Best electric showers for your home in 2024: With and without a built-in pump for a strong, hot shower

Best for: Attractive design and lots of great features

Not the cheapest electric shower by any means, but certainly the best looking, in our humble opinion. Of course, you can’t judge by how handsome a thing is, so happily this one has other appealing features to pick up points.

For starters, there are two ways to shower: one is with the static overhead rain shower, and the other is for handholding and spraying where you like. It also features what the manufacturer calls Mira Clearscale technology. It doesn’t stop limescale completely, but slows it down by 50 per cent, so your shower unit will last longer.

It’s a thermostatic shower, which means it will keep the water temperature the same even if someone flushes a toilet elsewhere in your home. Finally, it comes with a reassuring two-year guarantee.

Best for: A sensibly priced two-head option

Another two-header, this electric shower also features an overhead rain shower, and a hand-held nozzle that you can adjust in height, which offers a choice of five spray patterns.

You can choose from either a white or black finish as well, which goes some way to appeasing the aesthete in us. The soft-touch buttons are gently lit, and there’s an easy diverter to switch between overhead and handheld. It comes with a comforting two-year guarantee.

All of these things combine to provide a well-priced version of more expensive models and will appeal to those who can live without the higher-spec touches.

Best for: Buying on a budget

You need a new electric shower, but the readies aren’t so ready. What to do? Here’s an easy answer: go for this exceedingly well-priced one from a well-known brand. It’s not the prettiest and it has only the one spray pattern, but it’s a 7.5kW, so your basic electrics should be able to handle it without doing any upgrading.

It has separate flow and temperature controls, offers several electric cable and water connection points – so chances are good it will fit your existing set up. The electric shower also comes with a reassuring two-year parts and labour guarantee so long as it’s fitted within the UK. Basically, it’s a reasonable, good, working shower without the bells and whistles.

Best for: A powerful flow

If your main criteria when choosing an electric shower is the force of the flow, then this one should be on your shortlist. Pricier than some, but for reliability and long-lasting service, the Mira brand is definitely up there –many Mira shower owners come back for another when it’s time to get a replacement.

This model features the Mira Clearscale technology that cuts limescale build-up by 50 per cent, so the unit lasts longer in hard water areas; an audible beep when the water has reached your requested temperature, thus avoiding getting blasted with cold water; an intuitive temperature dial and that thermostatic control so there’s no fluctuation in heat. It also comes with a two-year guarantee.

Best for: Digital controls

Although this electric shower has better looks than some, with its shiny chrome head and bracket and ultra-modern-looking unit, the aspect we like best is its anti-limescale feature. It works by flushing any leftover water out of the system when you turn it off, so water can’t lurk around to deposit its scale.

Of course, it’s not 100 per cent effective, but it does help, and if you live in a hard water area you’ll appreciate anything of this nature. On the cool-features scale, this one gets a 9.5 for its digital temperature display, touch controls and warm-up mode: the unit lets you know when the water has reached your desired temperature, so you don’t jump in and get the chillies before it’s ready.

Best for: Lots of features at a not top-of-the-range price

A handsome looker, this electric shower features illuminated soft-touch buttons and separate temperature and flow controls. There’s what the manufacturer calls ‘phased shut down’, which means any remaining water is expelled after you turn the shower off so it can’t hang around to fuzz up the innards with limescale, which is not 100 per cent effective, but does slow down the rate it builds up.

Other handy features include three spray patterns, an anti-twist hose to avoid kinks and a two-year guarantee. It also provides a generous flow of water. All that and from a trusted British-made brand, which saves on the travel miles, meaning it’s better for the planet.

Best for: Contemporary good looks at a sensible price

You’ll impress the overnight guests when they find this electric shower in the bathroom. Its uncluttered design gives it Brownie points, along with the illuminated soft-touch buttons for raising or lowering the temperature, a post-shower flush feature to reduce limescale build-up, and a happy-making two-year parts and labour guarantee.

There are also three spray patterns from the large shower head and, as with all showers that run off mains water, it only heats the water that’s being used, so it’s the most economical way to wash yourself. Finally, it’s British-made, which means it’s a local product that didn’t have to travel halfway around the world to get to you, meaning it’s kinder to the environment. Win-win.

