Voted No. 1 in BathroomTo many people, a shower is just a shower. But there are, in fact, a few distinct types.
Watch our video to learn more, or continue reading on below.
Electric showers
These types of showers use cold mains water only for the water supply, and are also safely connected to the mains electric for power. The water enters the shower and, as the water is passed through the internal heater tank (or heating element), it heats the water up extremely quickly, providing instant hot water (very similar in concept to a conventional kitchen kettle). This fact is also why these showers are sometimes called instantaneous electric showers.
For this reason, electric showers will never run out of hot water, which is handy if you have a few people living in the house and everyone wants a shower one after the other. Furthermore, any problems with your boiler will not impact the performance of an electric shower.
Electric showers tend to be the cheapest type of shower on the market, but don't let this distract you from their performance. You can view our range of electric showers here.
Popular examples of electric showers include the Mira Advance Thermostatic Electric Shower 8.7kW or the Mira Sport 10.8kW
Electric Shower Benefits
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Instantaneous hot water supply
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No boiler problems mean no cold showers
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Cheaper to maintain than other types of shower
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Easy installation and use
Pumped electric showers
These showers are designed for installations where the pressure of the mains water supply is low or unreliable. Pumped electric showers work on the same principle as standard electric showers (above), but run from cold water tanks, not the mains supply into the home. These showers also contain a small pump which boosts the supply to give a better showering experience in poor flow areas.
A notable model is the Mira Elite SE a best-seller in Ireland.
Pumped Electric Shower Benefits
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Run from cold water tanks, so would still work when there is interruption to mains water supply
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Small booster pump giving a better flow in poor flow areas
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Comes with an adjustable power setting for personal preference.
Mixer showers
One of the major types of showers, mixers use separate hot and cold water supplies, and blend both to provide the water at the temperature you demand from it. A cartridge inside the shower regulates the temperature as desired, and come in either manual or thermostatic varieties.
Mixer showers can be installed on gravity fed systems (where the water is taken from hot and cold tanks), combination boilers, or on a pump (which also takes water from hot and cold tanks).
Mixer showers also come in certain variants: exposed (where they are fixed onto the surface of the wall) or recessed (also known as built-in or concealed, where the main valve body is hidden behind the wall, leaving only a small portion of the shower showing). Bar mixer showers are a type of exposed valve, but are shaped in a specific slim horizontal "bar", hence the name.
They are generally very stylish in comparison to other types of showers, providing a contemporary look to your bathroom, as well as having longer lifespans as well. You can view our range of mixer showers here and bar mixer showers here.
Popular mixer shower ranges include the Mira Element Mk 2 EV, Mira Coda Pro EV Mk3 and Mira Excel EV – the latter being a firm favourite for UK consumers and installers alike.
Mixer Shower Benefits
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Available in both exposed and concealed varieties
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Can be installed on gravity fed, combination boilers and pumped systems.
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Choice of manual or thermostatic versions depending on your needs.
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Balanced flow temperature
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Spare parts are often an easy fit - remove and replace.
Digital showers
A variation of the standard mixer shower (above).
These operate on the same mixer concept, but the main body of the shower is generally located away from the actual showering area, for instance in a loft space or under the bath. A waterproof digital controller is then used to operate the shower body remotely - including temperature and flow rate - from within the showering enclosure (or even outside the area, if desired and supported).
Most models of digital showers give an option of having standard versions for high pressure or combination boiler systems, or pumped versions for low pressure or gravity fed mains water systems.
Modern digital showers are generally very advanced, and boast other features such as timekeeping and precise temperature control alongside being stunning focal points. Some, like the Mira Mode, even come with their own smartphone app to interact with.
Many manufacturers supply single shower head options or multiple shower head options (a shower head on the end of a hose, plus either ceiling mounted or wall mounted fixed shower head) so you have the added benefit of being able to divert between the overhead and separate hand shower, or have both running at once.
Because of their feature set and technology, digital showers tend to be more expensive than other shower types, but are definitely worth the extra price. You can view our range of digital showers here.
Best-selling digital showers across the UK are the Mira Platinum (which has taken the UK market by storm), as well as the Mira Vision and Mira Mode.
Digital Shower Benefits
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Sleek, modern look with a range of styles to choose from
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Precise temperature control for a comfortable showering experience
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Remote operation capabilities with most models
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A range of additional features, including pumped versions, depending on the model
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Single or multiple outlets available
Power showers
Another variation of the standard mixer shower (above), even though they may look like an electric shower from the casing.
Power showers use water on gravity fed systems, which supply hot and cold water from the tanks. The valve mixes the hot and cold water to achieve the desired water temperature, like standard mixer showers, but the inclusive pump boosts the flow of water to become a powerful and invigorating shower.
With a power shower it is important to have reasonable sized water tanks – at least 40 gallons, otherwise the water may run out mid-shower.
Power Shower Benefits
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Provides a powerful showering experience
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Used on gravity fed (tank fed) systems
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A range of styles to choose from, depending on the brand.
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Balanced flow temperature as with a mixer shower
You can view our range of power showers here, including manual and thermostatic variants. These may also be called integral power showers.
Popular examples of power showers include the Mira Vigour and Mira Event XS.
What is the Difference Between a Power Shower & an Electric Shower?
An electric shower will only use cold mains water for the supply, while a power shower uses hot and cold water tanks. The electric shower passes the cold-water through an internal heater tank, heating it up almost instantly to whatever temperature you require. A power shower mixes hot and cold water internally to achieve the desired temperature - but has a built-in pump to boost the flow of water for a more powerful showering experience.
Which Shower is Right for Me?
The type of shower you should choose depends on your own individual requirements. Factors such as budget, water pressure/flow and installation position will all come into play when making a decision. Also whether you have children or elderly/infirm family members as we would always recommend thermostatic showers in this instance.
We'd recommend consulting with a qualified plumber before deciding which shower to install in order to ensure that the product you select is fit for purpose.
It's also important to consider factors such as the style you're going for, as well as whether you prefer manual or thermostatic control as if you have young children or elderly/infirm family members we would always recommend thermostatic showers in this instance.
We have a range of options available for each type of shower, so please don't hesitate to contact us and we can guide you in the right direction.