Backwash Buying Guide: Shampoo Units, Shampoo Beds or Basin and Chair?

14 Sep 2026

he backwash is the one spot in your salon where every single client ends up on their back, eyes closed, with nothing to do but notice how the chair feels. Get it right and it becomes the part of the appointment they talk about. Get it wrong and you will hear about that too.

If you are kitting out a new salon, replacing a tired unit or adding a second wash point, there are three ways to go about it. Here is how they compare, and what we currently have on the floor and ready for delivery.

Option 1: All-in-one salon shampoo units

A shampoo unit is a chair and basin built as a single piece. It arrives as one item, it sits where you put it, and it looks deliberate. For most salons this is the sensible default.

Best for: established salons, upmarket wash areas, anyone who wants the backwash to look like a feature rather than a plumbing decision.

What we have in stock:

• Sandy Premium Shampoo Unit & Basin — taupe and dark grey PVC leather with a ceramic basin. Our deepest stock holding, and the softest look of the range if your salon leans warm and neutral.
• Cheri Shampoo Unit in black — sleek PVC leather, ceramic basin, rated to 120kg. A strong all-rounder for contemporary salons.
• Parlo Shampoo Unit in black — same 120kg rating, slightly different silhouette. Worth comparing side by side with the Cheri.
• Nancy Shampoo Unit in full black — the most upmarket option in the range, built for salons where the wash bay is on show.
• Delilah Shampoo Unit — lightweight and portable with a durable plastic basin, weir and outlet included. The go-to for mobile stylists and flexible setups.

Option 2: The shampoo bed

A shampoo bed lets the client lie fully flat rather than sitting semi-reclined. It changes the wash from a quick rinse into something closer to a treatment, which is exactly what you want if you sell scalp rituals, bond treatments or long colour processing.

Best for: salons selling treatment as an experience, spa-salon hybrids, and anyone wanting a genuine point of difference.

What we have in stock:

• Urma Shampoo Bed & Basin in black — premium PVC leather, 120kg capacity, and a foot ottoman included for that fully stretched-out finish.
• Japanese Hydro Spa Bed, 4-in-1 electronic in black — the flagship. If you are building a signature treatment room, this is the piece the room gets designed around. Limited units, so speak to us early.

Option 3: Basin plus your own chair

Buying the basin separately gives you the most control. You choose the shape, the colour and the cabinetry it sits in, and you can match an existing chair or a custom-built counter. It is also the most cost-effective route when you are adding a second or third wash point rather than starting from scratch.

Best for: custom fit-outs, awkward spaces, barbershops matching a specific look, and salons expanding an existing wash bay.

What we have in stock:

• Ceramic basins in white and black across the 013, 031 and 0356 shapes — good depth of stock in every option, so you can order a matching pair or trio.
• Black ceramic shampoo basin, 126 x 75 x 78mm — high-gloss, stain-resistant and easy to sanitise between clients.
• The Aquarius free-standing unit including plastic basin, and the Atlas free-standing plastic basin with bin — both practical, budget-friendly answers for a quick extra wash point.

Do not forget the bits that make it work

Whichever route you take, the small components decide whether the wash bay feels professional or frustrating. We hold deep stock on all of these:

• Basin tilting mechanism — lets you move the basin to suit each client instead of asking them to shuffle. The single biggest comfort upgrade you can make.
• Stainless steel basin weirs and outlet pipes
• Chrome shower heads with pipe, plus brass and long-nose mixer taps
• Large rubber neck supports — cheap, and the first thing a client notices.

These are also the parts that fail first on an ageing unit. If your current backwash is structurally fine but feels tired, replacing the tap, shower head and neck rest often buys you another couple of years.

Still not sure?

Come and sit in them. Both our Brackenfell showroom in Cape Town and our Northriding showroom in Johannesburg have units on the floor, and five minutes in the chair tells you more than any spec sheet.

Everything listed here is in stock now and ready for delivery. Browse the full backwash range at rapple.co.za, or get in touch and we will help you spec the right setup for your space and your budget.

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