A rain shower feels spacious and relaxing, but easily uses 15 to 20 litres of water a minute. A hand shower is more flexible, cheaper and often more economical. For most bathrooms, an economical hand shower is the smartest choice, possibly alongside a rain shower.
The difference in short
| Feature | Rain shower | Hand shower |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Large, fixed shower head above your head | Separate shower head on a hose |
| Water use | Often 15 to 20 litres per minute | Usually 6 to 9 litres per minute |
| Installation | Often a shower system or built-in | Yourself, in about 5 minutes |
| Flexible | No, the water comes from above | Yes: also for the shower tray, children or the dog |
How much water do you use?
Shower head packaging often shows a flow class. It tells you how many litres of water pass through per minute:
| Class | Litres per minute |
|---|---|
| Z | 4.3 – 6.9 |
| A | 7.0 – 8.7 |
| S | 8.8 – 11.5 |
| B | 11.6 – 14.4 |
| C | 14.5 – 17.3 |
| D | 17.4 – 21.9 |
Milieu Centraal, the Dutch environmental information agency, calls a shower head water-saving at a maximum of 7.2 litres per minute. If you swap a rain shower for such a water-saving shower head, you save 40% on water and energy, according to Milieu Centraal. Besjaar hand showers use a maximum of 8 litres per minute, which falls within the range of class A. You can measure how much your shower uses with the bucket test.
What does the difference cost?
We use the same Dutch prices as in gas has become more expensive: gas at €1.80 per m³ and water at €1.82 per m³. One person showers for 9 minutes every day.
| Shower head | Per minute | 9-minute shower | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 l/min (Besjaar hand shower) | €0.08 | €0.72 | €263 |
| 16 l/min | €0.16 | €1.44 | €526 |
| 20 l/min (rain shower) | €0.20 | €1.80 | €657 |
In this example, the difference between an 8-litre hand shower and a 20-litre rain shower is about €394 per person per year. If you shower for less time or less often, the difference is smaller.
When to choose a rain shower
- You are renovating your bathroom and want a fixed shower head above your head.
- You are mainly looking for calm and a wide, soft spray.
- Then choose an economical rain shower. They exist with a consumption of 7 to 9 litres per minute.
In a rented home in the Netherlands, you need your landlord's permission to alter the bathroom. Replacing a hand shower is usually fine without it. Read replacing a shower head in a rented home.
When to choose a hand shower
- You want to shower economically without a weak trickle.
- You also rinse the shower tray, children or the dog. See washing your dog in the shower.
- You want to replace it yourself. See replacing a shower head in 5 minutes.
The best of both
Many hand showers also have a rain mode. The Besjaar Luxury Hand Shower has a 13 cm head with a rain, massage and power mode, for €19.99. If you want more modes and a pause button, take a look at the Besjaar Shower Head with Filter.
Frequently asked questions
How much water does a rain shower use?
Often 15 to 20 litres per minute. An economical rain shower uses 7 to 9 litres.
Is a rain shower more expensive to use?
Usually, yes. You heat more water per minute, and that mainly costs gas.
Can I install a rain shower in a rented home?
In the Netherlands you need your landlord's permission to alter the bathroom. Swapping a hand shower is usually fine without it.
What is a flow class?
A letter from Z to D that shows how many litres of water per minute a shower head uses. Z is the most economical.
Besjaar makes shower heads and filters for Dutch bathrooms, from Assen. Better water, every day.