Phoenix NX Showers

What the Phoenix NX shower range is

NX is a Phoenix range built around angles. The listings say the NX collection focuses on angles that influence its modern form and make it a versatile collection. In this collection it covers five families, each with its own shape: Cape, Iko, Orli, Quil and Vive. Iko and Orli carry the HydroSense spray design, Iko in round and Orli in square. Cape, Quil and Vive are the plainer families, with a hand shower, a rail, an arm and rose and, for Quil, a twin. The finishes are chrome, matte black, brushed nickel, chrome with black trim and chrome with white trim.

Start with the family and the format that suit your wall. What decides a purchase is the water inlet, the arm, the height, the flow, the finish and the care. For the whole brand, see Phoenix showers. For the roses from every Phoenix range, see Phoenix shower rose. For the arms on their own, see Phoenix shower arms.

The five NX families

• Cape is chrome with black trim, with a 250 mm rose on an upswept rectangular arm and a 120 mm hand shower.
• Iko is round, with HydroSense, in chrome and matte black, with a 250 mm rose and a 120 mm hand piece.
• Orli is square, with HydroSense, in chrome and matte black, with a 290 by 210 mm rose and a 100 mm hand piece.
• Quil comes in chrome with black trim, brushed nickel and matte black, with a 250 mm rose, a 120 mm hand piece and a twin.
• Vive is chrome with white trim, with a 120 mm hand piece and a rail.

Pick the family by the shape of the room first. Round suits Iko and Quil, square suits Orli, and the trim colour decides between Cape and Vive. The format comes second, and the sections below set out each one.

What HydroSense is

HydroSense is the maker's name for the spray design on the Iko and Orli products. The listings describe it as a spray technology that gives a spa-like experience, and a retailer page for the Iko twin calls it a patented spray technology that accelerates water flow tenfold for better coverage. The listings give no measurement behind that claim: no spray angle, no droplet size and no pressure at the nozzle. So take it as the maker's description of the design. The listings do state the rating and the flow, and those are the figures to buy on.

The Iko and Orli hand pieces are described as single function with low-profile nozzles for easy cleaning. The Iko hand piece is metal with an insulated sleeve for minimal heat retention.

Arm and rose sets

The arm and rose sets are the simplest way to renew an overhead. The listings describe an upswept shower arm that gives additional height from the wall, and a push-fit adaptor that suits an existing half inch connection with no drilling. The Cape and Quil sets have a stylish rectangular brass arm with a large 250 mm head and easy-clean nozzles. The Iko set has a 250 mm rain head on a brass arm, and the Orli set has a 290 by 210 mm rain head. The Cape, Iko and Quil sets are rated 3 star at 8.5, 8.5 and 8 litres per minute, and the Orli at 8. The box holds the rose and the arm.

Choose a set when you are changing the arm, or when you want the rose and the arm to share one finish and one design. The upswept arm helps where the wall outlet sits low, and a supplier guide says a rising arm lifts the head when the outlet is too low. See rain showers for the wider choice of overheads.

Roses on their own

The Iko matte black rose and the Orli rose are sold as the rose alone, with the arm to be paired. The Iko rose is 250 mm and the Orli rose is 290 by 210 mm. Both are described as slimline and rated 3 star at 8.5 and 8 litres per minute. The Quil rose in chrome with black trim is a 250 mm rose with easy-clean nozzles, rated 3 star at 8 litres per minute. The box holds the rose only.

Pick a rose on its own when you are keeping an arm you already have. Check that the thread is half inch, that the arm will carry the weight, and that the arm holds the rose at the right distance from the wall. A guide on arm and head compatibility notes that most arms and heads share a standard half inch thread, and advises checking the specifications of both parts.

