Some people just love a power shower. Others find they need one because of the type of boiler they use or the water pressure at their property. Whatever your reason for wanting a power shower, there are lots to choose from, so this guide will help you make an informed decision.
If you need to buy a new power shower and want to get the best possible shower, you need to read this guide.
Over the next ten minutes, you will find out everything there is to know about power showers, how they work, and what brands are best. We will also recommend the top three power showers on the market at the moment.
All of our guides are informed by industry experts who share their personal experiences and recommendations with us. So, if you want to know everything there is to know about power showers, just keep on reading.
What is a power shower?
A regular shower simply redirects hot and cold water from your system through a shower head to create a spray you can use to wash.
A power shower is slightly different. It takes the water from your system but then uses an electric pump to increase the water pressure and create a more powerful spray for you to wash with.
Some people need a power shower because they have low water pressure. Others just prefer to wash in a high-pressure spray. Whatever your reason, there are lots of great power showers on the market.
What is a thermostatic power shower?
A thermostatic power shower works in exactly the same way as a power shower but it also comes with a thermostatic mixing valve.
This helps to prevent sudden temperature changes that can happen when there is a rapid decrease in your water pressure. It helps to avoid your shower accidentally scalding you or spraying you with freezing cold water.
This happens in some properties when another device such as a washing machine starts to use the water supply too.
What is an electric power shower?
An electric shower is different from a power shower because it only takes water from your cold water feed and then uses an element to heat that water up to the required temperature.
In other words, it works a bit like a kettle but will only heat the water to the temperature you choose.
An electric shower doesn’t need to be heated using your combi boiler.
Power shower companies
There are lots of companies selling power showers in the UK, but as with everything, some are much better than others. It is well worth doing your research because cheap power showers can have irregular flows, low pressure, poor temperature control and generally offer a very poor washing experience.
They are also likely to have short warranties, look pretty ugly, and have a habit of breaking down at the worst possible moment.
For all that, there are also some great power shower manufacturers out there as well. Our experts would usually point their customers towards one of these brands:
- Triton
- Bristan
- Mira
- Aqualisa
- Creda
Power shower installation costs
Installation costs for a new power shower are not extortionate but are still worth bearing in mind because when you add in the cost of the shower unit itself, things can add up.
We would expect a fee in the region of £150 – £200 for installing a new power shower. Add on to that the cost of the new shower and any additional plumbing work that is needed.
This price will vary depending on how complicated your installation is (are you moving a shower for example) and where in the UK you are. You can expect to pay more for installation in London and the South-East and prices will get progressively cheaper the further north you go.
What is the best power shower UK?
We have already recommended the top power shower manufacturers on the market in the UK at the moment. Now it’s time to tell you which three power shower models we recommend.
For the purposes of this guide, we have chosen three showers from three different brands. Each is a thermostatic power shower that uses an electric pump to boost pressure and flow rate. These are the most common and popular types of power shower used in the UK right now.
#1 – Triton Thermostatic Power Shower
The Triton Thermostatic Power Shower is our top recommendation based on the advice of our expert panel. The main USPs for this particular power shower are that it is made by one of the best power shower manufacturers in the UK. It is also affordably priced, and it is perfect for properties that have particularly low water pressure.
These are all important, but there are also plenty of other things that make the Triton Thermostatic Power Shower stand out.
- Flow Rate – The Triton Thermostatic Power Shower comes with a built-in electric pump that is ideal for low-pressure systems. It guarantees a flow rate of around 14 litres a minute. To put that in context, a regular tap only produces around 9 litres a minute.
- Temperature Control – This shower comes with a thermostatic mixing valve that is brilliant at mixing and regulating temperatures effectively. It guarantees that temperatures will always be within 2 degrees of the temperature you have set it at. This means you should never suffer a sudden increase or drop in water temperature
- Design And Usability – The Triton Thermostatic Power Shower has a sleek, slimline design that looks great in almost any style of bathroom. It also comes with very user-friendly controls. There is a simple push-to-start button on the front and a numbered dial to adjust the temperature.
- Auto-shutdown – The Triton Thermostatic Power Shower comes with an auto-shutdown feature which will shut down the pump in your power shower if the water pressure drops too low. This might sound like a bad thing, but actually, if pressure is too low and your pump is working overtime it can burn out and that means you have a big repair bill on your hands.
- Warranty – Lots of cheap power showers come with absolutely no warranty which says a lot about how long their manufacturers think they will last. The Triton Thermostatic Power Shower comes with a one-year warranty which should give you more than long enough to find any issues it may have.
