Let’s be honest: RV showers often leave a lot to be desired. Sure, you’ll always need to conserve water so that you don’t fill up your holding tank after a single shower.

But you shouldn’t have to live with a shower head that suffers from chronic low-pressure issues. 

A lack of sufficient water pressure will leave you feeling like you didn’t even get clean in the shower.

And it can also lead to cold, uncomfortable experiences that dissuade you from enjoying an RV shower in the future. 

The good news is, there are few truly “low-flow,” RV shower heads, that deliver just enough water to rinse shampoo and conditioner while using a minimum amount of water. 

Fortunately, unlike camper shower heads of yesteryear, today’s RV replacement head hose options are designed to provide satisfying showers, affordable and easy to install and maintain.

To help you decide which is the best RV shower heads for you motorhome or travel trailer

In this guide, we’ll review four top RV showerhead models on the market. And we’ll also provide a framework to help you choose the design that’s best suited for your needs.

This is the last guide to RV shower heads you’ll ever need! So let’s get started! 

Here are the 4 best low-flow RV shower heads for an “acceptably robust shower” on road:

  • Best Overall: Oxygenics 92489 Brushed Nickel Fury RV Shower
  • Best For Reducing Shower Time: Oxygenics 26481 Body Spa RV Shower Kit
  • Best Budget-Friendly Model: YOO.MEE Brushed Nickel High Pressure shower Head
  • Best For Easy Installation: Dura Faucet DF-SA430-ORB 5-Function RV Shower Wand

Can You Use A Regular Shower Head in an RV?

Yes! However, most regular shower heads have a much higher flow rate than an RV shower head. Because most residential homes don’t have to limit their water usage based on the size of a grey water holding tank. But reducing water usage is super important when you’re showering in an RV. So, while it’s possible, we recommend choosing a showerhead model that’s specifically designed for RV use!

In addition, most regular shower heads can be quite large and bulky when installed in an RV shower.

For one, RV showers are generally much smaller than showers in most homes.

Because you’re already working with a small space, having a larger, bulky showerhead will increase the odds of bumping your head or face on the showerhead when your eyes are closed to avoid getting soap in them. 

Some regular shower heads will also be too heavy for use in an RV shower.

Because most RV walls are much thinner than the walls in your home, installing a heavy regular shower head can result in damage to the entire wall if it happens to tear the screws out of place once it’s installed. 

So, while it’s possible, we recommend choosing a showerhead model that’s specifically designed for RV use! 

4 Best RV Shower Head Reviews 

To help you effectively compare and contrast these showerheads, our reviews will stick to providing as much information on features and specifications as possible.

We’ll also provide tips on how those features will translate to real-world use.

But we also encourage you to read through a few specific user reviews of these products to gain more insights into how they can improve your RV shower experiences!

1. Best Overall RV Shower Head: Oxygenics 92489 Brushed Nickel Fury RV Shower

Our choice for the best overall showerhead for RV living is the Oxygenics 92489 Fury because it’s a great value and it allows you to adjust the pressure of your shower according to your preference.

This camper shower head hose also comes with a 72-inch hose that makes it easier to move the head around to clean your shower. 

This showerhead offers five unique settings so you can change the spray pattern and water pressure as desired.

And it features a brushed nickel finish that won’t display water residue and soap scum as easily as some heads with stainless steel or aluminum finishes. 

The Oxygenics Fury offers a relatively moderate flow rate of 1.8 gallons per minute and the handle includes rubber grips to prevent slippage or dropping.

The head itself is about five inches wide, which is close to double your standard RV shower head.

And this helps to give it a wider spray pattern for more efficient showering. 

This model also features non-stick internal components that are resistant to clogging or corrosion over the life of the showerhead.

And the unit comes with a wall mount, a roll of plumbing tape, and specific instructions to help you install it properly.

Things We Like

  • Head Size: The shower head is about five inches wide to give it a more efficient spray pattern.
  • Flow Rate: This unit comes with a moderate flow rate of 1.8 gallons per minute.
  • Adaptability: Five settings allow you to customize the spray pattern and water pressure.
  • Nickel Finish: Nickel won’t show water residue or soap scum as much as aluminum or steel.

Things We Don’t Like

  • Hose Flexibility: Some users have complained that the lack of flexibility in the hose makes it tough to move the shower head around when it’s detached from its stand.

2. Best For Reducing Shower Time: Oxygenics 26481 Body Spa RV Shower Kit

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If you’re looking for a showerhead that helps you wash and rinse off faster so that you can reduce the amount of time you spend in the shower, look no further than the Oxygenics 26481 Body Spa RV Shower Kit. 

