A quality shower head is an important part of any bathroom renovation. Whether you are fully renovating your bathroom or simply updating it, it is important that you take the time to carefully consider your shower head purchase. Though you may not be aware, not all shower heads are created equally. Some are better for people with low water pressure whereas others are best for people with high water pressure. Some shower heads are best for people who are concerned about water conservation and some are simply wasteful where water is concerned.

I want to use the space on this page to explore some of the best showerheads on the market. I will do my best to discuss what types of design styles these showerheads work best with, but keep in mind that they are more about function than style.

Buying Information

Let’s take a quick look at some of the basic things you should consider when purchasing a showerhead before we get too deep into the reviews of the showerheads themselves. If you are looking for a more in-depth discussion of how to choose a showerhead, take some time to check out the special article we wrote on that exact topic. For now, though, let’s look at the basic considerations.

Is it compatible with your plumbing? – If your plumbing is already set up for the type of shower head you plan to use and the location of that showerhead, you should be fine. If it is not, you may need to consult a plumber about making the necessary changes or consider a different type of showerhead.

Do you want fixed or handheld? – Personally, I prefer a handheld shower head. I simply feel like I get a better clean when using one. Also, it is nice that it can get to those hard-to-reach areas of our shower/bath combination unit when I am cleaning the bathroom. Handheld showerheads are great for children too. You can simply pull them down off their holders so that the kids can easily wash their hair and bodies.

Do you have high or low water pressure? – Different shower heads handle water pressure differently – some amplify it, some tone it down and disperse it a bit, and some reduce it so that you aren’t wasting water. Knowing your water pressure and selecting the right showerhead for that pressure and your desired shower experience is very important.

Of course, this discussion merely scratches the surface of the things you should consider when purchasing a showerhead. Showerheads are an important part of the bathroom in terms of function, which to me makes them rank a little higher in terms of consideration than things such as hand towels. I encourage you to take a moment to read our buying guide to get a full handle on what it is you need.

Best Handheld Showerheads

Handheld showerheads offer more freedom in the shower than fixed ones. You can reach all sorts of places, not only when cleaning your body but also when cleaning your bathroom. They often include multiple settings, such as massage and spray. Let’s take a look at some of the best handheld showerheads we’ve come across in our research for 2016.

HotelSpa AquaCare Series Luxury Spiral Hand Shower

If you are looking for something worthy of your upscale spa, contemporary, modern, or even industrial bathroom but don’t want to spend a fortune to get the style you are after, this sleek handheld showerhead may do just the trick. Unlike many other showerheads on today’s market, this one doesn’t have a clunky appearance that makes its purchase seem like a bad afterthought. Instead, it is slim and features elegant curves. The lack of rubber grips or a plastic hose also lend to its appearance in terms of high-quality craftsmanship and style. A handheld showerhead such as this one looks like it serves more than just a functional need, but that it was also part of your overall bathroom décor design.

Now that we have covered concerns about décor and design, let’s take a look at what I consider to be a more important topic – basic specifications. This luxury hand shower features a 4-inch face with a sufficient number of jets and nozzles to manage all of your showering needs. Though there are many other fixed and handheld showerheads with larger faces and more nozzles, the trick to a good showerhead is the directions the nozzle faces and the number of settings it has.

You can effortlessly switch between seven different settings using the clickable dial on the outer edge of the showerhead’s face. Flick the dial to whatever setting you like and carry on your way – it is that easy. The seven settings include power rain, massage, soft aeration, rain and massage, rain and aeration, and water saving economy.

Power rain is great for rinsing your hair or getting soap off your body. The massage setting helps to untie tough muscle knots. A mixture of rain and massage is bound to be a relaxing experience. The soft aeration saves water by adding air to the stream. Interestingly, this also creates one of the best settings for skin exfoliation and cleaning grime off shower tiles. The “water save economy” setting is great for days when you just want a gentle shower and when you are feeling environmentally or financially conscious.

