Choosing a shower set for your bathroom

Are you looking for the perfect shower set for your bathroom, but are unsure which to choose from the countless models, designs and brands on offer? No problem! This mini guide will show you the most important similarities and differences and help you reach a decision.

Shower sets, columns and systems

A shower set or shower column is generally a complete system including a shower hose, shower head, wall mount and shower rod. A suitable wall mount or shower rod on which you can hang the shower head are often included in these sets.

Modern shower systems tend to offer even more, such as an additional fixed overhead shower head, which can be switched on when desired for a pleasant sprinkling stream of water. Further comfort features are often hidden in the tap system – a thermostat, for example, that regulates the water temperature to a precise degree. This ensures that your desired water temperature is always maintained, even if the pressure conditions vary in the warm and cold water pipes.

Modern shower heads offer more

When choosing a new shower set, don’t be swayed by design alone. Needless to say it should look and feel as though it fits with the other elements of your bathroom and your personal style, but the most important aspect in day-to-day use is the range of jet settings on offer.

If you only hold the shower head to clean the shower or to rinse off soap suds, a simple shower head with a normal jet is perfectly sufficient. With showers like this, the intensity of the water pressure can only be altered at the taps: the further you turn the tap, the more powerful the stream of water from the shower head.

However, if you prefer a very comfortable shower and want to give your bathroom more of a spa-like atmosphere, you would be better off choosing a shower head with different jet settings. Then, depending on your mood, you could either enjoy a gentle summer shower or treat yourself to a massaging power shower to release everyday tensions or prevent muscle ache after a training session.

Changing from one jet setting to the next is usually done by turning or pushing a lever or button on the shower head itself. This movement changes the setting on the shower head, perhaps from a massaging power shower to an extra gentle stream – a mixture of water and air that forms bubbles on the skin and is particularly efficient for washing off shampoo and shower gel.

Fitting your new shower set correctly

If you have chosen a shower set with a handheld shower head, then a shower rod is the best option for fixing it to the wall. It allows you to raise or lower the shower head as you wish to suit your height. When selecting a rod, make sure that it is long enough and that its diameter corresponds with your chosen shower set.

If you are replacing an old shower set, you should also ensure, where possible, that the hole spacing in the new shower rod matches the old one, so you can reuse the drill holes. Alternatively, you can choose a shower set with variable hole spacing so that you can adjust it to fit with the existing drill holes.

If you prefer to keep both hands free when showering, or you only detach the head to clean the shower or rinse off shampoo, a simple wall mount for the shower head is also sufficient.