I get where you’re coming from, but I’ve seen way too many cheap plastic heads crack or start leaking after a year or two, even with careful install. Metal just feels sturdier. Filters are good, but yeah, if you forget to swap them out, they’re basically useless. If your spray’s going wild, sometimes it’s just gunk clogging the holes—try soaking the head in vinegar before replacing anything.
I hear you on the plastic heads—seen plenty of them split or warp, especially if someone cranks them down too tight. Metal ones do seem to hold up better, though I’ve run into a few that corroded from the inside out, which was a surprise. About the vinegar trick: have you ever noticed if it works better with hot or cold vinegar? I’ve had mixed results, especially with really stubborn mineral buildup. Also, are you on well water or city? Sometimes the source makes a big difference in how fast things clog up. Just curious—have you ever tried one of those silicone nozzle heads where you can just rub the gunk off? Wondering if they actually last longer or if it’s just another gimmick.
Plastic heads splitting is way too common, especially if folks think tighter is always better. Seen a few get hairline cracks that you don't even notice until water starts spraying sideways. Metal's definitely tougher, but yeah, corrosion sneaks up on you—had one where the inside looked like a science experiment after a couple years.
On the vinegar thing, I've had better luck with it hot, but not boiling. Seems to loosen up the scale a bit more, especially if you can let it soak for a while. Cold vinegar works, just takes longer and sometimes you gotta repeat the process. If you're on well water with a lot of minerals, that's a losing battle sometimes—city water's usually easier on fixtures, but not always.
Those silicone nozzle heads? Mixed feelings. They do make it easier to rub off the buildup, but the cheap ones can start leaking around the base or the nozzles pop out. If you go that route, spend a little more for a decent brand. Not a total gimmick, but not magic either. Good luck wrangling that rogue shower... sounds like it's putting on a real show.
Not sure I totally agree about metal always being the better call. I’ve had a stainless head last ages with no issues, but ran into a brass one that corroded inside and basically clogged itself solid in under three years. Sometimes the plastic ones hold up just fine if you don’t crank them on too tight—key is not overtightening, like you said.
The silicone nozzles, though, I actually like for our hard water. The trick is to give them a quick scrub every couple weeks and not let the buildup get ahead of you. Haven’t had any pop out yet, but maybe I just got lucky with the brand. Guess it really comes down to water quality and how much maintenance you’re willing to do.
The trick is to give them a quick scrub every couple weeks and not let the buildup get ahead of you.
That’s spot on, especially with hard water. I’ve seen some plastic heads outlast metal ones just because folks actually kept up with cleaning. The silicone nozzles are a game changer for that—just flex ‘em and most of the gunk pops right off. Brass can be hit or miss, honestly. Had one seize up so bad I had to replace the whole arm. Maintenance really is the name of the game here... doesn’t matter what it’s made of if it’s full of scale.