If you are very environmentally conscious you will be happy to learn about this showerhead’s “pause” mode. You may notice that there is a switch on the wand’s handle. Clicking this switch turns the shower head on and off. This means that as you are cleaning your bathroom or your body you can turn off the shower head to preserve water between tasks without having to turn the water off completely and struggle to find the perfect temperature again.

Niagara Conservation 2.0 GPM Chrome Handheld Massage Showerhead

The almost entirely metal design of the Niagara Conservation makes it well-suited for any classy, contemporary, upscale bathroom. It is a little bit on the clunky side and slimmer options do exist, but it is also much more affordable than many of those slimmer options. I know that I have said, more than once, that appearance shouldn’t be all that important when it comes to showerheads, but I know that many of you don’t care what I think about that – you want to know if it’ll match your décor. Now that we have the décor question out of the way, let’s continue on to more important points about this showerhead.

Let’s begin with a brief discussion about water pressure. Though I have listed some showerheads further down this page which are built specifically for high or low pressure, it is important that you know whether or not any of them would perform better with either type of pressure. This particular showerhead will work best with medium to high water pressure. It is built to keep water consumption below 2GPM (gallons per minute) and does not feature an aeration spray to add extra pressure while maintaining that level.

The hose on this showerhead measures 72 inches (or six feet) in length. Most other handheld showerheads feature hoses of about five feet in length, meaning that this one can stretch much further around your showering area for cleaning purposes. That being said, some people find that the extreme length of this hose causes it to get in their way and that it often hangs into the bathtub portion of bath/shower combination units with low ceilings. Take all of this into serious consideration as you decide if a showerhead with this long of a hose is best for your specific showering space. The hose itself should never tangle and is beautifully constructed of flexible stainless steel.

This showerhead features three main settings. The “Niagara” setting is a powerful spray, perfect for washing conditioner out of your hair. The “Shower” setting is, essentially, a softer version of the “Niagara” setting. The water sprays gently from the many outer nozzles to create a relaxing effect. The “Power” setting utilizes the strong jets in the middle of the showerhead’s face to massage your body, releasing tension built up over the course of a long day.

AKDY Rectanglar Quad Rainfall Jet Showerhead and Wand Combination

I struggled in choosing a location on this page for this particular showerhead because it isn’t simply a handheld showerhead – it is also a fixed showerhead. This two in one handheld/fixed showerhead combo allows you to get all the comfort and relaxation of full-body coverage from its wide, rectangular, fixed rainfall portion as well as the freedom and versatility of its small handheld wand. The fixed showerhead has been fitted with a pivot ball on the back so that you can angle it upward, downward, or to either side, depending upon your shower space and the person using it.

Both the wand and the showerhead offer a rainfall-type showering experience, though I must admit that it has been designed to be slightly stronger than the typical overhead rainfall showerhead. This will especially be true if you have high water pressure.

However, I am not sure that this design would be enough to make it strong enough to provide a decent shower if it is mounted to the wall in a typical fashion. Overhead showerheads which protrude from the ceiling allow you to take advantage of gravity, whereas wall mount showerheads require a little more force to ensure that the water doesn’t just fall straight to the ground, but, instead, reaches your body.

The fixed showerhead has 6 jets running in a horizontal pattern across its center. The wand has a single jet at the top. Interestingly, the wand’s jet is not circular like most jets. Instead, the water comes out of a slot at the top of the wand, creating a wide stream of high-pressure water. The company refers to this as a “waterfall outlet”.

A knob in the middle of the fixed showerhead controls the setting of both shower heads, allowing you to effortlessly switch between a gentle rain and a gushing waterfall. A small switch on the handle of the wand allows you to turn it on and off with a simple click.

Hydroluxe Full-Chrome 24 Function Ultra-Luxury Shower Head

This is another one of those shower heads which I wasn’t sure where to place. Featuring both a fixed showerhead and a handheld wand, this two-in-one showerhead combo can meet all of your showering needs. Of course, to power both a fixed showerhead and a wand at the same time you will need ample water pressure. However, you do not need to have both going at the same time. You can choose to use them together or separately with the simple flick of a switch.

