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Turn your bathroom into a spa. corrugated pipe
Emily Estep is a plant biologist and journalist who has worked for a variety of online news and media outlets, writing about and editing topics that range from film and beauty to science and the automobile industry. Her plant biology degree has a focus on sustainable agriculture, and she's an expert on growing your own food, environmental sciences, and all topics relating to houseplants.
Better Homes & Gardens / Laura Miller
Buying a showerhead is a big decision. Not only do you want one that goes well with your bathroom’s aesthetic, but you also ultimately want it to upgrade your bathing routine. With so many on the market, how do you choose the right showerhead for your needs?
Nate Hudelson, master plumber at Schlueter Plumbing, recommends prioritizing quality construction and spray patterns. “Finding the right pattern for you will be key regardless of brand or quality. Many heads offer ways to achieve different patterns from the same head, and that’s usually a decent compromise.”
We narrowed the playing field to help you decide, testing more than two dozen models in our own bathrooms. Over the course of six months, we learned that the difference between a good showerhead and a great showerhead comes down to versatility, including adjustable spray patterns to alter the water pressure.
We evaluated different features, including spray patterns and showerhead durability, along with ease of installation and overall value. For more on how we tested showerheads, see our testing process below.
The stationary head makes it easy to switch between settings with a button, plus you can turn the head 360 degrees for fuller coverage.
It’s versatile, but it doesn’t convert to a handheld.
If you’re looking for a basic showerhead without a lot of bells and whistles, the Delta does the trick. It took only minutes to remove the existing showerhead and install this one. We were impressed by the distinct spray modes, each of which seemed just right in terms of water pressure.
It’s nice to have a button that toggles between the settings rather than having to awkwardly turn the head as you do on some models. While it doesn’t feature a handheld piece like others on our list, you can swivel the stationary head 360 degrees, offering plenty of coverage area.
We loved the option of having the pause button so you can shave in the shower without wasting hot water. It’s especially good in small showers—if you’ve ever tried shaving in a tight space, then you’ll know how nice it feels to take a moment without being inundated by water spray.
Delta is known for high-quality products, and this model lived up to the brand’s reputation. The showerhead continues to hold up well after six months of regular use. The Lumicoat finish makes it easy to clean the showerhead and keep it free of mineral buildup.
Product Details: Number of Spray Patterns: 7 | Flow Rate: 1.75 GPM | Material: Plastic
There’s a variety of great spray settings, plus you can adjust both arms of the stationary head for greater shower coverage.
You need to hold down a button to engage some of the settings.
We think the key to a good handheld showerhead is the ability to detach and reattach it from its holder with ease. This showerhead from our line at Walmart has a magnet that helped us operate it without a glance.
We were impressed that the arms on either side of the showerhead are separately adjustable; between that and the removable handheld, you can expand shower coverage easily. We also liked the variety of spray settings.
There are six in total, depending on whether you use one or both heads: full spray, rain shower, waterfall, waterfall and rain shower, massage, and massage and rain shower. To engage some settings, you need to constantly hold down a button, which can be awkward unless you’re standing firmly in place.
We loved the showerhead even more as we tested it long-term. Perhaps the best compliment we can give it is that when we moved, we took it with us so we could continue having a luxurious bathing experience in our new place.
Product Details: Number of Spray Patterns: 6 | Flow Rate: 1.8 GPM | Material: Plastic
Beauty is in the eye of the bather when determining the best showerhead. For a spa-like experience at home, you might go for a luxurious rain showerhead. These deliver more coverage area than regular options.
You might prefer a handheld showerhead that detaches from the wall if you regularly bathe little ones and pets, not to mention that it makes it easier to clean the shower. Fixed showerheads —the most basic type—are mounted onto the wall and stay in place at one height.
Dual showerheads offer the best of both worlds—a fixed showerhead and a detachable handheld option. No matter which type you choose, many on the market have extra features like aromatherapy, water filters, and even Bluetooth capability.
It’s easy to use both heads or switch between them for a customized shower experience.
It doesn’t extend out as far as other showerheads.
Another Delta made our best showerheads list and for good reason: We were impressed by the sturdiness and versatility, which we thought made it worthy of the higher price tag. The dual showerhead might look complicated, but we were shocked that it only took us two minutes to install—no tools necessary!
We like that you can use the showerheads one at a time or together for more coverage. We tried all five spray settings during testing to find the best combo of coverage and water pressure. The side lever makes it easy to toggle between them until you find what you like.
We found that the HydroRain doesn’t extend out as far as some showerheads, plus the face is a bit smaller, but that didn’t get in the way of enjoying our shower. We did observe that the handheld shower is a bit tough to detach at first from the secure holder.
Still, we were able to detach/reattach without looking, which bodes well for anyone who’s still not quite awake during a morning shower.
Product Details: Number of Spray Patterns: 5 | Flow Rate: 1.75 GPM | Material: Plastic
If your home has hard water, then you might consider one of the shower filters that we recommend. Filtered water can have benefits for your hair, skin, and nails. Some filters can be attached to an existing showerhead, while some showerheads come prefiltered. Keep in mind that many filtered showerheads only have one spray setting.
