The choice between an electric shower and a mixer shower starts with one simple question: where will the hot water come from?
An electric shower heats incoming cold water inside the shower unit. A mixer shower uses hot water already supplied by your boiler or cylinder and blends it with cold water. That difference affects compatibility, performance, installation and the kind of shower you can choose.
Here is how to work out which makes sense for your bathroom. For the wider picture, our Complete Guide to Choosing a Shower is the starting point for this Showers Guide.
Electric vs mixer showers at a glance
| Electric shower | Mixer shower | |
|---|---|---|
| Water source | Usually cold mains water only | Hot and cold household supplies |
| Heating | Heats water within the unit as it flows | Uses hot water from the home's boiler or cylinder |
| Electrical requirements | Needs a suitable dedicated electrical installation | A conventional mechanical mixer valve does not heat water electrically; optional pumps or digital controls have their own requirements |
| Performance | Depends on the unit's kW rating, incoming water temperature, mains supply and model | Depends on available hot and cold pressure and flow, plus boiler or cylinder capacity |
| Appearance and layout | Commonly a visible wall-mounted unit | Exposed or concealed valves, sets, heads and handsets |
| Best reason to investigate | You want showering hot water independent of the household hot-water supply | Your hot and cold supplies can support the flow and style you want |
The right answer depends on your actual system and the specifications of the particular product. A plumber or installer can check the water supply; an appropriately qualified electrician should assess any electrical work.
How does an electric shower work?
An electric shower is connected to a cold mains-water supply and a suitable electrical circuit. When you switch it on, an element heats the water as it passes through the unit. It does not normally need hot water from a boiler or cylinder.
This can make it a useful choice for a second bathroom or a home where the stored or boiler-fed hot-water supply is limited. It does, however, need enough cold mains pressure and flow to meet the manufacturer's requirements.
The unit's rating is expressed in kilowatts (kW). A higher rating can generally heat more water to the same temperature, allowing greater potential flow if the water and electrical supplies support it. In winter, colder incoming water may mean a lower flow at the temperature you want. A higher kW number is not a promise of a powerful shower in every home.
Replacing an electric shower? Check the exact rating, water-entry position, electrical circuit and installation instructions. Even when the new unit fits over the old one, a higher-rated replacement may need electrical changes. This is a job to assess before buying, not after opening the box.
How does a mixer shower work?
A mixer takes hot water from your boiler or cylinder and blends it with cold water to give you a comfortable showering temperature. It does not heat cold water in the shower valve.
Mixer showers offer a broad choice of looks and arrangements. You can choose a visible bar valve and rail kit, a concealed valve with a fixed head, or a system with both an overhead shower and handset. Explore shower sets and shower valves at Allbits.
How well a mixer performs depends on the available hot and cold supplies. A generous mains-pressure system may support a larger head or multiple outlets, but the available flow can fall when other outlets are used. A gravity-fed system may need a mixer designed for lower pressure or a suitably specified pumped arrangement. Always check the particular valve and head together.
Which works with my water system?
If you have a combi boiler
A compatible mixer shower can use hot water from the combi and cold mains water. Its flow depends on the boiler's hot-water output and the incoming water supply, especially if taps or other showers are running at the same time. A thermostatic mixer can help manage temperature changes within its operating range, but it cannot increase the boiler's capacity.
An electric shower may also be possible if its cold-water and electrical requirements are met. Because it heats its own water, it does not use the combi's domestic hot-water output while showering. Compare the likely flow and installation work before deciding.
If you have an unvented hot-water cylinder
A compatible mixer can be an attractive option when the cylinder and mains supply can deliver the required flow. Check the cylinder's available hot water and simultaneous demand elsewhere in the home. An electric shower remains a separate option where the cold mains and electrical installation are suitable.
If you have a gravity-fed cylinder and cold-water tank
Some mixer showers are designed for lower-pressure supplies; others need more pressure than the system can provide unaided. A suitable shower pump or an integrated power shower may be an option after professional assessment. An electric shower would normally need its own suitable cold mains feed and electrical installation. Do not assume it can simply connect to the gravity-fed cold supply.
If you are unsure of your system, ask your installer to identify it and check running pressure and flow at the proposed shower. The label on a boiler alone does not tell you everything about performance at the bathroom.
Which gives a stronger shower?
There is no universal winner. A well-supplied mixer can deliver more water than many electric showers, but a mixer cannot outperform a weak supply. An electric shower's heating power and incoming water temperature limit the flow it can provide at a chosen temperature.
Think of three separate checks:
- Pressure: Is the operating pressure within the shower's stated range?
- Flow: How much water reaches the shower while it is running?
