Don’t Buy the Wrong Showerhead Again—10 Types You Should Know

Choosing a new showerhead is more than just an opportunity to change your bathroom’s aesthetic. It’s also an opportunity to tailor your shower experience to your exact preferences. Whether you want the spa-like experience of a rainfall showerhead or your number one priority is filtering the water, there’s a type of showerhead for everyone.

Below, we’ve explained the different types of showerheads and provided the pros and cons of each one, so you can make an informed decision.

Types of Showerheads

As is the trend with many different home fixtures, there seems to be a new type of showerhead whenever you walk down the plumbing fixture aisle at the hardware store.

Picking out a new showerhead used to consist of choosing one that looks good from a brand you can trust, but now you must sift through designs and features to find the showerhead that creates the best shower experience. Since you can’t take showerheads for a test drive, we’ve broken down 10 showerhead options for you.

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Fixed Showerheads

Fixed showerheads are what you likely picture when you imagine a traditional showerhead. They’re mounted on the wall in a fixed position (hence the name) approximately 80 inches high. Of all the showerhead designs, fixed showerheads are the simplest.

While they aren’t particularly fancy, a high-quality fixed showerhead will provide consistent water pressure and a great shower experience. Many options even have adjustable spray patterns. Plus, there is no shortage of finish and design options, making it easy to find the perfect showerhead for your bathroom.

Handheld Showerheads

Handheld showerheads are showerheads that you can hold in your hand or place on the wall via a mounting bracket. A handheld showerhead makes rinsing much easier and can be advantageous to someone with limited mobility.

While handheld showerheads are available on their own, they’re often paired with a fixed showerhead as a dual showerhead option.

Body Spray or Panel Showerheads

Body spray showerheads are mounted along the wall to spray directly at the user’s body. While these aren’t intended as standalone units, they pair well with other types of showerheads, such as fixed showerheads or rainfall showerheads to create a total-body experience.

These showerheads are available as individual fixtures or as multiple fixtures in the form of a shower panel, which features multiple types of showerheads in one unit. Some body spray showerheads have adjustable pressure and direction allowing you to target certain areas of the body for a water massage.

Rainfall Showerheads

Rainfall showerheads simulate the feel of falling rain with a large, often flat surface. You’ve probably seen them on your favorite interior designer’s Instagram, as they add undeniable beauty and luxury to your shower design.

To create the rainfall effect, the showerhead is mounted above the user’s head, either on the ceiling or via a long bar attached to the wall. The main downside with rain showerheads is that, when you spread the water out over such a large surface, you reduce the pressure, which some users find less than enjoyable.

Filtered Showerheads

Filtered showerheads are any type of showerhead that has a filter built into the fixture itself. While this may be a strange concept to filter the water you don’t drink, many users have experienced benefits from filtering the water they shower in.

Dual Showerheads

Dual showerheads consist of two different showerheads in one fixture—not to be confused with a double showerhead, which refers to two individual showerheads in one shower. If you desire the consistent pressure of a fixed showerhead with the versatility of a handheld showerhead, a dual showerhead can give you the best of both worlds.

Sliding Bar Showerheads

Sliding bar showerheads consist of a showerhead mounted on a vertical bar. The showerhead can be slid along the length of the bar and fixed at any height. While this helps tailor the shower experience to your liking, it’s of great advantage for households with many different heights.

Eco Showerhead

Eco showerheads are designed to use a minimal amount of water without sacrificing the shower experience. They do this by optimizing the pressure and spray pattern to maximize the pressure of the water. By using less water, an eco showerhead can improve the planet and your budget.

LED Showerheads

LED showerheads are nothing more than ordinary showerheads with LED lights built into them. To illuminate the showerhead, a component called a dynamo converts water pressure into electricity, meaning you don’t have to wire it to a circuit.

If you’ve done everything you can to improve your shower experience, an LED showerhead may be the cherry on top you’ve been looking for. Some LED showerheads even allow you to change the color of the lighting to customize your experience further, while others change color with the temperature of the water.

Massage Showerhead

Massage showerheads are the ultimate relaxation hack. They’re more than just a showerhead with high water pressure. Massage showerheads feature specifically designed water patterns and pulsing technology to offer a water massage experience right in the comfort of your own home. When you’re not feeling up for a massage, you can adjust the spray pattern to something gentler.

Types of Showerhead Finishes

Once you’ve determined which type of showerhead you prefer, you must decide which finish will look best, as most options are available in a variety of finishes. Here are some of the most common:

• Chrome. Chrome has been a popular finish for bathroom fixtures for years. It’s easy to clean, looks good with nearly any bathroom design, and holds up well to years of use.
• Nickel. Nickel is often confused with chrome, but they look very different when side by side. Nickel has a softer luster than chrome and can have a slightly brassy look in certain lighting.
• Brass. Brass is a classic fixture finish. While solid brass bathroom fixtures aren’t common, brass plating is popular among interior designers for its timeless appeal.
• Bronze. Bronze is slightly darker than brass, though many fixtures that call themselves bronze vary greatly in their color.

Best Tips for Choosing a Showerhead

When choosing a showerhead for your new build or bathroom renovation project, here’s what to consider before buying one.

• Check the price tag. Before you get too attached to your showerhead purchase, you may want to check the price tag. Showerheads and other plumbing fixtures can range in price drastically, from under $100 to over $1,000 per fixture.
• Consider every user. If you’re the only one using the showerhead, then pick exactly what you like. If you’re sharing it with your spouse, kids, or roommates, you may want to consider their needs as well.
• Choose multiple showerheads. Can’t decide on a showerhead? The ultimate way to customize your shower experience is to combine the benefits of several different types of showerheads, such as rainfall, body spray, handheld, and more.
• Think about water pressure. Just because a showerhead touts great water pressure, doesn’t mean your home’s water pressure is up to task. Spreading the flow of a small water supply line over a large rainfall showerhead or a combination of showerheads may result in lackluster water pressure for your shower.
• Look for multiple spray patterns. While that massaging showerhead may feel great at first, you’re bound to get tired of the intense spray pattern eventually. Luckily, many showerheads have adjustable spray patterns.
• Look for water-saving options. If you want to save water for the sake of the environment and your wallet, look for showerheads with water-saving technology.
• Consider an adjustable flow rate. Flow rate determines how much water is coming out of the showerhead over a set amount of time, such as gallons per minute (GPM). Striking a good balance in flow rate is how you maintain an enjoyable shower while saving water. If you don’t want to be tied down, look for showerheads with adjustable flow rates.