The quick version: a single-ended bath has the taps and waste at one end, so you lie back against the sloped end at the other. A double-ended bath puts the waste, and usually the taps, in the middle, with a comfy slope at both ends, so two people can share it or one person can lie whichever way they fancy. Buy single-ended if the bath sits in an alcove and you shower at the tap end. Buy double-ended if you have a bit more room, want to bath two, or want that centred, symmetrical look.

The rest of this is the detail that actually changes the decision: where the taps and waste land, whether you can shower over a double-ended bath, the sizes, and the money.

• What is a double-ended bath?
• What is a single-ended bath?
• Taps and waste: the difference that actually matters
• Can you shower over a double-ended bath?
• Double-ended bath sizes and prices
• Two in the bath, or bathing the kids: the honest version
• Freestanding double-ended baths
• So which bath should you buy?
• FAQ

What is a double-ended bath?

A double-ended bath is sloped at both ends, so it is comfortable to lean back against either way round. The waste sits in the centre of the base rather than at one end, and the taps usually go in the middle too, either deck-mounted on the rim or wall-mounted on the wall above. Because both ends are shaped for a back, two people can get in facing each other, or a single bather just picks an end.

It is the shape you want if you like a symmetrical look in the room, or the bath sits somewhere you do not want taps stuck at one visible end. Double ended baths sit close to the plain single-ended equivalent on price, with the material rather than the shape doing most of the work, though there is more shaping in the mould and the plumbing lands in the middle. A good honest example is the Carron Quantum Double Ended Bath in 5mm acrylic, from £359, which is a straight twin-ended tub built for shared use.

What is a single-ended bath?

A single-ended bath has one sloped end for your back and one flat, squared-off end where the taps and waste live. It is the standard British bath shape, the one already sitting in most houses. Because everything is plumbed at one end, it drops straight into an alcove with a wall behind the tap end, which is exactly why it is the cheaper, simpler fit. You lie back at the round end and shower at the tap end under a screen or a rail.

If you want the plain version and the lowest outlay, something like the Solarna 1600 x 700mm Single Ended Bath, from £229, does the job: a 1600 x 700mm straight bath with a classic white finish and an easy-clean surface. You can see the full range on the single-ended baths page, and the twin-slope options on the double-ended baths page.

Taps and waste: the difference that actually matters

This is where the two shapes really split, and it is the bit people forget until the plumber is already on site. On a single-ended bath the waste and overflow sit at the tap end, and the taps go either deck-mounted on the flat end or on the wall above it. Simple, standard, feeds come up at one end.

On a double-ended bath the waste is in the centre of the base, and the taps go in the middle too. You have a few options there: a deck-mounted mixer on the rim, a wall-mounted spout above the centre, or, on a freestanding model, a floor-standing bath mixer. Some designs also take corner taps. The one thing you cannot skip is the plumbing: your hot and cold feeds need to come up in the middle of the run, not at the end, so sort that out before anything gets tiled or boxed in. Get the bath home, discover the feeds are in the wrong place, and it is a bad afternoon.

Can you shower over a double-ended bath?

Yes, but you have to set it up for it, and it is not as clean as showering over a single-ended bath. The catch is the shape: a double-ended bath has the waste in the middle and a slope at both ends, so there is no flat squared-off end to stand on the way there is on a normal single-ended shower bath.

Two ways round it. One, fit a bath screen and run the shower or bar valve at one end, then stand at that end and accept a slightly sloped floor under your feet. Two, if showering is a daily thing, buy a proper single-ended shower bath instead, which gives you a flat standing area and often a wider P- or L-shape at the tap end. Have a look at the shower baths range if that is you.

So a double ended bath with shower does work: centre waste, a fixed screen and an overhead or bar valve, and you get the symmetrical look plus the occasional rinse. It is just a compromise, and worth being honest with yourself about how often you actually shower. If you want to get the screen right, our guide to bath shower screens covers the fixed, hinged and folding options.

Double-ended bath sizes and prices

Prices move, so treat these as correct at the time of writing and check the product page before you buy. Here is a cross-section of the current line-up, with a single-ended option on top for comparison. There are cheaper straight baths live in both shapes, so head for the category pages if the budget is what decides it.

