A great review of the Delta H2OKinetics showerhead can be found at Apartment Therapy.
This showerhead comes in several versions.
Delta 2.5/1.85 gpm switchable
Alsons 1.85 gpm only
Alsons 1.6 gpm only
Delta 1.5 gpm only
Delta bought Alsons and these designs a few years ago. There are also some similar Delta H2OKinetics models with 4 spouts but in smaller heads that Ive seen in Home Depot, which are cheaper, but I havent tried them, yet.
I own the 1.85 gpm Alsons version. And my comments will reflect that.
Most people will be best served with the switchable model....which is what Im recommending.
Something to note that most of these showerheads are rated at high water pressure of 80 psi. With lower pressure, you will not be getting the rated flow of water, it will be a few tenths of a gpm lower. So for example with my 1.85 gpm model, Im getting 1.6 to 1.7 gpm. This is a general principle and goes for all showerheads (with the possible exception of those that have regulators which maintain flow at different pressures - which Ive found to be mostly useless and actually make things worse).
OK, on to the specifics.
This is one of the top performing units. I love it. Ive been switching between this and the Hansgrohe Eco Air Croma E100 3 Jet...which seem to be my two favorite showerheads.
The spray is luxurious and soft and very pleasant...not stingy at all. It even has a fast pulsation effect to it. Even with the 1.85 gpm flow this thing covers the body well and rinses well. The water physics mumbo jumbo really does make it feel like more water as well. A very pleasant shower experience. Water warmth is relatively good as well. The width seems about perfect for tall and short people, giving good coverage. There is no donut hole effect as with some other types. The spray is evenly distributed across the spray field, increasing perceived warmth and aiding in rinsing.
The body is plastic with a faux finish on it, but I didn't find it flimsy.
It didnt win any categories but did above average in most, and this is at 1.85 gpm, at 2.5 gpm on the switchable model, it should improve across the board. But what really sells this thing is the lovely pleasant spray pattern.
Highly recommended.
Also for those looking for lower flow models. Both this and the High Sierra are better low flow alternatives than the Niagara Conservation Earth Massage, although that one works well too, I use the Niagara's as sort of a standard to judge others against. I have the 1.25 and 1.75 and 2.0 gpm Niagaras.
Spray Force = 4
Spray Warmth = 4
Spray Width = 4
Rinsing Ability = 4
Build Quality = 4
Thank you so much for this review! :) My wife is 5 feet 4 inches so a review describing a showerhead that provides good "coverage" for the shorter crowd is very much appreciated :) ... I was wondering if you knew if the 1.85 gpm Alsons version you reviewed is WaterSense certified? Not sure how seriously to take it but the US government's Environmental Protection Agency made a big deal out of how showerheads should be "WaterSense certified" by them...not sure if it makes that much of a difference?
ReplyDeleteSorry! Just thought of another question... the closest I can find to the Alsons 1.85 gpm model you mentioned on amazon is the "Alsons 6563110BX" model..do you know if this is the same model (or close enough to the same such that it doesn't matter :P ) as the one you reviewed? :)
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