Power showers are used to boost the water pressure of gravity-fed water systems, so you can actually enjoy a decent shower instead of having to wash yourself in a trickle of water. They achieve this by using integrated pumps, which do make a noise, but the good ones keep this to a minimum. Power showers should only ever be used with gravity-fed systems, it can be very dangerous to attach them to a mains feed.

The Key Features of Power Showers

If you’re thinking of buying a power shower, here are the points we suggest you check.

Design and ease of use

We’ve placed this at the top of the list because we think it will have the most influence on how much you will enjoy using your power shower. Design and ease of use are both very subjective, but their impact is very real

Flow rate

Basically, this determines how much pressure your power shower applies at any given time and good power showers, of any description, should, in our opinion, have at least two options, preferably three or more.

Temperature control

We think this is pretty much self-explanatory. In addition to controls being easy to grip and/or press, we also have a distinct preference for thermostatic showers. Essentially, these are power showers in which the user sets the temperature of their choice and the power shower adjusts the hot and cold water to maintain it, thus eliminating the potential for being scalded (or doused in freezing water).

You also get digital power showers, which can be recognized by the fact that the control panel has an LED display, which generally makes them look a bit like a basic alarm clock. Digital power showers allow you to set flow and temperature with absolute precision.

Durability

Again, this is pretty much self-explanatory, although it’s not necessarily obvious, especially note when buying online, which is why trusted brands and genuine user reviews can be so helpful.

Warranty

We hate to sound like cynics, but a warranty only has value if the company behind it is likely to stay in business over the long term, which is why we always recommend buying trusted brands from reputable vendors.

Best Power Shower

Here is our round up of the best power showers on the UK market.

Best Power Shower Review

Editors Pick

Mira Showers Vigour Thermostatic Power Shower

Runner Up

Aqualisa Aquastream Thermo Mixer Shower

Best Budget

Mira Showers Vigour Manual Power Shower

Mid-range Options

The good news is that mid-range power showers are still very affordable and we’ve picked out a few options which we feel offer excellent value for money.

Mira Showers 1.1532.400 XS Event Thermostatic Power Shower

• Item Weight 3.62 Kg
• Product Dimensions 11.5 x 21 x 31 cm

• Included Components Power Shower Unit; Slide Bar; Clamp Bracket; Hose; Showerhead; Installation User Guide; Warranty Registration Card

As you might have guessed from the numbering system, this power shower is a step up in the Mira power shower range. It is similarly easy to install and just as robust but it has some noticeable improvements.

Our particular favourite is that this Mira power shower has separate dials for flow and temperature and the latter has a maximum-temperature setting for extra safety. There’s also a stand-alone start and stop button. There’s an extra-large 110mm showerhead (also with four spray patterns) and it uses phased shutdown (to empty hot water from the tank and make it safe for the next user).

Triton AS2000XT THERMOSTATIC Power Shower

• Item Weight 3.64 Kg
• Package Dimensions 59.8 x 27.6 x 21.6 cm

The Triton’s aesthetics are a matter of taste, but it’s undeniable that this power shower is really easy to use. There are a total of three buttons with obvious functions, namely flow, temperature and start/stop. These buttons do, in our opinion, look a bit clunky, but they’re easy to grip and turn (or push), which is the key point. Basically, neither young children nor the elderly should have any problems with this power shower and there’s thermostatic control for extra reassurance.

We do have a couple of gripes about the Triton The first is that it isn’t the easiest power shower to install, although, to be fair the instructions are very clear and if you keep a level head and trust them you should be fine. The second may be just us but we find it rather strange that you increase the flow by turning the knob clockwise but you increase the temperature by turning the knob ANTI-clockwise.

Overall, however, we have confidence in the Triton if only because the company behind it have been in the bathroom-appliance business literally for decades and the only way to do that is to keep your customers happy.

Premium Option

If money is no object, then a digital power shower will allow you to set flow and water temperature exactly how you like them.

Mira Showers 1.1796.004 Platinum Dual Digital Mixer Shower

• Item Weight 6.64 Kg
• Product Dimensions 42 x 25 x 60 cm
• Batteries: 3 AA batteries required.
• Measurement System Metric

• Included Components Digital Shower Unit; wireless controller; Slide Bar; Clamp Bracke; Hose; Showerhead; Installation User Guide; Warranty Registration Card

This digital shower from Mira has two shower heads, a monsoon shower head and a regular shower head, which you can use together or separately. It’s thermostatically-controlled and very easy to use. This time around, we definitely like the minimalist aesthetic. This digital shower has a nice, grown-up, look to it while still being simple enough to operate that children and older people should be absolutely fine with it.