The showerhead itself features a specialized spray pattern that will help you wash and rinse much faster than your standard RV shower head, even if you have especially long hair.

It also comes with a 60-inch hose that allows you to rinse off even more efficiently without having to maneuver your body in what is often a very confined RV shower space. 

This model also boasts a brushed nickel body that will show soap scum and water residue less than an aluminum or steel shower head.

And it features non-stick components that prevent the buildup of the kinds of minerals often found in harder water. 

The head on this unit is about four inches wide, which is still wider than most factory-installed RV showerheads.

And it features a maximum flow rate of two gallons per minute, but you can reduce that rate by adjusting the water pressure using the unit’s Smart Valve. 

Speaking of that valve, it allows you to flip a switch to reduce water flow while you’re soaping up instead of having the water continue to run at its normal level.

This makes for more efficient showering and also preserves space in your grey water holding tank for more showers between visits to the nearby dump station.

Things We Like

  • Spray Pattern: The wider pattern allows you to wash and rinse faster than with your average showerhead.
  • Smart Valve: Gives you the ability to reduce the water pressure when soaping to minimize water use and preserve space in your holding tank.
  • Nickel Body: Shows scums and residues less than steel or aluminum.
  • Non-Stick Parts: This helps to prevent the buildup of minerals found in some water sources.

Things We Don’t Like

  • Price: As the ‘Spa’ name suggests, it’s one of the more expensive shower head upgrades on our list.

3. Best Budget-Friendly Model: YOO.MEE Brushed Nickel High Pressure shower Head

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If you want to upgrade your stock RV shower head without spending too much, you might like the budget-friendly YOO.MEE High-Pressure Handheld Shower Head. 

It features a high-pressure showerhead that’s also perfect if you’re tired of how long it takes to rinse off with your current, trickling shower head. 

The head itself is about 4.6 inches wide to give it a more desirable spray pattern than most stock showerheads.

It features three spray modes that you can alternate between depending on your preference, and it also includes a 79-inch hose that makes it easy to reach anywhere in your shower for cleaning or rinsing purposes. 

It also comes with a wall mount bracket for a complete installation and a set of two extra washers for future needs. Inside the showerhead, a water pressure regulator is what’s responsible for providing the extra pressure for this model.

But it can be removed if you want to minimize the flow rate or you find the high-pressure output to be uncomfortable. 

The body of the showerhead is coating with a brushed nickel finish that keeps it from showing water residue and/or soap scum.

And the stainless steel water hose comes with brass hose fittings to ensure a more secure, leak-free connection.

Things We Like

  • Price: This is the most affordable showerhead replacement on our list.
  • High Pressure: You’ll be able to enjoy a similar water pressure as you’re used to at home.
  • Hose Length: The 79-inch hose that comes with this showerhead makes regular shower cleaning much easier.
  • Removable Regulator: This allows you to minimize the flow rate if desired.

Things We Don’t Like

  • Flow Rate: This unit has a relatively high flow rate of 2.5 gallons per minute.

4. Best For Easy Installation: Dura Faucet DF-SA430-ORB 5-Function RV Shower Wand

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For those of you looking for a showerhead replacement that can be installed in a matter of seconds, we recommend the Dura Faucet 5-Function Massage Shower Wand.

This model simply screws right into your existing shower hose, so there’s no need to replace the entire hose and wall mount like you’ll have to do with other models. 

This shower head features a maximum flow rate of 2.2 gallons per minute, which supplies plenty of water pressure.

While that flow rate means you’ll fill up your holding tank a little faster than with some of the other models we’ve listed above, this one does come with a flow control valve that allows you to shut it off while you’re soaping so that you can reduce overall water usage. 

The Dura Faucet fits any standard RV shower hose and it features a total of five different modes you can select from.

These modes allow you to change and customize the spray pattern according to your preference.

So you and your partner don’t have to settle on a single spray pattern that you both enjoy! 

It’s also constructed with a durable bronze body with an oil-rubbed finish that stands out from other nickel or aluminum showerheads.

And this head is also unique because it features silicone nozzles that are much easier to clean than your standard metal nozzles on most showerheads.

Things We Like

  • Easy Installation: This showerhead simply screws right into the existing hose in your shower.
  • Price: It’s only slightly more expensive than our budget-friendly model above!
  • Shut Off Valve: This allows you to restrict water flow while you’re soaping to reduce overall water use.
  • Bronze Finish: The oil-rubbed bronze finish on this shower head is unique and could be a great choice for RV bathrooms with darker interior colors.

