Does anyone else find these sorts of analyses really patronising?

I'll get the shower head that makes showering pleasurable. It's a trivial expense and there's already been a huge saving from shifting from filling a huge bath.

At the extreme end, actively causing discomfort (uncomfortable high pressure blast from a small number of nozzles) would drive water usage to an absolute minimum. People keep the shower session to a minimum, perhaps avoiding the shower altogether.

Whether this is utilitarian depends on the externalities of the water usage.

I believe that this article means speed when it says pressure.

A showerhead (unless it has a pump in it) cannot increase water pressure, but it can increase the speed water comes out. It does this by creating a restriction, which actually decreases the water pressure, causing higher speed.

Higher GPM shower heads usually cost more, so this certainly passes the “it’s expensive to be poor” test in that those who can’t afford a $75 shower head eventually pay for the difference and possibly then some.

Mirrors my experience. You want lower rate for long sessions as it is often enough.

But on other hand if you want effectively wash quickly higher pressure is better.