* 11 Different Types of Shower Heads to Know

So, you are renovating your old bathroom or building a new one from scratch. Yeah, there is a whole lot to do and to think about. One of the things you will have to decide on is what type of shower head you want. This may seem pretty straightforward, because after all, a shower head is a shower head, right?

Well, not exactly, as there are a plethora of types to consider, and yes, they can have some pretty big differences between them. Let’s get to it and take a look at the 11 different types of shower heads you should know before picking one.

#1: Wall-Mounted Shower Heads

The wall-mounted shower head is also known simply as a regular shower head, the type that most people are used to, the type you will find in many homes, apartments, gyms, motels, and more. This is the basic type of shower head, one that is just mounted right on the wall and usually has a single spray pattern that cannot be adjusted.

That said, some modern wall-mounted shower heads may allow you to adjust the spray volume and patterns. These regular shower heads are great if you want something basic and affordable that you can buy nearly everywhere. They’re simple, durable, affordable, and easy to install, not to mention that they usually have decent water pressure too.

That said, they don’t look super nice and most of them cannot be adjusted in any way.

#2: Handheld Shower Heads

The next option at your disposal is the handheld shower head. This type is also wall-mounted, but it comes complete with a long and flexible hose. This means that you can take the shower head itself off the wall, hold it in your hands, and hold it right against your body or head.

The fact that you can choose exactly where to spray the water is pretty convenient no doubt, and the nice ones will also allow you to adjust the spray pattern and volume. These are also cool because you don’t have to hold them, as they are generally always wall-mounted, so you can also use them as a regular wall mounted shower head.

A handheld shower head is also ideal for various tasks such as for bathing children and babies, for bathing pets, and for feeling a lot of water pressure on your body (because you can hold them close). The only downside with these is that the hoses can start to deteriorate and leak over time.

See my handheld shower head recommendations

See my handheld shower head with slide bar recommendations

#3: Low-Flow Shower Heads

Low-flow shower heads are also sometimes known as eco-friendly, eco-conscious, or water-saving shower heads, and they can be wall-mounted, ceiling-mounted, or in some cases handheld as well. As you can guess by the name of them, these are designed to help save water, thus cutting down on your water consumption and your water bill.

Of course, this is a good thing to have if you live in an area where you are paying a ton of money for water, or if you live in an area where there just isn’t much water to spare, where every drop counts. If you are all about saving water, the environment, and money, then this type of shower head is for you.

That said, as you could imagine, a low-flow shower head doesn’t have much water pressure, so it’s not something that is ideal for washing shampoo out of hair or for a relaxing massage-like experience.

#4: High-Pressure Shower Heads

On the other hand, the exact opposite of the low-flow or eco shower head is the high-pressure shower head. A high-pressure shower head can come in the form of a regular wall-mounted head or as a handheld version too.

As you can imagine, based on the name of it, this type of shower head is designed specifically to provide maximum possible water pressure and volume. These are great if you want a fast and efficient shower, to really blast the soap and dirt off your body. These are also nice because they can provide a massage-like shower experience.

However, the downside here is of course that high-pressure shower heads use a ridiculous amount of water, which most people would define as being wasteful. They definitely are not suitable if you are aiming to save water, not to mention that they will end up jacking up your water bill too.

#5: Rain Shower Heads

One of the coolest and most stylish-looking types of shower heads out there is the rain shower head, also known as the rainfall shower head. This is a type of shower head that is generally mounted on the ceiling, although there are ones that involve several individual shower heads to create a full-on rainstorm effect.

This type of shower head is much larger than the other types, often being up to 14 inches or more in diameter. These are designed to gently pour water down on you and to recreate the feeling of standing in the rain, something that some people find to be very relaxing and calming. They are great for couples that like to shower together.

Yes, rainfall shower heads look very nice and they provide a relaxing feeling, but they are also quite expensive and not the best choice if water pressure is a concern. Due to the large size of these things, they have limited water pressure, so if you are looking to wash the soap away, it can take a while.

See my recommendations for shower heads for couples

#6: Shower Panels

Along with rainfall shower heads, shower panels are another one of the coolest, fanciest, and most awesome looking types of shower heads around. These usually feature a large panel that goes from waist-height all the way (almost) to the ceiling.

They usually have a fairly large spray head, sometimes even as large as a rainfall shower head (generally not quite as large), and they usually have plenty of pressure too. What is really cool about these is that they often come with various spray positions so you can direct water at yourself from overhead and from in front of you.

The fanciest of shower panels can even be mounted on the sides of your shower as well, thus effectively showering you from three sides and the top. Many even come complete with LED screens, advanced controls, a high level of functionality, and tons of options and customizability too. Most even come with a hose and a special handheld shower head for even more versatility.

The downside to this type of shower head, more than anything else, is the price. These can cost thousands of dollars. Those features cost money. There’s also the fact that this is not something you will be able to install on your own.

#7: Filtered Shower Heads

A very unique type of shower head to consider is the filtered variety. The defining feature of this type of shower head is that it contains a water filter built right into it. The idea here is to remove various impurities and minerals from the water, in order to make the water cleaner, softer, and safer.

These filters can remove all sorts of things from your water including chlorine, sulfur, and various minerals.

The result here is healthier water that is much better for your skin and hair, as well as fewer hard water spots in your shower. The downside to filtered shower heads is that the filters require regular changes, plus they can sometimes also suffer from low pressure.

See my filtered shower head recommendations

#8: Ceiling Shower Heads

A ceiling shower head is like a mix between a regular wall mounted shower head and a rainfall shower head. They generally have all of the same features as the regular wall-mounted variety, with the notable difference being that they are mounted on the ceiling.

It’s a good way to get that rainfall effect without sacrificing water pressure. Other than that, there is nothing super special about this type of shower head.

#9: Dual Shower Heads

The next type of shower head to consider is the dual shower head. What you get here is a combination of a handheld shower head and a wall-mounted or rain shower head.

Just imagine all of the benefits that you get with a handheld model, such as being able to accurately direct waterflow, having the nozzle close to you, and being able to adjust the water pattern and pressure, combined with the ability to just take a quick shower via the wall-mounted head.

These generally have good pressure and people really love their versatility too. The only problem here, besides the increased cost, is that there are a lot of connection points that can leak and break.

See my rain and handheld combo shower head recommendations

#10: LED Shower Head

If your main concern is aesthetics or having a really cool looking shower, then an LED shower head might be ideal for you. What’s cool here is of course that they are lit up, and the color of the lights usually change with the water temperature, and some even allow you to set specific light colors and patterns. They add a cool ambiance to your shower.

There is also the fact that these can be wall-mounted, ceiling, mounted, or handheld. These LED shower heads often come with various spray types too. Moreover, rainfall shower heads and panel showers sometimes have LED elements as well.

The only real downfall here is that you end up paying a whole lot more for a shower head just because it lights up.

#11: RV Shower Head

The final type of shower head worth mentioning is the RV shower head, and as you can guess, these are designed specifically for RVs, although there is no reason why you couldn’t install one in your home. These are designed specifically to save water, mainly because RVs have small water tanks, thus preventing you from using up all of the water in your RV in a single shower.

These tend to have really small spray cones, so there is not much water hitting you at once, but they do have good water pressure. All of that said, unless you have an RV, it’s not the first option we’d go for.

Summary

The bottom line here is that what kind of shower head you get depends on what your needs and preferences are. While not in the list above, there are also Bluetooth shower heads that can play music.

Seeing as there are so many types, we aren’t going to necessarily recommend one over the other. You just need to consider the obvious factors when choosing the one that you think will work best for you.