Rails with a hand piece

The NX rails hold a hand shower on a slider, and the families differ in the slider. The Iko and Orli rails have a brass slider for height adjustment. The Quil rail has a push button slider and a removable soap dish. The Vive rail has a single twist rotary slider and a removable soap dish, with a hose in natural white. The listings give the Iko and Orli rails and the Quil and Vive rails a separate water inlet, with a single spray function on the hand piece, rated 3 star at 8 to 8.5 litres per minute. The listings name a concealed hose connection on the Iko and Orli rails, and an adjustable bottom pillar on the Quil and Vive rails.

Select a rail when the household differs in height or when children use the hand piece or it is used for rinsing, because it slides to whatever height suits each person. A rail with a separate inlet needs the water to come from an outlet near it, so tell the plumber which one you have chosen. For other rails, see shower on rails.

Twins: an overhead and a hand piece

The twins put a large rose and a hand piece on one body with a diverter. The Iko twin has a top inlet that fits an existing half inch connection, a rotary diverter, an adjustable bottom pillar for flexible mounting, a brass slider, a 120 mm round hand piece and a 250 mm rose. The overhead is rated 3 star at 8.5 litres per minute and the hand shower at 8, registration S13465. A retailer page for the chrome Iko twin gives 249 mm wide, 995 mm high and 493.5 mm deep, with a rail and two wall brackets, and brass components.

The Orli twin has a 100 mm square hand piece and a 290 by 210 mm rose, with a concealed rail installation, rated 3 star at 8 litres per minute on both outlets, registration S13471. The Quil twin in matte black has a push button mechanism that diverts between the hand piece and the overhead, rated 8.5 and 7 litres per minute, registration S12449. Choose a twin where the outlet is in the right place and you want a second head without moving it. For the wider choice, see double shower heads.

Hand showers

The hand showers fit an existing connection with no drilling and come with a quality brass bracket and a flexible hose. The Cape, Quil and Iko hand pieces are 120 mm, the Orli is 100 mm square, and the Vive is 120 mm. The Cape and Quil hoses are described as velvet touch, the Vive hose is natural white, and the Iko and Orli hoses are smooth with a concealed connection for a streamlined look. They are rated 3 star at 8 to 8.5 litres per minute, with one spray function on the handset. See hand held shower heads for the wider choice.

Where the figures differ for Orli

The Orli figures show why you should read the exact listing. The TBS listings give the rose as 290 by 210 mm. A retailer page for the Orli rose gives 288 mm wide, 208 mm deep and 11 mm high, and describes a brass body. The same page lists the Orli rose at 9 litres per minute, registration S13468, while the TBS listing says 3 star at 8 litres per minute and gives the same registration number. A retailer page for the Orli arm and rose set gives 288 mm wide, 327 mm high and 470 mm deep, a rose size of 208 mm and 8 litres per minute, registration S13467, which agrees with the TBS listing on the flow.

The Orli rail shows a smaller difference. A retailer page gives a rail 750 mm long and 50 mm in diameter, a rose size of 103 mm, and 8 litres per minute, registration S13464. The TBS listing gives a 100 mm hand piece. The shapes agree and the millimetres differ by a few, which is normal between a nominal size and a measured one. The flow is the figure to check. If two sources give 8 and 9 litres per minute for the same registration number, ask which version you are buying before you plan a hot water system around it.

The retailer pages for the Orli range also describe the design as soft square detailing with a flush shape that sits close to the wall, and the care advice points to the maker's card for maintenance. They say the Orli sets are not suitable for assisted living and that they carry WaterMark approval. These notes matter when you are specifying the product for a project and need to know its limits.

Pressure, flow and the star rating

Every flow rated NX product here is 3 star, at 7, 8 or 8.5 litres per minute. A government planning page says the Plumbing Code of Australia requires new developments to use showerheads of no more than 9 litres per minute, which equals 3 stars, and it lists the band for that rating as more than 7.5 to 9.0 litres per minute. Some outlets, such as the 7 litre hand shower on the Quil twin, sit just below that band. Read the registration number on the exact listing, since the version sets the rating.

