Installing an electric shower is a great way to renovate a bathroom. It can also add on a considerable sum of money to the value of a home when it’s being sold, presuming that a high quality shower has been chosen.
With that in mind, I’ve collated a list of the best electric showers on the market. Whilst it may be the case that you don’t feel comfortable installing it yourself, you should still buy it yourself as opposed to buying it from a tradesman since you’ll be getting it at lower price.
Last update on 2023-06-09 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Bristan Bliss 3 Electric Shower
Bristan are a well known brand of showers, having been around for 45 years now. Their Bliss 3 shower is one of the very best on the market. It comes in various power options, which are 8.5kW, 9.5kW and 10.5kW. Regardless of what version is opted for, they all have an energy efficiency rating of A, which no more than ever is extremely important. This means that even if you enjoy a longer shower, that it won’t break the bank in terms of the energy that has been used.
In addition to that, a feature that I really liked about it is that regardless of what the water pressure is, the Bliss 3 can be used. It will work at water pressures from 0.7 bar up to 10 bar, which is great for those that do suffer from low water pressure. This is done without labouring the pump inside the shower.
I remember the days when using a shower, if someone turned on a tap or flushed the toilet that the temperature on the toilet would change. The Bliss 3 is thermostatic so regardless of how many taps are running or toilets are flushed, the temperature will not fluctuate.
The temperature of the water is also set digitally so it means that you can easily set it to how you like it. There isn’t a memory function on it, so if you change it and then someone changes it thereafter, you’ll need to set it back to your desired temperature.
In my part of the country, I don’t have a problem with limescale buildup and hard water, however I can appreciate that some people will have that problem. The good news is that the Bliss 3 has an anti-limescale feature in it which means that you don’t need to worry about this build up (especially since you can’t exactly use Calgon on a shower).
I also found it really easy to install, and liked the fact that there are multiple cable entry routes depending on what your current set up is.
It’s a considered purchase, with it being so energy efficient, and the factor you get the shower head and also a toiletry tray in the box, it really is great value for money and it’s something I highly recommend. For those that have low water pressure, the Bliss 3 is the best electric shower for low water pressure by far.
- Touch controls and super sleek looks
Last update on 2023-06-09 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Mira Azora Dual Shower
The other electric shower on this list comes from the good people at Mira. Much like Bristan, Mira are well known for their high quality and excellent looking products. The Azora Dual Shower is no exception.
It’s over double the price of the Bristan. Now that the elephant in the room is out of the way, let’s have a look at why I think it still deserves its place on this list. The first is how stylish it looks. In short, it looks bloody amazing. This is the kind of shower you’d see in a high end hotel. It has a green, frosted glass to it and regardless of the tiles its located on, it’ll look amazing.
Interestingly, it actually has two showerheads attached to it. One is a 90mm showerhead that can be taken off the rail. The other showerhead is of the 200mm variety. This supplies you with a lot of water, and is great for a luxurious, powerful shower. It is really easy to switch between the two shower heads, simply by using the dial on the shower rail.
It runs off of a 9.8kW supply. In terms of efficiency, it is rated A. Based on the calculations from Mira, it will use roughly 477kWh per year based on 8 minutes of daily use. This would equated to 1.3kWh per day.
At the time of writing, and depending on the energy tariff you’re on, this would be roughly 50p per day for the shower, or £182.50 per year. This is actually quite reasonable, although depending on how energy prices change, this cost per year will also fluctuate.
Much like the Bristan, there is also an anti limescale mode, with Mira claiming that this increases the lifespan of the shower by up to 50%.
A feature that I like between this and the Bristan (and most likely one of the contributing parts of the increased price) is the fact that it offers dual control. This means that you are able to set the temperature independently of the flow rate. For those that are on a water meter, this could actually prove to be more economical in the long run this it’s possible to have a great temperature, but not use a significant volume of water.
The Azora is also thermostatic, so there won’t be any nasty surprises with this shower with respect to additional water drain elsewhere in the house. It can also operate on a minimum of 0.7 bar, which means that if there is lower water pressure than it shouldn’t be an issue.
With respect to the installation, it’s just as easy as the Bristan. For those that have that little bit extra to spend, the Mira Azora Dual is a fantastic electric shower.
- The UK's ideal performing electric just got a boost. A sensational spray experience and performance that you simply won't find from any other electric shower on the market. Airboost is a world first in flow boosting technology., giving you a feeling of a more powerful shower.
Last update on 2023-06-09 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Tristan Collection II Black Gloss Shower
Tristan are another well known shower brand, with them having numerous models on the market. I installed this unit for a family member, and have had the real pleasure of using it a fair amount as well. The installation was really easily. Thankfully, Tristan have set up the shower so that there can be numerous points to connect the water and cabling to.
