Plastic hand held shower heads are an improvement over the metal ones. They are lighter weight, and much less likely to crack your tile should they be dropped. That makes sense to me. But most of my other shower parts are heavy chrome. Are they making plastic valves too? My Grohe valve is heavy chrome.

-Babka

I have typically seen the plastic exteriors at big box stores. Plumbing supply stores will carry brands that use actual metal. Check out both. You will know as soon as you go to pick the item up which are heavy metal and which are plastic.

I agree with Babka about the handhelds. Most of them are plastic. My husband didn't like that so we went with one by Newport Brass which is metal and heavy...almost too heavy. ;-)

I believe the plate on the Hansgrohe thermostatic valve is plastic coated with a brushed nickel (or chrome) finish. I believe the rationale is that metal heats up and can scald you if you lean on it while plastic doesn't. The interior parts however are all brass. I am pretty happy with it.