly need the mist spray to cool off.

How to Go About Replacing a Shower Head in a few Steps

Photo Credit: Fishing Picks

Let’s face it, we all have been there when our shower heads didn’t work as we wanted them to. The only way was to change and opt for the most efficient models that suited our needs.

Many of us still get the process wrong of undoing the shower head installation and installing the new ones. For those of you, here are my instructions on how to replace your existing head.

For Handheld Shower Heads, do the following:

For People who are using the Fixed Mount and Handheld Shower Head Combo:

How to Clean a Shower Head

Simply buying a good product won’t do you any good if you don’t know how to maintain the it properly. If you don’t take proper care, the head may clog and give you a hard time. This happens when minerals take hold of its nozzles.

The result is, you don’t get the proper waterfall, and the resulting shower won’t clean your body properly. Fortunately, you can clean the head in some ways to ensure proper maintenance. Let us talk about that in detail.

Rubbing the Nozzles with Hands Will Work

The first and fundamental way of cleaning your clogged showerhead is to rub the nozzles. This tactic works best when you are trying to get rid of the minerals that are inside these nozzles. Some people rub them with their bare fingers.

However, I’d advise you to use a toothbrush. Gently scrub the nozzles until they are clean and the minerals come off. Then just wash the nozzles, and you’ll be good to go.

You can Always Use Vinegar for the Job

Believe it or not, people use vinegar to clean bathroom fittings. Even the clogged shower heads work well when you dip them in vinegar and clean them. There are a couple of ways for you to accomplish this feat.

Firstly, you can wrap the showerhead with a plastic bag after filling it with vinegar for a few hours. When you are satisfied, take out the bag and turn the shower head on. The water will clean out any trace of vinegar inside.

Or, just disassemble the unit and dip it in a container full of white vinegar. After few hours, take the showerhead out and assemble it again. All you have to do is to turn the water back on. The water will clean debris and minerals along with the vinegar.

Did You Clean the Filter Screen? Do it Now!

High-quality shower heads come with filter screens which are the messiest when it comes to accumulating dirt. Cleaning this attachment might seem troublesome. But it is not. You’ll have to take the filter screen off the head first.

You’ll find your showerhead’s filter screen at the point where it connects to the water pipe.Remove the filter screen and then use a toothbrush to scrub it. Also, tweezers can be used to clean out any speck of dirt.

Then run the water down for a few minutes and you are done. Just remember to push the filter screen back into pivot ball and reinstall it in its place afterward.