The Best Shower Curtain Rails in 2023
The Best Shower Curtain Rails to hold up those shower curtains.
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Showering daily shouldn’t mean having to dry and clean the whole bathroom every day, but that’s, unfortunately, the reality for many people out there.
Since splash and spray from your shower spreads all across your bathroom, you end up having to wipe down the entire bathroom floor and walls to avoid dirt, dampness and soap scum marks.
But, what if I told you a simple way to dodge that chore altogether?
Top Three Shower Riser Rails
All you need is a shower curtain rail installed! It easily hangs a curtain to separate your shower area from the rest of the space inside the bathroom. It limits the splash, containing all the chaos within a very small segment of your bathroom.
The rest of the area remains dry and clean! If you don’t have one of these shower curtain rails installed, you’re missing out.
Here are a few of our top picks this year, as well as a buyer’s guide at the end to help you find the right one.
Our Best Shower Curtain Rail picks
1) Amazon Basics Extendable Shower Curtain Rail
First up, we have the Amazon Basics Extendable Shower Curtain Rail. With over a whopping 62,000+ ratings on Amazon, it’s by far the most popular Curtain Rails you can buy online.
It’s made out of metal with a chrome nickel finish that makes it look like it belongs in a luxurious bathroom. You can get it in black, white, bronze, nickel, chrome, and natural herringbone/nickel finishes, depending on the theme you’ve got going on in your bathroom.
It’s super easy to install without any screws or drills and is sturdy enough to hold up to seven pounds of weight which is more than sufficient for any type of fabric curtain.
Features
- Has an extendable range between 91 to 137 centimetres
- Weighs 1.1 pounds
- Available in six different finishes
- Holds up to 7 pounds of weight
- Simple setup process
2) iDesign Extra Short Stainless Steel Tension Rod
At the runner-up position, we have the iDesign Extra Short Stainless Steel Tension Rod. Thanks to the brand’s patented Constant Tension technology, installing it in your bathroom is a piece of cake. Just extend it as far as you need to fit between two opposing walls in your shower room and that’s it. No drilling or tools are required, and your walls don’t have to get damaged one bit.
Even on smooth tiles, the rail will firmly stay put with its integrated non-slip pads. You can extend it to lengths between 66 to 107 cm, which means it’s compatible with almost all bathrooms out there.
Features
- Very easy to install
- Made out of rust-resistant stainless steel
- Won’t damage walls
- Works with all types of bathroom wall surfaces including smooth tiles
- Uses patented Constant Tension technology
3) Frenessa Extendable Telescopic Curtain Rail
Next up, we have the Frenessa Extendable Telescopic Curtain Rail. It’s a tension-mounted rod that’s sturdily made out of stainless steel. It’s corrosion-resistant and heavy-duty enough to hold up even thick fabric curtains. In fact, it has a high load capacity of up to 15 kg, though the longer you extend it the weaker it’ll get.
You can get it in silver and black colours depending on the colour scheme or aesthetic of your bathroom. You don’t have to drill any walls for the installation, just twist and fit it tightly between opposing walls and you’re done!
Features
- Sturdy and well-built
- Available in black and silver colours
- Relatively high load capacity
- Very long extendable range of 115-210cm
- Can be used as clothes hanging rail or a cupboard bar as well
4) Frenessa Stainless Steel Shower Tension Rod
The Frenessa Stainless Steel Shower Tension Rod is currently one of the bestseller products on Amazon in the “Shower Curtain Rods” category, and we can see why! From a 55 – 85 cm option to a 150 – 260 cm one, you can get any size you want based on the dimensions and space inside your bathroom.
Being a tension rod, you twist it on rather than drilling it into your bathroom — which is always a huge plus, especially for tenants looking to minimise the damage they do to the property.
With a reliable rust-resistant build and functional non-slip end caps, this rail is everything you need to limit the shower splashes to a certain area inside your bathroom.
Features
- A best-seller shower curtain rod on Amazon
- Comes in two colours
- Available in seven different size range options
- Telescopic pole with built-in spring
- Removable non-slip end caps
5) Frenessa Aluminium Extendable Shower Rail
At number five, we have yet another Shower Curtain Rail from the brand Frenessa. It’s the ideal curtain solution for small-sized bathrooms as the smallest available size starts from a range of 30 to 50 cm.
It’s made out of metal and features strong construction with an in-built spring, allowing the pole to bear about 1 kg. It’s sufficient for curtains made out of lightweight materials, commonly found in small bathrooms or tight shower spaces.