To check pressure without a gauge, time a 10 litre bucket under the shower. Under 60 seconds is good, and large overhead heads are not advised below about 200 kPa. A manufacturer guide says a high-pressure style head changes the nozzle design to feel stronger and cannot increase mains pressure. One buying guide puts the saving from 9 to 7.5 litres per minute at more than 5,000 litres of water a year. It also warns that some instantaneous gas hot water systems need a higher flow to fire and can struggle with low-flow heads.

How high an NX shower should be

The height guides agree with each other. A fixed wall rose sits 2000 to 2100 mm above the finished floor to the centre of the arm outlet, or 2100 to 2200 mm for a tall household. The top of a rail sits about 1800 to 1900 mm up, and a wall mixer about 1000 to 1100 mm. A manufacturer guide sets the minimum gap between a rain head and the user's head at 20 cm. Rough-in is the moment to fix the height, since tiling comes after. Where a diverter feeds two outlets, they sit at different heights, and the plumber needs to know before the linings go up.

Finishes and what they are made of

The finishes are chrome, matte black, brushed nickel, chrome with black trim and chrome with white trim. The listings describe the Iko and Orli twins as having a classic chrome plated finish, and the rails and arms as brass. For finish-led browsing, see chrome showers, black showers and brushed nickel showers. One buying guide advises a finish that goes with the basin mixers, bath taps and accessories, so match the shower to the mixer.

How to clean an NX shower

A retailer page for the Iko twin refers care and maintenance to the maker's card, so follow that. Three care guides for tapware agree on the routine. Dry the fitting after use, since drying prevents mineral deposits and water marks. Clean it regularly with warm water or mild soap on a soft or microfibre cloth, rinse, and dry immediately. For chrome, a soft-bristled toothbrush works on a limescale spot. On matte black, keep abrasive cleaners, scouring pads, bleach, vinegar and lemon juice away, because acid can damage the coating over time and dull the finish. The nozzles are low-profile and easy to clean.

A cleaning guide gives a schedule for the head: monthly if your water is hard, every two to three months if it is soft, and a wipe after each shower. It advises against vinegar on modern heads and says it is acceptable only on standard chrome or plastic. For a coated finish, use warm soapy water.

Fitting an NX shower

A like-for-like swap on an existing half inch arm is a simple job, and the push-fit adaptor on the arm and rose sets suits an existing connection. Turn the water off at the shower valve and unscrew the old head anticlockwise. Clean the threads of old tape and scale, wrap new thread seal tape clockwise two to three times, hand-tighten, give it one gentle turn with a wrench and check for leaks. It takes about 15 to 20 minutes. A rail with a separate inlet, or a twin with a top inlet, is plumber work in practice, since the inlet, the fixings and the height all have to be right.

The Western Australian building regulator says an owner or occupier may replace a shower head. Other water supply plumbing there must be done by a licensed plumber or permit holder, and the other states differ. According to a retailer guide, a licensed plumber is the better choice for rail and ceiling rain installations, because they can ensure correct fitting, good pressure and compliance.

What is in the box

• The arm and rose sets: the rose and the arm.
• The roses alone: the rose.
• The hand showers: the hand piece and the hose, with the bracket described on the listing.
• The rails: the hand piece, the rail and the hose, with the soap dish and the instructions on the Quil and Vive rails.
• The twins: the rose, the rail, the hose, the hand piece, an installation kit and the instructions.

When a listing leaves out a part, assume it is not in the box and buy it with the rest so the finish matches. For mixers, see shower mixers.

How to choose an NX shower

1. Pick the family by shape and finish: Cape, Iko, Orli, Quil or Vive.
2. Select the format: arm and rose, rose alone, hand shower, rail or twin.
3. Find the position of the water inlet and the height of the wall outlet.
4. Check the star rating and flow against your hot water system.
5. Choose a finish to match the mixer, and read the material on the listing.
6. Check the registration number on the exact listing.
7. Book a licensed plumber if the outlet or the rail changes.

Choose the family by shape and finish, then the format, and check the registration number on the exact listing before you order.