- Price – This shower is certainly not the cheapest power shower you will find but it sells in big numbers and that means it is priced really competitively. It also means that you can often find great discounts if you shop around. This is especially true online.
What’s Included with your Triton Thermostatic Power Shower?
When you buy a Triton Thermostatic Power Shower, it will come with a complimentary shower head that is designed for power showers.
It has 5 different spray settings to choose from and also comes with a stainless steel hose, that is anti-kink and which has been reinforced to improve durability.
To complete the look, the Triton Thermostatic Power Shower also has a flexible riser rail kit thrown in too.
Who Should Buy The Triton Power Shower?
If you want a well-designed, functional, and affordable power shower, the Triton Thermostatic Power Shower is the best one for you.
It comes with a decent warranty, an impressive flow rate, and if you shop around, you can find a Triton Thermostatic Power Shower for bargain-basement prices too.
#2 – Bristan Power Shower
Bristan is one of the top shower, tap and bathroom accessory manufacturers in the UK. If you have ever bought a power shower before, there is a decent chance it was a Bristan model.
Right now it is the Hydropower 1500 model that is one their most popular and frankly also their best. Its biggest selling point is its value for money. This power shower is cheaper than both of the others featured in this article but still competes with both for quality.
- Flow Rate – This is a weak point of the Bristan Hydropower 1500. It offers just a 10 litre per minute flow rate compared to 14 litres per minute for our other recommended models. This means it is not the most powerful of power showers out there. But if you live in a low water pressure area, you will see a notable improvement on what you are used too. Low-pressure areas typically only offer a flow rate of 2-3 litres per minute.
- Temperature Control – The Bristan Hydropower 1500 comes with a standard dial for temperature control. It also has a thermostatic valve which helps to prevent fluctuations in temperature. According to our experts, it is one of the very best you will find in any power shower. Temperatures can be regulated to within 1 degree of the required temperature which is as accurate as it gets.
- Design And Usability – If minimalist is what you are looking for, and our experts tell us that most people are, then the Bristan Hydropower 1500 is a great choice. Whether you have a small shower cubicle or are putting this shower over a bath, its small size will maximise any space and make even the smallest of bathrooms feel bigger. It features simple push-button controls, including one for eco mode if this is important to you. It also has a rear pipe entry which means there are fewer ugly fittings exposed, compared to many other models. The Bristan Hydropower 1500 is simple, minimalist, and will look fine in any bathroom.
- Warranty and Durability – The Bristan Hydropower 1500 has a 2-year warranty for parts and a 1-year warranty for labour. This is among the longest warranties available for any power shower and speaks volumes for how highly Bristan rates this power shower and how long they expect it to last.
- Price – There are lots of great selling points for the Bristan Hydropower 1500 but the price is the real clincher. It’s recommended retail price is far below both of the other power showers we are recommending in this article. It is true that finding discounts is much harder for this model, but even without these it still offers superb value for money.
What’s Included with your Bristan Hydropower 1500?
The Bristan Hydropower 1500 comes with a free shower head that has 3 different spray settings. This can be attached to the wall with their new upgraded riser rail that looks far more stylish than their previous models. It also comes with all the fixtures you need to get this power shower up and running.
Who Should Buy The Bristan Hydropower?
There were more than a couple of our experts who rated this shower as their favourite. It is certainly the best value for money shower based on the RRPs alone. The flow rate is its main downside but if this isn’t that important for you, the Bristan Hydropower 1500 is a really strong choice.
#3 – Mira Vigour Power Shower
Mira is another highly regarded power shower manufacturer and the Mira Vigour is their equivalent model of the Triton Thermostatic Power Shower. In fact, these two showers are so similar, it is almost the design alone that you can use to decide between the two.
- Flow Rate – Just like the Triton, the Mira Vigour Power Shower offers an impressive 14 litres per minute flow rate.
- Temperature Control – The controls on the Mira Vigour Power Shower are simple but effective. They allow you to control the temperature up to a maximum of 65 degrees. There is also a built-in “safe” maximum temperature feature too. This is factory set and is a really nice additional safety feature.
- Design and Usability – The Mira Vigour Power Shower is a more minimalist design than the Triton and the controls on this power shower are smaller. It’s a matter of personal taste which design you prefer.
- Warranty – The Mira Vigour Power Shower comes with a standard 1-year warranty. But unlike the Triton, you do also have the option to pay more for an extended warranty. You can choose between one and three years additional coverage which is great if you want additional peace of mind.
- Durability – There is a little user maintenance with the Mira Vigour Power Shower but this is all intended to extend its lifespan. It comes with removable filters that you will need to clean periodically. These filters are especially useful if you live in a hard water area where limescale can build up in your showers. They will also catch any debris that might get into your water too.
