The Easy Swap That Can Transform Your Shower Experience

We're talking about your shower head. Yes, that thing you've likely never thought twice about (especially if you live in a rental apartment). Turns out, the quality of this bathroom fixture can actually be the difference between merely getting clean and absent-mindedly moving along with your morning, and starting your day on a totally supercharged note.

It all has to do with the water flow your shower head emits, which is measured in GPMs (gallons per minute). Many states now have guidelines in place to limit GPMs for environmental reasons, which, though totally deserving of a slow clap, can affect your shower experience when it comes to water pressure. In short, higher GPMs = a more powerful, massage-like experience...but also a serious stress on your community's water supply.

The solution?  The Torrent Handheld Shower with PowerPulse Massage by Water Pik, which manages to comply with with the earth-friendly 2.0 GPM limit while still delivering that spa-like feeling through its smart design features. Seriously, we know—because we tried it ourselves.

Scroll down to find out why upgrading your shower head can be a self-care game-changer—and what happened when we tried it.

It's an easy upgrade you can do for yourself

Don’t let the how-to instructions scare you: Installing the shower head takes about the same length of time as Taylor Swift’s new song. After you remove your so-so fixture (bye bye, mediocre water flow), you simply connect the handheld shower head to its hose, screw it into the base on your wall, and you’re ready to hop in, no handyman skills required.

Water Pik has actually been in the shower innovation biz since 1973, when it introduced its massaging shower head (actually, the brand's experience with oral care and water flossing made it particularly adept at controlling shower streams and manipulating the flow into a pulsating, massage-like effect). So basically, you're giving yourself the gift of a meditation-level relaxation session by simply swapping out a bathroom fixture.

You can filter for cleaner water

If you want a boost, you can also opt for an additional filter to attach to your shower head (it comes separately, but is definitely worth it). You use a filter for your drinking water, so why wouldn’t you also want to filter out the potentially harmful chemicals and bacteria that could come into contact with your hair and skin?

Water Pik's filter is designed to remove chlorine, which can damage color-treated hair, FYI (so adding one could be a major plus for your tresses if you want to make your color last longer). After a few showers, it actually did make our hair and skin feel softer, which could be thanks to this. Bonus: The filter comes with a longer 14-inch hose, so the reach of your shower head gets an upgrade, too.

You can transform your shower into a spa

If you're used to consistently weak water pressure, you likely haven't experienced the joy that is nine different spray settings—like the one on the beauty we tested. Feeling sore after an especially grueling HIIT class? The PowerPulse massage setting (which has two times the massage force of other retail-market shower heads, according to Water Pik) basically feels like using a foam roller as you glide the gadget along your shoulders and back. At the end of a crazy workday, the rain setting is like a warm blanket banishing stress. And while those two were our favorites (read: on constant rotation), there's still seven other levels for you to explore.

A word of warning (from personal experience): If you do go the more luxurious shower-head route, you’ll want to spend more time in there. Adjust your schedule accordingly.

In partnership with Water Pik

Top photo: Stocksy/Raymond Forbes LLC