GwernKB Brushed Nickel Handheld Shower Review: 79-Inch Hose and Flow Limits

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If you are considering the GwernKB handheld shower, the first questions are how far the 79-inch hose reaches from your wall bracket, and what the flow rate means for how much water you use. A handheld head is only as good as its reach and its fit, and the flow figure decides the water use. This review covers only what the listing states about flow, hose, spray modes, pause button, bracket, materials, fit and parts. It does not report any test of the shower under pressure, and it does not describe the comfort or health effects the bullets mention. Use the listing to decide whether the reach and flow suit your bathroom, and read the pressure note before you buy.

Quick answer

The GwernKB is a brushed nickel handheld shower with a 79-inch stainless steel hose, eight spray modes and an on-off pause button on the handle. The specs give a flow rate of 1.8 gallons per minute at 80 pounds per square inch, and the bullets describe a flow of 1.75 gallons per minute with the included water-saving tablet in place. The bracket works with screws or adhesive, and the listing says the fitting is standard G1/2. The item weighs 1.7 pounds. The listing states no warranty term, and it includes an installation manual.

What to check in a handheld shower

Four details decide whether this shower fits. Each one can rule it in or out.

1. Hose reach. The specs give a hose length of 79 inches, and the bullets say the longer hose reaches areas a fixed head cannot and works with a shower chair. The item dimensions field gives 89 inches long and 4.5 inches wide, which does not match the hose length. Measure from the bracket to the far corner of your shower and to the seat, and rely on the 79-inch hose figure for reach.

2. Flow and the water-saving tablet. The specs give 1.8 gallons per minute at 80 pounds per square inch. The bullets say the maximum flow without the water-saving tablet is 9.85 liters, and that the flow with the tablet in use is 1.75 gallons per minute. The listing does not state the unit of the 9.85-liter figure. This review does not advise on removing or changing the tablet or any flow restrictor, because the site does not cover that topic. Use the flow figure the head ships with, and check the product page for the rest.

3. Pressure wording. The title and bullets use the term high pressure, and the bullets describe a high-pressure handheld with eight streams. A head changes how water leaves the head, but it cannot add pressure your plumbing does not supply. Read the high-pressure wording as the maker’s description of the spray, and do not expect the head to raise your home’s water pressure.

4. Bracket, fitting and materials. The bracket works with screws or adhesive, and the bullets say it can be placed in low-reach positions. The specs give ABS for the head, ABS and brass for the bracket, and stainless steel and brass for the hose. The bullets describe the fitting as standard G1/2 and say the head installs without tools. Check the thread on your arm before you install, because the listing gives a fitting size but no thread details beyond that.

Use these rules to choose:

• Choose this shower if you want a handheld head with a 79-inch hose, a pause button and two bracket options, at the 1.8 gallons-per-minute flow.
• Choose a different shower if you need a stated pressure figure for your plumbing, because the listing gives only the head’s flow at 80 pounds per square inch.
• Choose a different shower if you need a stated warranty, because the listing states none.

For other handheld options, the best hand held shower head on slide bar guide covers slide bars, and the best screw on shower heads with hose guide covers hose-style heads.

The GwernKB handheld shower

The shower is a round, modern, brushed nickel handheld head with a wall bracket and a hose. The specs name the setting types as rain, massage, rain plus massage, bubble spray, rain plus bubble spray, mist spray, rain plus mist, drip and a stop button. The included components are the 79-inch stainless steel hose, an adhesive wall mount holder, a bracket, the handheld head and an installation manual. The model number is SS8002-BN.

The shower fits a reader who wants a handheld head on a wall bracket with a long hose, for rinsing, or for use from a seat. The bullets describe the pause button as a way to stop the water without dripping, which helps when you are sitting, according to the maker.

The listing has several things to check. The item dimensions field gives 89 inches long, which does not match the 79-inch hose. The flow figures differ between the specs and the bullets, as noted above. The bullets make comfort claims about relaxing the body and relieving fatigue, which this review does not assess. The listing gives no warranty term.

Who should skip it: a reader who needs a stated pressure rating for the plumbing, a reader who needs a stated warranty, and a reader who wants a head that does not use a water-saving device.

