In Stock Showers

A guide to choosing a shower from six makers

This collection gathers showers from Caroma, Meir, Nero, Phoenix, Indigo and Fienza. It holds rails with a hand shower, twin systems with an overhead rose and a hand piece, hand showers on a bracket, rain heads, shower arms and a grab rail set. The makers use different names, but the choice comes down to the same few questions: which format, which height, which size, how much water and pressure, which finish and who fits it.

What puts a shower in this collection is its tags: it is a shower, it carries the In Stock tag and it carries the Instant Ship delivery speed tag. The tags also record where the stock is held, at the store's distribution centre or with the supplier. They do not give a delivery time, so confirm the time with the store before you rely on a date, and read the product details for the format, the size and the box contents as you would on any other shower.

The figures below come from the listings. For the full range, see showers. For the formats on their own, see shower on rails, hand held shower heads, rain showers, shower arms and compact twin showers.

The four formats

• A fixed head is mounted to the wall or ceiling and does not move.
• A hand shower comes off its holder on a hose.
• A rail system carries a head that slides up and down a vertical bar.
• A rain head is a large overhead head on a ceiling or an extended wall arm.

A retailer buying guide describes them the same way. It says fixed heads are simple to install and offer no height or angle adjustment. Hand showers suit rinsing, cleaning, washing pets and people with limited mobility, though the hose can be bulky. Rail heads work hands-free or handheld and suit households of mixed heights, though the fixture is bulkier and needs secure mounting. Rain heads give broad coverage, may need higher water pressure, are less suited to targeted rinsing, and are harder to install on a ceiling.

Rail systems

A rail system is the most flexible format in the collection, and the listings split it into two kinds. In the first kind the water inlet is separate to the rail. The Caroma Urbane II rail lists a separate inlet, an easy-slide rail height adjustment, silicone nozzles and a smooth metal hose. The Fienza Kaya rail is a hand shower on a slider that adjusts height and angle, with an adjustable length between the wall fixings of 400 to 550 mm, an overall height of 703 mm and a 120 mm head. The Nero Mecca rail comes with a hand shower, a rail, a hose, an adapter, a bracket and two back plates.

In the second kind the water flows through the rail. The Meir combination rails take the water through the rail itself and include a diverter that you twist to switch between the overhead rose and the hand shower. See Meir gooseneck twin rail showers for those, and Meir showers for the whole brand. The point to settle first is where the water comes from. A rail with its own inlet suits a bathroom that already has a supply at the right height, and a rail that carries the water suits a wall where you can choose the pipe position.

Twin systems with an overhead

A twin system joins a rose and a hand piece. The Caroma Liano II compact twin carries a 300 mm rain head on a gooseneck arm and a microphone-style hand shower with 3 spray functions, with an integrated diverter and a smooth metal hose. Both outlets are rated 3 star at 9 litres per minute, and the listing names a PVD finish. The Phoenix NX Orli twin has a 290 by 210 mm head and a 100 mm square hand piece, a top inlet rotary diverter that fits an existing half inch connection, and a concealed rail installation. Its overhead and hand shower are each rated 3 star at 8 litres per minute.

The compact twin suits a wall where the outlet is already in the right place and you want a second head without moving anything. A twin on a rail suits a household that differs in height. For more of the brand pages, see Caroma showers and Phoenix showers.

Hand showers

A hand shower on a bracket is the simplest way to add a second function. The Indigo Ciara hand shower sits on an adjustable bracket that pivots up and down, so the listing says it can serve as a main shower. It has 3 spray settings, silicone nozzles and an electroplated matte black finish, and it fits an existing shower spigot. It is rated 3 star at 9 litres per minute, with an operating pressure of 150 to 500 kPa. The Phoenix Vivid hand shower is a 5 function hand piece with angle adjustment, rated 5 star at 6 litres per minute. The Caroma Urbane II hand shower is rated 4 star at 7.5 litres per minute, on a wall bracket with a metal hose.

The star ratings differ widely here, and so does the feel. A 5 star hand piece uses 6 litres per minute and a 3 star one uses up to 9. Choose by the use. A hand piece that rinses a basin or a child does not need strong flow, and one that is the main shower does. See Indigo showers for the brand page.

