Waterpik ECO 563 EcoFlow 5-Mode Water Saving Handheld Shower, Chrome

by Waterpik

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

The Waterpik ECO-563 EcoFlow shower head provides the same great shower experience you expect and love from Waterpik while using less water. In fact, thanks to its remarkable efficiency, it uses up to one less gallon of water a minute while still offering powerful spray settings for an invigorating experience. The shower head pays for itself as you'll save more than $90 annually on your water bill.

Compare Waterpik Handheld Line
FEATURES	SM-3UC The Original 5 Mode Shower	SM-451 The Original 5 Mode Shower	SM-453CG The Original 4 Mode Shower Massage	SM-653CG The Original 4 Mode Shower	NSL-653 New Visions 6 Mode Shower Massage	NSC-659 New Visions 6 Mode Massage	TRS-553 Elements 6 Mode Massage	TRS-559 Elements 5 Mode Linea	ECO-563 Ecoflow 5 Mode Linea
Finish	Chrome	White	White	Chrome	Chrome	Brushed Nickel	Brushed Nickel	Chrome	Brushed Nickel
Settings	5 A B E F I	5 A B C D I	4 A B F I	4 A B F I	6 A B C F I	6 B C E F I	6 B C E F I	5 A B E F I	5 A B E F I
OptiFlow Up to 30% more Water Force	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Head Size	3.5"	3.5"	3.5"	3.5"	3.5"	3.5"	3.25"	3.25"	3.25"
5' Flexible Hose	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Spray Control Ring	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
2.5 GPM Water Saver	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Warranty	Lifetime	5 Year	Lifetime	Lifetime	Lifetime	Lifetime	Lifetime	Lifetime	Lifetime
Settings

Product Description

Chrome 5-Spray Pattern High-Efficiency Handheld Showerhead

See all Product Description

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 3.8 x 12.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B001AZO6GI
• Item model number: ECO 563
• Average Customer Review: 2.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (42 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,251 in Home Improvement (See Top 100 in Home Improvement)
  • #52 in Home Improvement > Kitchen & Bath Fixtures > Bathroom Fixtures > Showerheads & Handheld Showers

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars 100% satisfied, with thoughts and comments on the negative reviews, February 8, 2011

By 

William N. Gross "BG" (Berkeley, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Waterpik ECO 563 EcoFlow 5-Mode Water Saving Handheld Shower, Chrome (Tools & Hardware)

Since reviews of similar, but different products are being grouped together on this web page, I am reviewing the Waterpik ECO 563 EcoFlow 5-Mode Water Saving Handheld Shower, Chrome.

This review is pretty long. Here is the bottom line:

Pros

You're going to get a nice flow from this shower head.

It will be easy to install (if you follow the directions)

It will save you money and cut down on water consumption.

It is plastic, which is not a bad thing. I'll explain later.

It comes with a lifetime warranty from Waterpik. KEEP THE RECEIPT and you can count on Waterpik to replace any parts that may wear out over time.

Cons

No cons. It's a very, very good solution, not a perfect solution. Any other proposed in these reviews (Oxygenics 90827, Earth Massage 1.5 GPM) get their share of bad press as well. Even the high-end Moen Revolution has its detractors. With something as personal as a shower, it is going to be almost impossible to please everyone.

I almost didn't buy this thing because of the bad reviews, but reading between the lines, it seemed like this product DID work if installed correctly. Most of the complaints were about

Taste in material (plastic versus metal)

Water pressure

Installation issues

And, most importantly...

What constitutes a "good" shower?

This product was easy to install, well built and it does what it says-it cuts the water consumption of your shower by up to half. It may not be the luxurious experience one might get from a metal shower head that costs $200, but it provides a very good shower.

Installation:

If you READ THE DIRECTIONS, this shower head is EASY to install and is very well designed for the Do-It-Yourself type.

Read the instructions first, then install.

Take a close look as you disassemble (required for installation) and reassemble. This will cut down on confusion of how the parts go together.

Don't use Teflon tape.

Don't use a wrench. There is a wrench mentioned as a tool you might need, but this is for REMOVING YOUR OLD SHOWER HEAD.

Plumbing skill is not needed, but mechanical aptitude doesn't hurt.

Keep the receipt and you are set for life if anything from the hose to the head to the arm wears out. They will send a replacement in just a few days. The warranty cannot be honored without proof of purchase, which is the receipt from the place you bought it from.

From here on out, I'm going to address some of the reviews that almost dissuaded me from this purchase. I'm glad they didn't.

Materials:

From Carolyn H. Heinz

"First, it's plastic. We couldn't tell that from the box, or I wouldn't have bought it on those grounds alone. That meant we couldn't screw the parts tightly together enough to prevent an annoying leak where the coil attaches to the hand-held piece."

My reply:

Plastic is well suited for a hand held shower head because

1. It doesn't rust

2. Less dense: if you drop metal on your bare toes you will appreciate this. Also won't chip tile.

3. Plastic threading can be hand tightened and work. This is better for amateur plumbers like me.

4. Over-tightened metal parts can make subsequent cleaning or repairs difficult to accomplish.

From "bevhealthnut"

"The little insert that reduces the flow is plain terrible."

My reply:

I could be wrong, and bev, if I am please forgive me, but out of the package there are white plastic covers just inside both ends of the hose that you need to remove before installation. If someone did not remove these, they would cut the water flow down to almost ZERO, but of course they are not the mechanism meant to cut flow which is (a inside the shower head and (b)inside the arm. As hard to believe as it might be, that sounds like what might have happened in this case. The other mechanisms would not cut water flow that much.

