Phoenix Showers

What the Phoenix shower range covers

Phoenix is an Australian tapware and shower maker, and this collection holds its whole shower line: fixed heads, hand showers, rail sets, twin sets, wall shower systems and arms, in a large number of named ranges. The same names run through the tapware, so a shower can match a mixer, a basin tap and the accessories. Retailer pages group the line the same way: rain showers for a full soak, handhelds for flexible daily use, and twin systems that combine an overhead and a handheld, which suit family bathrooms.

The range is big enough that the useful question is not what Phoenix sells but which range suits your bathroom. The choices that cut across all of them are type, size, flow, inlet, finish and fit. For the matching tapware, see Phoenix tapware. For other makers, the full range sits in showers.

Find your type first

Retail guides tell the buyer to start with the bathroom size and the daily need: an overhead rain shower, a handheld, or a twin system. That order works because the type decides the plumbing.

• A fixed head on an arm gives a steady wash from the wall. The roses and arms have their own pages: Phoenix shower rose and Phoenix shower arms.
• A hand shower gives a focused spray for rinsing, cleaning and bathing children. The slider and rail versions are in Phoenix shower rail range.
• A twin set pairs an overhead with a handset on one rail with a diverter. See compact twin showers for smaller recesses and twin shower heads for the whole family of sets.
• A wall shower system adds a mixer and a diverter in one wall plate. See Phoenix shower systems.

The Vivid and Vivid Slimline ranges

Vivid is the largest family here. The Vivid Slimline pieces have a slender profile where flat and rounded surfaces come together, and the listings describe the twin shower as an overhead and a hand shower in one system. The Vivid Slimline twin is rated 5 star WELS on both outlets at 6 litres per minute, with one spray function on the overhead and three on the handset. The Vivid Slimline hand shower is a three-function piece rated 4 star at 8 litres per minute, with a combination inlet and bracket that fits an existing half inch water inlet with no drilling.

The Vivid Slimline wall shower system is built for adding a hand shower to a rain shower you already have. It goes where the current tap sits, and a ceramic 180 degree rotary diverter switches the water between the hand shower and the rain shower. The original Vivid rail shower has five spray functions on the handset and a head that slides up and down, rated 3 star at 9 litres per minute. The Vivid rose is 230 mm and round, rated 5 star at 6 litres per minute, and it pairs with a wall arm or a ceiling arm.

The Vivid MKII compact twin brings a 250 mm overhead rose and a handpiece together in one wall set for tight recesses. Its listing describes a built-in diverter, an adjustable handpiece angle, a connection to an existing half inch inlet and dual check valves that meet AS 2845.1. The MKII rail shower has a push-button slider and adjustable pillars so the rail can line up with fixings already in the wall, with three spray functions on the handpiece.

One Vivid variant is made for harsher places. The Vivid Slimline SS is made from 316 marine grade stainless steel, which its listing says suits outdoor kitchens, laundries and coastal homes. Its 250 mm round rose is rated 3 star at 9 litres per minute. For outdoor installs, see outdoor showers.

Vivid also supplies the ceiling arms, in 300 mm and 450 mm, as solid brass pieces that fit existing half inch plumbing. The listing is for the arm only, so the rose is bought separately. See ceiling showers for the ceiling-mounted options.

Cromford, Lexi and Wiltern

These three ranges carry a design idea, not a technology. Cromford is described as pared-back and uncomplicated, with a nod to history in its finer details, and it is placed equally well in a modern farmhouse as in an industrial warehouse. The Cromford hand shower is brass with a single function handpiece that adjusts for angle and height, rated 4 star at 7 litres per minute. The rail shower has a brass handpiece, bracket and slider. Both fit an existing half inch inlet.

Lexi is built on angles, with a blend of round and square edges, and the hand shower is rated 3 star at 8.5 litres per minute. Its box lists the hand piece, a wall bracket, a hose, an installation kit and instructions. See Phoenix Lexi showers.

Wiltern takes its cue from Art Deco, with refined fluted lines. The rose is 220 mm across and 79 mm tall, in brass with an electroplated finish, rated 3 star at 8.5 litres per minute, and it fits all standard half inch shower arms. It comes in chrome, brushed nickel, brushed gold and brushed carbon.

