Are tension shower curtain rods reliable, or should I drill?

High-trust r/HomeImprovement threads we read are split. Several long-tenured posters report tension rods holding for years if you adjust them correctly (extend slightly past the wall width, then compress to lock), while others insist a screw-mounted bracket is the only truly permanent solution. The consensus is that a quality 1-inch stainless tension rod is fine for normal curtains and renters; heavy fabric curtains, frequent yanking, or textured tile walls push you toward drilled mounts.