There are actually two variations of this; 8.5kW and 9.5kW. However, apart from the power rating, the rest of the unit is exactly the same.
It was the 9.5kW version that I have experience with and I was really happy with the shower as a whole. An interesting choice that I hadn’t seen in a shower before is soft touch LED buttons. This makes switching between modes a real breeze, and the switch happens very quickly as well.
There are three different modes depending on the kind of shower you want. For those that want to have a great shower, but also want to save money, there is a low power mode. However, there is also an eco mode as well which will cut the flow rate a wee bit, but you still get a great shower.
The last mode is high power. This delivers a strong, and pleasant shower experience. Regardless of what mode out of the three you choose, you’ll really enjoy the experience overall. I’ve used each mode several times and I’ve always been happy with them.
The temperature dial on the shower is also very responsive. The change in temperature is very quick, and it easily lets you choose a temperature that you’re happy with, without waiting what seems like forever for the temperature change to take place.
When reading up on this before seeing it, Tristan did say it was a slimline shower and they’re right. I was very impressed with how much tech could fit inside such an unobtrusive shower. The glossy black looks amazing on it. As with the Mira and the Bristan showers listed above, this is also a thermostatic shower.
Likewise there is also a shower head included. It’s a pretty good showerhead, with it having 5 different spray patterns to suit your needs.
Whilst it might not seem like a big deal, Tristan have also included a low pressure light on the unit. I’ve not personally experienced this first hand, but it is good to know that this has been included on the unit. The big benefit of this is that it will give the user peace of mind that if the pressure does drop off for whatever reason (such as high draw elsewhere in the house), that it isn’t a fault of the shower.
This really is a great electric shower at a modest price point and something you should definitely consider for your bathroom. For added peace of mind (and I’m sure you’ll never need to use it) there is a 2 year guarantee included as well.
- Easy to use - Illuminated soft touch buttons
Last update on 2023-06-10 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Electric Shower FAQs
Do I need to get a plumber or an electrician to put in an electric shower?
If there is already an electric shower present in your bathroom, and you feel confident on replacing it yourself, then you may not need to get a tradesman in in order to carry out this task.
If you are going to do it yourself, be mindful to turn off the water supply, as well as the electricity to the old shower before carrying out any work.
However, if you are uncertain about any aspect of the replacement, then it is highly advisable that you seek the assistance of a trained professional. In the UK, there are certain terms of legislation in place that dictates what tradesperson can carry out this work due to there being the mix of water and electricity.
This piece of legislation is known as being Part P qualified. Both plumbers and electricians can be Part P qualified. This means that they are registered with their governing body as being classed as passing their competency to carry out this work. At the end of the installation, they will then be able to supply you with a certificate to state that the work has been carried out safely, and to the highest quality.
If in doubt, you can find an electrician near you through Bark. You’ll be provided with a list of qualified electricians to choose from to carry out this task safely.
What is the best flow rate for a shower?
The water flow rate for a shower is related to the kW rating that is attributed to it. The higher this value, the better the pump within the shower is at delivering more water to you. The benefit of this is that you can have a great shower by opting for a higher kW rating. One thing to bear in mind though is that by choosing a higher rating, you will need to make sure that your water supply can handle this.
In some areas where the water pressure is poor, it would not be advised to go for the higher rating since you would not be able to take advantage of it. Another thing to consider is the age of your house. If it is older, and potentially needing a rewire there is the strong possibility that you will not be able to utilise a high kW rating shower.
In order to use it, you would need to install additional cabling, as well as making sure that your consumer unit (fuse box) is up to the task of having that amount of power drawn from it. Again, this is were a professional will be able to assist you with this.
How much does it cost per year to use an electric shower?
This really depends on how long you’re in the shower for, as well as the rating of the shower and also the price per kWh you’re paying for your electricity.
The rating of the shower, i.e. 10.8kW, if, used for one whole hour would equate to 10.8kWh, more commonly known as 10.8 units of electricity.
Since this is the most powerful shower that can be bought, we’ll use this as the example going forward.
Let’s assume it’s a two person household, which each occupant using the shower for 10 minutes each per day. In this scenario, 20 minutes in total, which would work out at 3.6kWh of energy used (10.8kWh/3). Then, it’s just the case of multiplying the unit price by 3.6 to get your daily price for two people using the shower.
Since the price is constantly changing, this can be difficult to gauge. However, at the time of writing this, British Gas are charging 37p per unit of electricity. At this price, it would be £1.33 per day for two people using the shower. Using the shower every day for the year would cost a total of £485.84. Bear in mind that this is just for two people. For a family of four, it would be double this amount, and for a family of three it would be £728.76.
Of course, for a less powerful shower, this cost would be decreased. Using the calculation above, you can tweak the usage as well as the energy rating of the shower to get a more accurate result of your projected energy usage.