Good water pressure is the be all and end all to making a really great shower. You could have the biggest, nicest, stone marble and custom designed shower in the universe, but if you had only a trickle of water pressure you’d be miserable. A good strong flow is essential, you need a powerful shower head.
Help! I have low water pressure!
Low water pressure can be caused by;
- your municipal water supply (i.e. the pipes to your house)
- your plumbing (the pipes on your property and in your house)
- your shower head
If you have low water pressure throughout your entire house it is likely going to be caused by either your municipal water supply or the supply plumbing on your property. You can consult your local plumber who can check your plumbing for corrosion and blockages. If this is the case, you or your plumber might be able to fix the issue by adjusting your pressure reducing valve. Otherwise some old pipework may need replacing.
If you just have low water pressure in your shower it might be caused by your bathroom plumbing or your shower head. If your water pressure has become low, there might be corrosion in your bathroom pipes or your shower head might be starting to clog. Try cleaning your shower head with the how to guide that we’re published here.
If your shower water pressure has always been low and weak, you can check for the presence of and try removing or altering the flow restrictor in your shower head.
Under United States law, shower heads can only be sold with a water flow of no more than 2.5 gallons per minute. To comply with this law, shower head manufacturers and distributor companies add a small plastic flow restrictor to their shower heads.
You can remove the flow restrictor or water saver by unscrewing your shower head. Locating the colored plastic restrictor, then pulling it out with a pair of pliers or a screwdriver. For some of the more difficult ones to remove, you might need to try screwing a screw into it, to give you something to grip so that you can remove it easier.
If you prefer to stay within the law and keep your water bill down, your other option is to find a shower head specifically designed to deliver higher pressure. Though a high pressure shower that replicates the Commando 450 from that episode of Seinfeld, find a high pressure shower head and remove the flow restrictor too.
The best high pressure shower heads
| Sl No | Product | Product Link |
| 1 | Speakman Icon Anystream High Pressure Shower Head | Check Latest Price and Reviews |
| 2 | Waterpik Elements 5 Mode Showerhead | Check Latest Price and Reviews |
| 3 | Waterpik Original 4 Mode Massage Showerhead | Check Latest Price and Reviews |
| 4 | Delta Water Amplifying Showerhead with H2OKINETIC technology | Check Latest Price and Reviews |
| 5 | High Sierra 1.5 gpm High Efficiency Low Flow Shower Head | Check Latest Price and Reviews |
What is a high pressure shower head?
A high pressure shower head is designed to deliver higher water pressure with the same amount of water flow.
This is achieved through either adjustable spray settings or a pressure chamber design. Adjustable spray settings simply condense your shower head spray for a smaller but stronger shower. A pressure chamber works by adding air and pressure to the shower water, forcing the water out at higher pressure.
You Can also check : A Guide to the Best Low Flow Shower Head
Advantages of a high pressure shower head
- Better washing. Showering in higher pressure water allows you to wash and rinse much easier.
- Feel better. A hot high pressure shower feels amazing on a cold morning. For most people, water pressure is directly related to their pleasure in the shower.
- Less water. Use less water for the same pressure and flow feel compared to using an ordinary shower head.
How do I find the best high pressure shower head for me?
- Which pressure design. Does the head use adjustable settings or a pressure chamber? View the product descriptions, generally some special design or a pressure chamber will give a better shower than some simple adjustable setting.
- Wide or narrow? Are you looking to just increase pressure or do you have really low pressure in your home? If you have really low pressure, you might consider choosing a narrower head size. This will give you a smaller spray area but a much stronger shower.
- Water flow rate. You may be tempted to try and find one that has as close to the maximum 2.5 gallons/minute legally allowed, but a lot of the best “high pressure” showerheads are designed for low flow situations, so don’t be surprised if the one you buy is 1.5-1.75 gallons per minute. You can also try removing the flow restrictor on your chosen shower head to increase the water flow and pressure.
- Quality. Check the reviews and stick with the well known manufactures. As a high pressure shower head will have more parts (such as a pressure chamber), you’ll want to buy a good quality shower head so that it will last, giving you great showers for many years to come.
Reviews of the top 5 high pressure shower heads
1. Speakman Icon Anystream High Pressure Shower Head
When it comes to high pressure shower heads, you really can’t go past the Speakman Anystream range – they are a standard fitting in the showers of many luxury hotel rooms including Sheraton, Marriott, Hilton, Intercontinental, Radisson and Crowne Plaza, to name just a few.
The Anystream Icon is the brand’s best selling showerhead and features the Speakman Plunger system to amplify water pressure, allowing it to deliver a high pressure, full body drenching spray even under low water pressure.
2. Waterpik Elements 5 Mode Showerhead
Waterpik have developed “OptiFlow”, which is their high pressure, full body spray enhancing system that is designed to deliver 30% more water pressure, even in low water pressure environments.
Most people are reporting that they chose to remove the water limiting disc from this shower head before installation to maximize the amount of water pressure – and there are plenty of satisfied people with this shower head in their home – even some who find it better than their pre-water saving shower head. The best part? This amazing shower head costs less than $25.
3. Waterpik Original 4 Mode Massage Showerhead
Much like the Waterpik Elements shower head above. This massaging showerhead from Waterpik also features the same Optiflow technology to increase water pressure by 30% and help you have an amazing shower.
If you remember to remove the water saving device from this shower head, you’ll enjoy a great full pressure shower at a very affordable price.
4. Delta Water Amplifying Showerhead with H2OKINETIC technology
This shower head from Delta features their H2OKINETIC water amplifying technology that creates larger water droplets from the shower head. Which makes it feel like there is a lot more water pressure and flow than it is actually using by adding air to the water.
With over 3385 5 star reviews on Amazon, there are a lot of people out there having amazing showers every morning with this shower head – why don’t you join them?
5. High Sierra 1.5 gpm High Efficiency Low Flow Shower Head
I know what you might be thinking upon seeing the name of this shower head – 1.5 gallons per minute isn’t going to satisfy me. However, don’t let its low water usage put you off. This amazing shower head from High Sierra has a unique spray design that concentrates the water flow. As some purchasers have described it, it is almost like getting sprayed by a fire hydrant.
Most people are reporting that this showerhead delivers a lot more pressure than most 2.5 gpm models from hardware stores – and there is amazing after sales support from High Sierra as well.