Bath	Format	Price from
Solarna 1600 x 700	Single ended, straight	£229
Carron Quantum	Double ended, 5mm acrylic	£359
Carron Profile	Double ended, 5mm acrylic	£379
Carron Quantum Carronite	Double ended, reinforced Carronite	£599
Carron Profile Carronite	Double ended, reinforced Carronite	£679
Bay Back to Wall	Double ended, back to wall	£759

The split you are paying for is the material. The 5mm acrylic baths, like the Carron Profile Double Ended Bath, from £379, are a durable, easy-clean twin-ended tub that comes in a spread of sizes, good for a family bathroom. Step up to Carronite and you get Carron’s reinforced version: extra strength and stiffness underfoot, plus improved heat retention so the water stays warm longer. The Carron Quantum Carronite Reinforced Double Ended Bath, from £599, is the one to pick if you want that solid feel and the slow-cooling water. All the Carron baths here carry a lifetime guarantee, which is the sort of backing you want on a tub you are fitting once and forgetting about.

Two in the bath, or bathing the kids: the honest version

The double bath sales pitch is always two people soaking together. Reality check: it can, but it is more of a nice idea than a nightly event unless you size up. On a standard 1700 x 700mm double-ended bath, two adults sharing is a squeeze, and whoever ends up sitting over the middle gets the taps in their back. It is genuinely comfortable for one person lying either way, which is the real day-to-day win.

Where a double-ended bath earns its keep is family life. The twin slopes and centre waste are handy for bathing two small kids at once, one at each end, and there is no hard squared tap end for a toddler to bang into. If sharing with another adult is the actual goal, go bigger, 1800mm long and a wider tub, and set your expectations sensibly. For most people a double-ended bath is bought for the look and the flexibility, not for two-up bathing.

Freestanding double-ended baths

If you have been looking at freestanding baths, you have already been looking at double-ended ones without realising it. Most freestanding tubs are double-ended by design: sloped at both ends, waste in the middle, and fed by a floor-standing or wall mixer so they can sit off the wall or out in the middle of the room. That centred, symmetrical shape is the whole point of the freestanding look.

So if a double ended freestanding bath is what you are picturing, the double-ended shape is what you will mostly be choosing from. Browse the freestanding baths range to see the styles, and if you are weighing it up against a built-in bath, our piece on the pros and cons of freestanding baths is the honest rundown on space, cleaning behind it, and the plumbing.

So which bath should you buy?

Go single-ended if the bath fits an alcove with a wall at the tap end, you shower daily at that end, and a standard 1700 x 700mm space is what you have. It is the simpler, no-drama choice, because the taps, waste and feeds all land at one end, which is usually where they already are.

Go double-ended if you want the centred, symmetrical look, you have the room, you want to bath the kids two at a time, you are going freestanding, or you just like taps in the middle rather than stuck at one end. Neither is better in the abstract. It comes down to your room, your plumbing and how you actually use the bath. Get the tap and waste positions planned before you tile and you cannot go far wrong.

FAQ

Is a double ended bath suitable for a shower?

Yes, as long as you fit a bath screen and run the shower at one end. The snag is the sloped floor at both ends, so there is no flat squared-off standing area like a single-ended shower bath gives you. A double ended bath suitable for shower use needs a centre waste, a fixed screen and an overhead or bar valve. If you shower every day, a dedicated single-ended shower bath is easier to stand in.

What is the difference between a single ended and double ended bath?

A single-ended bath slopes at one end for your back, with the taps and waste at the flat end. A double-ended bath slopes at both ends, with the waste and taps in the middle, so you can lie either way or bath two. Single-ended suits an alcove, double-ended suits a more open or symmetrical layout.

Can two people fit in a double ended bath?

At a standard 1700 x 700mm size it is a tight fit for two adults, and whoever sits central gets the middle taps in their back. It is far more comfortable as a roomy single bath, or for bathing two small children at once. For genuine two-adult sharing, size up to 1800mm or more.

Are double ended baths more expensive than single ended baths?

Not necessarily. There is more shaping in the mould and the plumbing lands in the middle, but like for like the two shapes often sit at much the same price, and there are budget straight baths in both. What moves the price most is the material, with reinforced Carronite and back-to-wall models running well above plain acrylic.

Do you get a double ended freestanding bath?

Most freestanding baths are double-ended by design, sloped both ends with a centre waste and a floor-standing or wall mixer. If you want a double ended freestanding bath, the freestanding range is where to look, since that centred shape is what gives the freestanding look its balance.