Best for: The most options in the budget bracket

Considering the price, you get a lot for the money with this electric shower. It’s available in versions from 7.5kW right up to 10.5kW, has two simple dials – one for temperature and one for flow – and there’s a choice of five spray patterns. We found the force of the flow pretty impressive, even with the 7.5kW version.

Also in its favour are the number of electric cable and water-pipe connection possibilities, so it’s likely to fit into your existing configuration. It’s your basic shower, but with a bit of oomph and a great choice if you haven’t a big budget but want a reasonable shower experience.

Best for: blast factor

Soak up the pure power of the Mira Sport Max Shower. The sleek bathroom addition features patented Airboost technology, which can help increase the water flow and promises a highly invigorating shower.

With this easy-use shower added to your bathroom, you can fine-tune your ablutions, featuring a 120mm handset with four spray modes, in addition to separate power and temperature controls.

Best for: a powerful and consistent flow

With a steady thermostatic control, your shower will stay at the right temperature no matter what taps are on elsewhere in the house. Aqualisa offers one of the best showers around; expect a powerful blast first thing in the morning.

It can be used with gravity systems (not on a high-pressure water system) and needs a maximum pressure of 1 bar. The unit can be easily fitted in any position, with inlets for water and power on the top, bottom or rear of the unit. The shower head has four flow patterns including an eco setting (saving 25 per cent of water) and is easy to clean, with a nifty way of adjusting the shower head’s position on the bar; simply pinch the grip and it slides up and down, to get it in the optimal position.

The wall unit is not terribly pretty but it is made from high-quality materials, in a white and chrome finish.

Best for: a very quiet shower

If you get up at a different time to the rest of your household, Triton’s shower is a godsend for early morning showers.

The shower is Quiet Mark-approved, which should tell you all you need to know about how noisy it is - or isn’t, in this case.

Offered in white and chrome, the simple round head has three spray patterns to use. Controls are simple, with one for temperature and one for power and there’s a vertical bar to allow you to raise or lower the shower head, plus a small shelf for things like soap.

The shower will remain at a steady temperature and there’s has a safety feature to prevent scalding. Thanks to its internal pump, it can be fitted in a home with a low pressure water system that has a cold water cistern and hot water cylinder. The hose has an anti-twist feature that prevents kinks, too.

Best for: an instantly invigorating shower

Ideal for homes with low water pressure, this easy-to-use shower offers a torrent from the simple twist of a tap (14L a minute to be precise), so if you like to get straight into the shower this model is an excellent choice.

It has a thermostatic control that maintains the temperature for the duration of your wash, and there is a mechanism to prevent it from getting too hot and scalding. It’s possible to control the temperature and strength of the flow independently with the controls. The nozzles on the spray have a wipe-clean surface and the riser bar helps you position the shower head in the best position for you.

While the shower head offers five spray options, the hose is fairly short, limiting the positions for installation.

Best for: stylish good looks

This sleek, top-of-the-range shower has dual shower heads, one fixed above that has three different spray patterns and a handheld that can be adjusted up and down on a slide bar; the overhead shower arm has an extra long reach of 400mm if you want to install it further out from the wall.

It features a flow limiter, which means that if anyone turns on the tap in another room, the flow to the shower remains the same - no loss of power or sudden fluctuations in temperature. The shower comes with an eco setting that reduces the energy output to 5kw to use in summer, which should have a positive effect on your bills.

Also, if you have found the best setting for your perfect shower, the unit will remember it so that you don’t have to fiddle with strength and temperature each time you pop in for a wash.

Best for: budget yet powerful option

This is a budget-priced power shower that delivers a pleasingly strong water flow, making it a great choice for family homes.

It can be used with gravity-fed hot and cold water systems and will deliver a thermostatically controlled and consistent shower for both temperature and strength. The shower head has five different spray patterns and it has a generous hose, meaning you can play around with the positioning of the riser bar to hide any previous screw holes or marks.

The wall box is plain, with a round control with two options (knob and circular selector switch) to offer your chosen flow from a water-conserving shower to a full blast of water and there is a soap tray on the white and chrome unit, too.