I switched to an all metal Hammerhead showerhead recently and the difference was clear right away. Pressure is strong without any tweaks and the install was quick and easy. It feels solid and well made, not plastic. No extra modes, just a good spray that works. Showering feels better and faster now. More on reddit.com

Unless things have changed I’ve always been able to remove the restrictor from any shower head to give max performance. More on reddit.com

I get what you mean. Real high pressure showers almost feel aggressive at first and then you get addicted to them. I went down that rabbit hole too and most so called high pressure heads were honestly pretty weak. What got me close to that feeling again was using a strong basic shower head paired with the SparkPod Shower Filter inline. It does not restrict flow much, so pressure stays strong, and the water actually feels sharper instead of soft and mushy. I am also not into massage modes and this setup gives a solid even spray that hits hard without weird patterns. Funny enough your box cutter hack makes sense. Removing restrictions is half the battle. If you want a cleaner long term setup without destroying heads, the inline filter plus a no nonsense high flow head worked best for me. >> https://www.reddit.com/BuyItForLife/comments/1ph8bt3/best_shower_head/ More on reddit.com

You might want to check out this thread: Best Shower Heads of 2025 – Picks for High Pressure . It’s got some great options specifically for low-pressure homes. We had the same problem with weak water flow and tried a few fixes before switching to the KOHLER Awaken, which turned out to be a great choice. It has three spray settings: a wide, soaking spray that's perfect for longer showers, a more concentrated one that my partner uses for quick morning rinses, and a powerful jet stream. That jet setting is honestly a bit intense for regular use, but it’s perfect for rinsing out thick hair or even blasting soap scum off the shower walls after cleaning. Installation was super simple, no tools needed, just hand tightened it with some thread tape. It doesn't magically increase water pressure, but it makes the most of what little pressure we do have. Definitely worth a look if you're after something that performs well without needing plumbing upgrades. More on reddit.com