The Best Shower Panel Systems for 2022
- Updated: June 23, 2020
- by: Thomas Popov
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***There are TOO MANY “copycat” shower panels out there. For that reason, we sorted through most and created a complete list of 9 WORTH CONSIDERING.
Do you want to upgrade your shower to something much nicer?
If you answered YES (like most of us would), I would strongly suggest you look at a full-body shower panel. These works of art can transform ANY bathroom from a boring place, to a place of luxury.
As I stated above, there’s only a few worth looking at. So below are 9 shower panel reviews outlining both pro’s and con’s. If you only want the best of the best, look at the THREE below.
Reviews Of The Best Shower Panels
- 8 Adjustable Nozzles!
- LCD Display!
- There's an Even Mix of Price & Quality!
- Overhead + Side + Handheld Showering!
- LED Lit Overhead Shower!
- Stainless Steel Build!
- Control TWO Shower Functions Simultaneously!
- 6-Function Knobs for Ultimate Control!
- Great Price Point!
- Durable Stainless Steel!
- 6 Beautiful Colors to Choose From!
- Multi-Functional Water Flows!
Let’s sum-up what you saw in the top THREE picks:
[#1 Pick] When I dug into the Blue Ocean SPA392M, everything pointed toward a shower panel system that was a mixture of quality and affordability. Many units tend to only use stainless steel and/or aluminum as their build construction. This one uses not just those, but also glass!
The glass in the front of this shower tower is a mirror, which sets it apart from many other units. In addition, the Blue Ocean SPA392M is one of the most beautiful panels I could find.
[#2 Pick] If you wanted to get a shower panel that is the most premium choice, you should look further into the Ello&Allo PS12-S2. This unit (aside from the already mentioned features) has two massage jet settings, a tub spout, an easy hook-up set up in the back, and it even comes in TWO different colors.
While it lacks a big LCD temperature display (there’s a small one instead), it makes up for it with a sleek look and a fair amount of functionalities!
[#3 Pick] If you want a shower panel that is very affordable and has the most features that more expensive units have, look no further than the HappyBuy-304.
No LCD screen or adjustable nozzles, but that is to be expected for this price range. With this one, you get the ease of use and quite a few different colors to choose from (gold, silver, white, black, and more).
What better way to transform your bathroom to the 21st century than to have one that has LED lights. From digging through a wide range of shower panel systems, this one by Ello&Allo has the most LED lit components of any I found so far.
The styling is identical to many other ones, as well as the nozzle designs and overall functionality.
After the LED lit shower head and side nozzles, what is really cool (and functional) is the LCD screen. It displays not only the temperature of the water, but also a shower timer!
The entire unit is made of a brushed stainless steel, ensuring water spots and finger prints won’t easily be seen.
When I saw this shower panel by Valore, what first came to my mind is simplicity. Their VS-1205 model screams basic functions an a very modern look. This is one of the cheapest shower panel systems on this entire list.
Durability is a non-issue with almost 100% of the unit made of stainless steel.
To ensure water pressure stays even (like with most units), water can flow only from one outlet at a time (above, side, or handheld).
Something else worth mentioning is that this unit connects directly to where your shower head would of been. As a result, your main water ON/OFF valve will be controlling the entire flow of water to the unit. Controlling where water comes from can be further controlled on the actual shower panel itself.
For the money, you can’t go wrong. The overall positive feedback is significantly higher for this unit than many others in its price range!
Rovogo seems to have taken the approach of catching your eye with their unique design. The RVG18220 functions like any other shower tower system, but their side water outlets and two-tone color scheme suggests they want to stand out among the ever-growing competition.
This unit is priced in the mid-range, somewhere between the cheapest on this list and the most expensive one.
As you’d expect, there’s a portable wand, side, and above water outlets to give you control of where you want to wash. At its price point, you still need to manually switch between each setting to divert water flow to a different area.
They come in TWO colors, one being two-tone and the other being a brushed silver. Oddly, they both seem to be different units but named very similarly under the same brand.
Installation is relatively easy and instructions will give you easy steps to follow. However if they aren’t clear, just check out YouTube.
Both units do include a built-in temperature reader that can give you live water reading as you shower.
It’s time we add something different to this list. Unlike the ones we have on our list so far (1-6), the Rovogo RVG18222 allows you to adjust the overhead shower head up or down.
In addition to that, you can even swap out the included shower head to replace with one you’d prefer more (this applies to the handheld want also). Speaking of the wand, it features a button to remove lime and calcium build-up. Quite incredible if you ask me and something at least 75% of other brands don’t do.
The entire unit is made of stainless steel and is brushed lower smudges and fingerprints.
This unit DOES allow you to turn water ON or OFF an further control where the water comes from with an additional control valve. The only CON I can think of is the lacking of an LCD display to show water temperature. Otherwise, its a great mid-range shower tower!
Blue Ocean is not only ranked once, but twice in this list. They have been known for making beautiful shower panels that function quite well (and for usually a reasonable price).
This unit is the model SPS8879, made to be over 60” inches tall (64.5” to be exact).
The elegant design is obvious with the single color brushed stainless steel construction. You get a very basic wand that lets you get to places you normally couldn’t.
Unlike many others that include one or two valves to control where water flows or turns it ON or OFF, here you have FIVE valves.
The biggest one lets you manually control temperature and the other four can simultaneously turn water ON or OFF on any of the water outlets, AT THE SAME TIME.
While the price is on the higher side (not the most expensive though), the simplicity and good build quality warrants a further look!
You’ve finally got to the last section of our shower panel reviews, the #9 pick.
