If you've recently moved somewhere where the shower is a little disappointing then let us introduce the best thing you'll probably ever buy for your home, AKA a high-pressure shower head. This is the ultimate easy solution to weak water pressure, and switching yours won't just improve your shower time but it'll bring a new lease of life to your bathroom — plus they are super easy to fit yourself.
As a team, our writers and editors pulled together to test a bunch of shower heads, to see if they really improve water pressure. And the results are just below. Because not all of us are in the position to just replace our shower completely. And quite frankly, not all of us want to. If you've researched how to increase your water pressure and are yet to have any luck, then we can definitely help.
Here we've featured products that have been tested hands-on, plus buys that come highly recommended by reviewers. These shower heads offer a range of modes so that anyone can enjoy your new (and improved) shower, from little ones to people with sensitive skin and the people out there who use mist mode. Think everything from filtration systems to a rainfall mode and even anti-limescale features — it's all there.
For more budget-friendly ways to spruce your bathroom, then we've got an entire guide to save you money (and the research to back it too).
The best high-pressure shower heads
Why you can trust Real Homes Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
Shower heads we've tested
For the shower heads we have tested, we've included a Reach statistic. To get this stat, we turned on the shower and placed the head facing upwards in our tub. We measured the distance the water reached. This way, you can compare the reach of your current shower head to ensure it will improve pressure. Do note, however, that everyone's water pressure will be different, so you won't be able to replicate these stats exactly.
Our favourite high-pressure shower head
Type: Standalone (with hose)
Finish: Chrome
Modes: 6 - Shower Spray, Mist+ Spray, Mist, Mist+ Massage, Spray Massage and Power Massage
Reach: 220cm+
Approved by the Real Homes team, this easy-fit shower head enhanced our water pressure by a considerable amount. Not only that but there are six modes to choose from using the sleek button on the side of the shower head. It also comes with a new anti-kink hose, and it has a pearlescent anti-limescale head in a chrome finish. In testing, in its most powerful mode, it was hitting our ceiling its pressure was so strong. We also like its squared head, as it fits with the look of our bathroom and in our eyes, it looks more elegant than rounded options.
Real Homes rating: 5 out of 5 stars
An easy-to-clean shower head
Type: Standalone
Finish: Chrome/White
Modes: 5 - Jet, Blast, Spray, Rain and Drench
Reach: 220cm
This one gives you all the mod cons you expect from a modern shower head, at an absolute bargain price. It offers five different settings and thanks to Dura-Flow — a removable ‘push and twist’ spray plate — it's super easy to clean, even in those hard-to-reach places. Much similar to our first pick, its pressure was so strong it managed to hit our ceiling when facing upwards in the tub. It's easy to fit and it has a small lever for changing the spray. The only thing to note is it doesn't come with a new hose.
Real Homes rating: 5 out of 5 stars
The best budget-friendly high-pressure shower head
Type: Standalone
Finish: Chrome
Modes: 3 - Rainfall, Jetting, Massage
Reach: 130cm
Depending on how strong your current shower head is, this £12 one will offer a big boost in water pressure. Otherwise, it has countless pinholes and three modes and three layers of filtration to remove chlorine and fluoride toxins as well as heavy metals, rust and odour from your water. If you live in a hard water area it's a true winner. Going from an already powerful shower head, we would recommend measuring your current pressure and comparing it with what we discovered in our testing. After putting this shower head on its strongest mode, the Massage mode, its pressure measures 130cm in height. On the Rainfall setting, it hit 30cm and on Jetting mode, it was around 110cm. It comes with extra beads and a spare rubber plate.
Real Homes rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Shower heads we chose based on reviews
A basic high-pressure shower head
Type: Standalone
Finish: Chrome/White
Modes: 4
Rated 4.5 stars by 2,000+ Amazon reviewers, this Mira Showers option boasts four modes. The rubber nozzles are designed to be easy to clean to keep on top of limescale, and you can simply rub over them to wipe away anything that could be clogging them. A great option for those looking for anyone who wants something basic.
