which shower head is best?

[Flygirl]

We are remodeling our shower and are updaing the shower head and faucet. I would appreciate your advice as to which type/brand of shower head is best. Might you please explain what shower head would be healthiest--for example, spraying the least amount of chlorine in the air? What are the pros and cons of the downpour/rainfall shower head types? I've seen those DANZE faucets with a sunflower head and 30-60 jets. How does that work exactly? Is that a good kind to buy? Also, on the faucet, how can I be sure I'm getting one that adjusts both the pressure and the temperature? (I would like a single lever for both.)

Any advice you can provide would be most helpful. Thanks.

PS Love your toilet review. Now I need one for shower heads/faucets.

[Bob NH]

Any shower head is going to release virtually all of the chlorine, radon, and any other dissolved gasses that are in the water into the air. It is the nature of mass transfer to reach an equilibrium condition between the water and air, and since the air has such a low concentration of those gasses, most of the gasses in the water will be stripped out.

That is accelerated by the fact that the water is warm (typically 105 to 120 F) so the evaporation of water from the stream (that is what "steams up" the bathroom) accelerates the stripping of volatiles from the water.

If you want to eliminate the chlorine you can remove it with an activated carbon filter, or you can neutralize it by feeding sodium thiosulfate into the water.

[jimbo]

Remember that rain heads are just that....like standing in a gentle rain. So many jets...the water does not come forcefully at all. Personally, I don't see the attraction, but they do seem to be popular

[AlwaysInHotWater]

My favorite shower head is the Giessdorf 8 Jet. Doesn't remove any chlorine and puts out too much water to use effectively with a carbon filter, but what a great shower! I've been using one for years now and still looks new.