- Hot-water capacity: Can the boiler or cylinder provide enough hot water when other outlets are in use?
A large rainfall head cannot fix a shortage in any of these. For a fixed head, handset or two-outlet system, check the requirements of the whole combination. Browse shower heads at Allbits.
What about thermostatic showers?
Electric versus mixer describes how the shower obtains hot water. Thermostatic versus manual describes its temperature control. They are different decisions.
Many mixer showers have a thermostatic valve designed to help maintain the selected temperature when incoming conditions vary, within the model's limits. Thermostatic electric models also exist. Neither kind creates additional water pressure.
If several people use the bathroom, a thermostatic model with a suitable temperature stop can be worth considering. Always check the product's settings, suitability and commissioning instructions. Allbits also has an existing article on thermostatic versus manual showers if you want to explore that choice further.
Where do shower towers and columns fit?
A shower tower or column describes the format of the shower, not a separate way of heating water. It groups the controls and outlets into one visible unit. Depending on the model, it may include a rainfall head, handset, body jets or waterfall outlet.
The shower columns in the Allbits collection include thermostatic mixer designs that connect to suitable hot and cold supplies. For example, the Nevada shower column lists a 2.0 bar minimum pressure, while other columns have their own requirements. That is why a column needs the same water-system checks as any other mixer, with extra attention to the flow needed for its features.
Before choosing one, check its height and projection against your enclosure, the wall or corner fixing arrangement, how its outlets operate, and the space needed to maintain it. If you love the idea of a column with body jets, get your installer to confirm the supply can support the chosen model before ordering.
What about installation and running costs?
There is no reliable universal answer to “which is cheaper?” An electric shower draws electricity to heat water during use. A mixer uses water heated by the home's boiler or cylinder. Your total costs depend on the chosen shower, existing plumbing and wiring, installation work, energy tariffs, showering habits and water use.
For installation, compare the work needed in your bathroom. Replacing an existing compatible bar mixer can be very different from creating a concealed system and retiling. Replacing an electric shower at the same rating can still require checks; changing its rating or moving it may require more work. Ask for a quote based on the intended model and your existing installation.
Mistakes to avoid
- Assuming a mixer heats its own water. It needs an adequate hot-water supply.
- Assuming an electric shower is automatically suitable for any cold feed. Check its specified cold mains requirements.
- Comparing products by kW or head diameter alone. Look at the complete installation and expected flow.
- Calling a shower column an electric or power shower because it has several outlets. Check how the actual column is supplied.
- Assuming a thermostatic valve boosts pressure. Its job is temperature control.
- Ordering a two-outlet shower without checking the controls. Some systems divert between outlets; simultaneous operation is model-specific.
- Upgrading an electric shower's kW rating without checking the circuit. Arrange an electrical assessment first.
Before you buy: quick checklist
- Identify the household water-heating and cold-water system.
- Check running pressure and flow where the new shower will go.
- Check boiler or cylinder hot-water capacity if considering a mixer.
- Check the cold mains and electrical installation if considering an electric shower.
- Decide whether you want a fixed head, handset, or both.
- Check whether the chosen valve can run outlets together or one at a time.
- For a tower or column, check its own pressure, flow, dimensions and outlet layout.
- Compare the work and cost of fitting the exact proposed model.
Frequently asked questions
Is an electric shower better than a mixer shower?
Neither is automatically better. An electric shower heats suitable cold mains water independently of the home's hot-water supply. A mixer can provide a wider choice of layouts and strong flow when the hot and cold supplies are adequate. Start with your water system and the shower experience you want.
Can I use a mixer shower with a combi boiler?
Often, yes, if the particular mixer is compatible and the boiler and mains supply can deliver enough hot and cold water. Check simultaneous use and the manufacturer's operating requirements.
Does an electric shower work if the boiler breaks down?
An electric shower normally heats its own cold mains water, so it does not rely on the boiler for showering hot water. It still needs a working electricity supply and an adequate cold mains supply.
Is a shower column a mixer shower?
Many columns, including examples in the Allbits range, are thermostatic mixer showers. The term “column” describes the integrated design; always check the specific product's connections and operating requirements.
Will a shower pump improve either type?
Pumping arrangements are system-specific. A correctly specified pump may suit some gravity-fed mixer systems. Do not add a pump to an electric or mains-fed installation on the assumption that it will work; ask a competent installer to assess the system and the manufacturer's instructions.
Ready to compare?
First establish what your home can supply. Then choose the shower type and layout that suit your bathroom. Browse the Allbits showers collection, including shower sets and shower towers and columns, or contact Allbits for help narrowing down a suitable option.