- Price – The current RRP of the Mira Vigour is around £250 but if you shop around it is easy to secure this power shower for significantly less than that.
What’s Included with your Mira Vigour Power Shower?
As well as the power shower itself, the Mira Vigour also comes with a showerhead with 4 levels of adjustment, a neat riser kit, and all the fittings you will need.
Who Should Buy The Mira Vigour Power Shower?
It is a matter of personal taste whether you prefer the Mira Vigour Power Shower or the Triton. Our experts speak highly of both and while we have placed this at number three on our list in this guide, there is very little to choose between all three of our recommended models.
All are reliable, well-designed, competitively priced, and offer good flow rates.
#4 – Triton Seville 10.5kw Electric Shower
The Triton Seville 10.5kw Electric Shower is hugely popular because it doesn’t require a boiler to heat water. This means a shower like the Triton Seville is ideal for properties that are off the mains gas network or who want to save money on a costly boiler and the various repairs that go with it.
If you don’t believe me, just run a quick Google search online. You will find literally thousands of positive reviews of the Triton Seville 10.5kw Electric Shower. Dig into these reviews a bit and you will quickly see that this is because it is powerful, reliable, cheap, and British.
- Installation Area – Because the Triton Seville 10.5kw Electric Shower is an electric shower rather than a power shower, you might be concerned about the installation. After all, most electric showers are pretty inflexible when it comes to where they can be installed.
But the Triton Seville is different. It has incorporated 5 different entry points for both the electric cables and the water feeds. This means it is far more flexible than most of its competitors and can be installed almost anywhere with a minimal amount of fuss and expense.
- Design and Usability – There is no denying that the Triton Seville 10.5kw Electric Shower is not a pinnacle of design excellence. But it is simple and sensible and, above all very user-friendly. There is a numbered control dial on the front of the control panel that lets you move up the numbers to increase the temperature. It also has three flow rate settings and, while most people will stick to the highest flow rate setting, there are softer ones available too. It also gives you the option to switch to ECO mode, and if you need it or like it, there’s even a cold setting.
- Price – The Triton Seville 10.5kw Electric Shower has an RRP of just over £100, which is extremely cheap. But you will also find it available for less in lots of places as these showers sell in big numbers so lots of discounts are available.
What’s Included with your Triton Seville 10.5kw Electric Shower?
When you buy a Triton Seville 10.5kw Electric Shower you will get a flexible shower hose and head included free of charge. This has 5 different spray settings which means it should have something for everyone. It also comes with a rail riser kit, a free soap dish, an installation manual and all the fittings you will need. You will also find details of Triton’s standard warranty.
Who Should Buy The Triton Seville 10.5kw Electric Shower?
If you need to buy a shower on a budget, this is a great bet. But it is not just a cheap electric shower. It is a very good electric shower too. It is ideal for rental properties and smaller properties especially, but the Triton Seville 10.5kw Electric Shower will do a terrific job anywhere.
#5 – Bristan Bliss 10.5kw Electric shower
The Bristan Bliss 10.5kw electric shower is another well-regarded electric shower that combines value for money with quality to great effect.
While it doesn’t have the same number of reviews as the Triton Seville, the overwhelming majority of them are positive. It is also not as cheap as the Triton Seville. But many users feel it is better-looking and fits better in a contemporary home.
- Installation Area – The Bristan Bliss 10.5kw electric shower is less flexible than the Triton Seville but still pretty easy to fit. It will bolt straight onto your current electric and water fittings so, as long as you don’t plan to move the location of your shower, installation should be easy and affordable. It’s suitable for mains pressures of 0.7 bar to 10 bar which means it is ideal for almost all domestic homes.
- Design and usability – The Bristan Bliss 10.5kw electric shower is a really sleek and modern unit. It looks far better than the usual white plastic boxes and in a modern bathroom, it fits in really well. It comes with three flow settings; cold, ECO, and Hot. But unlike the Triton Seville, you also get a temperature indicator so you can see how hot the water is you are using.
- Price: The Bristan Bliss 10.5kw electric shower is almost twice as much as the Triton Seville if you are paying RRP. As with most popular electric showers, it is you can find good discounts if you shop around. This can bring the price down substantially but it will always cost more than the Triton Seville.
What’s included with your Bristan Bliss 10.5kw electric shower?
The Bristan Bliss 10.5kw electric shower comes with a free shower head that has multiple spray options. It also has a built-in water pressure sensor that works in the same way as a power shower and stops users being scaled or sprayed with cold water and keeps temperatures stable and constant. It also comes with a riser kit, a hose retainer, a built-in soap tray, a rub-clean handset, and adjustable brackets.
