Electric showers can be an economical and energy-efficient choice for a bathroom. They connect directly to the cold water supply, only heating water that will be used. Depending on the features and how powerful you want the water jet to be, an electric shower can be bought quite cheaply. Some of them can even be installed by the homeowner, without the need to hire an electrician.
This guide dives into the top 5 most powerful and stylish electric showers to buy in the UK. We’ll explore their key features and design that make them stand out from the crowd. Read on for a comprehensive buying guide, explaining the pros and cons of owning an electric shower, and how to choose which model to buy.
1. Mira Showers 1.1746.008 Sport Max
While the other three electric showers on our list come in at 10.5kW, the Mira Sport Max boasts a huge 10.8kW of power and modern styling. The higher the wattage, the better and more powerful the shower. The Mira Sport Max further stands out from its competitors with its unique Airboost technology.
This forces air through the shower to increase water flow by up to 30 per cent without using extra water, making the Mira Sport Max an eco-friendly option.
The advanced technology continues with two patented innovations; Clearscale which improves the life of your shower by reducing the build-up of limescale by up to 50%, and Sensi-flo, which controls the temperature so that it never reaches a dangerous heat in the event of a blockage in the head or chrome hose.
Finally, a pressure-stabilised temperature control maintains the perfect temperature for your shower, and if you do want to tweak it, the unit comes with separate power and temperature push-button controls to easily create your perfect showering experience. Further, you get a soap tray mounted on the bar and its energy efficiency provides a steady temperature.
2. Triton Showers MOMT014G Martinique Luxury Electric Shower
The Triton Martinique electric shower comes with 3 power settings. The high power setting ensures high pressure, satisfying wash, while the economy setting lowers the temperature for summertime showers. The third setting, cold, is used for rinsing the shower and cleaning the head, although it would also provide a refreshing end to a shower on a hot day.
To further aid in cleaning the shower, the Triton Martinique has an inbuilt limescale-resistant shutdown, which flushes cold water through the head before switching off. Limescale can clog a shower head, leading to reduced water flow. The head itself is built of scale-resistant materials.
For the most satisfying shower experience, the Triton Martinique has 5 settings for water spray. These range from a gentle wide spray to a more forceful jet pattern for a deep massage. The shower is controlled by a simple stop and start push button, with a temperature dial with easy-to-read numbers. The Triton Martinique ships with everything needed to install the shower, and even includes a soap dish.
3. Triton Showers MOSV01SG Seville Universal Electric Shower
This shower is a simple design, built by Triton, a reputable British shower manufacturer with over 40 years in business, which was engineered by industry experts and complies with British Electrotechnical Approvals Board safety standards.
Modern attractive design and easy-to-use rotary temperature control system. Complete kit includes Triton electric shower, shower head & hose, Riser rail with soap dish and fitting brackets, and installation instruction manual. Easy to fit as a brand-new installation with electrical cable and water inlet points, or as a replacement for the existing shower. It’s great value for money – at under £100 – 2 years parts and labour guarantee and Triton customer support.
Comes with a scale resistant rain shower head providing 5x different spray patterns: Jet, Blast, Spray, Drench, and Rain mode. Powerful yet economical built-in water heating elements. Clear temperature controls and three main power settings: high, economy and cold.
Awarded top 4 to 5-star ratings by 907 happy customers.
Related: How to Make An Electric Shower More Powerful
4. Bristan BL3105 B Bliss 3 Electric Shower
The Bristan Bliss 3 Powerful 10.5Kw Black Electric Shower has all the benefits you’d expect with an electric shower, plus some advanced features like warm-up mode, stylish touchscreen controls, and the bonus of being exceptionally easy to fit. It uses modern technology and has a large clear digital temperature display on the front.
The footprint of the Bristan Bliss 3 has been specially designed to cover nearly all existing shower installations, provided they are a UK brand, the water and electric inlets and fixing holes should all match up.
As to the design of the shower, the Bristan Bliss 3 has a modern stylish design with a digital display and easy-touch buttons to select power and temperature settings. The display shows a flashing light when the shower is in warm-up mode, indicating when the shower is at the desired temperature and so ready to use. The shower comes preset with three power modes, choose from either hot, cold, or warm. The latter mode is also eco-friendly.
Bristan promises a stable temperature with their Bliss 3 shower, which has a special device fitted to compensate for changes in water pressure (for example, if someone in the kitchen runs a tap while you are showering). There is also a phased shutdown feature to remove all hot water from the shower hose and head, flushing through with cold at the end to prevent limescale buildup.
The Bristan Bliss 3 is a safe shower, with safety features including a thermal cut out, to prevent the warm water from getting too hot, and pressure relief. The riser is fully adjustable for ease of use and fitting and includes a soap dish.
To prolong the life of your shower, in addition to the phased shut down to reduce limescale, there is also a performance indicator on the display, which reminds users to clean the external filter and handset.
