Buying new electric shower - Mira or Aqualisa

[May50]

Bathroom being done and getting an electric shower ( needs to be electric). Will be used each morning by me and the kids. Choosing between Mira Sport Max Airboost 10.8kw , Mira Sport 10.8kw or Aqualisa Quartz 10.5kw. Does anyone have one of these? I want good reliability. Reviews on Airboost Mira - some love the boost button, some think it's just noisy . I always think the more buttons there are the more can go wrong! So maybe the standard Sport is better? The Aqualisa has some goodreviews and is very simple to work. This one is not on the high street so doesn't seem as popular.

Aqualisa is always top of PigletJohn's list. My BIL, a gas engineer and plumber, fitter one in his own house and it's the best electric shower I've used.

Ooh wowfudge - is that the exact same shower the Aqualisa Quartz 10.5? How long has it lasted so far? I do like the look of that one - just one temp knob to twist and an on/off button! Couldn't be simpler. Mira Airboost is on special at B&Q at the moment so very cheap. only got a couple of days to decide....

BIL fitted the shower five years ago. I have no idea what model it is, but I know he only fits brands he considers good and reliable in his own home.

I used to sell Aqualisa they are superb and still are, that was nearly 30 yrs ago

I had AquaLisas put in in main and ensuite at old house and have had one at our new house too. Wouldn't have anything else now. Never had any issues at all with any of them.

Thanks , good to know. Leaning towards the Aqualisa one.

Aqualisa! Had a couple of issues ( but have three of their showers currently) but their customer service is rather fab.

My experience is rather different with Aqualisa. I got a new bathroom in 2007 and installed an Aqualisa 10.5kw shower.

Whilst it was still under warranty, we had to replace the front cover (minimal electronics in it so we did it ourselves).

Then the complete unit failed TWICE, just after the warranty had expired each time, so on top of the initial outlay, I have paid another £350, and I live in fear that it will go wrong again.

I love the look of it and the simplicity of use but I would not recommend this particular electric shower.

Was that an Aqualisa Quartz do you know? I do like the simplicity of them, and thought there's not a lot to go wrong with that- temp knob and on/off switch! B&q have the Mira Airboost 10.8 on special offer at the mo - so that is a possible. Cheaper than buying the standard Sport - I don't particularly want the extra bells and whistles though but it is cheaper than the Sport without.

Our current Mira sport was fitted when our house was new so 19 years ago and still going strong. Our previous Mira in our flat we had for 9 years before we moved. My dads mira sport lasted 22 years before he had his bathroom redone into a wet room. I'd need to see something very convincing to buy anything other than Mira.

Which Best Buy is an Aqualisa Quartz XTE 9.5W.

Ive got an Aqua lisa quartz, something did go wrong when it was installed but the customer service was superb and it's been working now for at least 8 years. We got one of those buttons that also allows you to start the shower remotely.. love this!! I'd buy Aqua Lisa again.

Aqualisa are better quality, and can supply parts. Their round-bodied mixers are superlative.

I am not keen on the latest digital, remote-control versions because as well as being rather expensive, they have more to go wrong.

Most plumbing designs have been honed for more than a hundred years and can be simple and reliable. Fancy designs haven't.

I'm not actually keen on electric showers because they deliver much less hot water than a mixer.

May50, sorry for the delay. Yes, mine was an Aqualisa Quartz.

I may just have been particularly unlucky. I have also started wondering whether the electric installation is to blame but they all seem to work well initially (i.e. for a year a bit) and then they go wrong.

A friend's husband is an ex-plumber and now works for a bathroom-fitting company and he recommends the Mira Sport Thermostatic. It is more reliable than Aqualisa in his opiniong.

Thanks Fickle. I have decided to go with the Mira Sport 10.8. Would have gone Thermostatic but they only do that in 9.0 or 9.8kw. Have decided not to go with the extra Airboost model as that is one extra thing to go wrong. I prefer as simple as possible. Thanks all.

...then again may go for the thermostatic Mira. Did really want a 10.8kw to have highest possible, but wondering if the thermostatic a better idea with me and the 3 kids using it. Anyone's thoughts on thermostatic necessity? And will 9.8 be much different to a 10.8? The Mira 10.8 says it is temperature stable, but not totally thermostatic.