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Showerheads

post #1 of 90
1/19/09 at 3:59pm
Thread Starter 
Can anyone recommend good showerheads? The adjustable kind, not the "rain" kind.

Thanks in advance.
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post #2 of 90
1/19/09 at 6:41pm
Define adjustable, do you need like 20 different spray patterns?
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post #3 of 90
1/19/09 at 6:47pm
FWIW, I use a Speakman. SImple, built well, inexpensive, and widely available. Also easy to remove the water regulator, which is important to me. All showerheads sold in the US have a water flow regulator, which depending on your preferences, may suck. Maybe it will be what you are looking for.
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post #4 of 90
1/19/09 at 9:39pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tokyo Slim View Post
FWIW, I use a Speakman. SImple, built well, inexpensive, and widely available. Also easy to remove the water regulator, which is important to me. All showerheads sold in the US have a water flow regulator, which depending on your preferences, may suck. Maybe it will be what you are looking for.

What's a water regulator?
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post #5 of 90
1/19/09 at 9:41pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by zjpj83 View Post
Can anyone recommend good showerheads? The adjustable kind, not the "rain" kind.

Thanks in advance.

I hate those rain showerheads. It's part of the reason I stopped going to the W when I traveled a lot. You have to stand there like an idiot, scrubbing the soap off you while this enormous shower head piddles pitifully on your head.
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post #6 of 90
1/19/09 at 10:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by likeitaloud View Post
What's a water regulator?
All new showerheads come with a device built in to restrict the flow of water for conservation. 2.5 gallons per minute is the maximum. There is a secret though, they test them at 80PSI which is nowhere near the pressure of the water in any residential house (which means that with std. residential pressure, old pipes, or any other of a number of interferences - you will be lucky to get 1.8 gallons a minute at the showerhead) Many companies build it into the showerhead so that it cannot be removed, in some it is just a little plastic disc with a hole in it that sits right inside the threads where you screw the showerhead onto the neck that comes out of the wall or ceiling. These can be popped out with a screwdriver for more waterflow/pressure if you so desire, and many people desire.
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post #7 of 90
1/19/09 at 11:23pm
Thread Starter 
I've heard of Moen, so that that's the only one I am looking at right now.
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post #8 of 90
1/19/09 at 11:27pm
This is pretty much the exact shower head I have. It's not fancy, but unlike many shower heads out there - it actually feels like you are getting a SHOWER, not being peed on. Here's the company PDF on how to remove the flow regulator. http://www.speakmancompany.com/faqs/download/130
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post #9 of 90
1/19/09 at 11:37pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by zjpj83 View Post
I've heard of Moen, so that that's the only one I am looking at right now.
Moen is alright. IMO Speakman is better quality for the price though. Moen is more "design" than function. Don't get me wrong - they work ok... but they aren't any better than anything else. A bit plasticy and fragile for my tastes. They are available everywhere and are pretty ubiquitous in new construction. Moen, Waterpik, Price Pfister, Hansgrohe, Delta and Kohler are all going to be pretty standard type stuff with a decent price range from $30-$200 The cheaper ones are... cheap. They generally don't offer anything more exciting than more massage spray patterns and brushed chrome/gold/platinum/antique bronze finishes, blah blah blah. They are all plastic. I have quite a bit of finish plumbing and fixture experience, and aside from high end stuff like Grohe, the Speakman is the best showerhead I've ever seen or used. I'm just saying... You asked for a recommendation. Thats what I've got.
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post #10 of 90
1/19/09 at 11:55pm
Or if you are a baller, you can get this. Course, thats about $10k in just the fixture and enclosure costs alone, not including installation.
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post #11 of 90
1/20/09 at 12:04am
I have Grohe fixtures in my baths. Expensive but built to last. They use metal, not cheap plastic valves.
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post #12 of 90
1/20/09 at 12:20am
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Originally Posted by Lucky7 View Post
I have Grohe fixtures in my baths. Expensive but built to last. They use metal, not cheap plastic valves.
Problem is, aside from the rain showers, which are, I believe, still all metal, most of their actual spray heads are indeed chromed plastic now. High grade reinforced chromed plastic, but plastic nonetheless. Its called Grohe Starlite, if I remember correctly. Honestly, it lasts longer and is easier to clean. It makes much more sense to have all the interior waterways done in plastic, since it doesn't corrode. They used to be all brass - but its just too expensive for something that most people will never notice. How often do you take off your showerhead and weigh it? Not very often. Not to mention that buying a showerhead for $250- $600 bucks is a little like spending $900 on sneakers. Nothing wrong with a little luxury - but seriously... That being said, Grohe is nice. If you like the design, and are willing to pay for it - by all means, I won't stop you.
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post #13 of 90
1/20/09 at 12:39am
I think it's always ok to really spend on the things we use a lot. Anything eating/sleep/bathroom related I tend to splurge.
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post #14 of 90
1/20/09 at 12:41am
I generally tend to agree - but if you are going to splurge - don't half ass it with a new showerhead - get a new bathroom. Getting a $300 designer showerhead while you are still using a $30 Delta ball valve shower control and sitting on a $99 American Standard toilet makes about as much sense as a buying a used Rolex with dust. If you were interested in the Grohe stuff, Amazon has some decent prices on them. Adjustable shower heads: http://www.amazon.com/28275000-Relex...422479&sr=1-12 http://www.amazon.com/28197000-Relex...422587&sr=1-65 http://www.amazon.com/Grohe-Champagn...22653&sr=1-145 http://www.amazon.com/Grohe-Movario-...22689&sr=1-184 http://www.amazon.com/Movario-Massag...22727&sr=1-199 http://www.amazon.com/GROHE-Sinfonia...22786&sr=1-259 The main problem I see with this is that unless you want to tear into your wall and replace your shower valve and control trim - these aren't going to match anything else in or near your bathtub. Most of them are pretty distinctive looking.
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post #15 of 90
1/20/09 at 12:46am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tokyo Slim View Post
I generally tend to agree - but if you are going to splurge - don't half ass it with a new showerhead - get a new bathroom.
Getting a $300 designer showerhead while you are still using a $30 Delta ball valve shower control and sitting on a $99 American Standard toilet makes about as much sense as a buying a used Rolex with dust.



I live in a fairly posh building on Michigan ave, it doesn't exactly have standard fittings.
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