Picture of a Waterpik massaging shower with hose threaded onto it.

Waterpik NSP 853 Shower Head Review

We received the Waterpik NSP-853 Power Spray Plus massaging shower head for Christmas some years back. So far, this adjustable handheld bathroom accessory is great.  It’s a far cry above our old, few-settings, fixed position shower head.

The Waterpic is medium to light weight. It has many different sprayer settings, is virtually self-cleaning, and saves lots of hot water.  This shower head produces lots of different strengths and widths of sprays. It has many fast-pulsating focused sprays to steady-stream gentle spread-out showers. Plus you can get even more spraying variations by moving the spray type lever between the detented settings.  This is versatile bathroom accessory product.  It’s simple to install and operate.  We like it a lot.

Picture of the Waterpik Power Spray Plus NSP-853 massaging shower head, front view, in package.
Waterpik Power Spray Plus NSP-853 Shower Head Front View

Benefits, Features, Pros, and Advantages of the Waterpik NSP 853 Power Spray Shower Head

Energy Saving and Water Saving

Features an eco-spray mode that significantly reduces water usage, while still providing plenty of moistening and rinsing power.

OptiFlow Technology

Provides spray force regulation through a wide range of input water pressures.  Even when the water pressure is low, you still get an invigorating shower experience.

5 Foot Hose

Reach all those hard to get to places.  Use to clean bathroom, pets, and small children, who often sit well away from shower heads.

The Waterpik NSP 853 Shower Head Holder Pivots for Easy Spray Aiming

Re position the holder stand by loosening the pivot ball nut (the part closest to the water pipe).  Next, move the whole assembly to the desired position. Then tighten the nut once again.

Standard Bathroom Fixture Threaded Inlet

Accepts other hoses than the one included.  In fact, we used the  Danze brass interlock shower hose   our Waterpik, for more length and longer service life.

All Parts Included

The package includes the shower head itself, the connecting water host, and washers for both hose ends.





Chrome Finish

Shines with a mirror-like sheen, and resists hard water deposits due to plastic construction of the case.  Also, the hose features a black and silver spiral chrome-looking ribbon thread

The Waterpik NSP 853 has a Removable Water Strainer

The filter screen reduces internal clogging.  How?  It catches any large particles such as stones, concrete bits, or sand, before they enter the shower head.  You can remove this plastic screen filter by taking the feed hose off the shower end. Then pull out the filter with a pair of needle nose pliers.

Hand Held Shower Head

The easy-grip handle is long enough to comfortably fit into most hands.

Flexible Plastic Sprayers

The anti-clog nozzles, should they ever stop up with deposits, can be cleared.  To clean them, vigorously rub them, and then rinse the head under tub faucet.

Easy to Install

Install this shower head without special tools, pipe tape, plumbers putty, or any other leak preventing sealants. We installed our with just an adjustable wrench, and we only needed THAT to removed the old shower head.

Eight Different Power Sprays

Spray adjustment level moves to eight detented spray positions.  These include the following.

  • Tension relieving pulsating massage.
  • Full-body slower pulse massage.
  • Wide full-body spray.
  • Wide-spreading power mist.
  • Slightly narrower power mist.
  • Mist combined with a power jet spray in the center of the total spray.
  • Powerspray.
  • Water-saving eco spray.

The Massaging Streams on the Waterpik NSP 853 Work up to Several Feet Away

With the shower in the holder, the massaging pulses still reach you.  They still feel good even when standing at the far end of the tub.

Waterpik NSP 853 Warranty

Limited lifetime warranty.

Easy to Find

We’ve seen these units at Walmart for less than $35.  Look for them in the clear plastic heat-sealed packaging with the blue and white label with the orange text.

Picture of the Waterpik Power Spray Plus NSP-853 Shower Massager, package back.
Waterpik Power Spray Plus NSP-853 Shower Massager, Back of Package

 Disadvantages, Cons, Problems, and Limitations of the Waterpik NSP 853 Power Spray Shower Head

Noisy Water Saving Mode

The eco-spray mode is hissy and noisy; particularly in households with high water supply pressure.

Hose Stiffens During Water-Saving Mode Operation

Hose can become notably less flexible when running this head in eco spray mode

Mostly Plastic Construction

We’re skeptical about the durability of plastic water accessories and fixtures.  Even the threaded hose ends appear to be completely metal-free.  However, as materials technologies advance, the heretofore true stereotype about plastics may eventually become JUST a stereotype.





Stock Hose that Comes with the Waterpik NSP 853 has Polarity

Be sure to match the so-labeled end of the hose to the shower head.  Then attach the other end to the holder.

Next, the picture below shows the installed Waterpik NSP-853 Power Spray Plus.  Note however that the hose is not the one that came with this shower head, but rather, it’s a   Danze brass interlock shower hose.  We chose this hose instead of the standard issue one for the extra length.  Why?  Because it is more flexible.  Plus, they built the Danze hose with much more metal than the Waterpik stock hose.

Picture of the Installed Danze D469020 chrome shower hose in a typical bathroom shower tub.
Installed Waterpik NSP853 water saving shower head, with a Danze D469020 chrome shower hose.

Our Rating for the Waterpik NSP 853 Hand Held Shower Head

This Waterpik plastic shower head definitely embodies a sign of the times. Indeed, there’s a movement away from metal plumbing fixtures.  Plastic may resist deposits and corrosion better than chrome and brass parts. But it’s also more susceptible to breakage due to over tightening, rapid temperature changes.  Plastic also loses flexibility due to aging, in our experience.  But we’ll keep an open mind.  This Waterpik performs as advertised.  Plus it’s cheap enough.  So we got our money’s worth from this gift, should it last just a few years.  Thus we rate this shower head, at 90 out of 100.

Related Posts to Waterpik NSP 853 Shower Head

  1. Installing Hand Held Massaging Shower Heads Tips Advice
  2. Danze Brass Interlock Shower Hose D469020 Review
  3. Rinnai Tankless Water Heater Problems
  4. Tankless Water Heater Disadvantages, Problems, Cons, Issues
  5. AquaSource Bathroom Sink Faucet #0327296 Review

References for the Waterpik NSP 853 Power Spray Shower Head

  1. Installation Guide
  2. Instructions and Users Manual
  3. Waterpik NSP-853   Official Product Web Page
  4. Waterpik   Web Site
  5. Where to buy the   Waterpik NSP-853 Massaging Showerhead

Revision History

  • 2019-03-19: Added tags, subheadings, and key phrase targeting.
  • 2015-12-12: Added appropriate tags.
  • 2015-01-09: Originally published this article.