The Future of Shower Technology

Wake up your morning routine with new shower technology. Gone are the days of lumbering into the shower, eyes closed, as you dream of 10 more minutes of sleep. Space-age technology coupled with luxurious design will have you eagerly bounding out of bed at the first sound of the alarm.

Shower tech comes with a focus on water conservation, without sacrificing comfort, pressure or temperature. Manufacturers designed new shower innovations to be easy on the planet but also your savings.

Swedish-based Orbital Systems leads the pack with a high-end, high-tech concept shower system that cuts water consumption by 90 percent and energy usage by 80 percent.

The science behind the system is based on NASA sustainability principles and, in its most basic form, represents a closed-loop water recycling system. Water falls from the showerhead into a drain where a capsule instantly purifies it and pumps it back through the shower head.

But with a price tag ranging from $4,800 to $5,900, the Orbital Systems shower is a budget buster for most. Luckily, other more down-to-earth systems exist, which still yield significant water and energy savings.

The Nebia showerhead offers a spa-like experience and boasts an impressive 70 percent reduction in water usage. The showerhead leverages advances in jet propulsion thermofluids to atomize water into millions of tiny droplets, creating a surface area 10 times greater than that of a regular shower. Those who’ve tested it describe it as a total-immersion experience.

According to Philip Winter, co-founder and CEO, “It turns out the age-old belief that more water equals a better experience isn’t necessarily true.” The Nebia, an easy, do-it-yourself install, retails for $399 and hits the market in this month.

The darling of the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show, the Hydrao is an eco-sensitive, smart shower system that attaches to any standard shower hose.

The Hydrao comes with an array of built-in LED lights that change color based on the volume of water consumed. Three alert thresholds can be set via a mobile app, which also tracks the water use and savings of your last 1,000 showers.

Hydrao first burst into the French market in 2015, and debut in the U.S. at the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show. Though taking pre-orders, the company has not yet announced when it will be available in the U.S.

The more familiar, household brand-name shower manufacturers found at big-box home improvement stores also offer their own innovative easy-to-install eco-solutions.

Delta Faucet offers a selection of showerheads and components featuring H2Okinetic technology. The unique wave pattern of water creates the feeling of more water without actually using more water.

Kohler has also introduced a line of showerheads featuring its proprietary Eco-Boost technology Switch between a 15-gpm flow rate and 2.0-gm flow with the push of a button.

No matter how the water flows, the future of shower technology offers a range of eco-friendly, high-tech solutions that can work within any bathroom budget.