But after using this model for a couple of weeks, we found ourselves going back to just a few settings. The variety is exceptional, which is great for larger households with different preferences. The main, 6¾-inch head is more than wide enough to provide an enveloping waterfall, while the handheld’s 3¾-inch head has higher-pressure sprays that can easily clear out shampoo. The 26008’s massage setting was the most powerful we tested. Reliable: We considered showerheads from major manufacturers and smaller companies, weighing things like warranties, customer support, and availability of replacement parts.īetween its rain-shower and handheld settings, the 26008 also offers every possible shower experience, including pulsating, massage-like sprays drenching rain-shower sprays gentler, wavy ones effusive mists and the traditional concentric rings of a silky, ropelike spray.Easy to clean: Scale-resistant silicone or polymer nozzles let you simply rub them clean with your hand, an improvement over more-clog-prone plastic or metal nozzles.Aesthetically pleasing: We sought showerheads with a sleek and understated look that could fit into all styles of bathrooms.Has positive reviews: When it comes to showerheads, people’s subjective impressions are important, and we took notice of any models with a high volume of customer satisfaction.(This is another detail we waived for the Nebia by Moen-installation takes a bit longer, but it’s simple and the additional parts are all included.) Installs in minutes: You should need an adjustable wrench and some Teflon tape, and ideally nothing else this ruled out options that required drilling or mounting hardware.For handheld models, the head should mount and detach easily and securely, and it should never fall out unexpectedly. Settings should be clear and easy to adjust, especially while the water is pouring out. Easy to use and handle: In most multifunction showerheads, a spray dial sets the spray pattern.

(We made exceptions for the High Sierra and the Nebia by Moen because their solo spray options serve a specific purpose.) A massage spray should target sore muscles or quickly rinse shampoo. Includes multiple spray patterns: A rain-shower spray should be wide enough to drench and envelop your entire body.

We sought models that are available everywhere. Colorado has similar restrictions, and other states are adopting them as well. In 2018, California reduced the maximum showerhead gpm from 2.0 to 1.8.

Meets current regulations: We considered only those showerheads with a water flow of less than or equal to 2.5 gallons per minute (gpm), the federally mandated flow rate.

Editor Joshua Lyon met virtually with industry reps at IBS/KBIS in February 2021, interviewed Moen’s director of industrial design, and spent four months showering with our previous picks and testing new models. He returned to IBS/KBIS in January 2020, on the hunt for new showerheads to test for this guide. The guide’s longtime editor, Harry Sawyers, has written about how a home’s shower works, and he has interviewed lots of people in the bath-fixture business on trips to KBIS and to the International Builders’ Show over the past 15 years. It also builds on the work of senior staff writer Tim Heffernan, who spent months testing showerheads for the 2016 version of this guide and met with industry reps at the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS). This guide builds on the work of Sabrina Imbler, who spoke (on the phone and in person, at the gargantuan Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas) with product managers (the folks who oversee every aspect of a showerhead, from design and engineering to materials, manufacture, and quality control) at Moen, Kohler, Delta, Toto, and High Sierra.

Dual waterfall shower head