One thing I want you to consider carefully before purchasing the Hydroluxe is the amount of space you have between your plumbing and your ceiling. Some shower stalls are built with ceilings which are lower than the ceilings in the rest of the room, creating a more confined, steam-friendly space. If this is the case with your shower stall you may not have enough room to house this two-in-one piece. The reason I say this is that the wand actually sits much higher up than the fixed shower head. Since the plumbing leading to most showerhead stems actually sits about four to six inches away from the ceiling there would not be enough room to fit this entire ensemble in some bathrooms.

Don’t let this deter you from selecting this unique showerhead piece, though. Simply take a few measurements before purchasing it to be certain it will fit. If it does fit, you may be very happy you selected this set. Not only will its completely chrome exterior and slim, elegant design match any upscale bathroom décor, it also has many other interesting and impressive features.

Each of the showerheads has five distinct showering settings. You can choose to run both at once on the same setting, both at once on different settings, or one at a time. The five settings include: wide rain (gentle), power massage (gets out those touch muscle knots), stay warm mist (ecologically friendly and keeps you warm as you perform tasks which do not require water), eco rain (gentle; low water flow), and pause.

Best Showerheads for People with Low Water Pressure

Low water pressure, while considered great for the environment, is often annoying when you’re trying to shower. If you don’t have the right showerhead you can experience what feels like a mere trickle of water. The following few reviews are of the best showerheads for people with low water pressure.

DreamSpa All Chrome Color Changing LED Showerhead

If you’re looking for something with a futuristic yet traditional appeal for your modern, contemporary, or industrial space, I would like to bring your attention to this color changing LED showerhead. Let’s begin with the obvious discussion of its LED lights before moving on to discuss other important aspects of this showerhead.

The LED lighting system has four different color settings – blue, green, red, and flashing red. You cannot set the colors yourself. Instead, they are influenced by the temperature of the water. First of all, let me say that this is pretty neat. Secondly, I would like to point out that this could be a great way to teach young children about temperature.

The light is blue when the water is cold (defined as less than 95 degrees Fahrenheit or 35 degrees Celsius.) When the water is warm (95 to 108 degrees Fahrenheit or 35 to 42 degrees Celsius) the light turns green. Essentially, the green light indicates that the water is a very safe showering temperature. The light changes to red when the water becomes hot (109 to 122 degrees Fahrenheit or 43 to 50 degrees Celsius). While many people may choose to shower in the red zone, you may want to avoid allowing children to shower in this temperature range. The red light will begin to flash when the water is deemed hot enough to burn. The unsafe, flashing light zone is defined as anywhere above 122 degrees Fahrenheit or 50 degrees Celsius.

The lights inside will last as long as any other LED bulbs – approximately 100,000 hours. They require no batteries or chargers, as they are powered by the movement of the water inside of the shower head.

Let’s step away from the lights to take a look at the showerhead itself. The bell-like shape is rather classical in its appeal and would easily match any contemporary, cottage, or industrial space. The 5.5-inch face of the showerhead is framed with a clickable dial which allows you to switch between five different settings – power rain, economy rain, pulse massage, hydro-mist, and pause.

H2o Vibe Rain Showerhead Jet with Wireless Bluetooth Speaker

If you would like the experience of a rainfall showerhead but have low water pressure, you will want to consider one which uses many less nozzles than the typical rainfall showerhead. By not using as many nozzles to disperse water the water is able to maintain a higher pressure from each of those nozzles.

Despite having many less nozzles, this showerhead still has a rather large face – mimicking the style of many high pressure rain shower showerheads. That is because the nozzles are all fitted into a ring around the outer edge of the showerhead and the middle has been left empty for a Bluetooth speaker. Don’t worry; the speaker comes at no extra charge.

