Bathroom buying guides for your first home
Buying guides for the bathroom in your first home, from a WELS shower head to the Sonicare DiamondClean.
Start here
The three that matter first
Your first shower in the new place shouldn't be a dribble; the ACA WELS rainfall head goes straight onto the existing arm.
You need towels on day one, and a quick dry pair beats raiding your parents' linen press.
The vanity fills up by week two; a bamboo over toilet shelf uses the one wall every bathroom has spare.
A first bathroom usually hands you one towel rail, a mirror cabinet that fits exactly nothing, and a shower whose pressure was decided in 1987. You can't retile your way out on a new mortgage budget, but bamboo shelving over the toilet and a pair of quick dry towels make the room behave like it has storage and intent.
The rest of these guides handle the gear a bathroom accumulates: an electric toothbrush (with a timer, and pressure feedback if you want it), a body scale that talks to your phone, and the 90 piece Lewis-Plast first aid kit that should live under every Australian sink.
First shower, sorted
The two things you'll use within an hour of moving in: water pressure that doesn't insult you and a towel that dries before tomorrow.
Bathroom Exhaust FansBathroom exhaust fans compared on published airflow, noise, humidity sensors and duct fit, including imported models and ducted ceiling fans. The guide records rating status, seller terms and Australian electrical registration findings at a dated check.
Bathroom Mirror CabinetsSix bathroom mirror cabinets for Australian first-home buyers, from a big ELEGANT steel unit to a budget VASAGLE double-door, with real AU ratings, prices, and honest install and sizing advice.
LED Bathroom MirrorsSix LED bathroom mirrors for Australian first-home buyers, from a Bluetooth LUVODI to a budget Simplus round, with real AU ratings, prices, and honest install advice.
Shower FiltersA cross-brand guide to the best in-line shower filters on Amazon Australia, comparing six stand-alone units by rating, review volume and genuine filtration media to reduce chlorine, ease hard-water feel and calm dry skin and hair.
Blow Dry BrushesA first-home buyer's guide to powered hot-air blow dry brushes in Australia, comparing six models on drying power, barrel design, weight, price and real owner ratings.
Shower HeadMost cheap shower heads pass WELS on paper and feel like a tired garden hose in practice. Five shower heads we would actually mount in an Australian bathroom, ranked by what you are trying to fix, not just by price.
Vanity Trays
Towel Rings
Toothpaste DispensersA wall mounted toothpaste dispenser clears your vanity and stops the kids wasting half a tube. Our top pick is the Wekity 5-slot combo for families, the dual dispenser Hushnow set is the value buy, and the FOTINOR is the cheapest way to try one.
Shaving MirrorsFor most Australian bathrooms the Tooletries Oliver is the shaving mirror to beat: a fog resistant shower mirror that sticks without suction cups or drilling. The Mavoro 23cm is the best value, and the QSHAVE Fogless is the cheapest way in. Lit and magnifying options follow for closer work.
Robe Hooks
Bath Pillows
Shower Mats
Bath StoolsA bath stool earns its keep three ways: somewhere safe to sit and shower, a place to rest a foot while shaving, and a shelf for your bottles. Our top pick is the VaeFae Bamboo Spa Bench for its huge owner following and storage shelf, with the Richell Japanese stool as the budget choice and a MISSEND acacia corner stool as the space saving value option.
Bath Caddy
Tongue Scrapers
Shower SqueegeesAfter studying Amazon Australia ratings, reviews and specs across the squeegee market, the Joseph Joseph EasyStore Compact is our top pick for its near invisible storage and proven track record. The MR.SIGA 2-pack is the smartest value, and the Hiware 10-inch is the budget winner.
Soap DishA self draining soap dish stops your bar turning to mush and makes it last weeks longer. Our top pick is the IMEEA brushed stainless steel dish for its rust proof double layer drainage, with the Joseph Joseph Slim Compact as the best value crowd favourite and the Joseph Joseph Quick-Drain as the cheapest pick that still drains brilliantly.
Shower ShelfAfter comparing real Amazon AU ratings and reviews, the Moforoco adhesive shower shelf is our top pick for most Australian bathrooms, the Menbyci 3-pack corner caddy is the best value, and the YOHOM adhesive shelf is the budget choice. Glass, drilled and over the showerhead options round out the list.