Things We Don’t Like

  • Flow Rate: This model’s 2.2 GPM flow rate means it may fill your tank quicker than some other models.
  • Head Size: The 2.8-inch width of this showerhead produces a narrower spray pattern than most of the other models we’ve chosen

Key Features To Consider In An RV Shower Head

As you can see, these showerheads are relatively simple and straightforward. But what works best for you might not work best for your friend or your neighbor.

So, as you read through our Buying Guide, keep in mind that you’re free to prioritize these criteria as you see fit! 

Look For Showerhead With A Low GPM Rating

Flow rate is usually measured in gallons per minute (GPM). Reducing the flow rate of your RV shower can help you save water and maximize the amount of time you can spend boondocking or dry camping.

As a general rule, a shower head with a lower flow rate will use less water than an alternative model with a higher flow rate. 

For example, let’s say your average shower time is about five minutes for the sake of keeping the match easy.

If the head in your shower flows at a rate of two gallons per minute, you’ll use approximately 10 gallons of water every time you shower. 

By reducing that flow rate to 1.5 GPM, you’ll save about 2.5 gallons of water per shower.

When you consider that some smaller RVs only have grey water holding tank capacities of 20 or 30 gallons, you can see how those water savings could add a day or two to your adventures before you need to dump and refill. 

Most of the models we’ve included have flow rates between 1.5 and 2.5 gallons per minute.

If you don’t do much off-grid camping and you know you’ll be within several hours of a dump station at a time, you can probably get away with a shower head with a higher flow rate.

But if you like to boondock or dry camp, you’ll want to choose a model with the lowest possible flow rate. 

How Big Should A Camper Shower Head Be?

The size of the surface area at the top of a shower head translates to how much the water spreads out when it’s flowing out.

Some narrower shower heads feel like they barely cover your body and you’ll end up using more water because you have to turn around and contort your body to make sure you’ve removed all the soap you used to clean off. 

A model with a larger head size will, of course, spread the water out over a larger area and help to rinse you off more quickly.

This can not only help you save water, but it will also lead to more comfortable showers because parts of your body won’t be left out in the cold (literally!). 

Look No Further Than A Handheld Shower Head

You’ll also need to consider how important handheld functionality is to you when you’re choosing an RV showerhead.

Some folks like to remove the showerhead to wet or rinse their body instead of spinning around and contorting their body to get underneath the flow of water. 

In an RV shower, the smaller space you’ll be working with often makes a handheld showerhead even more important.

Instead of turning and regularly knocking your knees or elbows against the walls of your shower, you’ll be able to rinse off while staying in one, comfortable position. 

Plus, a handheld showerhead is super valuable when it comes to cleaning your RV shower.

Otherwise, you’ll have to rely on an external water source or you’ll wind up using lots of spray cleaner to remove residue from your shower. 

Water Pressure

The hard part about determining the amount of pressure a showerhead produces is that there isn’t a specific metric that most manufacturers actively advertise.

However, you can use a showerhead’s flow rate as somewhat of an indicator of how much pressure it can produce.

In general, a showerhead with a higher flow rate will give you more water pressure. 

While you might initially think that’s a bad thing, some of the models with exceptionally low flow rates make it really hard to rinse your body effectively.

As a result, you’ll actually end up spending more time in the shower and using more water than if you had a showerhead that was more efficient. 

In our opinion, a flow rate of about two gallons per minute provides a happy medium between water usage and shower effectiveness. 

RV Shower With Flow Control And Shut-Off Valves Will Cut Your Water Usage

That being said, you should always look for a shower head that includes some sort of quick shut-off valve.

These valves allow you to quickly restrict the flow of water out of the head while you’re applying soap to your body. 

Of course, you could always turn the water off directly at the faucet, but that’s less efficient because you’ll wind up having to dial in your desired water temperature all over again.

If you’ve ever showered in an RV, travel trailer, or fifth wheel, you know that it takes a few minutes to get your temperature set to a comfortable level. 

Be aware, however, that the water may initially feel much colder when you re-open your shut-off valve than when you initially closed it.

This is a safety feature in most RVs to prevent you from burning yourself when showering.  

Having The Best Shower Hose Length Will Make All The Difference

Hose length is often an overlooked feature because the vast majority of people tend to leave their showerhead attached to the wall mount at all times.

But most RV showers are so compact that it’s often more efficient to move the showerhead around your body instead of moving your body to get under the showerhead. 

If you’re a taller person, you’ll want a longer hose length to enjoy maximum reach.

And this is true for larger individuals in general. But there is one other application for which a longer hose length will come in handy. 

No matter how much you don’t want to do it, you should put shower cleaning on your schedule of regular RV maintenance.

The more you enjoy dirty and/or muddy outdoor recreation activities, the more often you’ll need to clean your shower. 

