Before I tested for this guide, I didn’t have a bathroom with a shower caddy. This is because I spend money on things that I love and essential. Shower caddies don’t fall under this category as I use many products, so they either fall out or get too full.
I have to replace the shower caddy because it rusts and gets soap scum. It was easier to store my essential items on the bathtub ledge, and to keep more special items in my bathroom cabinet so I could grab them as needed.
Shower caddy: Doubtful Of Shower Caddies’ Usefulness
I was skeptical about the effectiveness of shower caddies in improving my shower experience. I also questioned if higher-priced caddies were worth it. I became a convert after testing 15 different shower caddies and comparing the pros and cons of each.
It’s worth spending a little more to get the best shower caddy. Although I don’t love shower caddies, I would rather spend more money on one that will last for years than one that is constantly replacing.
I spent 25 hours researching 40 models and also tested 15. Together, I and four other writers who contributed to the previous versions of this guide spent over 60 hours researching more that 100 shower caddies.
A caddy is essential for every shower, especially when there are multiple people sharing the bathroom. My bathtub walls had built-in shelves that I could store my products so I didn’t feel the need for a caddy. A good caddy will help you keep your products organized.
It’s also easier to remove soap scum from the shelves and walls with a caddy. Cheaper caddies are more susceptible to rust. A quality one will overcome this problem. These were tested in several showers. We also convinced others. For example, my parents never considered using a shower caddy. They now say they will definitely be purchasing one.
Shower caddy: How we selected and tested
We searched Amazon, Google, TikTok, and other sources to find every possible shower caddy. We started with a list of contenders from well-respected brands and manufacturers that we had never heard about. Because it is the most common and easiest to install, we mainly concentrated on the over-the-showerhead style. We also considered other caddies, such as pole-style, over-door, and freestanding shower shelves. We reviewed a lot of manufacturers and narrowed our selection using the following criteria:
Design: Does it take little effort to put together? Are you satisfied with its stability? Is it stable? Does it look okay?
Capacity: Can it hold enough bottles? Are there enough soap-making facilities? Razors? Hooks?
Quality: Does the material seem durable? Is it likely to rust? Is the spring tension enough for a pole style?
Reputation: What are the reviews? Is there a warranty?
How does the price of caddies compare with pricier ones? What is a good price?
I filled the shower caddies up to 150 ounces with different-sized shower products, including a bar soap, a face brush, hair brush, razor and a loofah.
Our final list was reduced to 15 finalists. This includes picks from previous iterations. With a new writer in charge of the topic, we began from scratch in 2022. We set up a test site and began an evaluation where we compared our picks with the best competition we could find.
We tested the shower caddies until they were ready for use. I am a product hoarder, and love having small-sized products. Curly hair is my specialty. I have three types of shampoos and two conditioners. One for when there’s a lot of product buildup. The other for when it feels like my scalp is very itchy. A conditioner for color-treated hair. Two conditioning masks. Multiple face scrubs and washes are also available. I filled the shower caddies up to 150 ounces with different-sized shower products, including a bar soap, a face cleansing brush, hair brush, and a razor.
Our pick
Shower caddy: The best shower caddy
This shower caddy is much easier to install than other models, it has a larger capacity, better stability, and a durable design. OXO backs its guarantee.
The OXO Aluminum 3-Tier Shower Caddy was our favorite out of all the 15 we tested. It’s the best if you don’t want to have to replace a wire rack every 18-months.
It is easier to install than other shower caddies, has a grippy hook with suction cups, and can hold enough toiletries for two people.
It’s superior quality materials and easy cleaning make it more expensive than other shower caddies. OXO’s long-term guarantee and reputation make it stand out from the many mystery companies found on Amazon.
OXO is one of the easiest to install. It has a hook at the top, and a rotating bar with 2 suction cups at its bottom. The rubberized hook attaches and disengages quickly. I did this while the unit was full of products. It’s strong and won’t slip down unlike other showerhead arms we tested.
The bottom of the unit is stabilized by the suction cups. The short bar connecting them can be rotated to ensure the best grip possible on tile or shower walls. It is secure: Even when loaded with products, it did not move despite repeated smacks on its side.
Shower caddy: The Only Other Caddy That Demonstrated Same Durability Was Simplehuman
Simplehuman was the only other caddy that proved as sturdy. However, you will need to screw-tighten the hooks to the shower arm. This is a tedious step that the OXO conveniently skips.
The Aluminum Shower Caddy had two full-size shelves, a large soap dish and four bottles of shampoos. It also contained a larger variety of products than other caddies.
