Different Types Of Showers: What You Need To Know
Confused about the various types of showers out there? In this guide we’ll cover all you need to know, so you can decide which shower suits you best.
You’ll learn about the following shower types:
- Mixer showers
- Electric showers
- Power showers
- Thermostatic showers
- Digital showers
- Smart showers
- Walk-in showers
With studies showing that around 64% of Brits prefer showering to bathing, no wonder there’s a shower type available for every taste and need.
Among other things, every type of shower should let you effortlessly get that perfect blend of hot and cold water supply from your fixed shower head. In contrast, it can sometimes be tricky to get the right water temperature in a bath.
Without further ado, these are some of the most common showers you’ll find in a bathroom:
Mixer showers
A classic choice – mixer showers combine the hot and cold water supply so you can easily set the temperature.
Good mixer showers have sophisticated valves that regulate the temperature, keeping it consistent even if a hot or cold water tap are being used elsewhere in your home.
While the other showers listed below may provide extra features, mixer showers are some of the strongest and most satisfying types of showers to use.
Mixer showers require a hot and cold water supply – so for example if your boiler isn’t turned on, you may not have any hot water in your shower.
Electric showers
In contrast, electric showers only need a cold water supply or cold water tank. Therefore, an electric shower is not dependent on your boiler providing hot water.
Instead, an electrical heating element within the shower enclosure does all the hard work. It means you can have a warm shower anytime and for as long as you like.
Electric showers are a good option if you only have a small boiler tank, or you don’t want to rely on it too much.
Power showers
Power showers are sometimes mistaken for electric showers, but they’re not quite the same.
A power shower takes the hot water supply from your boiler and combines it with cold water. This is just like a mixer shower would blend hot and cold water.
However, the unique feature of a power shower is an in-built shower pump to increase the hot and cold water flow.
This makes power showers an ideal option for homes with a low water pressure or gravity fed systems.
Thermostatic showers
A thermostatic mixer shower keeps the temperature very consistent. Its valve reacts fast if there is a sudden change to the supply, for example, or if someone turns another tap on.
The temperature in the shower remains constant in these situations. Therefore, thermostatic showers are popular among families with young children, because the valve can stop the hot water supply from scalding them.
Modern manual mixer showers or electric showers often come with a thermostatic control element.
Digital showers
For the most precise temperature controls and a fully customisable shower, it’s time for a digital shower.
A relatively recent development, joining the digital showers revolution means you’re investing in cutting-edge technology.
At the touch of a button, with digital showers, you can set your preferred temperature and flow rate and check them on a digital screen.
Smart showers
Smart showers are similar to digital showers, in that you can customise everything using a digital device, even a smartphone or tablet.
They tend to be part of a broader smart home system – for example, Apple or Google Home.
By setting a timer, you can save hot and cold water supplies. You can even control a smart shower with your voice!
Digital and smart showers also tend to have a thermostatic feature to maintain a consistent temperature, regardless of what’s happening to the water supply elsewhere in your home.
Walk-in showers
Arguably the most modern showers out there are walk-in ones. More accessible, aesthetically-pleasing and hygienic, the list of walk-in shower benefits goes on and on.
Naturally, the key elements of a walk-in shower are structural and related to the design of the cubicle around the temperature control and head.
Therefore, you can have a walk-in shower that’s also smart, or digital, or electric and so on. To see how a walk-in shower design can complement a modern bathroom, take a look at some of the examples in our gallery.
Final thoughts: Different types of showers
We hope this guide has answered your queries around the various types of showers.
Whether you’re making a sizable change such as replacing a bath with a new shower system or a simpler one, make sure that only qualified professionals take on the project.
While many companies only provide a two to three-year guarantee, at Ability Bathe Bathrooms we offer 10 years for our walk-in showers. We operate in Devon, Cornwall, Plymouth, Exeter and surrounding areas.
If you’re considering a new type of shower, please feel free to contact us today to see what we can do for you.
