A handheld showerhead is a type of shower fixture comprising a handle, an O-ring, a threaded ring, a spray face, a front cover, and a decorative ring; it can be mounted on a bracket or used while held in the hand. Its spray face is made of silicone rubber and features a spherical-shell shape, with the spray nozzles protruding 1.5 to 3 millimeters beyond the front cover; this design offers a wide spray coverage, a skin-massaging function, and characteristics of softness and safety. This type of showerhead is distinguished by its portability from overhead showerheads (fixed at a high position with an adjustable angle via a ball joint) and body-spray showerheads (wall-embedded side-spray designs).
Handheld showerheads originated from shower fixtures adapted from garden watering devices; the main categories of shower fixtures include handheld, overhead, and body-spray types. By the end of 2025, water authorities in Beijing had provided free replacements of water-saving fixtures-such as handheld showerheads and faucets-for 100,000 households across 10 administrative districts, with the new water-saving showerheads reducing water flow by approximately 35% per minute compared to the previous models. These three types of showerheads complement each other through their distinct structural designs and installation methods, catering to diverse bathing needs.