Aqualux Products Ltd is a UK supplier of shower enclosures and bath screens and is a division of a Swiss-based bathroom and kitchen company. Aqualux supplies low-end to high-end products.
You can find information about Aqualux and it's products at http://www.aqualux.co.uk/index.asp
~~~ ... Read review
Advantages: Stylish, functional Disadvantages: Needs a big space
Aqualux Products Ltd is a UK supplier of shower enclosures and bath screens and is a division of a Swiss-based bathroom and kitchen company. Aqualux supplies low-end to high-end products.
You can find information about Aqualux and it's products at http://www.aqualux.co.uk/index.asp
~~~ Why This Product? ~~~
I'm currently having an extension done and am making my way through the high priority areas. As ... ...brochures, Matki, Roman, Bristan and Aqualux to name and few and the choice is outstanding. The room is 2m x 2m so I wanted to get an enclosure big enough to turn round in, but I also wanted it to be different. The ranges start with the basic square enclosure and work their way up to double length rectangular enclosures or the D-Shaped enclosure, which I can only describe as slightly larger than half a semi-circle.
Aqualux Products Ltd is a UK supplier of shower enclosures and bath screens and is a division of a Swiss-based bathroom and kitchen company. Aqualux supplies low-end to high-end products.
You can find information about Aqualux and it's products at http://www.aqualux.co.uk/index.asp
~~~ Why This Product? ~~~
I'm currently having an extension done and am making my way through the high priority areas. As I'm using the main bedroom and there is a new ensuite on to it, I decided to kit this room out first.
I poured over numerous shower brochures, Matki, Roman, Bristan and Aqualux to name and few and the choice is outstanding. The room is 2m x 2m so I wanted to get an enclosure big enough to turn round in, but I also wanted it to be different. The ranges start with the basic square enclosure and work their way up to double length rectangular enclosures or the D-Shaped enclosure, which I can only describe as slightly larger than half a semi-circle.
I chose the D shape Quad from the Aqualux Pura range because it was going to be a centrepiece in the shower in the middle of one of the walls. This has glass all the way round the enclosure on 3 sides with the wall at the back and gives you the sense of space around you. Others were corner units and I felt hemmed in or just had 1 door with the other 3 sides as walls.
I wanted a shower enclosure that was sealed while you are having a shower rather than those without doors that you step up into and this fitted that perfectly. It also has a frameless design which means there is no metal edging around the top rim of the enclosure nor on any of the doors. Over time, limescale can build up around these edges and they are difficult to clean leaving white crusty marks. The frameless style also gives it a smooth minimalist non-clunky look.
~~~ The Product ~~~
This shower enclosure is 1014mm wide and 885-910mm deep, allowing you to adjust each side individually from the wall in case you have uneven walls. The height of the unit is 1900mm, so unless you are super tall, this should allow enough space for a tall person to stand under a carefully placed shower head comfortably. The glass is 8mm tempered glass
I bought this product from an internet site for £650. This included a low-rising shower tray (height of about 50mm) and the enclosure. The enclosure comes in 2 boxes which are quite heavy at about £25kg each, the glass is very very heavy and packed accordingly. The tray came with the edge wrapped in polystyrene in a seperate package. shop around on the internet and you'll be surprised what deals you can find. I found buying a whole suite from 1 place provided me a better bargaining position.
The shower is a D-shape which means it is glass on 3 sides. The back of the shower will be the wall where shower controls are placed. The shower comes with 4 internal shelves that are fitted at the back corners between the wall and enclosure side. There is more than enough space on these formost shower beauty products both his and hers. Though I must admit her's contains a lot more than his. What? I'm female, what do you expect? ;o)
The handles are situated on each door towards the middle. They are chrome t-bar handles but oval as opposed to rounded. The hinges, handles and accesories are chrome.
~~~ Fitting ~~~
Fitting is an important thing so I would highly recommend you find a professional to install this as you need to take a lot of care with the glass and you don't want the hassle. If you do fit this yourself and it is not out of the question, you may need help carrying this up the stairs or to the location of installation.
We had a professional plumber do the installation and the labourers helped carry the glass up the stairs and hold it in place while being fitted. It took about 4 days to get the installation of the enclosure just right. The door cills at the bottom had got caught inside the packaging and were all bent out of shape. One call to Aqualux and we received new ones 24 hours later. They advised it could take up to 5 days. The door cills sit inside the door at the bottom to prevent water going outside the enclosure so are very important. To be honest, given that the boxes (though wrapped) had been sat inside a building site and while the ceiling fell down, I was grateful that this was the only issue. I have no idea how I would have handled it if the glass had been damaged.
~~~ The Experience ~~~
Of course a shower enclosure alone does not give you an experience of taking a shower. You need to have a shower, tray, controls, some soap and a towel. So let's assume I have the necessary to take a proper shower. I do have an 8inch shower head, which makes a big difference.
There are 2 double doors on the shower which open outwards and allow a whopping 900mm width in which to step into the shower. Aqualux calls this styling, saloon door styling. The doors open wider than the 900mm and when closed have a magnetic strip running up the door to bring the doors together. Not the greatest but it does the job. Along with the lower tray height it is very easy to get into. I think some are 100mm or more in height!
I have placed the shower directly opposite a big window, so there is always lots of light coming into to the en-suite and because the entire shower is glass you get an amazing sense of space just by being inside the enclosure. The amount of space in the enclosure is also really good. You don't have to worry about touching the sides when you are soaping yourself or washing your hair and actually you can get 2 people in there, though there is less space, but you are not squashed in.
Aqualux say the glass is easy-clean and anti-calc. One of the concerns I had when going for all glass was the amount of time I would spend cleaning the glass. It is quite easy to clean and does not get those smear marks of dried water either, but I have no idea how this feature is built into the product. Maybe during glass forming stage.
One downside I have with the unit is the little metal strip on the tray that runs along the bottom of the doors. It is supposed to be a guide for the doors, but according to the instructions is pushed into the hinge glass, not the doors and not fixed anywhere else. So along the doors it sits slightly proud of the shower tray. It's fixed as per the instructions so I have a call open with Aqualux and will see what they come back with. If it is any use I will update this review with the information.
~~~ Would I Recommend It? ~~~
I would say yes. I did a lot of research on showers, sad as it may seem, and this one came up on both style and functionality. It is slightly different to the normal square or rectangular shower enclosures and offers a touch of luxury. If you have the space both along the wall and also in the room I would go for this.
The combination of chrome and glass gives it a very simple but stylish feel and will go with virtually any colour scheme you choose. I would suggest though that you opt for chrome bathroom fittings if you go for this style.
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