5. Aqualisa Quartz 10.5kW Electric Heated Shower
The Aqualisa Quartz electric shower has won awards for its simple control system, which combines push buttons with an exceptionally smooth temperature in a single dial and a backlit digital display. Everything about the Aqualisa Quartz is well-designed, and while we’ve chosen the chrome finish here, it is available in many colourways, including a contemporary graphite finish.
A larger-than-average showerhead (measuring 105mm) provides a choice of 5 spray patterns. You can switch between inner jets for a firm massage to a gentle spray from the outer jets, perfect for cleansing your body.
As with other electric showers, the Aqualisa Quartz has an Over Temperature Protection safety device, which prevents the heated water from rising over a certain temperature. There is also a Phased Shutdown feature which prevents limescale build-up by running cold water through the system for 7 seconds after the off switch is pressed.
Electric Shower Buying Guide
We’ve put together this short buying guide covering the different types of home showers available. This short yet informative guide covers the four main types of home showers, and after much reviewing and shortlisting we reveal our top recommended electric shower.
Things to Consider
Objectively speaking, showering is a utilitarian activity – step in, get wet, lather soap, rinse off, step out and dry up. But for most people, there’s more to it than that.
A hot shower can be many things – a way to invigorate yourself at the start of the day or relax in the evening, a cool escape in the hot summer, the means to soothe a sore, tired body or simply a space in which to belt out your favourite tunes while shampooing your hair!
Before buying a shower there are a few factors that will influence your choice:
- Household water pressure
- Type of water boiler
- Desired water flow
- Personal aesthetics
- Power level (wattage)
Types of Showers
In this section, we’ll discuss the pros and cons of the 4 main types of showers available today – power showers, electric showers, mixer showers and digital showers.
Electrically Heated Showers
Electric showers – sometimes called “tankless” or “on-demand” showers – forego the traditional hot water tank, instead of heating water with an internal heating element and powered by electricity.
These are by far the most popular kind of home showers. All that’s required is cold running water. (This has also made electric showers popular on campgrounds and in caravans.) Because water is only heated as it’s used, a good quality electric shower can reduce your energy bill and reduce wear and tear on your boiler.
There are a couple of caveats – namely that the water flow may be weaker than with other shower types (though this can be resolved by choosing a model with an integrated pump) and that limescale buildup can impede the function of electric showers – as such, they may require regular cleaning.
Please resist the temptation to install an electric shower yourself – the high electrical consumption (as much as 10.5 kW) means the shower must be wired to its own circuit with its own fuse unit. Always hire a qualified electrician to ensure the safe and efficient installation of your new electric shower. Also, consider a thermostatic electric shower – they allow for greater control of water temperature.
Expect to pay £100 or more for a decent quality model.
Power Showers
A power shower combines hot and cold water to create the desired temperature. But they have something else going for them (other than the two words of their name rhyming) – power showers utilize an integrated pump. This allows for a greater flow of water and maximizes your ability to control the temperature and pressure.
Power showers are well-suited to homes that suffer from very low water pressure – in fact, they’re designed to work with low-pressure and gravity-fed plumbing systems, transforming what would otherwise be a weak, boring shower into a refreshing experience!
Though the integrated pump makes power showers easier to install than using a separate pump, bear in mind that the increased water flow will result in a higher water bill.
Most models start at roughly £150 and climb steadily in price, but are usually the most powerful shower type.
Mixer Showers
Of all the shower types, mixer showers are the simplest. They combine hot and cold water using your house’s existing water pressure. As long as the water pressure is sufficient, a mixer shower will produce a satisfyingly strong flow.
That being said, ensure the mixer shower you choose is designed for your household pressure. A pump can always be used to boost flow rates. Remember – a mixer shower requires an immersion heater or hot water boiler to preheat the water.
Some mixer showers allow flow and temperature to be controlled by adjusting the bath taps in your tub – particularly convenient if you live in a house divided between those who love to bathe and those who prefer to shower.
A busy household would be best served by a thermostatic mixer shower – unlike a standard shower, the thermostatic feature results in the shower Waterflow being cut off if another tap is turned on (rather than allowing the water to become shockingly cold or dangerously hot).
This would be your cheapest option for a shower, with prices starting at around £20 and climbing as high as £300. You’ll need a plumber to help with installation if the pipes aren’t already set up, but out the box, you should have a full shower kit ready to go. If your mains water pressure is high (which is typical in the UK0, then this option can make for a powerful shower.
Digital Showers
The digital revolution has infiltrated another part of our lives: the bathroom. A digital shower utilizes a processor box containing a thermostatic control that mixes hot and cold water to a precise temperature. Some models feature an LCD panel on the processor box. Digital showers – really a term for the processor box itself, which can be used with electric and mixer showers – can be mounted out of sight.