A wall-mounted option
Type: Wall-mounted
Finish: Chrome/Polished Brass/Brushed Nickel
Modes: 3
As far as style goes, this is our favourite for wall-mounted shower types. It boasts a whopping 36 silicone rubber nozzles to help blast your water out at a higher pressure, plus it has a removable flow limiter which is recommended to be removed by those who have a low water pressure system to get the best results. The shower head body is made from lightweight and extremely durable ABS plastic and the surface is coated with an attractive metal finish that will match most other bathroom fixtures. This model has been designed to work well in hard water areas as it has a self-cleaning nozzle to prevent calcium buildup.
The best luxury pick
Type: Standalone
Finish: Polished Chrome/Brushed Nickel
Modes: 3
If your water pressure is low, you probably can't remember the last time a hot shower relieved your muscle aches and pains. The Yoo.Mee Handheld Shower Head will bring back that sweet feeling of relaxation — it delivers super strong spray action. It has a multifunction option that allows you to choose between various spray strengths including Powerful Shooting and Pulse Massage. The hose on this shower head is also said to be very neat and compact so it doesn’t take up too much space in your shower cubicle. Even better? It looks the part and comes in two finishes.
Real Homes review process — how we tested these high-pressure shower heads
We've had hands-on experience with three of these high-pressure shower heads, and we are working to test a load more. With this in mind, we've had to give them out to the team, so that everyone can have their go at testing and comparing these shower heads, mostly because we find it would be biased to test on only one shower and type of water pressure. Also, no one wants to end up with six odd shower heads at the end of it as that wouldn't be very eco-friendly. So, once we've tested these shower heads, we usually keep the one we like and offer the others to family and friends, this way we can keep an eye on how they fare, and update our verdict after six months of use, a year of use... you get the idea. The test is all about whether the head improves shower pressure, rather than the height the water can reach against gravity. But this is our way to confirm that they do increase the pressure of the existing system.
I've (Annie) tested two of these shower heads, the Newentor model and the Magichome head. My water pressure before testing these shower heads wasn't incredible but it wasn't the worst ever. My old shower head had a reach of 160cm of pressure on its most powerful setting. It's worth noting this head had a mere three modes and no other bells and whistles, hence why I wanted to switch things up. The Newentor shower head (opens in new tab), featured number one in our guide, truly wowed me as its pressure meant that the water was hitting my ceiling as it added so much pressure. The Magichome head didn't add much to my pressure at all, but I did notice the difference in our (rather hard) water, and how it made my skin and hair feel.
Our other reviewer is Lindsey, whose old shower setup wasn't struggling for pressure either, but again, she wanted more control of the pressure with just one spray pattern to choose from on her old head. Our second pick, the Triton shower head (opens in new tab), means you can have everything from a gentle drench to a back pummelling jet, with three other settings between.
4 things to think about when choosing a high-pressure shower head
Whether it’s your plumbing that has low water pressure or it’s down to your shower head getting clogged with limescale, a good low water pressure shower head will be self-cleaning to minimise maintenance as much as possible. As well as this, what other factors and questions should you or might you be considering?
1. Which type of shower head do you need?
When investing in a high-pressure shower head, you need to think about where and how it is being installed. Some options are standalone, which means they sit on your current shower setup, and you can pop them on a stand or use them as a handheld shower head. These are also usually super easy to fit as it's just a case of unscrewing your old head and screwing on the new one. Other shower heads, wall-mounted ones, need to be attached directly to the plumbing which might prove to be a bit trickier depending on your knowledge.
2. Consider your water bill
If you're keen to cut back a little on the water bill and want to do your bit, it is well worth looking at an option that reduces water usage, such as the Magichome Ionic shower head (opens in new tab). Otherwise, switch your shower to eco mode and invest in our strongest pressure shower head, which ought to help cut your bills and save the environment too, by decreasing your time spent showering.
