Look For When Buying a Steam Shower

A steam shower looks like a normal shower, but it’s not—it’s actually closer to a sauna with a showerhead included. A steam shower is a watertight, enclosed glass stall with a steam generator included. The steam generator heats water to the boiling point, and then the steam is forced into the stall through several steam jets lining the walls. The entire stall, including floor, ceiling, and sides, must be made of a waterproof material that can withstand a moist, warm environment without damage. Most steam showers include a normal showerhead, and some come equipped with aromatherapy, benches, radios, and more.

But not all steam showers are as great as they seem. Before you buy, here are a few things to look for.

All-in-one or conversion equipment? You have a lot of options when it comes to installing a steam shower. You can convert a regular overhead shower into a steam shower by buying equipment piecemeal, but don’t expect to install it yourself unless you are a competent electrician and plumber. If you buy an all-in-one model, make sure it’s of high quality by looking for the following qualities.

The right frame for the job. The frame that holds the glass panels in place should be made of thick, sturdy aluminum—not plastic. Some companies use a plastic frame coated in metal to save costs, but the metal can wear away from the plastic and weaken the frame. Look for a solid aluminum frame instead, of a thickness of about 1.5 mm. Some companies use aluminum frames as thin as 0.5 millimetres, but these dent easily.

Quality fixtures. As with the frame, watch out for fixtures made of chrome-plated plastic. The chrome wears off easily, the fixtures look and feel cheap, and the plastic is easy to break once it’s exposed. Instead, choose showers that have fixtures made of chrome-plated metals.

A company that tests. Some companies do product tests of each shower they sell to examine how their shower components hold up over hundreds of thousands of uses. And some don’t.