This Smart Shower Head Tells Me (Pretty Neat) Stats About My Bathing Habits

As someone with a mother who has suggested taking a shower to cure a variety of ailments—to calm down, relax, feel less sick, or just boost your general mood—it’s been pretty ingrained in me that a nice little reprieve under a steamy mist can do wonders. So, when I recently moved from my comfortable (large) apartment with a massive tub and adjustable showerhead to a much smaller solo apartment with a bathroom akin to your average high school locker room, you could say I had a little bit of a meltdown.

As someone who knows a thing or two about a solid shower setup, the existing shower head had basically zero pressure, with random jets spitting out all over so that you basically got pelted in the eye every few seconds. It wasn’t long before I realized my current shower needed an upgrade. Enter: Hai, the Bluetooth-connected smart shower head that not only promises gallons of water saved over time, but also a luxury spa experience, real-time stats, and really chic hardware.

I was elated to stumble upon this colorful little device—not only for self-care reasons, but also it claimed it could mitigate the impact my long, indulgent showers are having on the planet. In addition to conserving water and increasing my shower’s water pressure, it also promises to provide me with stats about the temperature, length, and impact of each sesh. As the app has informed me in the mere 10 days I’ve had it installed, I’ve already managed to save a total of 103.12 gallons and 9.72 kilowatts of energy. But let’s rewind—here was my experience of testing this upgrade to your bathroom.

First impressions

The instructions weren’t lying— a Hai shower head is incredibly easy to install (even for novices who can barely screen in a light bulb). Inside the box are simplified DIY instructions, with a scannable QR code to sync your device—easy-peasy. The hardest part was removing my old janky shower head that was clinging on for dear life. I had to call in my superintendent for help when my measly Ikea wrench wasn't large enough to get a good grip, but after that, installation was a breeze. You don’t need any special tools to install the Hai: You straight up open the box, pause to admire your gorgeous new accessory—I went with the rose quartz color, a subtle dusty pink that best matched my dingy, beige, faux-travertine tile—and screw that bad boy into the existing pipe. There are five other aesthetically pleasing colors to choose from, ranging from a spicy persimmon to a serene surf blue surrounded by stainless steel that the brand says is “designed to last a lifetime and be better for the environment.”

What rules

Pretty much everything about the Hai is an upgrade for your shower experience; as someone with a very short attention span, if it had taken any more than 10 minutes to set up and configure this shower head I would have likely given up and never bothered to delve into all of the smart features it has to offer. It’s seriously as easy as screwing in the shower head—which is attached to a long hose perfect for reaching all those tricky crevices, or washing your pet (which I did, immediately) or your [redacted]—downloading the Hai app, and turning on the shower. The app is incredibly user-friendly, and upon first use, goes through a little explainer so you know exactly where to find all your shower stats.

As long as you have your Bluetooth turned on, and your phone is nearby, the rest of the setup is done for you. After each shower, you receive a little debrief on how much water you used (and, more importantly, saved), your average temperature, and the amount of time you spent basking in the water.

Not only are you helping conserve water (Mother Earth is smiling), but you can also set a ton of personal preferences, like what color you want the little LED light to glow when the water has reached the ideal temperature and when it’s time to wrap things up. Not only that: Hai will actually send you a push notification to let you know when the water is hot. Now you don’t have to stand there questioning your reality while you wait for it to get to shower-temp—or, if you’re like me, get distracted and accidentally let the water “heat up” for 10 minutes. It is an ADHD-person’s dream device, and it has actively gotten me to think about my water and power usage on a daily basis, and have already begun saving gallons.

Now, let’s talk about the water pressure: I was a little worried that a technically “low-flow” device would be able to deliver the kind of aggressive pummeling I desire, but I was surprised at how strong a stream Hai delivered. There are two options to toggle between—high pressure (perfect for the aforementioned regular daily shower) and a soothing spa mist, excellent if you have a nice eucalyptus or lavender bundle hanging in your shower. Personally, I think the mist setting is weak-sauce, but it was just the right pressure for keeping my dog from knocking me ass-over-tea-kettle while trying to make a break for it during his bi-weekly bath. If you’re a resident of one of the six states that require a WaterSense-certified, low-flow shower head, you’re in luck, because Hai offers that as an option as well.

What was meh

I don’t have much to say about the pitfalls of this product, aside from the fact that it is quite pricey. For $250 I would expect a few extra pressure modes, or maybe a rainfall option—but in all honesty, that’s just me being nitpicky. Furthermore, the showerhead’s pipe can be a little finicky; if you have a shower caddy that attaches to your showerhead, it can occasionally knock the suction cups off the wall. This was the case for my shower, and I found myself having to reaffix the caddy’s suction cups back into place.

That said, for the most part, the pros outweigh the cons. The only downside to this product so far is the initial price, but considering how much time, money, and resources (water and energy) you will save in the long run, the investment certainly makes sense.  Considering how easy it is to install and remove, you also won’t have to worry about leaving your bathroom investment behind for the next lucky soul in the event you need to move out.

TL;DR

This Hai smart shower head has truly changed my morning routine. I never worry anymore about forgetting the shower’s running while I pour my coffee, and Hai’s gentle little reminders when the water is the ideal temperature, or when I need to rinse and run help me avoid wasting time in and around the shower. I honestly get excited now, playing a little game with myself to see if I can continue to cut down on water usage, and to see how long I took after the fact. I’ve definitely become more conscious of the time I spend relishing in the steam—it’s basically my version of beating your step-count or mile time for people who exercise. The only drawbacks are the showerhead’s steep price, and the fact that there’s no purification system or the multiple spray settings that other similar models boast. All in all, Hai is the first product to exceed my expectations in quite a while, especially based on its aesthetically pleasing social media presence and focus on design.

Go ahead, get dirty, just to get clean.

Purchase the Hai Smart Shower head at Hai.

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