It also has a unique phased shutdown feature that is designed to protect the shower against limescale. It pushes all the water out of the shower before it is shut down to prolong life and reduce the impact of limescale.
Who Should Buy The Bristan Bliss 10.5kw?
The Bristan Bliss 10.5kw electric shower is a modern-looking electric shower that is ideal for a contemporary home. It is not the cheapest electric shower on the market but it is certainly not expensive and it’s extra features and appearance still make it exceptional value for money.
#6 – Mira Sport Max 10.8kW Electric Shower
The Mira brand tends to focus on more high-end showers but the Mira Sport Max 10.8kw Electric Shower is one of their mid-range models and it delivers all the quality of their premium products at a fraction of the price.
It has a modern design and while it isn’t digital, it has a high kW output which makes it one of the most powerful showers on this list. It is extremely well built and this has helped to make it a popular shower with customers too. It is actually one of the best-selling electric showers in the UK.
- Installation Area – If you want to install a Mira Sport Max 10.8kw Electric Shower, you will need an electrical supply rating of 45 amp and 15mm inlet connector. If your property has this, it is a perfect shower for you. It also has a neat adjustable riser included which will cover up any holes left in your tiles by your previous shower. This helps to keep installation costs to a minimum.
- Design and Usability – The Mira Sport Max 10.8kw Electric Shower is a really simple shower to use. It has individual push buttons for low, high and eco modes, and a simple control dial that lets you set the perfect temperature for you. This dial is a big one and this is actually useful as it lets you set temperatures really precisely.
- Price – This shower is not particularly cheap. It has an RRP of over £300 but you can expect to pay less than this as most outlets will offer decent discounts. But for the design and reliability of the Mira Sport Max 10.8kw Electric Shower, a lot of people feel it is a price worth paying.
What’s included with your Mira Sport Max 10.8kw Electric Shower?
The Mira Sport Max 10.8kw Electric Shower comes with a “larger than most” shower head. It is 110mm wide and has 4 spray adjustments. That’s not all. The head is also designed to be easy to clean and a simple rub with a damp cloth will keep limescale build-up to a minimum.
This shower also comes with Mira’s unique Opti-Flo technology. It is designed to stop water from getting too hot or too cold and is one of the most effective temperature regulators on the market.
The Mira Clean Scale is also worth a mention. This feature is designed to keep not just the shower unit itself but also the hose and showerhead free from limescale. As a result, the Mira Sport Max 10.8kw Electric Shower has one of the longest lifespans of any electric shower.
This is also in evidence with the warranty length. Mira offers a two-year warranty on all its electric showers which shows how confident they are in their technology.
Who Should Buy The Mira Sport Max 10.8kw?
This is a mid-range electric shower. It is not a complex, digital shower but has a bit more to offer than some of the budget showers in this guide. If the price is worrying you, you could opt for the slightly cheaper 9kw Sport Max, but we feel the 10.8kW still offers exceptional value for money.
#7 – Triton Martinique Electric Shower
If you want to go with a Triton shower but don’t mind paying a little more and would like something that looks a bit better, the Triton Martinique 10.5kw Electric Shower might be right for you.
While it is priced in the mid-range, it has all the qualities of a Triton shower and a great modern design too. It is another one that is popular with customers and you will find hundreds of positive reviews online.
- Installation Area – The Triton Martinique 10.5kw Electric Shower requires 15mm compression fittings to connect to your cold water kit. if that works for your property, the adjustable riser should cover up any ugly holes from your previous unit and save on any possible retiling costs.
- Design and Usability – The controls on a Triton Martinique 10.5kw Electric Shower are largely the same as the Triton Seville we reviewed above. It has a push-button for starting and stopping the shower and Triton’s usual three power settings; cold, ECO, and The design, however, is much slicker and more contemporary.
- Price – The Triton Martinique 10.5kw Electric Shower has an RRP of £175 but, as with most of the showers in this guide, you can usually find it marked at a good deal less than this.
What’s included with the Triton Martinique 10.5kw Electric Shower?
All Triton showers come with their special shower head that features five different spray settings which means you can be sure to find the right setting for you.
It also has a shutdown procedure that helps flush limescale particles out of the shower system and ensure it lasts for longer.
You will also get a chrome head, a soap dish, all the fixtures and fittings you need and details of Triton’s warranty, which lasts for an impressive 2 years.
Who Should Buy The Triton Martinique 10.5kw?