Rain heads

A rain head is a large flat head that gives a soft, falling spray. The collection has them in 200 mm and 300 mm. The Caroma 200 mm round rain head is rated 4 star at 7.5 litres per minute, 44 mm high, with a G1/2 thread and silicone nozzles, and it is sold as the head alone. The Caroma 300 mm round and square rain heads are rated 3 star at 9 litres per minute. The Contura II 300 mm rain shower is stainless steel, rated 4 star at 7.5 litres per minute, with an operating pressure of 150 to 1000 kPa.

Guides put round fixed heads at 200 to 300 mm, with 150 to 200 mm for low-pressure systems, and advise avoiding heads over 250 mm on low pressure unless a pump is fitted. A bigger face does not add flow. It spreads the same water across more nozzles, so the streams soften. Choose the 200 mm head for modest pressure and the 300 mm head for a strong supply and a roomy enclosure.

Arms and mounting

The arm sets where the head sits. A wall arm projects 300 to 400 mm from the wall, and a ceiling arm drops the head over the middle of the shower. The Caroma Luna straight ceiling arm has a short 210 mm drop and a soft square plate, and the Indigo Ciara ceiling arm is 300 mm. A retailer guide says ceiling arms hang from overhead and suit rounded heads for a rainfall effect, and that they take more vertical space and work best with a high ceiling. An arm sold on its own carries no star rating, because it passes water and does not control the flow. See ceiling showers for more.

A grab rail with an adjustable slider

The Nero Mecca Care set combines a 25 mm grab rail with an adjustable rail 900 mm long, in stainless steel with a PVD finish. The listing says the rail can be shortened during installation to suit your bathroom, and describes 25 mm rails as suitable for heavy duty towel rails and smaller hands in non-DDA bathrooms. The box holds the rail, a shower head, a 1.5 m hose and a slider, with a slider 100 mm long and a projection of 75.5 mm. It is rated 3 star at 9 litres per minute at 150 to 500 kPa. The listing is for a bathroom that is not covered by the DDA, so check what your project needs before treating it as an access fitting.

How high a shower should be

Published heights sit in a narrow band. A fixed wall head sits 2000 to 2100 mm above the finished floor to the centre of the arm outlet, and 2100 to 2200 mm for a tall household. A head on a ceiling arm sits at 2100 to 2200 mm depending on the ceiling. The top of a rail sits about 1800 to 1900 mm up, and a wall mixer about 1000 to 1100 mm. A manufacturer guide sets the minimum gap between a rain head and the user's head at 20 cm. Confirm the height at rough-in, as retail guides advise, because tiling fixes it. Tell the plumber about any diverter early: it needs two outlets at different heights, and the linings close that off.

Pressure, flow and the star rating

The listings give two pressure figures. Most state an operating pressure of 150 to 500 kPa, and a few, such as the Contura II range, state 150 to 1000 kPa. A simple check at home is the bucket test. A 10 litre bucket that fills in under 60 seconds under the shower points to good pressure, and guides advise avoiding large overhead heads below about 200 kPa.

The ratings in the collection run from 3 to 5 stars. A 3 star product runs at 7.5 to 9 litres per minute, a 4 star at about 7.5, and the 5 star Phoenix hand piece at 6. A buying guide gives the saving from 9 to 7.5 litres per minute as more than 5,000 litres a year. Some instantaneous gas hot water systems need a higher flow to fire, so a low-flow head may not suit them. If you have one, check before choosing a 4 or 5 star head. A manufacturer guide says a high-pressure style head changes the nozzle design to feel stronger and cannot increase mains pressure.

Reading the star bands

The star rating is a band of flow, measured in litres per minute. A government planning page says the Plumbing Code of Australia requires new developments to use showerheads of no more than 9 litres per minute, which equals 3 stars. It says a head with a nominal flow of 7.5 litres per minute or less earns 4 stars if it passes the spray force and coverage tests. The same page lists the bands used in a state water efficiency scheme: more than 7.5 to 9.0, more than 6.0 to 7.5, and more than 4.5 to 6.0 litres per minute. It says to choose the least efficient band if the flow is unknown.