The metallic rod is covered in white paint, with both ends of the pole consisting of skid-resistant plastic to maintain a firm grip when installed between your walls.
Features
- Requires no glue, screws, drilling, or fixtures
- Completely damage-free installation
- Adjustable length between 30 – 50 cm
- Also comes in five other sizes, the longest one being extendable between 135 – 240 cm
- Sturdy all-metal build
6) Sachukot Telescopic Non-Slip Curtain Rail
Lastly, we have the Sachukot Telescopic Non-Slip Curtain Rail. It features a heavy-duty stainless steel build that keeps it safe from corrosion or water damage, and also allows it to bear loads of up to 30 kgs, so feel free to hang any type of shower curtains you want. Thanks to its super smooth chrome finish, cleaning is a breeze. Just wipe it down and you’re set.
As it doesn’t require any holes, screws, or drilling, you can easily install it in (or even move it around) your kitchen, bathroom, or bedroom as needed. If for any reason you’re unsatisfied with it, the brand has your back with a 100% money-back guarantee!
Features
- Tension-mounted curtain rail
- Sturdy and well-built using heavy-duty stainless steel
- Very easy to clean
- Backed by a 100% money-back guarantee
- It holds up to 30 kg
- Rust-free and long-lasting
What features should I look for in a shower riser rail?
You’d think shower curtains aren’t easy to shop for – they’re not!
You’ve got to consider details like designs, sizes, and materials. If you plan on hanging a relatively heavy curtain that’s made out of thick fabric, you might also have to look for high maximum recommended weight ratings.
We’ll cover all that and more in this detailed buyer’s guide for shower curtain rails, so keep reading.
Material
Your shower curtain rod should be sturdy, durable, and highly resistant to corrosion and rust. The safest bets are stainless steel and aluminium options as they’re strong, versatile, and still pretty lightweight.
Types
Not all shower curtain rails are alike. Some are straight, curved, tracked, or even circular, so let’s quickly go over each type.
| Straight | It’s the most common type of shower rail out there, and all of our above recommendations fall into this category. |
| Track | Track shower rails use rod gliders and come in many different shapes. |
| Curved | Curved shower rails are ideal for folks looking to enhance their shower space by introducing some outward curvature to the curtain. |
| Tension | Tension-based shower rails are installed in bathrooms using suction cups, requiring no screws or drilling. They won’t damage your walls at all and are pretty easy to install, which is why most of our picks in the above list are tension rails. |
| Circular | As the name suggests, a circular shower rail creates a round shower space by giving you 360 coverage inside your bathroom. It’s often supported by a rod that’s suspended from the ceiling. |
Shape
Depending on the area and shape of the tub or showering zone inside your bathroom, you can choose certain shower railing shapes that suit your situation well.
For instance, a corner shower area could use a curved curtain rod that’s installed by positioning suction cups on perpendicular walls (rather than opposite each other). Straight curtain rods, however, would be ideal for most average-sized bathtubs or showers.
We’d recommend carefully measuring the dimensions you have in your space to make the right shape and size decision with your new shower rail
Colour
Lastly, let’s talk aesthetics! Depending on the theme you’ve got going in your bathroom, feel free to pick a shower rail that naturally fits well into the colour scheme. Its colour and finish should match the surroundings seamlessly.
What is the best shower curtain rail?
We found the best shower curtain rail to be the Amazon Basics Extendable Shower Curtain Rail; it is extremely popular online, has over 62k ratings, has an unobtrusive design, comes in lots of colours and sizes, is very easy to install, is lightweight yet durable, and more!
What are some precautions I should take before installing a curtain rail?
Before you install your shower curtain rod, clean and dry the sections of your wall or tiles where – this will help for the ends of the rod (even more so if you have a shower curtain rail with suction cups at each end). This improves their grip and makes accidental falls much less likely. Also, measure the length carefully to ensure a perfect fit with your extendable shower railing.
How high should my shower curtain railing be?
The standard height for shower curtain railing is around 180cm or so (72 inches), but it’s a subjective choice and you’re free to elevate or lower your railings as you prefer.
Ultimately you should make sure you install it at least above your handheld shower head so as not to get water on your bathroom floor. If you have an overhead rain shower head you may need to raise the height of your shower curtain rail.
Are straight shower railings better than curved ones?
Both straight and curved shower railings have their particular use cases where one would be more suitable than the other, but none is objectively “better” than the other.
Curved railings make the most sense in showering corners and offer more space, but straight ones are ideal for most standard bathrooms and generally cheaper as well.
