Blutide Wall Outlets and Brackets
Nine products, and most buyers arrive here because a plumber asked for something they had not budgeted for. Eight are wall outlets and one is a wall hook. These are the small parts that finish a hand shower installation, usually chosen last and the first thing to hold up a job when missing.
What a wall outlet actually does
The hot and cold pipework stops behind the tiles, and the wall outlet is the fitting that takes over from there. It covers the hole left by the pipe with a plate, and presents a short threaded spigot pointing down for the shower hose to screw onto. Without one you are left with a pipe stub and an untidy opening in the tiling. Position matters more than looks, because the pipe is set at first fix and tiled over, so the outlet height is fixed long before the handset is chosen.
With a cradle, or without
Six of the nine combine the outlet with an integral cradle, so one fitting both feeds the hose and holds the handset when it is not in use. Two are plain round wall outlets with no cradle at all, which is what you want if the handset already lives on a slide rail or a separate hook. The ninth item is a hook on its own, in gunmetal, fixed with screws and carrying no water. Read the photographs rather than the titles here, because the naming is inconsistent: one outlet with a cradle is listed as a hook outlet while others with the same body are called round outlets.
Shapes and finishes on this page
Seven are round and two are square, both of the square ones being outlets with a cradle. The usual approach is to follow the tapware: a round mixer and rose sit better with a round plate, an angular scheme with the square. Nothing stops you mixing them, but the outlet sits at eye level and does get noticed.
Finishes run to chrome on three, black on three, gunmetal on two and brushed stainless steel on one. Worth knowing before you commit: the shower hoses and the Tubular hand showers are both offered in brushed brass, and nothing on this page is, so a brushed brass shower needs checking rather than assuming. For the overhead side see shower arms and shower heads, or go back to Blutide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a shower wall outlet and do I actually need one?
It is the fitting where the shower hose leaves the wall. The pipework stops behind the tiles, and the outlet covers that opening with a plate and presents a threaded spigot for the hose to screw onto. If your hand shower is fed from the wall rather than from a slide rail or a bath mixer, you need one. Without it you are left with an exposed pipe stub and a rough hole in the tiling.
What is the difference between a wall outlet and a wall hook?
A wall outlet carries water. It connects to the pipework behind the tiles and gives the hose something to screw onto. A wall hook carries nothing at all: it is a cradle fixed to the wall with screws that simply holds the handset when it is not in use. The single hook on this page is gunmetal. Six of the outlets here do both jobs at once, with a cradle built into the outlet body.
Do these Blutide outlets hold the hand shower as well?
Six of the nine do. Those have a cradle moulded into the outlet body, so the same fitting feeds the hose and parks the handset. Two are plain round outlets with no cradle, intended for showers where the handset sits on a slide rail or a separate hook. Check the product photograph rather than the title, because the naming on this group is not consistent about which is which.
Should I choose a round or a square wall outlet?
Seven of the nine here are round and two are square. The straightforward rule is to follow the shape of the tapware and the shower rose already chosen, since a round plate suits a round mixer and a square plate suits an angular scheme. It is a visual decision rather than a functional one, but the outlet sits at roughly eye level in a shower, so it is noticed more than most small fittings.
When in a bathroom build do I need to decide on the wall outlet?
Earlier than most people expect. The pipe that feeds the outlet is positioned at first fix, before plastering and tiling, and the outlet height is effectively locked once the tiles are on. Agree the position with the plumber at the same time you settle the shower layout. The finish and the choice between a plain outlet and one with a cradle can be confirmed later, but the height and position cannot.