Having a longer shower hose will make it easier to clean your shower by allowing you to use the shower head to wet, soap, and rinse the walls and tub of your shower.

If you have a shorter shower hose, you may not be able to effectively wet and rinse all areas of your shower. 

Now, you’ll have to keep in mind that the recommended hose length for your shower will depend on its size and specific design.

But, in our opinion, it’s always better to have a slightly longer shower hose than one that winds up being too short to be effective when you’re rinsing your body or cleaning the shower. 

Choose Shower Head Hose Material which is Durable

While this RV accessory isn’t something that should withstand a whole bunch of bumps and bruises, it’s important that your showerhead doesn’t break if it accidentally falls out of its wall mount or you drop it while cleaning your shower. 

In terms of materials, nickel, aluminum, bronze, ABS plastic, and stainless steel are some of the most common materials used in the construction of RV showerheads, their wall mounts, and their hoses.

For our money, we’d recommend looking for a model with a nickel or bronze finish.

And something with a stainless steel hose (instead of a plastic hose) will generally be more durable and also more resistant to rust, corrosion, and the buildup of minerals that can often be found in harder water. 

ABS plastic might not sound like it would be the most durable material at first. After all, it has plastic in its name.

But the other part of its name (ABS) stands for ‘acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, which is an opaque thermoplastic that’s engineered to be especially resilient to heat. 

This material can be heated, cooled, and re-heated again without significant degradation, which is why it’s often used for hot water piping and other sensitive applications.

It’s also relatively inexpensive to produce, which is why you’ll see it used on some of the more budget-friendly RV shower head models.

Purchase Camper Shower Heads That Are Easy To Install

When it comes to installing a showerhead replacement for your RV, you’ll need to be comfortable with the process before you just dive in without a plan.

After all, you are dealing with your RV’s water system, so even a minor installation mistake could lead to a larger leak that causes significant damage to other parts of your recreational vehicle. 

If you don’t have much plumbing experience, you might consider hiring a professional to help you install your shower head.

But, to be honest, the process should be relatively straightforward as long as you follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully. 

Obviously, the easiest showerheads to install are those that can simply screw right into your existing shower hose.

You’ll just need to make sure the water is turned off, unscrew and remove your old showerhead, and screw your new one into place. But if you want to upgrade your entire setup, it’ll take a little more work. 

The good news is that even a full RV shower kit shouldn’t take much more than one hour to install properly.

Most shower hoses will screw right into the top of the existing faucet in your shower and then the head itself screws into the other end of the hose.

Using a screwdriver, you should be able to remove your old wall mount and screw your new one right into those existing holes. 

But if those screw holes are compromised somehow, you may need to use a power drill to tap new holes before screwing your wall mount into place.

If you do this, we highly recommend using some kind of putty or epoxy to plug the old holes before you start using your shower.

This will prevent moisture from getting into the walls and causing mold or mildew to built up on your RV’s substructure. 

How Much Does An RV Shower Head Cost?

Finally, perhaps the best news of all is that the prices of these showerheads aren’t exorbitant in the slightest.

In fact, all of them are priced under $50.

While you can certainly spend more for an exceptionally fancy shower head (if you prefer), we believe you can find a great design for somewhere between $25 and $50. 

So, What Is The Best Shower Head For An RV?

If you don’t mind spending a bit more to get the absolute best overall RV shower head, then look no further than the Oxygenics 92489 Fury Shower Head.

This model features a super low flow rate to help you save money and it also features a super-long shower hose that will make rinsing and cleaning your shower so much easier!

But if you want a model that keeps a few extra dollars in your pocket and requires minimal installation time, we’d recommend going for the Dura Faucet 5-Function Massage Shower Wand.

Our favorite part about this model is that it simply screws into your existing shower hose so that you can get back to more fun RV-related endeavors instead of spending hours switching out our showerhead! 

Frequently Asked Questions

In spite of their simplicity, there are some important things you can do to care for and maximize the lifespan of a camper showerhead.

By answering some of the most frequently asked questions about these showerheads, we’ll provide info on these topics and several others. 

Are RV shower heads universal?

For the most part, RV shower heads are designed to work in all types of RVs, travel trailers, fifth wheels, and popup campers.

The main things you’ll need to look at are the size of the fittings on the top of your shower faucet (if you’re installing a new hose and showerhead) and the size of the fitting at the end of your shower hose (if you’re just installing a new showerhead). 

Most RV faucets, shower hoses, and showerheads boast half-inch pipe thread fittings.

So, as long as the new showerhead you buy has fittings that are compatible with your faucet’s fitting, you’ll be just fine. 

