Shower heads and shower sets

A shower set consists of three things: the fixed head, the handset and the system feeding them. The underlying decision is how the water gets there, and that determines whether the works touch the wall. A built-in system hides all the mechanics inside the partition and leaves only the control and the head on view; it is the cleanest result, but it needs building work and must be decided before tiling, because the concealed body is installed with the wall open.

The shower column is the no-works alternative. It connects to the existing supply where the old tap was, combines overhead head, handset and control in a single vertical body, and installs in a morning. Visually it is more present than a built-in system, but it resolves a partial refurbishment without breaking tiling. For a bathroom that is only being updated, it is almost always the right option.

On the head, size governs the sensation. Below 20 centimetres the spray concentrates and feels punchier; from 25-30 centimetres the water falls as enveloping rain, which is the feel most people are after, but it spreads the flow over a larger area and can underwhelm if the home's pressure is low. In upper-floor flats or with marginal pressure, an oversized head disappoints: check the available pressure before choosing.

The handset is not a secondary accessory: it is what gets used daily to rinse off, clean the shower itself and wash children or pets. It is worth having several spray patterns and a slide bar, which lets you adjust the height for different users. And a practical detail: heads with anti-limescale silicone nozzles clean with a wipe of the finger, while smooth-finish ones need descaler, especially in hard-water areas.

One last consideration is the installation height. The fixed head should sit around 15 to 20 centimetres above the tallest user's head, which usually means 210 to 220 centimetres from the floor. Going too high spreads the spray and loses the sense of pressure; too low and it becomes uncomfortable. With a built-in system this height is fixed for good, so it is worth marking it on the wall before opening anything.