Models which operate via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth can be controlled from up to 10 metres away with your smartphone or another wireless device. Some digital showers feature indicator lights or touch controls with screens to notify you when the water has reached the desired temperature.
Digital showers are the most expensive option with prices starting around £300 for a decent model and in excess of £2,000 for the most elaborate.
How electric showers work
Electric showers are the best option for buildings with no direct hot water supply, such as through a gas builder. Instead, water is fed to the unit from the mains cold water feed. They come with a small hot water tank with an element (similar to a kettle) that heats the water.
These showers can take longer to heat in the winter when the source water is colder. The water does not come through the head until it has heated to the correct temperature.
The inner workings of an electric shower are often identical regardless of make and model, the difference is in the style and the design of the controls.
Power and Price
Electric showers are usually powered at between 7kW and 10.5kW, the higher the wattage the more powerful the shower will be, however, this also raises the cost. You can pay anywhere from £100 to £450 for an electric shower, but you may need to factor in the cost of an electrician for installation and electrificty cost for higher wattage units.
Pros and Cons of Electric Showers
Pros:
- Electric showers are energy efficient, only the water used is heated.
- You don’t need to have a hot water supply in the building you want to put the shower into.
- You can use it in houses without gravity-fed boiler systems.
- Electric showers work extremely well with combi boiler systems.
- Whether you have a combi or an unvented system, the water will heat quickly.
- Most come with hand showerheads with spray settings from wide to narrow
Cons:
- Difficult to use in a house with a gravity-fed boiler system, an additional pump will be required.
- Might need an electrician to fit, adding to the cost.
- Mixer showers can give a more forceful and consistent jet.
- A power shower with a pump attached can give a more forceful jet.
Features of electric showers
All electric showers should come with temperature control as standard, but try and choose one which maintains the temperature even if someone else in the house uses the water supply and that has a safety cut-out to stop the water from getting too hot.
Although electric showers do not come with a pump as standard, people in low water pressure areas can get a booster pump with their electric shower to help the pressure, providing they do not use a combination boiler and the pump is only fitted to the cold water tank, not the main water supply.
Controls vary from push-button, dials or even touchscreen. Larger displays and audio alerts are available for the visually impaired.
Some showers run cold water through the head at the end to prevent limescale buildup.
If fitting yourself, source an easy-fit model aimed at the DIYer.
How to check the Water Pressure
Before buying an electric shower, check that the water pressure in your home is above 1 bar, that the water flow rate is at least 8 litres per minute and that your static pressure does not exceed 10 bar. Check also that you have the correct fuse and cable width.
To check water pressure:
- First, determine the type of system you have:
- Gravity-fed – the cold water tank is in the loft and the hot water tank is in the airing cupboard. These are usually low-pressure systems.
- Combi boiler – wall-mounted boiler in either the kitchen or hidden in a cupboard. There is no cold-water tank so water comes directly from the mains and is usually high pressure.
- Unvented – no cold-water tank, water comes directly from the mains to be heated in a hot water tank, situated in the airing cupboard. As cold water comes directly from mains, this is usually high pressure.
British water boards guarantee water pressure to houses with either combi or unvented systems to be at least 1 bar.
To work out the pressure in a house with a gravity-fed system, measure down from the cold water tank to where you want the shower to be. Remember to include measurements between underneath the floor to the ceiling (approximately 30-35cm). Divide this number by 10 to get your bar. So if it’s 1 metre between the tank and the shower, you have a bar of 0.1 and have low pressure.
When an Electrician is Needed to Fit An Electric Shower
A qualified electrician is required to fit an electric shower into a property that has never had one or that has had one of different wattage. Swapping, for example, a 7kW power rating shower for another 7kW shower can be done by the homeowner, as new cabling and fusing won’t be required.
It is also easy to for an electric shower in a space where a different type of shower used to be, or where there has never been a shower, providing you can access the cold water supply.
I hope this buying guide to electric showers has been useful and you now feel you can make an informed decision on which model would be right for you.
Installation of electric shower Units
- Knowing how much electricity an electric shower uses is important for a busy household on a budget. A warm shower requires electrical power, which costs money, so check the wattage rating before buying.
- Manufacture the cable that will be connected from the shower to the electricity distribution network (current, voltage and distance must be defined here). In this step, you must also identify the final position where all the components of the electric shower will be located.
- The connection of the electric shower must be made from an independent circuit to ensure the correct power supply.
- It is important that the connection is waterproof to avoid future accidents.
- It is important that the cables are well sealed with tape so that they do not come into contact with water as they pass through the cavity.
- The circuit must have a wire that connects both the installation conductor and the terminal to the ground.
- Do not place the electrical part close to the ground, it must be at least two meters high.
- The most recommended thing is that a professional is responsible for performing all these procedures, making sure that everything is placed in the right way and thus avoiding any mishaps.