From Jon M.

"The cradle that holds the shower head only holds the very bottom of the handle and is very unsturdy."

My reply:

I thought this was going to be true too at first, but there is a little rubber nub that holds the handle tightly in place. This is a very solid design. The shower head has not fallen out of its cradle once and the ball joint is very adjustable. I have found it to be very sturdy.

By the way, I am 6'1" and the pipe that comes out of the wall for the shower is about 6' up in a 3'X 3' stall. I have had no problem with the height of this unit. Everyone else in my family is less than 5'5" and they have also had no problems.

From Han Dougall

"The hose, which is made out of plastic as well, is so stiff it adds to the head wobble problem"

My reply:

I thought the hose was stiff out of the box, but once I ran water through it, I found the whole assembly well balanced and stable. Within seconds of installation, I watched as this issue was resolved, to my relief, because I was thinking about this review as I pulled the hose out of the packaging.

Metal hoses are fine, but the hose alone can cost more than this shower head.

I have had ZERO problems with twisting or crimping of the hose or a wobbly head.

From Ladybug

"The tab used to change the water settings is very difficult to turn, the "pause" feature only slightly decreases the flow, it was a pain to install, and worst of all-this product KILLED the water pressure in our shower!"

My Reply:

I can do it with one hand. I did not find it difficult at all to change between the 5 settings. The settings are nice.

The ecoflow mode or "PAUSE" cuts the already reduced flow by almost half. It is significant and should save water and is good for lathering up. If I want to completely cut off the water flow, my shower fixtures are modern enough that they allow me to do this with the flip of a faucet handle. The water doesn't cut off 100% purposely so that it will work with various kinds of water heaters.

I found the water pressure to be fine, but this is a matter of taste. This reminds me of the Seinfeld episode where they get low-flow shower heads. No two people will have quite the same definition of what makes a good shower. Is it the gym style with very strong flow that is practically a steam bath? Is it standing under a sun-shower in the great outdoors? Everybody has their own idea of what is ideal. I am left wondering if some of the complaints around this issue are due more to perception than actual water flow.

From L. Mims

"The lower water pressure ends up being offset by the need to take longer showers in order to rinse. The hose has limited flexibility making it subject to minor damage"

1. The construction of the shower head compensates for the lower flow by delivering a stronger stream of water.

2. Again with the hose. It is segmented plastic. I have found the hose to be quite flexible when installed correctly.

In retrospect, the most helpful and realistic reviews I read were by N. Clark and Philster "Philster" who astutely commented on the design ("With fewer parts needing to be joined together, the possibility of leaks is less").

Mine has been installed for about a month. Although I have done a little plumbing around the house, I am not a professional by any means. This thing was EASY to install and no leaks right off the bat.

I think if you follow the instructions and are looking for a water-saving hand-held shower head, then this is a good choice.

This isn't a luxury item. Again, metal shower heads can cost up to and over $200. A metal hose can cost up to and over $50. Put it together and it could come out to 10 times the cost of the ECO 563. If you want to save water and get a quality shower and save a little money, the ECO 563 will do the trick. If you want a full on deluge (or at least 2.5 gallons per minute which is the legal limit) there are a lot of high flow shower heads out there to chose from.

I'm totally satisfied with my purchase as is every member of my very picky and vocal family. I didn't buy it at Amazon: the negative reviews made me feel like I needed to see it first to gauge its potential, but don't feel you have to do the same. Amazon offers this item at the cheapest price. This thing works fine, day in, day out. It feels good in the hand, looks nice, is well designed and easy to install.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best low flow shower head out there, September 11, 2008

By 

Rottvan "Rottvan" (Richmond, California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Waterpik ECO 563 EcoFlow 5-Mode Water Saving Handheld Shower, Chrome (Tools & Hardware)

I purchased one shower head two months ago to test its performance. Too my surprise, I cannot notice the difference between my old 2.5 gpm shower head and the new 1.5 gpm. My frist experience with low flow shower head was in the 90's. Those were just mist with restricted water flow. Water was never hot enough. For the Ecoflow, I specially like the water flow control that allows you to save more water depending on you need. It works so great I have purchased another one already.

I have also researched other models as well, like the Labybug. It auto shuts off water once it reaches certain temp. That does save as much water as having the abilty to control water flow while maintaining the same temperture.

In summary, if you want to save water and not compromising on the shower experience, this is the one.

20 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Too low-flow, October 16, 2008

By 

Michael A. Caldwell (Deployed to Iraq) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Waterpik ECO 563 EcoFlow 5-Mode Water Saving Handheld Shower, Chrome (Tools & Hardware)

I purchased this item locally.

While this item does indeed save water, it provided me with the most UNsatisfying shower I have ever had. I understand that reducing the flow of the water is the intended goal, but when you have to shower an extra five minutes just to make sure you are completely rinsed sort of defeats the purpose. I have no water pressure problems, so unless I installed the item incorrectly, then the showerhead is completely to blame. One good thing is that it was very easy to install and I was done in less than five minutes.

As an added note, the "pause" function does not stop the water, it merely reduces the flow a little.

There are other showerheads out there that reduce water flow while still providing an adequate or even above-average shower experience. I previously owned an Oxygenics handheld showerhead that puts the Waterpik to shame. I will be returning this item to the store immediately.