Best electric showers: top picks from our independent tests - Which?

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In this article

We measure yearly running costs of every electric shower we test, and we look for those that are easy to install and use, consistent in terms of temperature and that are able to produce a generous jet of piping-hot water.

Anyone can have an electric shower installed, as they use cold mains water and aren’t affected by the type of water system you have in your home. They generate their own hot water, so they’re usually the shower of choice for households where hot water created by the boiler is in short supply.

Whether you're looking for a cheap shower, one with care features for independent living or want a top-of-the-range power shower with a higher kilowatt (kW) rating, we'll help you to find the most suitable for your home.

How our tests find you the best

Temperature consistency

Reliability matters. No one likes the shock of a sudden and unexpected change in water temperature when the mains water is used elsewhere in your home.

Water and energy efficiency

We measure the amount of energy used on the high and lower settings, and record the amount of water produced. So you know how efficient an electric shower is to run.

Hot water delivery

The higher the wattage the more hot water a shower can put out, but we've seen a difference in the amount of hot water models with the same wattage can produce.

We also test...

How easy the shower is to install, to use and to clean. Plus how long it takes for the shower temperature to return to normal following a temperature drop.

Only logged-in Which? members can view the electric shower test results below.

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Date tested: May 2022, September 2021, September 2020 and December 2019. Page last checked: March 2025. We are not able to show every retailer and cheaper prices may be available. We’ve tested 66 electric showers in total, but the tables display our top picks and Don't Buys only.

All the electric showers we tested are listed in alphabetical order below.

Only logged-in Which? members can view the best electric showers from our tests.

Join Which? to get instant access to our test results and Best Buy recommendations below.

Most recently tested September 2020

Type Standard

Temperature controls Non-thermostatic

Need to know No built-in pump, three spray patterns, features digital display, phased shutdown, no soap dish, no anti-kink hose

Most recently tested December 2019

Type Care

Temperature controls Thermostatic

Need to know No built-in pump, three spray patterns, no digital or LCD display, phased shutdown, soap dish, anti-kink hose

Most recently tested September 2021

Type Standard

Temperature controls Thermostatic

Need to know No built-in pump, three spray patterns, no digital or LCD display, no phased shutdown, no soap dish

Most recently tested December 2019

Type Standard

Temperature controls Thermostatic

Need to know No built-in pump, four spray patterns, no digital or LCD display, phased shutdown, no soap dish, no anti-kink hose

Most recently tested January 2023

Type Standard

Temperature controls Thermostatic

Need to know One spray pattern, no digital or LCD display, phased shutdown, no soap dish

Most recently tested September 2020

Type Standard

Temperature controls Thermostatic

Need to know No built-in pump, four spray patterns, no digital or LCD display, no phased shutdown, soap dish, no anti-kink hose

Most recently tested December 2019

Type Standard

Temperature controls Non-thermostatic

Need to know No built-in pump, one spray pattern, no digital or LCD display, phased shutdown, no soap dish, no anti-kink hose

Type Standard

Temperature controls Non-thermostatic

Need to know No built-in pump, four spray patterns, no digital or LCD display, no phased shutdown, no soap dish, anti-kink hose

Most recently tested December 2019

Type Standard

Temperature controls Non-thermostatic

Need to know No built-in pump, four spray patterns, no digital or LCD display, phased shutdown, soap dish, no anti-kink hose

Most recently tested December 2019

Type Standard

Temperature controls Non-thermostatic

Need to know No built-in pump, four spray patterns, no digital or LCD display, phased shutdown, soap dish, no anti-kink hose

Available from Screwfix (£149.99)

Most recently tested December 2019

Type Standard

Temperature controls Non-thermostatic

Need to know No built-in pump, four spray patterns, no digital or LCD display, phased shutdown, no soap dish, no anti-kink hose

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Most recently tested September 2021

Type Standard

Temperature controls Non-thermostatic

Need to know No built-in pump, one spray pattern, no digital or LCD display, no phased shutdown, no soap dish

Available from Amazon (£86.01)

Most recently tested September 2021

Type Standard

Temperature controls Thermostatic

Need to know One spray pattern, no digital or LCD display, no phased shutdown, no soap dish