We tested four different sizes and shapes of the aluminum shower caddy: four bottles of shampoos and conditioning, one 16-ounce tub of shaving cream, one 34-ounce body wash bottle, one bar of soap, one standard razor and one shower puff. The soap dish is removable and includes hooks to hold a loofah or razor.
OXO proudly states that the caddy with its anodized aluminum finish will not rust. This is a problem with other caddies like this Amazon reviewer who purchased the OXO to replace his rusted rack.
Although we couldn’t test all caddies for rust for long enough, we will continue to monitor them for it in our long-term testing. OXO’s guarantee makes this product a great choice. The company has repeatedly proven that it is willing to honor its guarantee for products that fail to live up to its promises.
Shower caddy: Amazon: Buy
The XL is similar to the Plus and allows for a handheld showerhead hose to be placed between the shelves.
The absolute best behind-the-showerhead caddies we tried were the Simplehuman Adjustable Shower Caddy Plus and (if you need to accommodate a handheld showerhead’s dangling hose) the Adjustable Shower Caddy XL. They are as stable and quality as the OXO’s.
The shelves and adjustable height give you more configuration options. Although the caddy has more features and adjustability, it is still relatively affordable. However, installing the Simplehuman caddy can be difficult as compared to putting the OXO in its place.
Simplehuman models have an annoying extra step: After you’ve hung the caddy’s hook above the shower arm, you’ll need to use a screwdriver in order to tighten the integrated screw that will tighten the eyelet of the hook. The caddy is secured to the shower wall by two suction cups.
This caddy won’t move if you do this. One drawback to the OXO is that the suction cup bar can’t rotate to position the caddy on the shower walls. This is problematic if the bar falls over the grout line. Simplehuman caddies come with adhesive stickers that you can use in case the suction cups stop working in your shower. However, we didn’t require them during testing.
Shower caddy: Simplehuman models offer more configuration options than the OXO
The Simplehuman models offer more configuration options than the OXO. You can adjust the overall height of the caddies by almost a foot so they can be placed in a way that suits your height and the height the shower arm.
With a knob at the back of the Simplehuman shelves, you can adjust the height and position of the Plus as well as the Plus’s movement. You can also configure the caddy to fit your bottles. The OXO does not do this.
The Simplehuman XL has a unique advantage over the OXO, Simplehuman Plus and Simplehuman Plus in that it can hold a handheld showerhead’s hose. This would not interfere with any other caddy attached to the shower arm.
Simplehuman caddies could hold everything that the OXO did, plus a second razor and hair mask. Simplehuman caddies have holes in their shelves that allow you to store shampoos and conditioners upside down.
Simplehuman’s bottom hook is much deeper than OXO’s, which caused our shower puff to fall off several times during testing. It has a bar that runs along the soap dish, which gives you a better spot to hang a towel to dry.
Simplehuman claims that both caddies are made from stainless steel and anodized aluminium, which is why they don’t rust. Simplehuman offers a limited warranty, but it isn’t as extensive and as open-ended than OXO’s lifetime guarantee.
Great also
The pole-style best shower caddy
This tension rod can be used to extend the length of a shower caddy from 5 to 9 feet. This extension is easy and takes only one step, which beat all other options.
A pole-style caddy can be placed in the corner of your shower to hold more than an arm rack. It can also declutter the showerhead, making it feel larger and more relaxing. A good model like the OXO Good Grips Quick Extend Aluminum Pole Caddy is more expensive than a hanging one.
The OXO pole caddies are more difficult to install than cheaper models. It is also more durable, versatile, attractive, and easier to use. OXO guarantees that it will last for years. This is a great assurance for something so expensive.
Because of its simplicity of assembly and easy installation, the OXO wedges between the ceiling and floor (or bathtub-ledge ledge), was our favorite pole caddie. Other models that we tried had multiple pieces, so it was necessary to measure the length of your shower to determine how many extensions poles would fit.
Multiple-pole design led to problems with some competitors we considered
The multiple-pole design led to problems with some competitors we considered–including collapsing due to too-loose tension springs that never held the pole in place, and for some ceiling heights, creating a need to cut the extension pieces to length with a hacksaw. OXO solves all these problems with one telescoping pole.
Simply extend it to the desired height and lock it in place. The pole is held in place by a strong internal compression spring that holds it between the ceiling and the tub ledge or floor.
It was sturdy enough to be installed on a tub shelf. We even had enough soap and other accessories to last five people. It was installed freestanding in a higher ceiling location.
