The shower panel is an alternative to traditional shower fixtures which provide only a fixed shower head or a hand shower. There are a variety of choices and options in shower panels. The panels come with a minimum of a handle, a shower head and a couple of body sprays. Higher end models may also include a few handles, a hand shower, additional body sprays and even LED lights.
There are a number of different shapes that shower panels can come in. Traditional shower panels are rectangular and about 3.5 feet to 5 feet (1 m to 1.5 m) in height, though there are some units that are larger. The panels can be ovular, wave-shaped or irregularly shaped in addition to the standard rectangular design. They are almost always taller than they are wide, allowing them to easily fit within a standard shower space.
Basic shower panels consist of a shower head on top of a panel with a number of body sprays on it. Units usually come with between two and eight body sprays, which function much like the jets in a Jacuzzi. The unit is controlled by a handle, which can adjust the water temperature and pressure.
Higher end shower panels may include a number of additional features. One common feature is a hand shower which easily detaches from the unit to assist in cleaning hard to reach areas. The hand shower usually comes attached to a long length of metallic hose. Some units may also come with built-in-shelves, which provide a storage area for soaps and hair products. There are even a number of panels that include LED lighting, though this is aesthetic rather than functional.
It is possible to have a shower panel with more than one handle. The handle is used to control the flow of water, and with two handles, hot and cold can be controlled separately. A third handle is included on some shower panels that controls a separate faucet that can fill a bathtub quickly.
Shower panels can come in a variety of different colors and materials. The most common materials used are metals and waterproof plastics. These materials can be customized to be almost any color, allowing a wide variety of choices in order to match the décor of any bathroom.