Pause button and water use

The bullets say the pause button turns the water off completely without dripping, which is a feature the listing describes. The listing also describes a water-saving tablet in the package. The EPA says standard showerheads use 2.5 gallons per minute, and that a showerhead must demonstrate no more than 2.0 gallons per minute to earn the WaterSense label. The listing’s 1.8 gallons per minute sits under that 2.0 figure, but the listing does not show the WaterSense mark, so check the product page for it.

Worked example: how a 5-minute rinse uses 9 gallons at 1.8 gallons per minute

Compare the water used at 1.8 gallons per minute with the water used at 2.5 gallons per minute, the EPA figure for a standard head.

• Water at 1.8 gallons per minute: 1.8 times 5 = 9 gallons.
• Water at 2.5 gallons per minute: 2.5 times 5 = 12.5 gallons.
• Difference in this example: 12.5 minus 9 = 3.5 gallons.

Check the arithmetic again. 1.8 times 5 is 9. 2.5 times 5 is 12.5. 12.5 minus 9 is 3.5. The example shows that a 5-minute rinse at the listed flow uses 3.5 gallons less than one at the standard 2.5 gallons per minute. It does not show the spray strength, which depends on your plumbing.

The plastic head and the brass parts

The specs give the head as ABS, the bracket as ABS and brass, and the hose as stainless steel and brass. The Wikipedia overview of ABS says it is a thermoplastic polymer in common use since the 1950s, made by polymerizing styrene and acrylonitrile in the presence of polybutadiene. The brass parts and the stainless hose are the joints to check for leaks, so inspect the fittings after each use.

Why a handheld head changes the shower

The Wikipedia overview of showers says most showers have adjustable temperature, spray pressure and nozzle angle, and that a showerhead connected to a hose with a mounting bracket lets the user hold the head by hand. That is the design of this handheld: the hose and the bracket let you aim the spray at the body, a seat or the wall. The shower’s pressure still comes from your plumbing, and the head only changes the spray.

Hand-held use and the bracket

The Wikipedia overview of showers says a showerhead connected to a hose with a mounting bracket lets the user hold it by hand and spray different parts of the body. The GwernKB uses that arrangement, and the bracket is the part that keeps the head at rest. Check that the bracket is fixed firmly before you use the head.

Five common mistakes

1. Expecting more pressure. A head cannot add pressure your plumbing does not supply.
2. Trusting the item length. The item dimensions give 89 inches, and the hose is 79 inches.
3. Changing the water-saving tablet. This review does not advise on it, and the site does not cover flow restrictors.
4. Assuming the WaterSense mark. The listing does not show it.
5. Skipping the thread check. The listing gives G1/2, so confirm the thread on your arm.

FAQ

How long is the hose?

The specs give 79 inches.

What flow does it use?

The listing pairs a 1.8 gallon-per-minute rating with 80 pounds per square inch. The bullets give 1.75 gallons per minute with the water-saving tablet.

How many spray modes?

The specs list eight settings, and the bullets describe eight streams.

How is it mounted?

The bracket works with screws or adhesive, and the listing includes both options.

Does it come with a warranty?

The listing states no warranty term.

What fitting does it use?

The bullets describe a standard G1/2 fitting.

Bottom line

The GwernKB handheld shower suits a reader who wants a brushed nickel handheld head with a 79-inch stainless hose, eight spray modes, a pause button and a screw or adhesive bracket, at a listed flow of 1.8 gallons per minute. The listing gives an 89-inch item length that does not match the hose, describes a water-saving tablet this review does not address, and states no warranty. Measure your reach, check the thread, and confirm the flow and certification on the product page.

Sources

• WaterSense showerheads, EPA: standard showerheads use 2.5 gpm; WaterSense showerheads use no more than 2.0 gpm and are independently certified.
• Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, Wikipedia: a thermoplastic polymer in common use since the 1950s.
• Shower, Wikipedia: a showerhead on a hose with a mounting bracket can be held by hand; adjustable spray pressure and nozzle angle are common.
• Shower, Wikipedia: a showerhead on a hose with a bracket can be held by hand.