1. Wall versus ceiling mount. Replacing an existing wall-mounted showerhead with a rain showerhead is an easy DIY project. Of course, because you’re mounting the rain showerhead on the wall, it may spray at an angle. Adding an overhead shower arm, which extends the showerhead from your wall by about 12 to 16 inches, makes it possible for you to stand underneath the showerhead to get a rainfall-like experience. If you would like a rain showerhead mounted on the ceiling (and you don’t currently have a ceiling-mounted fixture), you’ll probably need to call a plumber (to install water pipes).
2. Showerhead size. Think about how much coverage you want, as well as what makes sense for the amount of shower space that you have. Many rain showerheads run between 8 and 10 inches wide, though you can also find models as small as 6 inches wide or larger than 16 inches.
3. Water pressure. Because they’re designed to be soothing, rain showerheads aren’t typically high in water pressure. (In fact, the larger the showerhead, the weaker the pressure.) If you like the idea of a soft, delicate spray but also would like targeted water pressure when you need it, opt for a combination rain showerhead with a handheld showerhead.
4. Spray settings. If you want to mix things up, look for a rain showerhead with multiple settings, such as a mist or waterfall setting.