Review on Kohler Awaken Multi-Function Handshower with Slide Bar Kit, Polished Chrome, 27.50 x 3.75 x 2.50 inches by Angela Simmons

This is a nice shower rail shower system that works well and is easy to install. Installation: At first I was concerned. Drilling about two holes in a tile exactly 24 inches apart as the drill bits invariably tend to wander around the tile a bit, but that didn't matter as the spacing of the slider mounts on this unit is adjustable. You still want them to stay about 24 inches apart as the shower mount can only move between the mounts so you lose some of that path if you place them closer together. Fixing options included in the kit, suitable for both stud mounting and tile mounting without stud support but both options require drilling into the tile. Also, I decided to use my own 4" bolts as anchors instead of the supplied 2" screw anchors. To find the stud I opened up the trim valve cover and had enough room to insert one. Measure the distance to the stud or use a stud finder on the back of the wall. e plates and put everything together. The entire process, including the measurements, took less than half an hour. The mounting plate is made of plastic, which is quite appropriate given the small footprint; A metal plate of this size would break the tile. The design is perfect for its intended purpose of accommodating the shower head. You cannot use it as a handrail. Quality: As for the quality of the device, the build quality is excellent, but the materials used are very thin metal for the pole and cheap plastic for everything else. You can't expect more from Kohler for the price. Kohler has much better roll out bar shower systems that cost over $300. They are quite heavy, so the only option they recommend is to install cleats. In my case, I'm installing it in an old bathroom that I want to renovate in a few years, so this product is perfect for that purpose. There's no point overpaying for faucets that outlive the bathroom. But in the meantime, the plastic finish on this unit is almost exactly the same as my 30 year old solid brass Kohler fittings, which is great. Many have complained about the vinyl tube, but personally I like it. The metal hoses I've had in the past have always had a thin vinyl hose inside, so the metal is mostly cosmetic. This pipe can actually run at higher flow rates than this, although for a head of 2 GPM it doesn't matter. The look goes perfectly with my chrome fittings, although I can imagine it would look gaudy if paired with non-chrome finish fittings. Functionality: The pressure of the shower head is sufficient, and there are three modes, gradually narrowing and correspondingly higher pressure. There is no trickle mode. The slider moves up and down smoothly and its position can be fixed quickly and easily. It also spins back and forth a bit, but the swivel doesn't lock. The only thing it doesn't have is a forward pivot to adjust the spray angle. But the current angle works for our children. All in all I can recommend this device.