I think it depends on the rain head. A small rain head I've heard, are worthless. I believe I've heard that anything 10-12" would be minimum. I have a Hansgrohe that is a rectangle at 8" x 17" and is almost about 5"x15" patterned spray. It really covers well. I never use my handheld except to clean the floor. Go to a plumbing shop that has shower head displays, that function, and see what you like. Ferguson's in Des Moines (small metro location) has a shower display for testing spray patterns.

In our walk in shower, we have a traditional shower head and a handheld. For resale, we also had them install a rain head, which I knew I would never use. The irritating thing to me is that the rain head occasionally drips cold water on me when I'm taking a shower. I wish we hadn't put it in....

Have no interest in a rain head, so we didn't add any when we remodeled 3 of our 4 bathrooms. Planning last bathroom remodel now and we still have no interest in adding a rain head.

I had a rain head in my last home and did not like it. I prefer a shower head that has more force. If you are near a Pirch, they have shower heads you can test out.

I thought rain heads were sooo cool, until I tried one.

Unless you are planning to sell very soon, I wouldn't let resale affect your choice. I suspect they will be like body sprays, which were quite the rage for quite a while and are now more a negative than a positive to most people.

I love Rain heads. I also have a regular shower head. They do different things. I would not use a Rain head as my primary head. It is a soothing spray that feels like you are being drenched. It is not a forceful spray so you can't use it for shampooing long hair easily. I like my air based shower head for that function. My Hansgrohe rain head is 10" round.

Good luck!

Not all rain heads are alike. Thus, I think there is not one answer for the rain head question. I have four different rainheads. I love two, find one ok and hate one. The one I hate my DH and ten year old love and they despise the ones I prefer. I like my 8" and 10" inch ( they both rinse my very long thick hair better than my fixed heads do) much more than my very large head but DH likes that 16 inch the best. It is too personal of a preference to find an answer on line. Each head and each person will create different opinions. Find a show room to experiment with what works best for your household.

Writersblock, many rainheads do work for washing /rinsing hair. Only my very large can fails to do so. My three others, between 12 and 8 inches do work better than my standard fixture. Some offer very good pressure others don't. Trying only one would not be enough to make a valid opinion.

But who can try a dozen different ones to choose one, roarah? I still don't see the point. Obviously they are not meant specifically for hair washing, so what are they for? I'm still puzzled by this.

I find when they function for hair rinsing they are better than the standard small head because I am not only getting clean I am also engulfed in warmth and the experience is quite comforting. I dislike my large one for cleaning and do not wish to waste water just to get the relaxing benefit which is why I despise that one. I would happily change it to another better pressured head but it is my bald husband's favorite.

Many bath show rooms have multiple tubs and shower experiences to try. Just bring a bathing suit and towel. Or read the reviews for the ones you are considering at least because some are truly blissful in form and function while others do not function aswell.

I am also engulfed in warmth and the experience is quite comforting.

Okay, I can see that, I guess. Thanks. I'd rather have a bath for that, but I can understand the appeal if you're in a cold climate.

I prefer showers to baths and do live in New England. I think that is why I was suggesting that no one can properly answer these types of questions. Too many variables, water pressures and preferences to truly get a valid answer.

I'm all for trying things out before you buy them - I traveled all over the NJ/NYC area climbing in and out of bathtubs to see which one would be best for us.

But I don't see how you try out shower heads. It's one thing to look at the spray (if you find a showroom that offers that), It's quite another to soap up and rinse your hair.

I'm facing this dilemma right now. I'd hate to spend the money on a fancy rain head, only to switch it out for a Speakman.

granny, some showrooms actually have an large wetroom with many shower heads installed. You make an appointment, put on your bathing suit and can try stuff out. I've only seen one showroom that had it and I live in a large metro area.

There is also a Toto showroom in my area and they had lots of faucets hooked up that customers could try. They had a realy long trough style sink with all the faucets lined up.

You can't go wrong with a speakman wall mounted!!!

I have a rainhead. On a shelf. In my basement.

And every time I have to duck my head under the regular shower to get wet, I curse that the bathroom remodel is not done yet! I have stiff neck and upper back vertebrae and I hate moving this way and that to get parts of me wet and rinsed. I wait for the day I get drenched (or even sprinkled!) under a nice high shower head!

I plan three showerheads. One up high in the middle of the shower, one on a handheld, and the third is a Speakman wall mount as high as I can get DH to let me put it! I vow I will only use them one at a time. Unless there are reasons why I need two. Then I better hurry, I only have a 60 gallon tank!

For most homeowners, a rainhead should not be the only shower head in the shower. A true rain head will frustrate the heck out of most anyone who wants a strong invigorating rinsing spray. Without getting too wacky, it's a shower effect. An experience. A different type of spray and a gentle one at that.

I have a 12" ceiling mounted head, and I love it when I use it, but I don't use it all that often.

If your rainhead drips, tilt it to help drain the residual water in the head, then re-level it. No more drips and no more tears.

I use the "rain head tilt" trick to drain mine. I can see people with thick hair or those that like some power full water jets not liking just a rain head. However, I actively decided to just have a single 12" diameter Symmonds rain shower head and I love it. No hand held or other heads at all. I kept everything as simple as possible and just turn it on and stand under it for a couple of gentle minutes to get nice a clean.

In our master reno, we just installed a modest rainhead along with a handheld on a slider. In general, I dislike showers and almost always bathe. Hubby is 60-40 showers over bathing. So we are not your average homeowners. That said, we both strongly prefer the gentle flow of the rainhead. To get the shampoo out of my hair, I switch over to the handheld, but he never does. We would really miss our rain head, but it is a more . . . soothing experience, rather than an invigorating one.