Budget Options (£150 and under)

Triton Manual Power Shower

In this case “manual” means that the power shower does not have a thermostat so you need to control the temperature yourself by means of the dial.  There is, however, a maximum temperature stop, which basically means that if the shower detects that the temperature is getting too high, it will shut off.  This means that the worst that can happen is that you get a dousing in cold water if the hot-water supply is interrupted.  It may be uncomfortable, but you won’t be scalded.

As a further safety feature, there is an automatic shutdown system, which essentially means that if the water supply is interrupted, the shower will shut down.

The integrated pump can increase the water flow to a maximum of 14 litres per minute and the showerhead has five different spray patterns (jet, blast, spray, rain and drench) along with rub-clean nozzles.  We’re big fans of easy-clean showerheads.  Leaving aside the hygiene benefits, keeping a showerhead really clean also helps to protect against the dreaded limescale.

Overall, the lack of thermostat means that we’d be reluctant to use this shower in a home where there were old people, young children or diabetics.  For adults and older children, however, this is a perfectly decent power shower at a very reasonable price.

Mid-range Options (under £300)

Bristan HY POWSHX W

The Bristan HY is very compact and very simple to use.  Basically, there are two buttons on/off and eco mode plus a dial to control the temperature.  As this power shower has a thermostat, we’re guessing most people will just set the temperature once and never touch the dial again.

This power shower can increase water flow to a maximum of 10 litres per minute.  If you use the eco mode, then the boost is removed.  In other words, this stops being a power shower and reverts to being a normal shower.  The showerhead has three functions and is easy to clean, which is particularly important in areas with limescale.

There is, however, one slight potential downside to this shower, which might not be very visible from photographs on the internet.  The water pipes go into the side of the unit rather than the back.  Bristan does provide covers which can be put on if the pipes are in the right place, i.e. at the side.  If, however, the pipes are above or below the shower, then the chances are they are going to be visible, although you could try covering them with tape to camouflage them.

Overall we think this power shower is a solid performer, which offers good value for money.

Triton Thermostatic Power Shower

We’ll say upfront that for a while we wouldn’t have recommended this shower due to the number of complaints about faulty units, although from what we heard, customers had no problem getting them replaced and were generally happy once they had a working unit.  We’re guessing, however, that this was an issue at the factory which Triton has now resolved, as we haven’t heard any more complaints about this for quite some time.

This is good news as this shower does have a lot to offer.  Specifically, it can boost the flow rate to a maximum of 14 litres per minute, has 9 options for flow rate, 9 thermostatically-controlled temperature levels and five spray patterns ((jet, blast, spray, rain and drench).  The controls are very simple with just one button for on/off and a dial each for flow and temperature.  You choose the spray pattern via a level on the showerhead itself.

Even though there’s a thermostat, the shower also has maximum temperature stop and an automatic shutdown system.  This basically means that if the shower detects that either the water is too hot or that power has been lost, it will shut down.  The showerhead is easy-clean, which is a particular bonus if you’re in an area with limescale.

In short, this is another good, solid offering from Triton.

Ultimate Budget Option

If you have less than £100 to spend your options will be limited, but we’ve managed to find one for you.

Couradric Shower Head

• Item Weight 540 g
• Product Dimensions 24 x 9 x 3 cm
• Material chrome shower head and holder+stainless steel hose
• Handle Material ABS
• Display Style Toggle Switch
• Switch Style Toggle Switch

The Couradric isn’t exactly a power shower, it’s a power-boosting shower head, which basically means it won’t give you the same results as a proper power shower, but it will be a distinct improvement on a regular shower head. The main reason the Couradric made it onto our list is because we thought it could be a great option for renters and/or people on a very tight budget, who wanted a low cost/high impact upgrade to their shower and were realistic about what that would mean in practice

You should find the Couradric shower head super-easy to install and we really appreciate the fact that the box includes some plumber’s tape to ensure a leak-free fit. Build quality is very robust and we particularly like the fact that the Couradric has self-cleaning silicone rubber nozzels. Leaving aside the fact that anything self-cleaning is good with us, they help to prevent the build-up of limescale (and mould).

In addition to boosting the power of your shower, the Couradric shower head offers three spray patterns, rain, massage and rain plus massage, so you have the flexibility to adjust the spray to suit your mood.

Best power shower overall

We only have one choice each at the budget and premium ends of our selection so the real choice is at the mid-range level. Overall, we’d say that the Triton was the best option if your budget was tight, especially if you needed a power shower which could be used by children and/or older people.

The Mira Showers 1.1532.353 offers a bit more functionality than the Triton for only a little more money, but the controls may not be ideal for the very young or the very old and even outside these age groups, they may not be to everyone’s taste. The Mira Showers 1.1532.400 XS Event Thermostatic Power Shower is, objectively, the best of the mid-range options, but it’s also the highest-priced.