The cost of living crisis has got us all wanting to reduce the usage of our utilities around the home to try and cut the cost of our bills. If you're wanting to cut back on how much water you use at home, switching to a water-saving showerhead is a good place to start. We use the most water in our homes while we're showering and while it is an everyday necessity, you'll be surprised at how much water and money you could save by changing your head and reducing the amount of time you shower for.
Do water-saving showerheads work?
A water-saving showerhead can help reduce your water consumption by up to 50 per cent. This is either by regulating the flow of water through the showerhead or by adding air to the water. Both of these will allow you to still have a great shower, but you'll just use less water.
How much water do water-saving showerheads save?
How much water and money you'll save will vary depending on which showerhead you buy. Alongside factors like how long you use your shower.
Save Money Cut Carbon has come up with a couple of scenarios to show how much water, money and CO2 emissions you could save. If your current shower uses a hand-held showerhead that uses 12 litres per minute and your shower lasts eight minutes, switching to a water-saving equivalent could save you approximately £64 a year. Over that year, you could reduce your water consumption by over 17,000 litres and lower CO2 emissions by 0.155 tonnes.
If you have a fixed shower that currently uses 15 litres per minute and you shower for eight minutes a day, changing your head for a water-saving one will cut your water usage by over 26,000 litres and reduce CO2 emissions by 0.233 tonnes a year. There's also a yearly money-saving of over £96 to enjoy too.
What type of shower can you use a water-saving showerhead on?
Water-saving or eco showerheads are designed for use with shower systems that use your boiler's heating system to warm water, and whilst they can provide benefits for certain types of showers, they should not be used with electric showers.
This is because electric showers already use a range of systems to make it more efficient, but certain types of eco showerheads can cause damage to your shower unit. Specifically, showerheads with an integrated flow regulator restrict the flow of water. If used on an electric shower, it can cause water to build up in the heater tank, causing it to overheat, which could damage the system.
Highly rated water-saving showerhead
With over 19,000 reviews on Amazon, the iconic showerhead is a super popular option. The showerhead is equipped with a mineral ball, which will remove chlorine, fluoride and any other toxins from your water. It also has three different modes of waterfall: rainfall, jetting and massage to elevate your shower experience.
Pros: Reduces water usage by up to 50 per cent
Cons: Some reviews mention the showerhead being quite heavy
Review: "I recently moved to an area where the water is so hard, you can chip a tooth by drinking a glass of water. I bought this in hopes that it would help soften water to wash my hair. I'm sure it's helping, but I still need to use clarifying shampoo to actually clean my hair. If you live in a medium-hardness water area, this might do the trick. The showerhead is easy to install and the jet settings are fantastic. I haven't tried using the extra plate it comes with. As some reviewers mentioned, the water might be a little cooler than usual, but I don't find this to be a problem. The water comes out of smaller holes, which makes it seem as if the water pressure is a little higher. I recommend this product if you're living in a hard/medium hard water area and want to soften the water for showering, but it might not solve the problem entirely."
Best multi-setting water-saving showerhead
The Showery EcoFlow increases your shower water flow while reducing water consumption. Not only that, but it also purifies and softens water too so it's great for your hair and skin.
Pros: Has three shower modes
Cons: Some reviews mention they would have liked a higher water pressure
Review: "I am very impressed by the showerhead. It does what it says and when you turn the water on you can feel the air flowing through it."
Best water-saving rainfall showerhead
Prefer the look and feel of a rain shower but looking for a more eco-friendly option? This is the showerhead for you. With six spray types that can be quickly and easily selected at the touch of a button, it's suitable for giving you a massage, bathing your pet and cleaning your bathroom as well as showering.
Pros: Comes with a water flow limiter to reduce water consumption
Cons: Some reviews mention the mechanism getting stuck occasionally after a few months
Review: "Love the variety of water sprays. Better than my previous showerhead."
Best water-saving showerhead with hard water filter
This showerhead contains premium filter beads that can remove impurities, heavy metals and chlorine in your water as it passes through. It's got anti-limescale silicone nozzles on the head which will prevent the build-up of limescale and water splitting.
Pros: Six spray settings
Cons: Some customers thought it had too many spray nozzles
Review: "We bought this shower based off of other people's reviews and they were all right! It was simple enough to install and has transformed our shower experience, it even comes with additional purifying balls, which is handy. The water pressure is amazing now and in the current economic and environmental climate everyone needs to save on water, this shower just means that we can be eco-conscious and still get a fantastic shower experience."
Best Chrome-plated water-saving showerhead
You'll save up to 30 per cent on your typical shower water consumption when switching to the Joyoldelf showerhead. It has advanced turbo pressure technology that will increase water speeds by up to 300 per cent above your typical tap pressure.
Pros: Looks beautiful with the chrome-plated exterior
Cons: Doesn't have different settings compared to other water-saving showerheads
Recommended water-saving showerhead
www.wickes.co.uk
If you're unsure whether a water-saving showerhead would be right for you, the Croydex Aqua Air is a great one to try. It comes with an eco-water-saving device, which is completely optional whether you fit it or not. When you have the eco device fitted, it can save up to 50 per cent of water when compared to similar showerheads.
Pros: Uses air to make water droplets bigger and softer
Cons: Reviews mention you need a decent water pressure to start with to fully feel the benefits
Review: "Nice showerhead that saves both water, and thanks to heating less water saves energy too. Thanks to aerating the water, it's certainly a softer shower, so if you want a jetwash then its one to avoid."
Recommended water-saving showerhead
www.diy.com
This water-saving showerhead will be the ideal finishing touch to a contemporary shower. It has a classic chrome finish with multi-function options and excellent flow rates.
Pros: Perfect for modern bathrooms
Cons: No reviews yet
FAQs
What are the advantages and disadvantages of water-saving showerheads?
Before switching to a water-saving showerhead, it's a good idea to weigh up the pros and cons. The main advantages are clear, you can lower your bills and reduce your water usage, but have you thought about the disadvantages?
If you live in a home with low water pressure, you may not experience the full benefits of a water-saving showerhead. This is because your shower will already have a reduced flow and reducing it further may result in a substandard showering experience. Homes with instant hot water systems may also experience problems. This is because a minimum flow rate is required by most instant hot water systems, which is unlikely to be achieved through a water-saving head, meaning your morning shower may be a little on the cooler side.
How can I reduce water usage throughout my home?
If you're looking to cut back further on the amount of water you use at home, the Energy Saving Trust has some top tips to help.
Get an aerator fitted to your taps
Aerators can help your taps become more efficient. The aerator fits onto your existing taps and reduces the amount of water coming out, without affecting the wash or rinse effect. They can also reduce splashing and could help you save up to 40 litres of water a day.
Buy a universal plug for your kitchen sink
If you don't have a washing-up bowl, using a plug in your kitchen sink can save you water when doing the dishes or washing fruit and vegetables. Universal plugs fit all sinks, helping you to use only the water you need and saving you up to 30 litres a day.
Fit a cistern displacement device
The amount of water flushed down our toilets is considerable. It's the second biggest use of water in the home behind showering. Cistern displacement devices can be popped into your toilet cistern so that when you flush, the device inflates, saving you up to two litres every time you flush.
Time your showers
Looking to reduce your water usage further even after changing to a water-saving showerhead, set yourself a timer when you shower. Shortening the time you spend in the shower will reduce the volume of water that goes down the drain. The Energy Saving Trust recommends setting a four-minute timer while you shower to help you understand how long you spend in there as it could save you 30 litres a day.