Best Shower head for handheld and fixed-recommendations please

last year

I need to replace my fixed showerhead with something fixed and also has a handheld attachment. I was shocked to look at the specs from a lot of the popular brands to discover they are fundamentally plastic with some kind of metallic looking coating. I would like a good quality showerhead. Any recommendations? I looked at a Grohe but saw a warning in some reviews about them not being as high quality as they used to be and that installation was difficult.

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Comments (3)

artemis78
last year
last modified: last year
We have Grohe and the installation was easy--seemed pretty standard for a shower head. Not sure what the quality used to be like, but both Grohe and Kohler definitely have plastic on the shower heads now. I initially ordered an inexpensive Grohe Vitalio handheld for our hall bath and, because some of it was plastic, ordered Kohler for our new master bath (at 3x the price!) Then the Kohler heads arrived and also had lots of plastic, so I sent them back and just stuck with Grohe (Tempesta line) since at least it was priced to reflect the construction. We are happy with how well they work, which is the important part. Our hall bath has a handheld designed to serve as the primary shower head, while the new bath has a Kohler Hydrorail system, which can be installed as a retrofit with no plumbing modifications to add a handshower if you want it separate. (Ours happens to be in a new install, but it was still a good solution for what we wanted since we have a thermostatic shower and didn't want to put a third valve/handle in the wall.) The Hydrorail is solid metal, but priced accordingly.
L. B. thanked artemis78
Connecticut Yankeeeee
last year
As far as Grohe, I think their quality has gone downhill. Our 12 year old shower fixtures are all metal and perfect still. Our 2 year old kitchen faucet plastic pull down has been replaced 3 times (under warranty but still a PIA). Our 2 year old Hansgrohe Talis bathroom faucets are perfect, no issues. Daughter had similar issues with these two brands.
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I thought I had replied the other day--sorry! We have the Hansgrohe Raindance (either the S 120 or S 150--I forget which one, but I think it's the 120). It's the "air" rain head which gives it more oomph than a typical rain-shower head. We have the same shower head in my both main use bathrooms, and both DH and I like them. The "self-clean" rubber (silicone?) nubs really work. We have moderately hard water (mineral deposits are such a PITA!), and I had noticed diminished spray strength while showering a month or so ago. I reached up, rubbed my fingers over the nubs, and spray strength was restored! We got all of our bath fixtures/hardware somewhat locally (Hardware Design in NJ), and got good prices (we had gotten our kitchen stuff there as well), but I also saw some decent prices online while researching the stuff we were choosing.
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If the walls are still open, then you can get a thermo control and two zone valves. The thermo control sets the temperature but the zone valves control each head. You could have a problem running both at the same time. 1. If you have a 40 gallon hot water tank, you could run out of hot water real fast 2. 1/2 plumbing supplies? Could choke it a bit. 3/4 supply line is best. 3. Drain: usually you go to a 2" drain over a 1 1/2. However,I would not be overly concerned with just the two heads (even at the same time) Its when you start adding body sprayers where you get these problems. Tell your plumber now! He will need to know how to plumb it.
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"The 1st picture on the left has the hot and cold supply lines attached to it? The picture in the middle does not work with the 1st picture?" Correct. The middle picture in your first set of pictures and the last two pictures use a Hansgrohe iBox rough valve. The cartridge, which comes with the trim, determines if it will be pressure balanced or thermostatic. The iBox is what I use. I am not familiar with the showerpipe as I don't like it so have never looked into it. The S/E trim you show does not have a diverter. It would be for a shower only or a tub only. You turn the handle and how far you turn it determines the temperature. The flow stays constant, just the temperature changes. The Metris C trim you show has a diverter so it can have 2 functions. Tub and shower, 2 different types of shower, etc. You turn the top handle to determine where you want the water to come out. You turn the bottom handle to determine the temperature. The flow stays constant, just the temperature changes. The escutcheon is the big round piece that covers the hole. It is part of the trim package. The trim package includes the cartridge, escutcheon, and handles. The cartridge determines if it is pressure balance or thermostatic, and if it diverts or not. The iBox valve itself is the same for any configuration (but it might not use all of the ports, in which case your plumber will cap one off). I don't know what you mean by an integrated volume control, unless you are referring to a thermostatic valve. With a thermostatic valve, you can control the volume of water independent of the temperature. Pressure balance means water is either on or off, no volume control other than that. Thermostatic means any amount of water flow you would like. With thermostatic, you can leave the temperature setting alone so it will always be the temperature you like without having to adjust it (assuming no one else adjusts it). Once again, the shower head and slide bar DO NOT have to be the same brand as the valve. They are independent pieces. You can change them at any time if you don't like what you originally get. It doesn't matter what brand valve you get, you can use any brand of shower head. I actually do not like the hansgrohe wall outlet (used with a hose and slide bar or hook). It looks and feels cheap. Rohl makes a nice one, with an adjustable escutcheon. Delta is a similar setup to the Hansgrohe iBox; it's just not as flexible with installation.
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Showers where you have a choice of hand held or overhead is one thing - but when you can run multiple heads at the same time you get into something else. Be aware of the codes in your state. This won't fly in California, for example. Know that multi-head showers that run at the same time SOUND like a cool idea, but the novelty wears off fast. You have to design for it - including your water heater, drain, water lines, etc.
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adawn5
last year
My mom has a hansgrohe system in the master bathroom. Fixed head and handheld. She picked what I thought was the best of the hansgrohe models at the time--the raindance S 150 3-jet fixed head and same for handheld. I've used it and it's nice.

When she redid the hall bath tub/shower, I chose mainly hansgrohe components but I insisted on a speakman fixed shower head (because I prefer to be pummeled vs. a having more spa-like shower spray experience) and I also picked my favorite handheld--the Moen Twist (which I first used in a casita near a national park). Still bought most of the hansgrohe system though, including the tub spout, valves & trim, hose for the handheld, and slide bar for the handheld.

I bought from a large plumbing supply store (Banner Plumbing) with the help of one of the sales people recommended by my contractor. So I learned from the salesperson that you can mix and match to some extent. I can attest that the Moen Twist works just fine with the hansgrohe slidebar and hose. And while they don't display the speakman fixed heads, the sales person knew just what I was talking about when I described what type of shower spray I desired.

FWIW, I don't think I'd want the Moen Twist as my ONLY shower head (too gentle on the flat-side settings IMO for washing thick hair) but it's superb as a handheld accompanying a fixed head.

Best Shower head for handheld and fixed-recommendations please

Comments (3)

artemis78

Connecticut Yankeeeee

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