We installed the showerheads in our home showers per the manufacturer’s instructions. During a two-week testing period, we observed the variety and intensity of streams along with any additional features, including aromatherapy, lights, Bluetooth capabilities, and filters, where applicable.
With filtered showerheads, we considered how our nails, skin, and hair felt after each shower, as well as how easy or challenging it was to replace the filter.
We observed whether the showerheads leaked or dripped when not in use and whether they ever clogged or had hard water buildup. We also noted how easy or challenging it was to clean the showerhead. And we considered how these models compared to showerheads we had used in the past.
If you like a customized shower experience, look for showerheads that offer different spray patterns. Whether you like a pulsating massage, a gentle rain shower, or a steady spray, you can switch between them at the touch of a lever or a button.
That said, there are excellent stationary showerheads that only offer a single spray pattern. If you’ve got good water pressure at home, then you can probably get away with just the one spray pattern.
Flow rate is usually noted on the showerhead box or package. Depending on where you live, you might not have much of a choice when it comes to a showerhead’s flow rate. That’s because the GPMs are capped by law—2.5 at the federal level, but as low as 1.8 at some state and local levels.
Many think that a higher flow rate means better water pressure, but these are two different things. Water pressure determines the force of a showerhead’s flow, measured in pounds per square inch (psi). While a higher flow rate could mean a stronger shower, that’s only if the plumbing can handle the pressure.
If you like a nice, strong shower, you’ll want to consider the size of your shower head. Large showerheads typically have more nozzles, which means water is spouting from many places and will diminish the water pressure regardless of the flow rate.
Many think that a higher flow rate means better water pressure, but these are two different things. Water pressure determines the force of a showerhead’s flow, measured in pounds per square inch (psi). While a higher flow rate could mean a stronger shower, that’s only if the plumbing can handle the pressure.
If you like a nice, strong shower, you’ll want to consider the size of your shower head. Large showerheads typically have more nozzles, which means water is spouting from many places and will diminish the water pressure regardless of the flow rate.
Better Homes & Gardens / Cara Milhaven
Hudelson says that brass was once the standard for higher-quality showerheads. However, a look at what’s on the market—not to mention what’s on our best showerheads list—shows that plastic has taken the lead in terms of lightweight durability.
“Plastics have come a long way and can now be a great choice,” Hudelson says. “Again, quality is subjective, but the better brands usually deliver higher quality.” Even with plastic you will find a range of finishes, such as classic options like chrome and nickel, and trendier choices like matte black.
Plastic and metal are the two most popular materials for showerheads. Metal is durable, but can be heavy, which is why you’ll often see more lightweight plastic heads. Don’t confuse material with finish. Showerheads come in various colors and textures—regardless of material, you can find one for your bathroom’s aesthetic.
Other showerheads impressed our testers but ultimately didn’t land on our best showerheads list because of their limited features. Here are two options we really liked, although they won’t be for everyone.
We liked the Act+Acre model the best of all the filtered showerheads we tested. However, like many filtered options, it only features one spray setting. Still, our hair and skin felt softer after bathing with this filtered showerhead, so those with hard water at home might like this option.
The Kohler Moxie Showerhead has just one spray setting, but we thought the water pressure was great. We also thought the Bluetooth speaker upgraded our morning routine, so if you’re OK prioritizing technology over spray patterns, you might also like this option.
As with many home products, you get what you pay for with a showerhead. While Hudelson says you can get a very basic, no-name showerhead for less than $10, “performance/quality will be anyone’s guess.”
Instead, you can get a “decent” brand starting at about $20, and the prices will rise from there, he says. While there are budget-friendly models from “good” brands, you can expect to pay more for showerheads with multiple features and capabilities.
DIY installation is doable if you plan to keep the shower arm—the pipe coming out of the shower wall that holds the showerhead—in its current position. If you plan to add, remove, or move pipes in your shower or bathroom, it’s better to hire a pro plumber to do the work.
“Most of the time, replacing a showerhead is an easy DIY project,” Hudelson says, noting that all it takes is removal of the old one and installation of the new one. Even beginning home plumbers can do it with the help of a wrench or pliers and some plumber’s tape, if necessary.
Be sure to avoid scratching your shiny new showerhead as you tighten it onto the shower arm, Hudelson advises. “It’s always a good idea to ‘back up’ the shower arm with another pair of channel locks [adjustable pliers],” he says. “I usually put a leather glove between the channel locks and the shower arm to prevent scratches.”
Barbara Bellesi Zito is a freelance writer from Staten Island, New York, covering all things home and lifestyle for Better Homes & Gardens. To compile this list of the best showerheads, Zito analyzed lab insights from our testing site in Des Moines, Iowa. She also consulted Nate Hudelson, master plumber, Schlueter Plumbing, for his expert insight on choosing the best showerheads.
hand shower hose extension Next to all of the products on this list, you may have noticed our BHG Recommends seal of approval. Products that earn the seal have been put through rigorous testing to make sure they're worth a spot in your home. We buy most of the products we test ourselves, but occasionally we are provided samples by companies if buying isn't an option. In these cases, we use the same testing criteria we use to test the purchased products.