Ormond, Oxley and the LuxeXP technology

The Ormond and Oxley ranges share a spray design. The listings describe LuxeXP technology, which puts a swirling motion into each water jet to deliver a wide spray of droplets, with Tesla valves in the large rose that keep flow and pressure consistent. The spinning water is also said to self-clean the low-profile nozzles. Both ranges fit existing half inch connections, and the twin rail has adjustable angles on the overhead and the handpiece and an adjustable bottom pillar for flexible mounting.

The Ormond compact twin has a 250 mm overhead, a three-function push-button handpiece and a built-in diverter, rated 4 star at 7.5 litres per minute on each outlet, and the listing describes drill-free installation on existing half inch plumbing. The Oxley twin rail adds the rail format. See Phoenix LuxeXP showers for the full set.

The NX ranges

The NX ranges are named pieces designed to sit together. The NX Quil hand shower has a 120 mm handpiece with a single function and low-profile nozzles that are easy to clean, a brass bracket and a soft-touch hose. The NX Orli rail has a square head that matches the square plate on the wall, a 100 mm handheld, a brass slider for the handset height and a concealed hose connection for a clean line, with a separate inlet and push-fit adapter. The NX Iko shower arm and rose pairs a 250 mm rain head with an up-swept arm that adds height, and a push-fit adaptor suits an existing half inch connection. Its listing rates it 3 star at 8.5 litres per minute. See Phoenix NX showers.

Nuage, Mekko, Gloss, Nostalgia and Pina

Several smaller ranges fill gaps. The Nuage range is sculptural, with soft curves, in a powder-coated matte white among its finishes; see white showers for that finish. The Mekko and Gloss MKII wall shower systems are wall hand shower systems. Each has a ceramic 180 degree rotary diverter, which switches between the handpiece and a second connected outlet. Each also has dual check valves and a 35 mm ceramic cartridge, and each is rated 3 star at 8 litres per minute. The Nostalgia vintage arm and rose suits period homes and is rated 3 star at 8 litres per minute. The Pina rail shower is a single function handpiece set sold as a builders range, rated 4 star at 6 litres per minute.

Size, flow and pressure

Size the head to the shower zone. Guides put round fixed heads at 200 to 300 mm, with 150 to 200 mm for low-pressure systems and 250 or 300 mm for rain heads. The Phoenix roses run from 220 mm (Wiltern) and 230 mm (Vivid) up to 250 mm (LuxeXP, MKII and the NX Iko). A larger face spreads the same flow across more nozzles, so the streams are gentler, not stronger.

Phoenix listings state an operating pressure of 150 to 500 kPa. The simple check at home is the bucket test. A 10 litre bucket that fills in under 60 seconds under the shower points to good pressure, and guides advise avoiding large overhead rain heads below about 200 kPa.

Flow ratings run across 3, 4 and 5 star WELS, from 9 litres per minute down to 6. Dropping from 9 to 7.5 litres per minute saves more than 5,000 litres of water a year, according to a buying guide. The same guide notes that some instantaneous gas hot water systems need more flow to fire and may not cope with low-flow heads. For the lowest water use, pick a 5 star item, and check your hot water system first if it is instantaneous gas.

If you want the strongest feel from limited pressure, the answer is a smaller face with the same flow, not a bigger one. No brand or product is ranked here, because the right head depends on your supply.

Twin sets across the ranges

A twin set is the clearest example of how the ranges differ, so it is worth comparing a few side by side. The Vivid Slimline twin is rated 5 star on both outlets and has a three-function handset. The Cromford twin has a top water inlet that fits existing half inch plumbing and a built-in rotary diverter. It lists dual check valves that meet AS 2845.1, a brass construction and an adjustable bottom pillar for flexible mounting, and it is rated 4 star at 6.5 litres per minute. The Teva twin is rated 5 star at 6 litres per minute on both outlets, with a built-in diverter, a metal hose on the hand shower and an adjustable bottom pillar for flexible mounting. The Ormond compact twin is rated 4 star at 7.5 litres per minute.

The 5 star sets at 6 litres per minute use the least water. The 3 star and 4 star sets give more flow per outlet, which suits a home with the supply to carry it. For the full comparison of how twin sets work, see twin shower heads.