A consumer comparison site adds that registered showerheads must display their flow rate clearly and that you can look up a head's registration in the WELS database. It also notes that a low flow rate does not by itself show how the spray will feel. So the star count tells you how much water a head uses, and the product page or a review tells you how it performs. The 5 star hand piece in this collection, at 6 litres per minute, sits in the lowest of those bands, and the 4 star heads at 7.5 sit at the top of theirs.

Finishes and what they are made of

The finishes include chrome, matte black, brushed nickel, brushed brass, brushed bronze, gunmetal, gold and champagne. The listings name the process, and it differs by product: PVD on the Caroma and Nero finishes, electroplating on the Fienza chrome rail and the Indigo matte black. According to a retailer help page, PVD is significantly harder and more durable than traditional plating. A coastal note from one maker suggests marine grade stainless steel for a coastal home, and a maintenance guide says 316 is the grade for coastal and marine settings. For finish-led browsing, see chrome showers, black showers, brushed nickel showers, brushed brass showers, bronze showers and gunmetal showers.

Match the finish to the mixer and the other fittings. One buying guide advises a finish that goes with the basin mixers, bath taps and accessories. For mixers, see shower mixers.

How to clean a shower

Limescale is the main problem, especially in hard-water areas. A cleaning guide gives a schedule: clean the head monthly if your water is hard, and every two to three months if your water is soft, and wipe it after each shower. For a fixed head, tie a sturdy plastic bag of warm water with a few drops of mild dishwashing liquid over it, soak for 30 to 60 minutes, rinse, scrub the holes with a toothbrush and dry with a soft cloth. Silicone nozzles can be rubbed with a finger to dislodge mineral deposits.

The sources disagree on vinegar. A retailer guide advises soaking a stubborn head overnight in white vinegar and water. A cleaning guide advises against vinegar on modern heads and says it is acceptable only on standard chrome or plastic. It warns that acid can cause discolouration or peeling on matte black, brushed nickel, gunmetal and other PVD or electroplated finishes. For a coated finish, use warm soapy water.

Fitting a shower

The retailer guide says basic fixed heads can often be replaced as a DIY task, while rail and ceiling rain installations are better suited to a licensed plumber who can ensure correct fitting, good pressure and compliance. A like-for-like swap on an existing half inch arm takes under about 15 to 20 minutes. Turn the water off at the shower valve and unscrew the old head anticlockwise. Clean the threads of old tape and scale, wrap new thread seal tape clockwise two to three times, hand-tighten the new head, give it one gentle turn with a wrench and check for leaks.

Rules vary by state. In Western Australia the building regulator allows an owner or occupier to maintain, repair or replace a shower head, and leaves other water supply plumbing to a licensed plumber or permit holder. A new rail, a changed outlet or a ceiling install is plumber work in any state.

What is in the box

• The Caroma Urbane II rail: the hand piece, the rose or rail parts as the listing states, the slider, the hose and the instructions.
• The Nero Mecca rail: a hand shower with a built-in check valve, the rail, the hose, an adapter, a bracket and two back plates.
• The Indigo Ciara hand shower: the hand shower, the adjustable wall bracket, the hose and the instructions.
• The Phoenix Vivid hand shower: the hand piece, a wall bracket, an installation kit, a metal hose and the instructions.
• The rain heads: the head and the instructions, with a fixing kit where the listing names one.
• The arms: the arm, with a fixing kit where the listing names one.

Anything the listing does not name should be treated as a separate purchase, bought with the rest in the same finish.

How to choose a shower

1. Decide who uses it: one adult, a family of mixed heights, or someone who needs a hand shower as the main shower.
2. Pick the format: rail, twin, hand shower or rain head, and the arm if you need one.
3. Find the height of the wall outlet and the position of the water inlet.
4. Size the head to the shower zone and your pressure, using the bucket test.
5. Check the star rating and flow against your hot water system.
6. Select a finish to match the mixer, and check whether it is PVD or electroplated, since that sets how you clean it.
7. Book a licensed plumber if the outlet, the arm position or the rail changes.

Who uses the shower, the position of the outlet and the pressure test settle the format, and the finish is the last choice.