Four shelves of OXO hold multiple bottles each, making them ideal for sharing bathrooms with two or more people. Each shelf can be removed for cleaning, unlike the two pole-style caddies, which we also tried. This model is suitable for ceilings between 5 and 9 feet high.
Exemplary Design For A Shower Enclosure
This model is great for a shower enclosure. We have also found that it works well in combination tub/shower tubs, provided the tub ledge provides enough space for the foot to rest on. Some ready-to-assemble shower surrounds limit the options for placement on the lower foot, making this design challenging.
After seeing the great traction it received on TikTok, we tried the ShowerGem Shower Caddy. It was also an As Seen On TV product. It is unique in design. You will need to attach a bracket to your shower wall, and wait at least 24 hours before you can use it. We found this step unnecessary and unusual to ensure stability for a shower caddy.
Another shower caddy we tried was the Formverkert Octopus Shower Caddie. We were intrigued because it was highly rated and could be suitable for people with disabilities and children. The design is awkward when used in the bathroom as the caddy hangs from the shower head, but the tentacles are too small to reach your products comfortably.
Large Bottles Can Be Kept Inside The Tentacles.
It was also difficult to store large bottles in the tentacles, as they were too narrow. Despite being reliably available throughout our research and testing phases, the Octopus is now only limitedly available on Amazon as of fall 2022.
The Beis The Hanging Shower Caddy was a product we tried. We thought it would be great for students and people who share bathrooms. However, it didn’t work out well for us. We found that the interior of the caddy was quite dirty. It was actually dirty in the interior, so we had to wash it and test it.
We had high hopes for the Yamazaki Free Standing Minimal Shower Caddy. It is a freestanding shower shelf that is much more attractive than traditional shower caddy.
The caddy was too short in height, making it difficult to reach items while using the shower. The caddy was also quite fragile, which meant that heavier products had to be placed on the bottom shelf. This made them harder to reach.
Moa Teak Shower Organiser With A Patent From
The AquaTeak Patented Moa teak Shower Organizer was our choice because of its high quality teak wood, 5-year warranty, and 30-day satisfaction guarantee. The design was too awkward to use with detachable showerheads. We found that our picks were more durable, better quality, and more customizable for the price.
The Utopia Alley Tia Rustproof Shower Caddy with 2-Teak Shelves Tia was tried but it wasn’t very stable. It also didn’t hold enough products.
OXO’s 2-tiered version was our top pick. It has the same durability as our top pick and large soap dishes, but it is probably too small for most people.
OXO Hose Keeper Shower Caddy can hold a handheld showerhead’s dangling hose. However, it is not adjustable like the Simplehuman XL. Because there are many handheld and fixed showerhead designs, we prefer this adjustability. We want the showerhead to function well with all of them.
The Standard Version Of Simplehuman Is Adaptable.
Simplehuman’s Standard version is adjustable, but it doesn’t have a neck extension and the soap dish is smaller. Simplehuman also makes an over-the door version, but we weren’t convinced it was as versatile. Simplehuman’s corner model is smaller and less durable than the OXO Pole Caddy.
InterDesign’s Metalo or Forma over-the door shower caddies can be great options for showers with doors. However, after testing both sides, we would still recommend an over-the shower-arm caddy to visually clear the area. The Metalo looks great and is very affordable.
It also has a washcloth bar at its bottom. Although the Forma is more expensive and has a better appearance than the Metalo but it can’t hold our standard-sized razor, its razor hooks are not strong enough.
Zenna Home’s Highly Rated Expandable Handheld Shower Head Caddy was not our pick. The hard plastic hook kept sliding off the shower arm multiple times, a problem that all of our other picks avoided.
The Linea Adjustable Caddy can hold larger bottles, but only if the shelves are spread as far apart as possible. These bottles were so heavy that the shelves gave way. It has a basic soap dish made of wire, but no hook to hold a towel, loofah or razor.
We were very excited about Zenna’s Never Rust Caddy. The second shelf is too short and any taller than the bottles on the top shelf will interfere with the shower’s spray. Two hooks give the Zenna an unprofessional appearance.
The Onda Model From Metaltex Is Covered By A 3-year Warranty.
Metaltex’s Onda model comes with a 3-year warranty, but it is too small to hold a shampoo bottle, a bar soap and a sponge.
We received comments from readers and looked into caddies that stick well to your shower wall, such as these 3M Command brand caddies. However, many reviews have mentioned them falling off the wall. This is consistent with our experience with caddies and we don’t recommend them.
These are considerably cheaper than our picks, so you can take a chance with them for a few bucks and possibly some damaged shampoo bottles.
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