3. Consider how hard your water is
Depending on where you're based, the hardness of the water varies. Some models might struggle with harder water, however, there are some choices that are well equipped. For this reason, it is worth checking how the water in your region compares to others before buying a shower head.
4. Think about modes and settings
If you're looking for a new shower head to enjoy several settings, then consider how many you'd realistically like and use. There's no point having six modes if you know you'll only ever use two. Think about what you will use these modes for. Those with children might want to ensure their new shower head offers a mist mode for light pressure, or anyone with pets might want a jet mode to tackle muddy paws. Our top pick has six settings, which is the most on offer out of the options we've featured.
Where can you buy a high-pressure shower head?
Here's a list of retailers where you can shop for a high-pressure shower head, online.
- Amazon shower heads (opens in new tab)
- Argos shower heads (opens in new tab)
- B&Q shower heads (opens in new tab)
- eBay shower heads (opens in new tab)
- Wayfair shower heads (opens in new tab)
- Wickes shower heads (opens in new tab)
- Very shower heads (opens in new tab)
- Victoria plum shower heads (opens in new tab)
How to tell if you have low water pressure
"If you have a combi boiler or unvented system, you’re unlikely to experience any issues with low water pressure," says Adam Chard, content manager at Victoria Plum (opens in new tab).
"However, with a gravity-fed system, you may run into problems if you don’t buy a shower suitable for your water pressure. To find out what water pressure is like in your home, we’d highly recommend hiring a plumber."
'A simple way of seeing whether you might be suffering from low water pressure is to measure the flow rate from your existing shower. If your flow rate is less than 10 liters per minute, you may have what is considered low water pressure."
Can a shower head increase water pressure?
Yes, that's part of the high-pressure shower head's charm. A little confusingly, these can be called high-pressure shower heads or a low pressure shower heads. The both mean the same thing just phrased differently. Suited to homes with low water pressure (hence the name), they push the water out at high pressure, compensating for the low water pressure in your home.
A good example of this is the Aqua Elegante Shower Head, which has an impressive 36 holes. Hopefully, that should be a little clearer now.
What about cleaning your shower head?
Another reason your water flow might be weak through your shower head could be the fact it needs to be cleaned. Don't miss our guide on how to clean a shower head for help with this. otherwise, watch our TikTok tell-all below.
@realhomesofficial (opens in new tab) ♬ Cozy Beat - Aesthetic Sounds (opens in new tab)
What else? If your shower itself offers more than one setting, try your shower on different settings with your new shower head. Switch your shower setting and switch between your shower head modes until you find one you like.
You might also find that water flow improves based on how high or low your shower is sitting on your wall. This isn't applicable to wall-mounted shower heads as these can be a pain to move, but standalone options might perform better placed higher towards your ceiling. Give it a try!
Failing that, call in a plumber who will either advise to update the system feeding water to your shower, or boosting the pressure with an electric pump. This can be pricey, so you may as well try a shower head designed for low pressure first to see if that improves things.
How often should I replace my shower head?
We asked the experts and it's safe to say that this answer will depend on the quality of your shower head, as well as how hard the water is in your area.
"Shower heads get overly-covered with sediment, mould build-up or black spots, and become a breeding ground for bacteria that can cause respiratory illnesses,’ said Plumbing expert Stephany Smith from My Plumber (opens in new tab), a Fantastic Services (opens in new tab) company. "Because of the millions of germs thriving in your shower head, you will hear the medical experts recommend getting a new shower head installed at least once or twice per year."
However, Rikki Fothergill, Content Specialist at Big Bathroom Shop (opens in new tab) begs to differ, arguing that they can last for ten years when looked after properly. "They are easy to clean, using household products such as white vinegar and bicarbonate of soda. This is an easy task if done regularly, we suggest once a month, and is also much more cost-effective."
So, keep your shower head clean and you won't have to replace it for years. Sounds easy, huh?
