When it comes to fixing up your shower, it’s not just the shower cubicle itself and the base that you need to consider. The shower panel often goes ignored and chosen late into the project, but it can often be the divide between a quality shower experience.

A good shower panel system also enhances the aesthetic appeal of the bathroom, completing the profile of the shower and adding a lot of elegance and class when it’s handled right. Here, we’re going to look at five of the best shower panels around, and what sets them apart from the rest.

What to look for

It’s easy to take the shower panel system for granted, but when you take a closer look at what, exactly, sets them apart, it’s easy to see how they play such a key role in the overall quality of your shower experience. Here are the qualities you should be looking for:

  • Size: Often found from between 36” to 56” in height, there’s a lot of variation in size. The overall space allocated to the shower should be taken into consideration, since you need enough room to fit the panel.
  • Build quality: Stainless steel and aluminium shower panels are largely considered the two best materials on the market, though the latter is more aesthetically versatile than the former, even if it’s less resilient.
  • Shower head quality: Whether overhead, handheld, or hybrid, this makes a huge difference to your shower experience. Where possible, we will highlight any instances of quality problems, such as leaks, with shower heads.
  • Shower head functionality: Most people prefer a shower head that has several different output options, including massage functionality.

These aren’t the only features to look out for. If there are any other advanced features, such as LED displays or safety features, we will pay attention to them, too.

Ello & Allo PS-S3

Price: $239.92

A uniquely designed 53” tall shower panel with gorgeous LED mood lights that give it all a rather high-tech, modern aesthetic. Though the LEDs don’t do anything in the way of providing a digital display, it still gives the shower a fantastic look.

Otherwise, it has a few features that make it stand out amongst the rest. The in-built shower shelf offers some great storage space and the stainless steel construction is extremely high quality, indeed.

However, the star of the show here is the sheer array of options you have for water output. It has a tub spout, a rainfall showerhead and a handheld one. You can run one or more at the same time, and the handheld spout has 8 different adjustable options. Whichever way you like to shower, the Ello & Allo has you covered.

 

Blue Ocean 52”

Price: $279.99

This premium aluminium shower panel is easily one of the best on the market, if you can make space for its 52” tall installation. Large as it is, installation is actually rather simple. While not as sturdy as some of the stainless steel options, it’s lightweight, durable, and resistant to all kinds of damage.

Furthermore, it has one of the most dynamic and satisfying showerheads. Either handheld or in the holster, it has 8 adjustable features, including some luxurious massage features.

Add to that the LED displays that gives you an exact measure of your water temperature, and this feels like a luxury installation indeed. However, it is somewhat more expensive than some of the other options here, to make up for it.

Decor Star 43” EZ-Connect

Price: $300.00

A layered 43” panel that might better suited to smaller shower spaces, the mix of silver stainless steel and white safety glass gives this a truly modern look with a hint of luxury. The glass is safety tempered, so you don’t need to worry, it’s plenty resilient, while the silver is scratch and chip resistant.

Accessibility is key here, with simple controls and ease of installation that goes beyond what many of the other panels here offer. There’s an overhead shower, a hand-held option, and jets on the face of the model.

The versatility and ease of use of the Decor Star EZ-Connect make it a serious contender for those who are looking for an easy DIY project when fitting their next shower panel.

Perfetto Kitchen & Bath GV-SP0046

Price: $289.99

With simple, curvaceous stainless steel design, this shower panel gives a strong feeling of elegance and simplicity. Indeed, simplicity is the theme here, with this panel being both extremely easy to mount, as well as to use.

The buttons and knobs are all easy to understand, controlling temperature and output strength, but also allowing for the use of the waterfall nozzle, horizontal massage jets, and a light rainfall function.

The handheld option isn’t so versatile, however, lacking the options found in some of the other products reviewed here. Yet, if you’re not too fond of using the handheld nozzle often, then this might just be the perfect choice for some overhead waterfall bliss.

Pulse 1013-GL Kihei II

Price: $487.00

Lightweight, resilient, and long lasting, this anodized aluminium shower panel is destined to remain in good shape on your wall for years to come. Which is a good thing, because it’s also packed with novel features that some of the other options here lack.

This includes a glass shelf that serves as storage space, as well as an in-built mirror, for those who prefer a closer look or shaving in the shower. It has plenty of versatility, too, with the rainfall shower, hand spout, tub spout, a body jets for a luxurious massage function.

At 53”, it is one of the more space consuming options on the market, and it’s rather pricey compared to some of the others, too. However, when it comes to build quality and resilience, the Pulse Kihei II won’t let you down, and it doesn’t sacrifice functionality for it, either.

Conclusion

Which shower panel you pick of the list above depends on which features you like the most. For an all-round favourite, however, the sheer functional diversity and elegant design of the Blue Ocean stands out slightly above the others for us.