The Triton Martinique 10.5kw is one of the most powerful electric showers on the market, so if a strong flow is what you are after and you don’t want to spend the earth for a premium product, this shower is ideal for you.
It has all the qualities of a Triton shower with a great design and build quality. Ideal for almost everyone.
#8 – Triton Collection 2 9.5kw Electric Shower
The Triton Collection 2 9.5kw Electric Shower is not the most powerful shower in this guide, so if a strong flow rate is what you are after, this isn’t the shower for you.
But it is one of the best-looking showers in this list and for those who aren’t just looking for power, it is a popular model that brings all the usual Triton qualities.
- Installation Area – The good news is that the Triton Collection 2 9.5kw Electric Shower is one of the easiest electric showers to install on the market. They have incorporated something called Swivel-Fit technology into the unit. This means there is a 180-degree swivel that makes it simple to connect up the shower regardless of where the water inlet is located. This makes installation both faster and cheaper too.
- Usability and Design – The design of the Triton Collection 2 9.5kw Electric Shower is really nice. You have a choice of colours with everything from white and black to things like Gun Metal, Riviera Sand and Steel Effect. It has a slimline feel and a lower profile than many electric showers and still comes with the same user-friendly Triton controls we have detailed in other models.
- Price – This is a mid-range electric shower with an RRP around the £250 mark. As with most of the other showers on this list, there are often great deals to be found that can bring this price down considerably.
What do you get with your Triton Collection 2 9.5kw Electric Shower?
The Triton Collection 2 9.5kw Electric Shower comes with the Triton easy-clean adjustable shower head with five different spray patterns to choose from. It also has a neat little feature that will switch on a warning light if the pressure at the shower head drops too low.
There is an in-built phased shutdown incorporated into this model too and that helps this shower to last longer and decreases the risk of getting scaled (or frozen).
You will also get an adjustable top bracket, a riser rail kit, all the fixtures and fittings you need and Triton’s 2-year warranty as standard too.
Who should buy the Triton Collection 2 9.5kw Electric Shower?
This is a great mid-range shower with all the durability and usability of the best Triton’s on the market. But the real USP is the multiple colours it is available in and this makes it a real winner with young people and first-time buyers.
#9 – Bristan Glee 10.5kw Electric Shower
The Bristan Glee 10.5kw electric shower is a step down from its big brother, the Bliss model. But you are likely to end up paying around £50 less and for some people, this makes all the difference as the only real compromise you are making is on the design.
The reviews of this shower are more mixed and they suggest that there has been a few problems with the temperature control unit going wrong. We are informed by Bristan that this issue has now been resolved, so don’t let those complaints cloud your judgement too much.
- Installation Area – The Bristan Glee 10.5kw electric shower needs to have access to 0.7 bar – 10 bar of mains water pressure. If your property can offer that, installing the Bristan Glee 10.5kw electric showeris easy as the unit has a wide footprint that should cover any markets from your previous shower unit.
- Design and Usability – The Bristan Glee 10.5kw electric shower has a similar look to the Bliss model but it is more pared-back and straightforward. To some that is an advantage, but to others less so. It has simple controls too easy-to-use dials and knobs that allow you to control the temperature and also adjust the flow rate between cold, ECO, and hot.
- Price – This shower has an RRP of less than £200, which is a substantial saving on its big brother, the Bliss. With the various discounts you are likely to find online, it can end up being a really good value unit.
What comes with my Bristan Glee 10.5kw electric shower?
The standard Bristan shower head gives you three adjustable modes and has also been specially designed for easy cleaning.
You will also get the hose and riser kit thrown in too alongside all the usual fixtures and fittings.
There is also Bristan’s phased shutdown system built into this model too. That empties the unit after it is used to help prevent limescale build-up and give this shower a longer lifespan.
As with all Bristow showers, the Glee comes with a warranty that covers two years of parts and one year of labour.
Who Should Buy The Bristan Glee 10.5kw?
If you want all the qualities of a Bristan electric shower at a lower price, then the Glee has everything you need. It looks pretty decent in most showers too making this a great all-round deal.
Conclusion
If you were unsure about buying a new power shower then hopefully, this guide has answered all of your questions. We have explained everything you need to know about different types of power showers and which manufacturers are best.
We have also recommended nine of the best power and electric shower models currently on the market in the UK according to our experts. Each of these three showers offers great design, good flow rates, and a really competitive price.
Have you ever bought one of these showers? How did you find them? Are there any other models you would recommend? Is there any essential power shower information that we have missed out of this guide?
Our readers always appreciate hearing the views and experiences of other readers, so please do share your thoughts with us using the comment box below.