Shower Set Guide: Exposed or Concealed, Thermostat or Mixer?

Everyone wants a rain shower. Before you pick one, it helps to answer three questions: are you hacking the wall, do you want the temperature to stay steady, and what water heater do you have? The answers narrow things down quickly.

Are you hacking the wall?

If you are not, go for an exposed mixer or a showerpipe. Both mount on the wall surface and connect to your existing water points, so they are quick to install.

If you are renovating, a concealed mixer gives the cleanest look. The valve body is built into the wall and only the handle and plate show. It has to go in during the renovation.

Thermostat or single lever mixer?

A single lever mixer lets you set flow and temperature by hand. A thermostatic mixer holds the water at the temperature you choose, even when someone turns on a tap elsewhere, so there are no sudden hot or cold bursts. It is the safer choice for homes with young children or elderly family members.

Which type of shower set?

Hand shower set: a hand shower on a wall holder or sliding rail. Flexible and affordable.

Showerpipe or rain shower set: a column with a large overhead shower, a hand shower and a mixer or thermostat. The easiest way to add a rain shower without concealed plumbing, and best paired with a storage water heater.

Concealed rain shower: an overhead shower from the wall or ceiling, with a concealed mixer or thermostat, for a fully built-in look.

What water heater do you have?

This is the one people often forget. A rain shower needs a lot of hot water at good pressure, so rain shower sets are generally paired with a storage water heater. Most instant water heaters cannot supply enough flow for a large overhead shower. The exception is an instant heater that comes with its own rain shower, as these usually have a built-in pump to boost the flow.

If you have an instant heater and are not changing it, a hand shower set is usually the better choice. Some hand showers, such as the Hansgrohe Pulsify range, are designed to work well even on lower water pressure. Tell us which heater you have and we will recommend a suitable set.

Water efficiency

Shower taps and mixers carry a WELS rating. A 3 tick shower mixer flows at 5 litres per minute or less; 2 ticks is more than 5 up to 7 litres per minute.

Browse shower sets from Hansgrohe, TOTO, American Standard, E+NT and more.

Frequently asked questions

Can I change from an exposed mixer to a concealed one?

Yes, but it needs hacking and plumbing work in the wall, so it is best done during a renovation.

How many outlets do I need?

Count the outlets you want to control, for example overhead shower, hand shower and bath spout, and choose a mixer or thermostat with that number of outlets.

Get help choosing

Not sure what fits? Bring a photo and your measurements to any Lucky Khoon showroom and our team will help you pick the right model. We are an authorised dealer for the brands we carry, and our in-house installation team can supply and install for you.

• Enterprise One: 1 Kaki Bukit Road 1 #01-01 to #01-05, Singapore 415934. Bathroom and kitchen: +65 6346 2172
• Tradehub 21: 24 Boon Lay Way #01-72/73, Singapore 609969. Bathroom and kitchen: +65 6795 1862
• TOTO Boutique, Oxley Bizhub: 61 Ubi Road 1 #01-10, Singapore 408727. Tel: +65 6320 3778

Opening hours are on our contact page.