I can't help much as we installed steam without ever having used one. We went with mr steam, but I don't recall doing a lot of research on it...we went with it as it seemed to be popular and was recommended by plumbing supply store, and we didn't look into any options like aroma.

jamiemc1033, Yes, after the steam builds up, you have privacy. My steam-capture shower is approximately 4 x 6 (it has a clipped corner), and the ceiling was lowered down to 8'-8'8". You can still see a silhouette though. After the shower the steam cools down and will start to drip down. If your shower is 4 x 6, you can either install a bench or buy a teak bench. 4 x 6 is large enough that you can bring your towel in with you and place it on the bench without it getting wet. That's what I do so that after the shower I can wrap up and sit in there a little while. If someone walks in at that point, and the glass is more transparent, I am already wrapped in a towel. One thing I did was ask the contractor to make the pony wall higher than I normally see it in pictures. We just measured up to my shoulder and he built the pony wall to be that distance off the shower floor. That also enabled us to build a nice big niche in that pony wall, so that the products are not seen when you enter the room. Also, since the pony wall is taller, we can put a piece of art work on the dry side above the tub. If you don't want to build a higher than normal pony wall, and you are still unsure if the steam alone is enough privacy, you could frost just a section of the glass. I saw a picture on HOUZZ that had this, but I can't find the picture right now. In the picture the shower glass was only frosted in the middle to provide privacy where needed. This would allow more light to come into the shower than frosting the whole panel I would think. I don't feel comfortable locking the door while taking a shower because in case of a fall no one would be able to help me. We have 4 kids and they do sometimes walk in to ask a question or get something, although that is getting less so as they get older. One of the nicest things is the quiet and the feeling of being somewhere else because you can't hear anything and you can't see out either. There are some advantages to putting in a generator which I'll mention because you said you like long, hot showers. - The steam in my shower cools down very quickly after the water is shut off. If you have a steam generator, you can finish the "cleaning" part of your shower but keep the steam going as long as you want to. Probably the cleaning part of your shower is a lot shorter than 20 minutes, but you like to go longer because you want to enjoy the relaxing heat and steam. If that's the case you night want a real steam shower. My DS likes to keep the steam going while she sits down to shave her legs. - Very little water is used to generate the steam. If you think you will want to keep the steam hot, but you are done with your shower, running the hot water is a waste compared to what the generator would use. - Also, with a steam generator, you could just take a steam, not with a shower. My DS does that often in the winter if she is chilled to the bone but doesn't want a shower right then. If you think you could change your mind and want a generator later, you might consider putting in the electrical, plumbing, etc now. You already have to build the shower using all the techniques for vapor-proofing, so your spending the bulk of the extra costs already. The additional cost if you change your mind later would be the generator itself and the labor to have it installed. Be sure to hire someone who is experienced and will follow TCNA guidelines for steam showers. If they cut corners because it's not a real steam shower, you won't have the option of adding the generator later bc steam requires more than just regular water-proofing. You can order the handbook online which will help you in the hiring process. Good luck with your project!

Just to be clear, in case anyone else go the impression this is a steam shower, it is not a steam shower. I will only be taking regular showers with the same amount of heat/steam generated by a regular shower. So there isn't nearly as much steam to purge as with a steam shower. And the showers won't be nearly as long as a steaming session. Also, if I do this I plan to tile the ceiling. This kind of brings up an interesting counterpoint to Sophie Wheeler and rococogurl. A steam shower generates way more steam and never has a fan. According to what Sophie's said any steam shower is essentially a petri disk for mold and mildew because they have lots of steam and no fan. The only difference between a typical steam shower and my concept is that my transom (or gap around two complete walls) will be a few inches below the ceiling instead of at the top. But I'm also generating WAY less steam than a steam shower so, logically, it seems like a reasonable tradeoff. Since my shower is 6' x 4' that gap will be ten feet long by 8-10 inches high. That's a big gap. Is that really insufficient to ventilate the steam produced by a regular shower just because it's a few inches below the ceiling?

FINALLY A SOLUTION TO THAT BANGING SOUND!!!!!!!!! Had to use caps as I am damn proud to share a solution to this constant banging sound from my steam unit. Over a year of continual banging and it is all over.... The fix is super easy and takes only about 2 minutes to complete. The banging issue stems from the sub heater that keeps the unit always ready to make steam at a moments notice. If you disable the 'instant on' feature the banging stops entirely. The only downside, which to me is not a downside considering the banging is gone, is that by disabling the sub heater the unit will take 3 to 5 minutes to generate steam. I can wait a couple of minutes to have steam vs banging all day and night. Be sure to wrap tape over the connector to ensure it does not come in contact with any other objects which could create a short. I took a picture and added the steps to the image. The steps are also below in text: Steps to stop that knocking noise: 1 - Turn off circuit breaker 2 - On back of unit, remove 4 screws 3 - Remove control cable (Phone like cable) 4 - Pull control panel/back panel out, wiggle it out 5 - Locate white wire labeled “SUB HEATER” (circled in image) 6 - Use pliers to pull connector out of control panel 7 - Use electrical tape and tape over blue connector on end of wire to avoid it coming in contact with anything else inside unit 8 - Tuck wire inside unit 9 - Push control panel back in place, insert 4 screws and tighten 10 - Plug back in control wire (phone like cable) 11- Turn back on circuit breaker 12 - Never hear that banging sound again. Cheers to quiet. (this disables instant on steam - will take 3 to 5 minutes for steam) This works 100% to stop the noise.