The 10 Best Shower Caddies
Special Honors
Signature Hardware Hibiscus Corner Considering its diminutive size, the Signature Hardware Hibiscus Corner may seem unnecessarily expensive; however, it is crafted with top-notch materials and coated with a finish that will last and last. It comes with the necessary mounting hardware, whether you select a chrome, matte black, or nickel version. signaturehardware.com
Monster Caddy The Monster Caddy certainly lives up to its name. Instead of a flimsy hook, it offers a wide, robust mounting bar that won't slip off the wall or shower head as with some models. Of course, this also means you'll need to install it, but if you can locate a stud and use a drill, it shouldn't be too complicated. monstercaddy.com
Pottery Barn Dorm Classic Those who can't add or install features to a shower, such as college students, travelers, or renters, might like the Pottery Barn Dorm Classic Caddy. You can fit many items in the large interior space and four exterior pockets, which have plenty of mesh to encourage air-drying. Plus, it can be monogrammed with your initials. pbteen.com
Editor's Notes
April 13, 2021:
Offering plenty of versatility, most of these shower caddies are designed for a toolless installation and can either be hung from the showerhead, the curtain rod, or from the side of the stall. Others come with self-adhesive pads or suction cups to remove the necessity of drilling holes in the wall, which is good if you have a fully tiled bathroom or live in rented accommodation.
During this update, we found that most of our previous recommendations were still good choices, and few changes needed to be made. The MetroDécor MDesign Modern was replaced with the Kincmax Basket Shelf as an alternative to the hanging design favored by most companies. It attaches to any non-porous, flat surface via transparent, self-adhesive clips, making it ideal if you lack hanging places. It has a generously sized main compartment with several removable hooks for ancillaries, such as flannels or razers, and its stainless steel finish makes it suitable for use in a kitchen, too. Some models, such as the iDesign York Lyra, could be used outside of the shower area by hanging them on the bathroom door, while others like the Umbra Bask are versatile enough that they could be used almost anywhere in the home. The ToiletTree Products Collapsible has built-in feet that allow it to be used as a free-standing model, which would look good in any corner, either inside or outside the bathroom.
March 04, 2020:
After some consideration, we've decided to remove the InterDesign Forma, simply because its shelves have no backs. When placed absolutely flush against the wall, this isn't necessarily a problem, but if there is a gap, falling shampoo bottles quickly become frustrating. And, unfortunately, we've had to remove the Oxo Good Grips Standing due to availability issues. The Oxo Good Grips Quick-Extend is a good, but pricey, alternative. If you're looking for a self-standing unit that won't break the bank, consider the ToiletTree Products Collapsible. It arrives in two pieces that can be easily screwed together, then set on the floor as need be. It is more prone to rusting than some, although the company offers a five-year rust-free guarantee.
As for traditional hanging options, we've kept the popular SimpleHuman Adjustable and added the Oxo Good Grips 3-Tier. They offer comparable amounts of storage space as well as hooks for your shower sponge or loofah, but the former gives you more adjustability. We like the fact that the latter comes in a two-tier version, though, which is good for those cramped apartment showers. There's also the Zenna Home Expandable, but it's worth noting that it has a tendency to tilt to one side or the other if you don't balance the contents. Finally, we've opted to keep the ZPC Zenith Stainless Steel, even though it's not the best choice for oversized shower heads, as it sticks out quite far and is large enough to bump into them. You might look at this option only if you have a standard small shower head.
Your Perfect Shower
Showering is first and foremost about personal hygiene, but for most of us, the act of taking a shower is about so much more than mere cleanliness alone.
Showering is first and foremost about personal hygiene, but for most of us, the act of taking a shower is about so much more than mere cleanliness alone. Taking a long, hot shower in the evening is one of the best possible ways to unwind and relax after a long day of work or travel. Likewise taking a brisk, invigorating shower in the morning is a superb way to wind yourself up and be ready for the day.
If you are lucky enough to design a shower from scratch, you can choose the tile colors, shapes, and patterns, the shower seat, the built-in shelving, and of course the all-important shower head and attachments that will make your shower a personalized refuge. But even a shower stall that has already been designed and built can be modified in myriad ways, and indeed spending the time and modest amount of money involved in personalizing your shower is a great idea.
Whether you own or rent your home (or even if you use a communal shower space) there are lots of ways to spruce up a shower. In fact, there are more ways to modify and improve a shower than could possibly be covered in one article, but here are some ideas to jump start your thinking
If your shower is built into a bathtub and uses a rod and curtain system, consider switching to a curved rod that gives you more free space on the shower, and make sure to change the shower curtain at least once a year.
Make sure to keep a bottle of shower cleaner handy and spray the walls down every few days. Using a sponge and squeegee in combination with shower cleaner keeps the stall clean, free of grime mildew, and looking and smelling fresh. This is especially important in showers with glass walls and doors, as once hard water stains build up, they are very hard to remove.
Changing out the shower head (and even adding in a handheld attachment) is often affordable and easy, so don't think you're stuck with the hardware as-is.
And lastly, even if your shower doesn't offer much storage space for those bottles of shampoo, razors, and your bar of soap, there are lots of great shower caddies that will suit your needs, providing space to store your stuff and freeing up space on the shower seat or the floor.
Choosing A Shower Caddy
When considering which shower caddy will best serve your needs, don't start by browsing shower caddies; start off the process by looking at all the things you need to have readily at hand to enjoy a perfect shower. Consider the size and quantity of bottles of shampoo and conditioner, whether or not you use a slippery bar of soap, if you like to have your razor and shaving cream in the shower with you, and so forth.
If you only use a few products, then a small, basic shower caddy will serve you fine.
If you only use a few products, then a small, basic shower caddy will serve you fine. If you bring an entire salon's worth of products into the shower with you, then you might need both a floor caddy and an over-the-shower head unit. And for the record, this is a good time to thin the ranks; many people have several empty or unused items sitting around in their showers or on the rim of the bath tub.
Once you have figured out the capacity your shower caddy will have to offer, it's time to consider the physical properties of your shower. Many shower caddies use suction cups for wall mounting or to add additional support and stability. If your shower has a wall made up of textured tiles, tile with a matte finish, or tiles that are small and placed close together, a suction cup may not be able to adhere properly, thus potentially ruling out various types of shower caddy.
Many shower caddies hang over the shower head, but many shower heads slope downward right from the point at which they meet the wall. If your shower head is angled down, a hanging caddy might not be viable or even safe, though a unit that uses a combination of hanging and suction cup mounting might suffice.
A shower with a curtain and rod system might not work for over-the-door or over-the-wall hanging shower caddies, but in other showers, such as those with sliding doors or a swing-style door, these simple caddies can be a fool-proof option (a hook over a door is more reliable than any suction cup, after all).
Using Your Shower Caddy
Once you have chosen the right shower caddy for your products and your shower itself, using the caddy is a simple undertaking, as long as you keep a few things in mind.
First and foremost, don't overload the caddy or whatever is holding it up! Even a robust shower caddy wasn't designed to support a half dozen commercial-sized bottles of shampoo and conditioner, and the shower head under which they hang certainly wasn't either. Make sure to load your caddy sensibly, and balance the weight evenly on either side of its shelves. An unbalanced caddy is more likely to swing aside and drop its contents, to fall off completely, and to put uneven strain on its mounting hook or suction cups.
Make sure to clean and dry your shower caddy regularly. Even steel will rust eventually if not cleaned and dried. The build up of soap scum can lead to corrosion, too, so you need to genuinely clean the unit from time to time, scrubbing and polishing, not just spraying it with cleaning product.