Best Electric Showers for Every Bathroom (2021)

Last updated: June 3, 2021

Table of Contents

A quality shower that has enough power to heat up quickly and makes you feel refreshed and ready for the day is a fine addition to any home. And for ease of installation, maintenance and set up, many of today’s electric showers are more than up to the job. While they may not all have the blast power of a pump-equipped shower or the fine-tuning abilities of a mixer, an electric shower is a reliable, energy efficient and cost-effective choice. But for the best showering experience, which includes consistent pressure and hot water, you do need to pick the right electric shower for your bathroom and your family needs. We take a look at some of the best electric showers currently on the market so you can decide which one really scrubs up.

1. Bristan Bliss 3 Electric Shower

Key Features

Available in 8.5kw, 9.5kw and 10.5kw
Touch controls and digital display
Anti-limescale flush and thermal cut-off
Warm up mode to get your perfect temperature

One of the UK’s leading shower manufacturers, you are in good hands with Bristan and their Bliss 3 electric shower doesn’t disappoint. First up, it looks sleek and modern, and has a neat touch controls, easy to read digital display and quick operation.

The shower unit of the Bristan Bliss is not too big and in bright white, should work with most bathroom decors. As an electric shower, you get a decent water flow and we liked how it consistently held its heat, whichever setting you choose. When it comes to settings, you get three – old, warm/eco and hot) and a warm-up mode shows you when the water has reached your desired temperature, perfect for avoiding any cold water shocks! This is also a shower that works to prolong its shelf-life, thanks to its phased shut-down feature which flushes out any residue hot water after your shower, to help prevent excessive limescale build-up.

As one of the best electric showers in our review, the Bliss 3 comes complete with an adjustable riser rail, shower head and integrated shower dish and its design and adjustable brackets make it a great choice as a replacement shower in your bathroom.

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2. Triton Seville Universal Electric Shower

Key Features

10.5kw electric shower with chrome hose
Scale resistant shower head
Five spray options and three heat settings
Easy to install – 5 cable and water entry positions

With its straightforward design and easy installation, thanks to its five cable and water entry points, the Triton Seville is a good option for a replacement electric shower without breaking the bank. It is also simple to use, thanks to its rotary control knobs and three power settings – cold, eco and high. With its 10.5kw power rating, it gives a decent blast of hot water which you can then adjust to the ideal temperature. While the scale-resistant shower head is a little on the small side, the Triton has five different spray patterns to suit your showering needs, ranging from a super-gentle spray to a more powerful jet and the hose is a decent 1.25m with an anti-twist cable. There is no built-in soap dish with the Triton Seville but for the price, this is nice-looking electric shower for everyday use, backed by a two-year guarantee.

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3. MIRA AZORA Dual Electric Shower

Key Features

9.8kw shower with thermostatic control
Modern frosted glass fascia and chrome dials
Clearscale technology to prevent build-up
200mm overhead with 90mm handset

At the top end of our review budget, the Mira Azora has a gorgeous modern design that would be the perfect finishing touch to a modern bathroom design. With its frosted glass fascia, it looks ultra-cool but won’t let you down when it comes to having a relaxing hot shower. With 9.8kw of power, you get a good blast of heat and as you can choose between the large overhead and handset, you can opt between target or rainshower flow. The headsets also come with Mira’s Clearscale technology to keep the water flowing, limescale free. When it comes to consistent heat, the Mira also has this covered, thanks to its thermostatic control which ensures stability, even if there’s a loss of water pressure. Add in shutdown flushes to clear out the system between showers and a two-year warranty and the Mira gives a premium experience to match its price-tag.

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4. Bristan B Bliss 3 Electric Shower

Key Features

10.5kw shower with touch controls
Contemporary black design
Anti-limescale and rub clean showerhead
Three settings plus warm up mode

In an eye-catching black design, the 10.5kw Bristan B Bliss 3 takes its white counterpart and adds a gorgeous contemporary twist to this popular electric shower. And added to a stark white bathroom, this can make a real style statement! You get all the quality build you expect from Bristan, including easy installation, thanks to its five directional options for both water and electrical supply. As for the showering experience, there are three heat settings (cold, warm/eco and hot) plus a neat warm up mode with flashing light so you can avoid stepping into a cold shower. The Bristan Bliss is also easy to maintain as it has an anti-limescale feature to prevent build-up as well as rub-clean showerhead. The riser rail is fully adjustable, and you get an ample cable length for positioning and removing the showerhead. Add in a built-in soap dish, adjustable head for different spray settings and an easy-to-read LED display and you get a great little shower for your money.

