Product Review: Evolve Ladybug Water-Saving Showerhead
Although not computer technology, the Evolve Ladybug showerhead is energy-saving, water-saving, and cost-saving technology, all of which are other interests of mine. The Ladybug is a three-inch long adapter that fits on the end of your shower pipe between the showerhead. It’s designed to turn your shower down to a trickle as soon as the cold water is flushed from the pipe and your water is up to 95 degrees Fahrenheit.
If you’re the type to turn on the shower and go about your morning routine while you’re waiting for it to warm up, this will save your hot water in case you get tied up with your multitasking. Depending on how recently the hot water was last used and how far your shower is from your hot water heater, there could be a considerable amount of cold water in the pipes to flush out. With the Evolve Ladybug, this will become your new routine:
- Turn the shower on to fully hot.
- Go about your business. When the water reaches 95 degrees, the shower will go down to a trickle.
- Give the Evolve Ladybug cord a tug and adjust the water temperature to what you want.
- Hop in the shower. Lather, rinse, and repeat.
If your routine fits with what Ladybug expects, you should end up saving money. The package claims $75/year for a typical household. At ~$27, you could see a return on investment within 4 months of purchase and installation. Unfortunately, I don’t think it will end up saving me too much money because I already loiter around the shower with a hand in the water, waiting for it to get warm, and I find the water to be sufficiently warm before it reaches the 95 degree mark. If I adopted the Ladybug routine, I could actually be wasting more hot water than I am currently. However, for the flexibility and since I already bought it, the Evolve Ladybug adapter will remain installed.
The package includes an installation package and the adapter with rip-cord. The adapter can come in a chrome polish (pictured), brushed nickel, oil-rubbed bronze, and polished brass.
Installation is a breeze. The only thing that doesn’t come in the package that you’ll need is plumber’s tape. The rest of the process is almost identical to installing any other showerhead. The adapter is sized for the standard 1/2″ pipe fittings. You just screw on the adapter and then screw on your showerhead. If you’d like the Ladybug adapter with a showerhead, you can purchase the Evolve Roadrunner.
The only problem I would see with having the ladybug installed is that it could make your showerhead an inch lower on already low showerheads. I had a little more difficult time installing the Ladybug than I should have because the water-saving showerhead I currently have in that shower has a nut that attaches to the back. The nut and the toggle switch of the Ladybug ran into each other but I was able to get around the issue by rotating the nut 90 degrees.
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