Alexandra Ramirez
1. Zenna Home E35604SS
Best Overall Shower Curtain Rod
5/5 Product Rating
One such example of its practicality and frugality can be found in the rod’s rust resistance. In fact, the manufacturer is so confident in their product’s ability in this regard that they offer a lifetime guarantee. Even if you see the smallest bit of rust forming on your Zenna Home E35604SS, this is more than enough cause for the manufacturer to replace your rod outright. Although you can be sure that you won’t ever have to cash out on your guarantee in the first place, it’s certainly nice to see the manufacturer show such a level of confidence in the overall durability of their product.
Lastly, the unit actually consists of two different rods. Once again, this is a feature which plays into the overall practicality of the unit. While the second rod is advertised by the manufacturer as being suitable for hanging a towel, you’ll may find it comes in handy in a whole lot of situations, whether you need somewhere to hang your clothes or an extra space to store a shampoo rack. All of the above features make the Zenna Home E35604SS great if you want to ensure every dollar you put into the unit of your choice will go toward a feature which will actually come in handy at some point or another. Couple that with the fact that you can expect the rod in question to stick around for quite some time, and you’ve got yourself a winner.
– Sarah Lytle
2. Zenna Home 35644BN
Best Overall Shower Curtain Rod – Runner Up
4.8/5 Product Rating
Of course, rust resistance isn’t the only important factor to consider when it comes to a rod’s level of durability. The overall stability is also a great indicator. And, as it turns out, the Zenna Home 35644BN does a great job in this regard as well. This is especially true when you stack it up to other products of its type which come with two rods. While the majority of such products put all of their weight on one rod (this rod being responsible for keeping the entire unit secure), both of the Zenna Home 35644BN’s rods share the weight evenly, keeping it a whole lot more stable than similar products. Its high degree of stability as well as its rust-resistant nature makes it one of the best curtain rods on the market.
– Sarah Lytle
3. InterDesign
Best Budget Shower Curtain Rod
4.6/5 Product Rating
Although the rod is resistant to rust (according to nearly every customer who’s used the rod at some point or another), you’ll have to live with the fact that it comes with no guarantee in this regard. However, it more than makes up for this simply in its ability to stay intact. Although I might not recommend pulling sharply on your curtains (as is the case with all rods), the InterDesign Astor Constant Tension can withstand a whole lot of pressure before budging. This makes it great if you have kids who often accidentally pull the rod down from its designated spot on either side of the bathtub or shower. The InterDesign Astor Constant Tension offers a great level of stability for a low price through its exclusion of features which could be deemed as being rather unnecessary by some, easily making it the most frugal purchase on this list.
– Sarah Lytle
Shower Curtain Rod Buying Guide
What is a Shower Curtain Rod?
Perhaps you’re not a fan of the above rods? If so, you’ll find there are numerous other products at your disposal. As such, coming out with one that works for you isn’t all that hard, assuming you know what to look for. Do you know what type of features you need in your next shower curtain rod? Take a look below to find out.
Do you need a dual rod?
Two of the products we covered above have two different rods conjoined together into one unit. These look great and can be very practical, being that you’ll be able to hang a towel or clothes high enough in the air that it doesn’t get wet, though close enough to you that you don’t need to track water onto the floor to reach it. On the other hand, dual rods have the potential to be less stable. There are no exceptions to this rule. You really don’t know how much more weight you can hang on one rod than the other before its balance is thrown off. You’ll never know whether or not that extra shampoo rack is going to be all it takes to leave your rod tumbling down. When buying a dual rod, it’s imperative that you be willing to spend that extra cash to get a very stable unit (such as the two we covered above). If you’d rather not, you might be better off staying away.
Do you trust the manufacturer?
Anyone can say their rod won’t rust. Anyone can also say things that around true. While you needn’t feel limited to rods with rust guarantees, it’s imperative that you trust a brand before you take their word for it. Of course, actually choosing to go for rods with a guarantee will fix this issue, though you’ll be more limited in selection. If you’re unsure, it always helps to scour the net for reviews.
Can it fit your tub?
Seems obvious, right? Why on Earth would anyone make a shower rod that doesn’t fit on a tub? Well, you might be surprised. Of course, there is a very simple solution to this problem that takes a mere minute to complete. Measure your bathtub’s back wall. After doing so, never go with a rod that isn’t compatible with walls both one inch larger and one inch smaller than the wall you just measured. Not all manufacturers will be keen on shipping you a free rod because your current one doesn’t fit. It will be up to you to take the appropriate precautions necessary.
Common Shower Curtain Rod Features
Up until now, we’ve been deciphering just what it is that makes a shower curtain rod good for you. The usefulness of certain features will be subjective, being that we all have our own needs. There are; however, certain features that we can all use. Here are those features.
- A Rust-Free Guarantee – As previously mentioned, don’t feel as if you can’t buy rods without this guarantee. In fact, we even mentioned a great rod earlier that doesn’t have such a guarantee included. However, this is a feature which can only do good and no bad. If you can’t decide between two different rods and you notice that one of them protects you against rust for life, this might be your best option.
- Stability – There are certain market sectors where buying the cheapest product available will end up saving you money. This is not one of them. By choosing a curtain rod that lacks stability, you can be certain you’ll be buying a replacement rod much quicker than you otherwise would. Don’t let the attractive price fool you. Always check a rod’s user reviews to see just how likely it is to stay firmly planted on the wall. Not only will this save you money in the long run through keeping your rod intact, it will likely save some headaches as well, being that such a characteristic greatly increases a rod’s overall level of convenience.
Conclusion
Finding a curtain rod which has it all isn’t exactly an easy ordeal. However, finding a curtain rod which has everything you need is. By keeping all of the above considerations in mind, shopping for your next shower curtain rod should prove an easy endeavor.
Resources
- http://www.bhg.com/shop/zpc-zenith-products-corporation-zenna-home-e35604ss-neverrust-aluminum-double-curved-shower
- http://www.zenith-products.com/neverrust-double-tension-curved-shower-rods.html
- http://www.walmart.com/ip/InterDesign-Astor-Shower-Curtain-Tension-Rod-Brushed-Stainless-Steel-50-87/43655316