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5. Aqualisa Quartz Electric Shower

Key Features

9.4kw electric shower with smooth glide control
Harmony head with five spray patterns
Delayed shutdown flush and over heat features
Available in graphite, silver and gloss white

Available in a choice of 8.5kw to 10.5kw options, the Aqualisa Quartz works to fit in with your family’s showering needs. And its understated yet elegant looks will work beautifully with any bathroom. As a mid-priced shower, it certainly looks a class act, but how does it perform? Overall, we say pretty well. The unit is simple to use, thanks to its easy push button operation and smooth-glide control dial, plus LED indicator so you can fine-tune the water temperature to your personal showering sweet spot. You don’t get much in the way of power modes, but that’s ok as the flow of water is consistent and the temperature true to the control dial. The shower head itself, is also a decent size and gives you five spray settings, from gentle to the more invigorating spray that’s reminiscent of power showers.

Add in over temperature protection, phased shutdown to reduce build up of limescale and a choice of three colour finishes, and the Aqualisa gives other electric showers in this price bracket a run for their money.

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6. Mira Showers 1Sport Max Electric Shower

Key Features

10.8kw white and chrome electric shower
Sensi-flow and Clearscale technology
Airboost to up flow by 30%
Four spray patterns

Last but not least, is the Sport Max 10.8 kw electric shower from Mira. As the most powerful shower in our review, with the Sport Max you get an impressive flow of water that gives a nicely consistent heat plus plenty of temperature control. And thanks to the Mira Sport Max ‘Airboost’ system, the flow is powered by up to 30% without using up any more water than other electric showers. Reviewers do report the Airboost can be a little noisy but not excessive, but you also get an eco-setting if you want to save more water, as well as energy.

We like the substantial look and feel of the Mira Sport Max shower head, which gives you decent coverage as well as a choice of four spray pattern options. The showerhead also includes Mira’s ‘Sensi-flow’ which helps to prevent scalding if the hose becomes blocked as well as Clearscale to keep limescale build-up to a minimum. Easy to rub clean, with a fully adjustable slide rail bar that works with most showers as a replacement unit, the Mira Sport Max is one of the best electric showers with big power shower ideas.

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Best Electric Shower Buying Guide

Here's what you need to know!

How does an electric shower work?

Rather than using the stored hot water in your central heating water system, an electric shower is fed cold water from your mains water, which rapidly heats up via a heating element before it comes out of the shower head. For higher temperatures, the system may need to slow down the passage of the water, which can result in a gentler water flow rate. To resolve this water pressure ‘issue’, you should opt for an electric shower that has more kilowatts of power so it can rapidly heat water without any loss of flow rate.

The kilowatt power of most domestic electric showers ranges from 7.5kw to 10.8kw, with the higher the kw, the hotter and more powerful the shower will be.

When it comes to the temperature of the water, all electric showers use an internal heating element inside a sealed unit, similar to the heating element in a kettle. Your cold mains water flows past the hot element when you switch your electric shower on, picking up the heat as it passes through and out of the shower head. The beauty of electric showers over mixer showers which rely on your pre-heated water tank is that you will not run out of water mid-shower as it heats the water flow on demand.

What to Look for in a Good Electric Shower

Some electric showers are better than others when it comes to temperature, control and water flow. So, when looking for your perfect electric shower, you should always consider the following:

Power – getting the right level of power in your shower will ensure it meets your specific needs. For example, if you have a smaller water tank, then a lower wattage of around 7.5-8.5kw would work well, but if you prefer a more powerful waterflow then 9kw or above is ideal. You will also need to factor in your budget as the more kw you have, the more expensive the model is likely to be.

Pressure level – as well as its power, you also need to check the electric shower’s pressure level as this can affect the water flow rate if not suited to your mains pressure. The shower should indicate on its packaging its minimum pressure level, in bars and the flow rate as litres per minute.

Thermostat – a thermostatic function means you will be able to ensure a steady as well as adjustable water temperature and most of today’s electric showers have a thermostatic control although the level of precision can differ.

Control panel – as well as a thermostatic function, look for a clear and easy to use central control panel so you can fine-tune your electric shower experience. Additional control features can include temperature displays and optimum temperature alerts as well as touch sensitive panels.

Anti limescale – particularly if you live in a hard water area, some form of limescale protection is worth looking for. Many showers will run through cool water phases towards the end of the shower to help protect the internal working of the shower head from potentially damaging build-up of limescale.

