Last year, Tim Cook-backed shower startup Nebia announced it had raised a Series A led by the faucet-maker Moen. This year, we’re seeing the fruits of the exclusive partnership — the startup’s third-generation shower head. The product, called Nebia by Moen, is launching on Kickstarter for $199 and will retail for $269 for the shower head and wand.
The startup’s latest product is by far its least-expensive offering yet, and after a side-by-side shower test conducted by yours truly, I can say there isn’t a major difference between the Nebia by Moen and the company’s Nebia Spa Shower 2.0, something that may make continued sales of the last-gen shower, which retails for $499, a bit of a challenge.
The new hardware has earned its new price point largely by a simplified design and being routed through Moen’s supply chain. The water droplets are bigger, there are fewer nozzles and it all in all feels a bit more like a traditional shower than previous efforts. The aesthetics of the new offering are more mass-market, but it still feels distinctly similar to the design of the last two generations. The product comes in three colors and users can buy the shower head on its own for $160 during the Kickstarter campaign.
Former CEO Philip Winter has stepped down into the role of CMO and president, while fellow co-founder Gabe Parisi-Amon has taken over the reigns as CEO. I chatted with Winter at length on the broader hardware market and whether consumers were willing to fork over money for a premium shower experience. Check out the interview linked below (Extra Crunch membership required).