This Bluetooth speaker wirelessly connections to any Bluetooth compatible device, from cell phone to laptop and everything in between. Simply sync the two devices to each other and you are good to go. You can control the volume of the music and skip between songs while you are in the shower. The speaker even includes a small waterproof microphone so that you can make calls while you get clean.

If the battery dies in the Bluetooth speaker, simply remove it from the showerhead and plug it into the wall with a USB charger to bring it back to life. There will be no wires in your shower stall and no need to fuss around with tools – this speaker simply unclips from the showerhead.

Yoo.Mee High Pressure Handheld Showerhead with Powerful Spray

First of all, let me say that no, I am not going crazy. I realize that the phrase “high pressure” is in the name of this showerhead. What is important, though, is that it actually takes low water pressure and turns it into high water pressure. The whole thing is a little bit technical, but suffice it to say that once the water enters the showerhead it is propelled through special spiral channels built inside which help it gain momentum and increase the pressure with which it escapes through the nozzles.

I also realize that this is a handheld showerhead and that I could have listed it with the other handheld showerheads. I admit that I thought about it, but simply could not bring myself to do it. It is rare to find a high quality showerhead (fixed or handheld) which is built specifically with the purpose of turning low water pressure into high water pressure. Finding one at all felt like a bit of a miracle to me. Finding this one, which happened to have received excellent consumer ratings and reviews, was even more astounding.

Since this Yoo.Mee has been made specifically for low water pressure systems, I must advise against purchasing it if you have a high pressure system. The pressure will simply be too high and could result in a somewhat painful showering experience. Though it takes trickling water and turns it into a nice shower, it would turn make your shower feel like you were standing in front of a power washer if used with a high water pressure system.

Despite all that appears to be occurring inside of the shower head to turn the low water pressure into high water pressure, the showerhead itself has still, somehow, managed to be built slim. Its basic, slim, disc-like design lends nicely to almost any interior design.

Best Showerheads for People with High Water Pressure

If you have high water pressure you may want to consider specific types of showerheads. If you use a showerhead built for low water pressure you may find that the pressure is so high the water jets actually hurt your skin when you try to shower. Let’s take a look at some of the best showerheads for high pressure systems.

Speakman S-2005-HB Hotel Anystream Adjustable Showerhead

Made specifically for people with high pressure water systems, the Speakman Anystream is built to reduce water pressure to allow you to experience a relaxing shower experience. There are two major problems with high water pressure. First, it can create an almost painful shower experience if the water is forced through the jets or small nozzles of many showerheads. Secondly, it can lead to wasted water as it allows many more gallons to escape per minute than are truly necessary for a shower.

This showerhead features an internal system which slows the rate of the water flow allowing you to experience a shower which is relaxing instead of shocking, and which greatly reduces water consumption. You can try to remove components of this system (such as the pressure screen) to make use of this showerhead in low pressure systems, but chances are that you still won’t end up with the pressure you were searching for, and may void any manufacturer’s warranty in the process.

The basic cone-like shape of this wall mount shower head lends very little to any specific interior décor design, but doesn’t really detract much either. Part of what makes it so perfect for high pressure systems is the internal pressure control system. This pressure control system is likely part of the reason for its oversized visual appearance.

Though the shape of the Speakman S-2005-HB doesn’t lend well to the streamlined appeal of modern or contemporary spaces, the company made it available in four different finishes to help you better match it to your décor. You can choose among polished chrome, light polished brass (almost gold in appearance), brushed chrome, and brushed nickel.

An easy to use winged knob on the side of the showerhead allows you to switch effortlessly between three settings. Those settings include shower spray, massage jets, and a mixture of both shower spray and massage jets. The patented Anystream Technology used in the construction of this piece allows you to switch between those settings seamlessly. You will not experience any sort of a pause between the settings as they all simply fade into one and other.