Safety – as well all know, water and electricity do not mix, and all electric showers should have sufficient safety measures including a safety cut-out if the water gets too hot, as well as sealed units to protect the internal components.

Shower head – check that the shower head is large enough for your needs. If you like to switch it up, then many showers will have adjustable heads so you can choose different spray patterns, from a direct spray to a finer mist as well as secondary handheld shower heads.

Design – the look of the shower should also count in your final decision making as it needs to fit aesthetically with your bathroom design and colour scheme. And you should have a wide choice of styles to choose from, from simple box styles to contemporary slimline and digital display designs.

Installation – unless you have the skills and experience, you will need to get an electrician in to fit your new electric shower as it will need to hook into both your electricity and cold water supply. The best electric shower will be one that is easy to fit, maintain and use.

Types of Electric Showers

While the principle of heating its own water is the same for all electric showers, there are a few different types you can buy:

Manual electric shower – a straightforward design, with adjustable knobs and press button controls to create heat and water pressure, depending on your bathroom, shower power rating and set up.

Thermostatic electric shower – these showers include a thermostatic valve to keep the water at a constant temperature. The thermostat is also adjustable so you can set your ideal shower water temperature.

Touch control shower – in place of a manual control knob, many of today’s electric showers feature touch control and digital displays for an interactive and more controllable showering experience.

If an electric shower is not the right choice for your home, you can also opt for one of the other main types:

Mixer shower – these showers work from your water tank and heating system and mix hot and cold water to get the right showering temperature.

Power shower – similar in looks to an electric shower, a power shower is actually a mixer style shower that uses an internal pump to boost the water pressure coming out of the shower head for an invigorating experience.

Digital shower – this is a thermostatic mixer shower which uses digital technology for more precision and control when it comes to water temperature.

Smart shower – with the rise of smart technology, you can now buy smart showers that you can integrate into your other smart home systems, including the use of voice activation and remote control.

Electric Shower Installation Costs

Unless you have the necessary skills, training or experience, it is advised that you don’t DIY install your new electric shower but get a professional in to do it for you. Once you have purchased your new electric shower, you will need to find the labour costs for installation, which can range from around £200 for replacing an old shower with a new one, to £400-£500 for a brand new installation.

Benefits of an Electric Shower

Understanding the benefits of installing an electric shower can help you decide whether this type of shower is the best one for you. Here are the main reasons to showering electric:

Controllable pressure – with a shower that is connected to your water heating system, it is dictated to by the water pressure in your home. With an electric shower, that pressure can be controlled more effectively as they are a self-contained unit.
Constant water – unlike mixer showers that are plumbed into your main central heating water tank, you won’t run out of hot water mid shower with an electric shower or have that cold-water moment should someone turn a tap on somewhere else in the house.
Cost – electric showers are typically cheaper to buy than other shower designs where you may also need to replace the entire tap system. Electric showers may use a little more energy initially to heat, but they do heat up your water faster and are easier to maintain so your running and energy costs should even out in comparison to other types of showers.
Installation – particularly if your bathroom has never had a shower fitted before, an electric shower is much easier – and often cheaper - to install than other shower types. many are designed with multiple water supply and electric cable options so they can be adjusted to work with your old shower's fittings for minimal mess and disruption.
Energy efficient – as you only heat the water you use, as you use it, an electric shower is pretty energy efficient and saves your main hot water tank for heating your home.

Best Electric Shower Brands

With an electric shower for every budget, there are plenty of affordable electric showers on the market. But that doesn’t mean that quality is consistent so always look for value for money instead of the cheapest you can buy, if you want a reliable shower that has sufficient power and heat.

When it comes to some of the best electric shower brands, reviewers and experts alike rate the top four – Mira, Triton, Bristan and Aqualisa - as they offer quality, design and performance as well as shower models for most budgets. But with any home improvement investment, it's important to always do your research to ensure the new shower you choose provides everything you need and is built to be robust as well as offer consistent performance.

Our Top Pick

For less than £150, the Bristan Bliss 3 is a smart-looking shower that tops our best electric shower list. Easy to install, it gives you a decent amount of water pressure and holds its heat nicely. You get three heat modes and a clever warm up feature, so you never have to step into a cold shower. Add in an anti-limescale function, adjustable riser kit, decent-sized shower head and built-in soap dish and you have all the essentials for a reliable family shower that's built to last.

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