Hand Shower

Hand Shower Head, Spray and Material

Single function or three. A single-function head gives one even spray and works on low pressure. A three-function head adds massage and mist, which are pleasant on a pumped condo supply and disappointing on a gravity feed, where the massage setting becomes a dribble. Match the head to the pressure, not the brochure.

ABS or brass. Most hand showers are ABS plastic with a chrome or coloured finish, light in the hand and fine in daily use. A brass head is heavier and holds its finish longer but tires the wrist. For a hand shower the ABS is not the compromise it is on a tap.

Rubber nozzles for hard water. Scale blocks fixed nozzles in months in some areas. A face with silicone nozzles can be rubbed clean with a thumb, which is the difference between a hand shower that lasts years and one replaced yearly.

The instant heater's own head. The head that comes with an instant heater is made for its low flow. Replacing it with a restrictive multi-function hand shower can starve the heater and trip its flow switch. If you want a better head on a heater, choose one meant for low pressure, and see the bathroom shower hub for how the pieces fit together.

Hose, Holder and Fitting

The hose is the weak point. A stainless steel double-lock braided hose with an anti-twist end outlasts a PVC hose, which kinks, hardens and splits at the crimp. A hose around one and a half metres reaches the floor and the far corner without trailing.

Holder or sliding bar. A fixed wall holder is simple and cheap. A sliding bar lets the head move between a child's height and an adult's, and is worth it in a family bathroom. Both fix through the tile, so mark the position before tiling and drill without hammer action.

Standard threads, mostly. Hand showers and hoses use a common half-inch thread at both ends, so a head and a hose from different sets will usually fit each other. Check before buying if you are matching an unusual set.

Pair it with the overhead. Where there is a rain shower head too, the hand shower is the rinse-down tool and both should share a finish. An exposed shower set bundles the two on one rail with the diverter built in.

Height of the holder. Around shoulder height for the adults in the house works for most, high enough to shower under without holding it and low enough to reach. A second holder lower down suits children and floor rinsing.