WantBa 6-Inch Rainfall Showerhead with Powerful Rain Spray

The WantBa 6-Inch Rainfall showerhead is another of those specifically made for high pressure systems. Like the Speakman Anystream listed above, it features a special design which reduces high water pressure to a tolerable level when it is put through the nozzles. This means that you will no longer need to struggle with a high pressure system that makes the water feel as if it is boring through your back. It also means that less water will be able to come out within any given period of time, greatly reducing your water consumption and impact on the environment.

Have you ever stood in the shower on a cold day to find that only part of your body was able to get wet at any given time and that the rest of your body was cold? That shouldn’t be a problem with this showerhead. This showerhead’s incredibly large 6-inch face spreads over 50 small jets across your body as you shower.

Unlike many of the other showerheads on this list, this one features no settings. It simply forces water through its 57 small jets at approximately 2.5GPM (gallons per minute). The rate at which is expels water means that you should receive a relaxing shower experience while still being able to get that stubborn conditioning cream rinse out of your hair without scrubbing to the point of sore biceps.

The showerhead itself is shaped like a flat disc with a small, flat cone-shaped piece attaching the disc to its ball joint and fitting. The overall appearance lends greatly to any modern space. It will also work well with Scandinavian, contemporary, and industrial designs. It is worth noting that the arm often pictured with the WantBa does not come with the showerhead when you purchase it. This means that, if you want to mount it on the wall you will need to purchase your own extension arm. That being said, you can also mount it on the ceiling if your plumbing allows.

AKDY ABS Oil-Rubber Bronze Finish Multi-Function Rainfall Massage

Probably the best suited for use in an industrial bathroom with a vintage flair, this bronzed oil showerhead is very stylish. Something about it just screams industrial, vintage, and steampunk all at once. Personally, I can envision this in a bath/shower combination unit where the plumbing (similarly finished in oiled bronze) run along the outside of the wall up to the showerhead. It is the finish which gives it an industrial flair. It is the elegant bell-like shape which adds a touch of vintage. It is the combination of the two which lends perfectly to one of the newer urban interior design styles – steampunk.

If you choose this showerhead you will be able to select between three different settings by clicking the lever on the dial located on the external edge of the mid-sized 4-inch face. The gentle shower setting creates an experience similar to that of a rain shower. However, unlike an actual rain shower, this setting will provide you with a continual, steady stream of gentle water. The power shower setting is best if you are trying to remove stubborn hair conditioner. It focuses the water into a smaller area and allows for more pressure. The focused massage setting focuses the water into an even smaller area, creating a strong, steady stream of water designed to melt away the day’s tension by gently massaging your muscles.

AKDY AZ-6021 8-Inch Bathroom Chrome Showerhead

If you are looking for a very gentle and relaxing shower experience there is nothing quite like a genuine rain shower head. By dispersing water throughout 100 small nozzles, the pressure of the water is greatly reduced, allowing it to fall down onto your body gently. Dispersing water throughout 100 nozzles requires a large showerhead face. This one measures approximately 8 inches by 8 inches. Just think of how much of your body it will soak at one time as rains down upon you from a face that large.

I highly suggest using the AKDY AZ-6021 only as a ceiling mount. Your water pressure will need to be extremely high to actually thrust the water forward if you mount it on the wall. That being said, if your walls are tall enough or you are short enough, you can use an extension arm to bring it away from the wall and keep it overhead.

The style of this showerhead best suits modern and contemporary spaces. Although it is made completely of plastic, it has the appearance of being constructed of glass and metal – two elements often used in modern and contemporary designs. I picture this showerhead in a clean, crisp white-tiled bathroom with a clean white countertop, a glass bowl sink, and a plush bathmat for a touch of comfort.

Function First

I just want to take a quick moment to discuss the importance of function when selecting a showerhead. I must admit that I do look for a showerhead which will add to my interior décor theme, but I also always remember that I may need to sacrifice some style for more function. At the very least, try to select a showerhead which has been built for whichever type of water pressure you have. If you are one of those lucky few who actually have mid-level water pressure, the world is your oyster (as they say).