Which showers

Consist of a bar, either vertical or horizontal, with dials at either end to control the temperature and flow again, sometimes with divert options. Bar mixers have to be exposed. Mixer showers typically work with any plumbing setup provided there is a hot water supply. Mixer showers are more modern in design and tend to offer more advanced functions than electric showers including digital options. Find out what shower owners really think of big brands, including Aqualisa, Mira and Triton in our guide to the Best mixer shower brands.

So if you have a weak water flow from your taps, the same will go for your shower. They also rely on an external hot water supply, so if your boiler is slow to heat up, your shower will be too. Read our guide to the best boiler brands to discover which you should choose. Power showers work in the same way as mixer showers in that they combine water from both the cold and hot water supplies.

Where they differ is that they contain a pump to boost the flow of water through the shower head. This makes them a popular option in homes with low-pressure systems. There are two types of internal shower pumps, plastic and brass.

Plastic pumps are cheaper but can be noisier and are unlikely to last as long. Power showers are ideal if you have a low-pressure gravity system. They should not be used with a high-pressure system either vented or unvented. For one reason only — to boost the flow rate in your shower if you have low water pressure in your house.

This can transform your showering experience, as you get to enjoy an invigorating blast of hot water rather than a meagre trickle. Power showers are more expensive than electric or mixer showers and use a lot more water. They also use more energy than other types of shower because they have to heat more water during the course of each shower.

This means your energy bills will be higher, too. Discover which power shower brand is built to last in our guide to the best power shower brands.

Digital showers are the latest innovation in shower design, offering features such as precise temperature settings and wireless control units that can be installed elsewhere in your bathroom. They work in a similar way to mixer and power showers, taking water from your hot and cold water feeds. But whereas traditional showers require you to manually adjust the temperature, a digital shower lets you accurately set it using the wireless controls.

Digital showers look modern and offer novel features that, while not essential, can be handy. Some even have remote controls, so you can turn them on before getting out of bed, while others include smart apps that let you track use.

In this guide 6 articles Best electric shower brands Best power shower brands Best mixer shower brands Best digital shower brands Mira showers buying guide Triton showers buying guide. Eco shower heads buying guide Save water while you shower — see if eco shower gadgets can help you reduce water consumption. How to install an electric shower Discover everything you need to know about installing an electric shower in your bathroom from the experts at Which?

How we test electric showers What makes an electric shower great? Spray patterns: Having different spray patterns gives you the option of a smaller but more potent spray, a fine wider mist and options in between — although weaker models will offer fewer options here.

Opinions differ on how effective these are. Finally, some showers have more flexible power and water entry options, not to mention the riser rail brackets that attach to the head. Want to spend the minimum? Look no further. Key specs — Wattages: 7. It might not be much to look at, but the T80Z is a bathroom classic — it's reliable, easy to fit and capable of dishing out a decent spray. The latter of these gives you a little more power at the high-end than most budget rivals, while the well-designed head has five spray settings, ranging from a light mist to a jet.

Dura-Flow is worth the extra cost if you live in a hard water area. The Bristan Bliss is an easy replacement for many popular budget showers and is fairly flexible in its fitting, with five potential water and electric cable entry points to choose from. What it has over those entry-level models is digital controls and a modicum of style.

A mains pressure combination boiler is suitable for electric, digital and mixer showers. Learn more about choosing the best shower for a combi boiler. You will know you have this system if: you have a boiler the size of a small kitchen cupboard somewhere in your house and a hot water cylinder in your airing cupboard.

This system gives you the option of having an electric, mixer or digital shower in your bathroom. An electric shower is the only compatible shower to a cold mains supply and the limited hot water you have with this system. Find out more about how to identify your water system. Electric showers work by taking water from your cold water supply, quickly heating it up using a built-in heating element and pushing it through the showerhead once the water has reached the right temperature.

Because they use water from your cold water supply, electric showers are suitable for all types of water system. At Mira, our electric showers are available as single or dual outlets. For more information, read our guide to choosing the best electric shower. Mixer showers take water from both your hot and cold water supplies, combining them to create the desired temperature.