How the diverter changes pressure

A diverter is the part that sends water to the overhead or the handset, and its type affects pressure. A retailer guide explains that the overhead and the handheld share one water outlet, with the diverter directing the flow to one head or, on some models, both. A two-way diverter runs one head at a time and keeps pressure higher in each. A three-way diverter allows both at once, but each head then feels weaker. The Phoenix listings that describe a built-in or ceramic rotary diverter switch between the outlets, so they run one at a time.

The same guide says low pressure is the main limit for any set with two outlets, and that galvanised pipes, upper-storey bathrooms and long pipe runs often have lower pressure. Test the shower at peak times before you choose, and check with a licensed plumber if the result is borderline.

Mounting heights

Published heights sit in a narrow band. A fixed wall head sits 2000 to 2100 mm above the finished floor to the centre of the arm outlet, and 2100 to 2200 mm for a tall household. The top of a rail sits at about 1800 to 1900 mm, and the bottom of the rail at about 1000 to 1100 mm. A wall mixer goes at 1000 to 1100 mm, and wall arms project 300 to 400 mm. A rain head on a ceiling arm sits at 2100 to 2200 mm, depending on the ceiling height. Confirm the height at rough-in, before tiling, and give the plumber both outlet heights if you are fitting a diverter set.

The listings give the dimensions you need for planning. The Vivid MKII and Cromford rails list fixing distances, and the NX Iko lists an up-swept arm to add height. If you need more height than a standard arm gives, check the arm length before you buy the rose.

Finishes and what they are made of

The finishes include chrome, brushed nickel, matte black, brushed gold, brushed brass, brushed carbon, gunmetal and white. Behind the colour names, the listings give three different methods: PVD, electroplating (which includes chrome plate) and, for the white Nuage pieces, powder coating.

Sources rank these differently. A retailer help page calls PVD significantly harder and more durable than traditional plating, calls electroplating the most durable finish overall, and says powder coating is less durable than PVD in wet areas and is more prone to chipping. A finish guide calls PVD the most durable and powder coating the least resistant to chipping, fading and scratching. They agree that powder coat is the softest. For a shower, choose PVD or electroplating where the part gets handled, and read the finish line on the listing before you decide.

For finish-led browsing, see chrome showers, brushed nickel showers, black showers, gold showers, gunmetal showers and brushed brass showers.

Will it fit your existing plumbing?

Most Phoenix listings are written for retrofit. They say the piece fits an existing half inch water inlet or shower arm, with drill-free installation and a combination inlet and bracket, and the rails use adjustable pillars so they can line up with old holes. Check three things: the inlet type, the fixing distance if you are replacing a rail, and whether the listing includes the arm, hose or bracket you need.

The boxes differ, so read them. The Vivid rose lists the rose only, and the Vivid Slimline hand shower lists the hand piece and a hose. The Vivid ceiling arms are arm only. The NX Iko lists the rose and the arm, and the Wiltern rose lists the rose and an installation kit, with installation instructions.

A like-for-like head swap is a simple job. Moving an outlet, adding a diverter or changing the arm is not. In Western Australia the building regulator lets an owner or occupier maintain, repair or replace a shower head, but other water supply plumbing work needs a licensed plumber or permit holder. The other states have their own rules.

Valves and care

A hand shower on a hose creates a backflow risk, and several listings state the answer: dual check valves that meet AS 2845.1 on the Vivid MKII compact twin and the Mekko and Gloss MKII systems. Check the specification of any hose-fed set you choose.

For care, use warm water, mild dish soap and a soft cloth, rinse off the soap and dry the product, and avoid abrasive tools and strong chemicals. Before using vinegar or lemon juice, check the manufacturer's instructions, because acidic products do not suit every coating. In hard water areas, wipe the head and dry it after use.

How to choose a Phoenix shower

1. Pick the type: fixed head, hand shower, rail, twin set or wall system.
2. Size the head to the shower zone and your pressure, using the bucket test.
3. Check the flow rating against your hot water system.
4. Check the inlet, fixing distance and box contents against your wall.
5. Select the range by style: Vivid for a slim modern line, Cromford for pared-back character, Lexi for angles, Wiltern for Art Deco, Ormond and Oxley for LuxeXP spray, NX for matched square or rain pieces.
6. Choose a finish, and check what it is made of.
7. Book a licensed plumber if the arm or outlet changes.

Type, bucket test and inlet narrow the Phoenix line faster than the range names do, so leave the choice of range for after those three.