How to choose shower cabin

There is an opinion that showers are bought only by those who are indifferent to the bath or only by people who want to save space in the bathroom. This is not true. There are many models on the market that will satisfy any requests. But to buy the right one for you is not so easy, there are many nuances. Today we will talk about how to choose a shower cabin, so as not to get the cat in the bag and spend money with benefit.

Which manufacturer is better

The reality is that the majority of even large branded companies moved production to China or set up joint ventures with Chinese firms. A striking example is the Finnish TIMO, a premium brand among showers. The same applies to Appolo, Aqualux and some other European brands. Does this mean that their production cabin is bad? No, it does not mean. In the same TIMO, design and quality control are carried out by Finnish specialists.

However, there are purely European products on the market - IDO Showerama, IFO, Albatros, Jacuzzi, German brands. All of them are distinguished by their high price. Cheaper than $ 1,000 showers in this segment is almost never found. Moreover, the manufacturer focuses on quality, functionality is wide only in the most expensive models.

There are also a lot of Russian brands, as a rule, they are in the middle price category. These are Akrilan, Bandhours, Aquatika, Aquarelle, Indeo and others. Do not forget that our manufacturers also work closely with the Chinese. In particular, we are talking about products under the brand name Erlit. The quality and functionality of domestic brands are at a decent average level.

Chinese models are not what they used to be before: in recent years, brands from China have made a real revolution in product quality, so now Serena, Parly, Nautico, Ammari are already buying showers not only because of limited budget. The Chinese are characterized by increased attention to functionality - even inexpensive cabins are equipped with various “bells and whistles”. As for reliability and durability, despite the obvious progress, stability is still not enough.

What kind of cabin is better?

By and large, there are two options for showers - open and hydroboxes. The former are distinguished by the absence of an upper plane, simplicity of construction, and have a relatively low price. They are mainly needed in order to save space and money in the bathroom. Although among them there are "heaped" instances with a bathroom as a pan and hydromassage.

Closed shower enclosures are much more functional and diverse in design. This design provides great opportunities for the imagination of engineers of the manufacturing company. Here you can find complete baths and models with a small tray of artificial marble, vertical and horizontal hydromassage, a Turkish bath, various backlighting options, built-in radio and so on. Naturally, all this will have to pay. A large variation in the size of the shower: there are very tiny (the minimum size is 80 * 80 cm), and there are models that significantly exceed the dimensions of a conventional bath, and therefore are not always suitable even for combined bathrooms in typical houses. When buying it is worth considering in the first place. As the shape of the cab, which may be as follows:

• rectangular;
• semicircular;
• square;
• pentahedral;
• hexagonal;
• asymmetric (most often a rectangle with one rounded corner).

Having bought the cab of the correct form, one can save a lot of space, especially if there are projections in the bathroom or redevelopment and decorative elements are mounted.

Also of serious importance is the material from which the pallet is made. The cheapest and easiest - acrylicIt is most often used in low-cost domestic and Chinese models.It is he, as follows from the reviews, most often "swells", turns yellow, is pressed through and cracks. But it also heats up faster than other materials, and is the most diverse in form.

Steel and cast iron pallets in modern cabs are used infrequently, they are durable, but noisy and can rust.

Pallets artificial marble aesthetic and reliable, but it is impossible to give them the shape of a bath. Faience is beautiful, but fragile.

Popularity is gaining new material - quark (a mixture of quartz sand and acrylic), it is more reliable than acrylic, has a wide range of colors.

Hydromassage: need or not?

This is one of the key issues when choosing a shower. A model without this feature is much cheaper and hassle less maintenance, but it also looks much poorer.

The hydromassage itself is a useful thing: it has a relaxing effect on the body, helps to get rid of stress and fatigue, improves blood circulation, dilates blood vessels and lowers blood pressure. Alas, such an action is not typical for every shower. If the vertical hydromassage of almost all models is more or less decent (at least in terms of pressure, since much depends on the quality and type of nozzles, and they are much more advanced in expensive models), then with horizontal it is more and more difficult. In premium class cabins, separate “souls” are often provided for the lower back, neck, chest and legs. But the power flow often does not perform the function of massage, just watering the body.

Choosing a hydrobox model with a hydromassage, it is worthwhile to get acquainted in advance with the feedback on this function, and only after that make a decision. To overpay the extra $ 500-800, and then use the hydromassage once a year is a dubious pleasure.

How to distinguish a good shower from a bad

It is obvious that the model of Chinese production in quality is often inferior to competitors assembled in Finland or Spain (there are exceptions, but they only confirm the rule). It is clear that the cabin for 15 thousand rubles, in any case, is less functional than the model for 150 thousand. However, it often happens that cheap hydroboxing serves for many years, and the expensive one is used exclusively for bathing due to breakage of other “bells and whistles”. Decide why you need a shower and how you plan to use it, check with your wallet, do not make excessive demands on the product - and feel free to choose. Our ratings help you. Enjoy the shopping!