For many people, electric showers are going to be the baseline shower. Most people assume that almost all modern showers are electric and are surprised when they find out that it is not always the case.
The term “electric shower” refers to a very specific kind of shower, different from things like mixer showers or power showers. But are electric showers actually the best option, or have we just been conditioned into thinking that it is the best way to keep ourselves clean?
What Are Electric Showers, Really?
Electric showers use electricity to heat up water, as the name implies. Cold water moves into the bottom of the shower, then is heated up and moved up to the showerhead. This heating element is usually inside the shower itself and can be triggered on and off with a simple cord or switch nearby.
This makes it a relatively simple shower design, allowing it to be cheaper and far less complex than some alternative options. While it might have some drawbacks here and there, the positives can usually outweigh the negatives.
What Are Electric Showers NOT Good For?
In some cases, electric showers can be less practical and efficient than alternative options, as well as being cheaper overall and, therefore, usually less durable. With unlimited funds and no space concerns to worry about, you might gravitate toward another option.
However, these are the only real downsides of most electric showers. The majority of them are more than suitable for day-to-day use, with some of the best even being amazing pieces of equipment in their own right.
The Pros of Electric Showers
With the downsides out of the way, it is time to focus on the things that electric showers do well. While they might be relatively simple and affordable compared to specialist options, this is not a bad thing, and there are very few times when electric showers will be outright unusable.
Great For People With Space Constraints
Space is not the only concern that electric showers have over other options, but they’re still a good choice in that respect. Unlike other options, an electric shower can simply be squeezed in between other fixtures, so they are great for people who have little room for a full-sized bathroom.
This also makes them a more convenient option if you want to have a unified bath and shower. Since they are basically just the showerhead and its attached unit connected wherever you need them, you can have an electric shower mounted above the bath in almost any position you prefer, at nearly any height.
Easy To Install
They’re also easy to install, especially if you have a dedicated electrician to do it for you. Installing a shower on your own is obviously not recommended, but this still has an impact – an electric shower is easier to install, so the work can be done faster, and your bathroom can be ready sooner.
This also tends to make it easier to get them replaced or repaired without losing your ability to shower for very long. You don’t even have to replace the shower cubicle since the only thing that really matters is the shower unit itself, and that is not generally built into anything.
Cheap
Electric showers tend to be pretty cheap overall. They are not necessarily cheaper than every single mixer or power shower, but they are definitely cheaper than most specialist units, making them a lot more cost-effective if you just want a shower that you can rely on.
This makes them a good replacement for larger shower installations that you no longer want or a cheaper way to add a shower to your existing bath. Most showers will work just fine under most normal conditions, so there’s nothing wrong with choosing a more affordable option if you do not care about any special features.
Variety
With electric showers, you get a whole range of different options to choose from. Some are better for a certain situation, while others are just higher quality, but the market for electric showers is surprisingly wide.
Through online storefronts like Orchard showers are much easier to track down based on your needs. This gives you more freedom of choice than you might think, allowing you to choose within your preferred price range.
Variety can also extend to the control panel designs. There are a lot of panel options out there (most of which all do the same things), so you have the option of going with something you find familiar or choosing a new design entirely. Either way, you will be getting a functional shower that does its job well.
Electric Showers vs. Power Showers
Power showers work by boosting water pressure to move your water up to the showerhead, providing a stronger jet of water and helping to compensate for homes with low water pressure.
These are typically more complicated and can come at a higher price, but they might also be important for any home where water pressure is a very valid concern.
Even so, electric showers are usually still the most cost-effective option and can be an all-around reliable choice if you are having constant water pressure issues. This depends entirely on what features you need most and the kind of shower that you would prefer.
Electric Showers vs. Mixer Showers
Mixer showers do not use electricity to heat water, which can sometimes be a cheaper way of heating it up depending on the current cost of gas compared to electricity. They also have good temperature regulation and a lot of variety, meaning that you have plenty of models to choose from.
However, electric showers are more isolated, whereas mixer showers can be influenced by other appliances in the home using hot or cold water. If somebody turns a cold tap on, you might get a burst of cold water in the shower too.
Electric showers are simpler, but this doesn’t make them bad. If anything, it can allow them to serve some important roles in the home without needing to worry about them getting mixed up with other water systems. The electrical heating is also quite reliable, working on a completely different system to the rest of your home’s heating.