Makeup Organisers
Bathroom BinsAfter comparing the bathroom bins Australian shoppers actually buy, the Joseph Joseph EasyStore 5L is our top pick for its soft close lid and hidden liner store. The Cesun 6L stainless bin is the value workhorse, and the slim SONGMICS 5L is the cheapest of our three headline picks.
Toilet Paper Holders
Toilet Brush and Holder Sets
Soap DispensersAn automatic soap dispenser puts touch free, hands free soap at your sink for the price of a few takeaway coffees. Our top pick is the simplehuman Sensor Soap Pump for build quality, the AIKE SensePro is the best value, and the Xkey foaming dispenser is the budget choice.
Toothbrush Holders
Shower CurtainsAfter studying thousands of Australian reviews, the EUTXL waffle curtain and liner set is our top all rounder, the Ohocut checkered curtain is the best value, and the Amazon Basics Linen Style is the cheapest pick that still earns its keep. Liners, sizes and mould tips covered.
Towel WarmersA warm towel after a winter shower is a small luxury that costs less than you think. We ranked the best bucket warmers, heated towel rails and UV cabinets on Amazon Australia, with the Keenray bucket warmer as our top pick and the Costway 18L as the budget choice.
Bath TowelsTeeth, twice a day
Three guides for the two minutes you spend at the sink morning and night, from a basic electric toothbrush to the Waterpik Ultra Professional.
Mirror time
Grooming gear that lives on the vanity shelf, from the Remington Proluxe dryer to the Braun Series 7 trimmer that does the lot.
The quiet upgrades
None of this is urgent, which is why it never happens. Pick a Saturday for these: a bidet sprayer, a tension pole shower caddy and a body composition scale.
Bathroom Storage Ideas
Shower CaddyA shower caddy is the fix first home buyers and renters overlook: it gets shampoo, soap and razors off the floor without a single drill hole. We aggregated the Amazon AU listings to find the no drill, rustproof picks that actually stay up.
BidetBidets for Australian bathrooms come in three types and the type matters more than the brand. A handheld sprayer is the cheapest, most flexible way in and doubles for cleaning. A non-electric attachment clips under your existing seat with no power needed. An electric bidet seat adds warm water, a heated seat and a dryer but needs a nearby power point. These six run from a 52 dollar Fekivasy sprayer to a 915 dollar Alpha electric seat.
Bathroom ScalesBest overall: Garmin Index S2 for Wi-Fi to Garmin Connect, up to 16 user profiles and a colour display. The Etekcity ESF-551 is our budget smart scale with Bluetooth to VeSync, 13 biometrics and unlimited users. Compare their workflows and learn how to check repeatability, placement and drift at home.
Bath MatThe kit you hope stays zipped
A first aid kit is the one buy on this page you hope never gets used. The Lewis-Plast 90 piece kit covers the kitchen drawer basics, and the Australian made SURVIVAL vehicle kit earns its spot in a 4WD.
Set up every room in the right order.
The room-by-room checklist we’d hand a mate on settlement day, with our pick for each job. One email, then we leave you alone.
Bathroom questions, answered straight
What bathroom stuff do I actually need on moving day?
Towels first: a quick dry pair, or the Utopia four pack if there are two of you. If the shower is weak, the ACA WELS rainfall head screws onto the standard fitting in about ten minutes. Everything else in this room can genuinely wait a week.
Can I change the shower head in a rental?
Yes, and it's the most worthwhile renter upgrade going. A screw on head like the ACA swaps over in minutes. The Decaura 2 in 1 set clamps onto the existing arm without drilling, though its rail bracket needs two anchor holes if you want the handheld mounted. Keep the original head in a cupboard and refit it before the final inspection, so the bond conversation never happens.
Is an electric toothbrush worth it over a manual one?
For most people, yes. A basic model with a timer is the simple way in, and some models add pressure feedback that tells you when you're pressing too hard. If you're torn between brands, our Sonicare vs Oral-B guide compares the two, including the Sonicare DiamondClean 9000.
Bathrooms are the one room where the previous owner's taste is non-negotiable until you've saved for a renovation. Buy good towels first and the rest matters less.
Anish Puri, NestPath
CERTAIN CONTENT THAT APPEARS ON THIS SITE COMES FROM AMAZON. THIS CONTENT IS PROVIDED ‘AS IS’ AND IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE OR REMOVAL AT ANY TIME.