Will a water-saving showerhead really save me money?

Yes! After extensive studies, folks much smarter than us have determined that the average RV shower time is approximately eight minutes.

So let’s use some of the aforementioned showerhead models to give you some examples. 

Using that average shower time, let’s look at the water usage difference between the Oxygenics Fury (1.8 GPM) and the YOO.MEE High-Pressure Showerhead (2.5 GPM).

In one shower, the Oxygenics will use approximately 14.4 gallons of water while the YOO.MEE will use 20 gallons. 

If you pay for water on a per-gallon basis, you can use those numbers to do the math on how much you’ll save per shower if you opt for the water-saving showerhead.

But you should also note that most RV campgrounds charge for the use of their dump station if you’re not already paying for a site. 

If you have an RV with a grey water holding tank capacity of, say, 50 gallons. You’ll only get 2.5 showers in before your tank is full with a model like the YOO.MEE.

But the water-saving showerhead will allow you to enjoy a full extra shower before your tank is full.

That not only translates to money savings, but it also means less time spent at dump stations and more time experiencing the true joys of RVing! 

How to clean a camping showerhead?

Because the hose portion of your showerhead often gets hot water passing through it, you really shouldn’t need to clean it too frequently.

If you do, we recommend turning the water off, detaching the hose from the faucet and showerhead at either end and running some sort of extended pipe cleaner through it using a mild detergent. 

For the showerhead itself, you can use a soft sponge and mild detergent to wipe and mineral buildup or soap scum.

Then you can rinse it off and allow it to dry thoroughly. If you notice that some of the nozzles on the head are no longer allowing water to pass through them, you’ll need to soak your showerhead for several minutes using hot water and soap. 

If hot water and soap aren’t enough to break up whatever is clogging those nozzles, you may need to use a stronger solution such as vinegar.

If you want to do this while your showerhead is still attached to its wall mount, you can fill a plastic bag with vinegar and then wrap it up around your showerhead so that the head is soaking in the vinegar solution. 

Secure it in place and then leave it for a few hours to allow the buildup to break up.

Then, you can remove the bag and turn your shower back on (ideally with hot water) to clean the nozzles and get your showerhead back to full strength. 

Should I filter the water for my RV shower?

In our opinion, YES! We think you should be filtering all of the water that’s coming into your RV, whether you’re using it for drinking, washing dishes, showering, or anything else.

That’s because it can be hard to know the quality of the water you’re getting when you’re moving around to many new RV destinations. 

Some RV parks that pull from a local well on their property will have water with particularly high mineral counts.

And, on the other hand, places that receive their water from the city often deal with having lots of chlorine in the water for ‘filtration’ purposes. 

Either way, you can install a simple inline water filter on the hose that you connect to any water source at a campground or RV park.

This will filter out chlorine, sediments, and heavy metals that you don’t want to drink and that can cause buildups in your piping and, in this case, your shower hose or shower head itself. 

How to properly apply plumbing tape?

Most complete RV showerhead kits come with plumbing tape that should be applied at the connection points between the shower hose and faucet and the hose and the showerhead, respectively.

But you’ll need to apply this tape properly if you want it to be effective. 

The nice part about plumbing tape is that it doesn’t take much to do the job. You won’t need to wrap the connection points with multiple layers of this tape for it to be effective.

In fact, you really only want to go around the threads at the connection points once (with a slight overlap at the ends). 

But the direction in which you wrap the threads is also important. You’ll want to twist the tape onto the threads in the same direction that the threads will eventually turn to secure in place (usually clockwise!).

If you do the opposite (counterclockwise), the tape will simply rip and be rendered ineffective when you screw the hose and showerhead into place. 

Why is my RV shower head leaking?

If you’re new to RVing, you should know that some showerheads may appear that they’re leaking when you turn on the shut-off valve to restrict water flow.

This is relatively normal, and even many residential showerheads drip slightly when their shut-off valve is engaged. 

In general, this isn’t a sign of an issue with your showerhead. But if you notice that the intensity of the drip increases over time, it may be a sign that the seal inside your showerhead has been compromised.

If your model came with extra washers, you may just need to swap one out. But if it didn’t you may need to look into a whole new showerhead replacement. 

Conclusion

As a kid, I remember not being too fond of showering in our RV. If I’m being completely honest, we’d often prefer to use the communal showers at any campground that offered them instead of showering inside our rig.

But showering in an RV can, indeed, be enjoyable. And the right showerhead will go a long way towards making it so. 

We hope you’ve enjoyed these reviews of the best RV showerheads and we wish you the best of luck choosing the design that will help you enjoy more comfortable showers on all of your upcoming RV adventures!