Similar to #8 (both made by Blue Ocean), the SPS8727 stainless steel tower is beautifully designed. If you look at the front of many other units, you’ll see adjustable round nozzles which spray water. Blue Ocean took a different approach with this one by simply having 4 sets of nozzles laying flush with the surface of the stainless steel front.
There’s 72 nozzles evenly spaced in 4 groups, ensuring you are covered from head to toe (almost), not counting the overhead shower head.
The main water control switch and the switches for all the water outlets are located on its side. Depending on how you mount your panel, it may be a little issue turning the knobs. But from seeing it installed by other users, it does not seem to be a problem!
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the benefits?
With the rise of modernizing bathrooms, the contemporary shower panel has become the icon of being one of the most transformative features.
First of all, you can save plenty of space by using a full body shower tower. Mount one in either your master bathroom, a guest bathroom, or even an outdoor bathroom.
Secondly, you can pick and choose the right color, size and style for your bathroom. Those are the main hallmarks of shower panel systems that set each apart. While most may seem identical in overall style, they can differ quite significantly once you get to the nitty gritty.
What are the drawbacks?
When thinking about getting a shower panel, its important to note the drawbacks if you decide to go that route. While there aren’t a tone, there’s a few worth mentioning.
The first and most major drawback to most people would be the price. Most decent units cost at least $200. This may not be an issue for some, but for others it could be a prohibitive expensive that will require a bit of savings.
Installation can be quite tedious when you don’t have the right tools. Especially since many are made in China, making reading the instructions like trying to decipher the enigma machine.
How does a shower panel system work?
It’s a lot easier than you’d think. Let me explain how a shower panel system works.
There are two different types of shower panel systems.
The first type is one that connects directly to the outlet of where your old shower head would be. Once you take the flexible hose and connect it manually to the shower head outlet, you then mount the shower panel to the wall (ensuring you hide all hoses) and use the main water HOT/COLD/ON/OFF valve (that is already installed into your shower) to control the panel itself.
Behind the panel, there’s a few feet of hose which directs water to flow from the top, bottom, middle or anywhere else there’s an outlet.
The second type of shower panel is one you’d be doing a bit more work to fully install. Unlike with the previous type where you’d simple attache a hose to where the shower head used to be, here you need to attache a hose directly to both HOT and COLD water supplies.
Once you do that, there’s a HOT/COLD/ON/OFF valve built into the panel. You’ll have full control of the water on the panel itself.
How do you install a shower panel?
Digging into this takes a whole new article of its own. While I don’t have one written to explain in detail (yet), in the mean time you can watch the video below (its a video by Akdy).
What should you look for in a shower panel?
There’s a few criteria that you should keep in mind when shopping for a shower panel system. By meeting these basic criteria, you’ll probably have the best experience upon receiving and installing your tower.
- #1 is Height: While most of us have 7-8 foot bathroom ceilings, others may have shorter ceiling. Shorter ceiling could create a problem while installing shower towers specially if the tower is too tall. Get a tape measure and measure from the faucet (or ON/OFF valve) to the ceiling, or whichever one is higher. Doing that will then give you an understanding of how much room you have for an install.
- #2 is Hook-up Type: Shower panels can be installed one of two ways (as mentioned previously), through the shower head outlet or through HOT & COLD water hoses. Look at the product description of the tower to find appropriate information. A quick way to find out is to look at the panel and find the knobs. The biggest one usually is the master valve that controls water temperature and turns it ON or OFF.
- #3 is Price: I think this one should be obvious. When looking for the best shower panel system, keep in mind the price. Just because one is more expensive, it does not make it better than a cheaper one. Look close into the features (I’ll get to that below) and compare that with the price tag.
- #4 is Features: For the most part, shower panels are work the same. You have the top, side, and handheld water outlet sources. Some can give you information on how long you’ve been showering, what the water temperature is, and so much more. There are towers with handheld shower wands that can adjust through multiple spray settings, while others just have one. Look close and compare!
- #5 Pressure: Because a shower panel has multiple jets, certain water pressure requirements must be met. Most homes have water pressure ranging from 40 to 60 PSI, a shower panel needs on average about 41 PSI. In the event you install a panel and there’s not enough pressure, make sure to remove the flow restrictor.
Can the wand or shower head be replaced?
In most cases you can replace the existing wand with one you’d prefer. The only thing worth mentioning here is if the water pressure is mediocre at best, larger handheld wands will produce even less water pressure because there’s more water nozzles to shoot from.
If you absolutely need to have a bigger wand but the water pressure is not enough for an improvement, try to find ways to increase the pressure. Usually removing the flow restrictor will do the trick.
This applies to shower heads as well.
Do shower panels use batteries?
A common misunderstanding is whether there’s batteries involved with these systems. The answer is usually no, but in some cases, yes.
When you have a tower that features an LCD display, that display is powered by a tiny water generator. This generator uses running water to keep it going. When water is done flowing, the LCD dimly disappears until the water is turned ON.
If you want to avoid the hassle to switching out batteries, be sure to find out prior to buying a shower panel.
In Summary
There you go, that’s your shower panel buyer guide. I hope you enjoyed reading as much as I did writing this!
After hours of putting together this guide, I not only convinced myself to get one but I hopefully convinced you as well. While the price difference is quite drastic between a regular shower head and one of these, there’s a significant difference in what you get. Let alone just the overall visual difference every time you get in the shower.
Which one did you like the most?
Who's behind ShoweringCenter?
ABOUT: Hey there, my name is Tom Popov and I am the one behind this site. I’ve been renovating real estate for many years now. One of my areas of expertise is renovating bathrooms.
I use ShoweringCenter.com as a resource to document my experiences and share my recommendations. Enjoy your stay here and don’t hesitate to reach out!
Email: thomaspopov.sc@gmail.com
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