this is amazing, this morning while bathing I was musing on which way would be most economical of water and I see this post now.... I disagree with you though. I think the bucket and mugis the most economical. The hand shower often runs far, far longer than necessary. With a b-and-m, you know exactly how much water you have (I always use three fourths of my bucket...a throwback to very hard times in Chennai, which I will never get out of my system.)Another point is that the temperature of the bucket of water is constant unlike the hand-shower which can scald you sometimes, and freeze you at others when someone opens the hot water tap at the washbasin (experience talking!) And of course, you agree that water is not "on tap" in many places! OK, I am still going to post about this!! But I am so tickled that we should be thinking about bath, buckets and beyond on the same day! To wind up on a very nice note...I was enjoying the hot bucket-bath, and the thought crossed my mind....having a hot bath on a chill, cloudy day is like...the embrace of a lover...the only difference is, the latter warms one up mentally and physically...