Available from Travis Perkins (£106.60), Triton (£99.99)

Most recently tested September 2021

Type Standard

Temperature controls Non-thermostatic

Need to know One spray pattern, no digital or LCD display, no phased shutdown, soap dish

Available from Screwfix (£78.99)

Most recently tested September 2021

Type Standard

Temperature controls Non-thermostatic

Need to know One spray pattern, no digital or LCD display, no phased shutdown, no soap dish

Type Standard

Temperature controls Non-thermostatic

Need to know Five spray patterns, no digital or LCD display, no phased shutdown, soap dish

Most recently tested September 2020

Type Care

Temperature controls Thermostatic

Need to know No built-in pump, five spray patterns, no digital or LCD display, no phased shutdown, soap dish, no anti-kink hose

Type Standard

Temperature controls Non-thermostatic

Need to know One spray pattern, no digital or LCD display, no phased shutdown, no soap dish

Type Standard

Temperature controls Non-thermostatic

Need to know No built-in pump, five spray patterns, no digital or LCD display, no phased shutdown, soap dish, anti-kink hose

Most recently tested September 2021

Type Standard

Temperature controls Non-thermostatic

Need to know Three spray patterns, no digital or LCD display, no phased shutdown, soap dish

Most recently tested September 2021

Type Standard

Temperature controls Non-thermostatic

Need to know Five spray patterns, no digital or LCD display, phased shutdown, soap dish

Most recently tested September 2021

Type Standard

Temperature controls Thermostatic

Need to know Five spray patterns, no digital or LCD display, no phased shutdown, soap dish

We regularly revisit the electric showers on sale to see if there are any more popular brands that need testing and when we find them we do.

Why you can trust us: at Which? we're free from manufacturer and retailer influence. Find out more about our impartiality and how your support helps us to stay editorially independent.

When buying a new shower, the first thing you need to consider is the type of water system you have in your house as this can affect the models you can choose.

Any water system will work with an electric shower, but mixer showers rely on readily available hot water supply, which means you’ll be more limited.

Here are the key points to bear in mind:

As well as these standard features, some specialist showers come with options that make them especially suitable for people who find showering difficult.

These showers – usually called care or inclusive showers – often offer users tactile controls that are easy to operate and which may even provide audio feedback (helpful for those with limited vision).

Some versions let you set the maximum and minimum water temperature and include smart functionality to monitor use – something that carers might find very useful.

In addition to buying a new shower, you’ll usually need to pay a qualified tradesperson to install it. The cost to do this will vary in relation to the complexity of the installation and it may depend on where you live in the UK.

That said, if you’re replacing an existing electric shower with a similar unit, then you may be able to do this yourself (as long as you’re reasonably confident at DIY tasks). Just note that trying to install an electric shower could result in serious injury, damage to your bathroom and an expensive bill if you have to get it professionally fixed.

On average, a plumber will charge around £50 per hour, and will take upwards of three hours to install a straightforward shower. While either a plumber or electrician can install the plumbing side, you must get a Part P-certified electrician to wire, test and sign off the electrics.

You can find skilled tradespeople to fit your shower through Which? Trusted Traders. You can also use our Trusted Traders search tool below.

An eco shower head (sometimes called a water-saving shower head) can give the feeling of higher pressure without actually using more water – meaning you can turn the dial down and save water.

They work by controlling the flow and spray pattern of the water. To see if you need one, we suggest that you put a 2-litre container on the shower floor. If it takes less than 12 seconds to fill when the shower is running on full, that's the equivalent of it putting out 10 litres every minute. If that's the case, you could benefit from a low-flow or water-saving shower head.

It's important to note that eco shower heads are usually not recommended for use with electric showers. Eco shower heads fitted with an integrated flow regulator help you save water by restricting the water flow. However, restricting water flow can lead to water building up in the heater tank, causing the shower to overheat. For this reason, manufacturers often advise that you shouldn't use eco shower heads on an electric shower, as this could damage the shower unit – contact the manufacturer if you're unsure.

Generally, electric showers are already water efficient, so you shouldn't need to use an eco shower head with an electric shower anyway.