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Original poster

Electric showers

28 replies

MrsJigsaw · 30/11/2025 15:32

The only time I've used an electric shower is in an old boyfriends house many, many years ago. It was not very powerful and made an annoying hum!

Are modern electric showers any good, and what factors influence shower pressure?

We're going to add a downstairs bathroom in an extension and I just wondered if an electric shower (which will be used infrequently) might be a good idea rather than one heated via the combi boiler. Just means we can still shower if we ever had boiler issues.

OP posts:
ErlingHaalandsManBun · 30/11/2025 15:45

Following this with interest as we are buying a house with a new electric shower fitted. Its been years since I owned one but I have rented Air BnB's with them in and they have always been a bit shit compared to my lovely powerful thermo shower at home 😂

RedRiverShore5 · 30/11/2025 15:48

They are a still bit shit, well ours is anyway, they are good in the summer because the temperature of the water coming in is warmer which makes a huge difference but in the winter when you are more likely to want a nice hot shower they can struggle a bit.

OhMehGoddess · 30/11/2025 15:48

If I had the opportunity to add an extension, I def would only add a shower via the combi boiler. Changing from an electric to a shower via the boiler was one of the best things we did when we put in gas a couple of years ago.

RedRiverShore5 · 30/11/2025 15:51

If you already have one from the boiler, I would probably get an electric as a second shower which is used occasionally. The boiler breaking down is one of the things that puts me off a boiler one as we would be left without. If the electric one breaks we can just replace it with similar from Screwfix or Wickes and DH can do it.

Walkden · 30/11/2025 15:55

Electric showers aren't as powerful as boiler ones because they tend to have a power rating of 10kW whereas gas boilers are usually around 30kw.

Then again a combi will struggle to run 2 showers so an electric back up night be best. The water can be warm/ hot but with less pressure. Makes like Mira might give a better experience that budget conscious brands like triton

HoppityBun · 30/11/2025 15:56

My electric shower is fine. I’ve had it for years and touch wood it’s still working well

CoffeeBeansGalore · 30/11/2025 16:00

We have a Mira. Several head settings to adjust spray. Reasonably powerful. My dd has thick long hair and no issues rinsing it through. More than hot enough for us.

DisplayPurposesOnly · 30/11/2025 16:05

I have a now elderly Mira Orbis electric shower which i love. It's not as good as a really good mixer shower, but my mixer shower was distinctly average so it was a good move.

Get a 10.8kw one.

taxguru · 30/11/2025 16:08

We've had Mira electric showers for 30 years! They're absolutely fine if you get the highest power available. Prior to moving here, we had other makes of power shower and they were generally crap. Well worth paying for the best.

RedRiverShore5 · 30/11/2025 16:17

Ours is a Mira Sport but only 9kw as we only have a 40A fuse, you need a 45A one for 10.8 kw.

Wibble128 · 30/11/2025 16:24

The chalk up quite quickly in areas that have hard water, also keep the metal mesh filter clean where the hose connects to the unit. Chalk breaks off theheating element if it is tunred quckly from hot to cold, this slows the water flow, the element can overheat and lock out, then user can think it is broken and it just needs a good flush out.

Wibble128 · 30/11/2025 16:25

Sorry about the spelling

LIZS · 30/11/2025 16:28

We have a Triton pumped shower.

FlutterShite · 30/11/2025 16:33

If it’s going to be used infrequently, definitely go for electric. It will be such a welcome back-up if the boiler fails. Our only shower is electric, and it’s fine - as others have said here, a 10.8kw Mira.

Somersetbaker · 30/11/2025 16:33

As per a previous poster, most combi boilers can't produce enough hot water for 2 showers at the same time. For multiple bathrooms you need a "megaflow" tanked system, even then you might not have enough pressure on the incoming mains so would need a booster pump, especially if you have an en-suite in a loft conversion.

Blueuggboots · 30/11/2025 16:35

We had one fitted - get a powerful one - lots of kw!! Ours is fine. Decent flow and plenty hot enough.

Twelvetimes · 30/11/2025 16:39

We have a Mira electric shower as our 'second' shower, it's used mainly by guests but we used it for a couple of months while we were waiting for our main bathroom to be refitted and I found it absolutely fine. As you say it's useful to have a second source of hot water in case of boiler breakdown.

BananaPie · 30/11/2025 16:40

We have one in our extension. Normal shower runs off the combi boiler but decided on electric for a second shower. The electric one only gets used when we have visitors. It came in handy when the boiler broke a couple of weeks ago though!

ForkOnASausage · 30/11/2025 16:42

Ours is a 10kw one, you need the correct cable size to accommodate the load and fuse. As you are building an extension this isn't an issue it is more an issue if people are wanting to upgrade.

Our children's bathroom has a 10kw one. Our mains pressure is amazing, it used to physically lift the tap head in the kitchen sink. In summer the shower is amazing as the water temperature coming in is higher so it needs less heating in the shower unit. In winter it is not as good but it is still a good shower.

We have a pumped gravity fed digital shower in our en-suite and the electric shower is nowhere near as good as that but it is a good shower, it can be used at any time and like you say a good backup for you if your boiler stops working.

GiveMeWordGames · 30/11/2025 16:44

Absolutely go for the highest power possible. While none will ever be as good as one power-pumped from a stored water tank, or one fed from a combi, it's the low kw ones that give you the choice between a cold blast and a hot dribble.

RedRiverShore5 · 30/11/2025 16:48

I just looked at if we could easily upgrade our 40A MCB to 45 or 50 but it looks like a 'big job' rather than a quick change. Yours should be fine though OP as you are having new works done so it will all be the right spec.

Original poster
MrsJigsaw · 30/11/2025 19:30

Thanks everyone. Looks like an electric shower will be a good option

OP posts:
MiddleAgedDread · 30/11/2025 19:35

I have this one and it’s decent. I have long thick hair and I’m picky about shower pressure! www.screwfix.com/p/mira-azora-frosted-glass-9-8kw-electric-shower/1338g

Gingercar · 30/11/2025 19:53

We’ve had a new electric shower in our bathroom and a new plumbed in shower in another bathroom fitted this year. There is no difference in the water pressure/flow between them. And having had our boiler break for a fortnight, it was great to still be able to have a hot shower.

grimupnorthnot · 02/12/2025 12:52

key is getting a big enough cable - we've just put in a new one and it's excellent, but had new wiring to take a 10.5kw one.....