Richard Morgan/DIY Works
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Unlike other systems, a mixer shower uses both a hot and cold water supply and delivers it through the shower head. Although they are designed to work with any plumbing system, it’s important to note that some may have minimum water pressure requirements.
Compared to electric or power showers, a mixer shower is available in plenty of attractive designs. Most modern styles include brass components that have been chrome-plated for a desirable, luxurious look and feel. Even if you had the best-rated electric shower, it’ll never have the same effect because you’ll have to hide the heating elements with plastic housing.
Another benefit of choosing a mixer shower is that it’ll work with both low and high water pressures. For example, the Mira Excel (which we highly rated) can function from just 0.1 bar, which is very impressive and can make a big difference for those with low water pressure.
To assist you in selecting a mixer shower, our handpicked selection lists top-performing showers, chosen based on our first-hand experience installing and using a range of models. Our testing and up-to-date research further ensure the quality of our recommendations.
Best Overall: Bristan Quadrato Mixer
Best Quality: GROHE Euphoria Thermostat
Best For Low Pressure: Mira Showers Excel Variable
Best Value: Bristan Zing Cool Touch Bar
Best All-Rounder: Hausbath Thermostatic Mixer Shower
Best Value Runner-Up: Solepearl Thermostatic Shower System
How The DIY Works Team Tests & Rates The Mixer Showers
Compared to other shower systems, mixer showers are often the most expensive and it’s worthwhile spending your time to find the best. Therefore, to assist with your research, the recommendations within this article are based upon our research, experience of installing a range of mixer showers as well as multiple factors. Some of the factors that were considered include the shower head, ease of installation, design, minimum water pressure requirement, build quality, technology, warranty and value for money.
Richard Morgan/DIY Works
As you can see in the above photo, we recently installed the GROHE Euphoria (which we rated as the “Best Quality” mixer shower in this article). Not only does it look and feel high quality, but the showering experience it provides is best described as luxurious and it was certainly worth the money we paid.
Below are other mixer showers that we’ve installed and tested recently within our Airbnb properties. As you can see, both of the showers follow the latest trend, which is of course a stylish black finish as opposed to chrome.
Richard Morgan/DIY Works
Richard Morgan/DIY Works
Mixer Shower Buying Guide
A mixer shower delivers water flow to the shower head from the hot and cold water supply. The system requires no electricity and is available in a range of luxury designs to suit your home décor.
Almost all expensive homes or hotel bathrooms will use a mixer shower as they provide a luxury look and feel. Unlike an electric or power shower, they don’t need to hide the heating elements within a plastic housing. There is also a wide offering of high-quality designs available to best suit your requirements.
To help you make an informed buying decision, we have produced the below guide regarding mixer showers.
Benefits of Mixer System
Mixer showers are a great addition to any home and are available in multiple designs. Some of the main benefits of choosing a mixer shower system include:
- No electricity required – Reduces installation work and costs.
- Will function in a power cut – As there is no electrical heating element.
- Stylish designs available – No need for unattractive plastic housing.
- Suitable for all plumbing systems – Many can run from low and high water pressures.
- Thermostatic or manual – Most people choose thermostatic for safety.
- High flow rate – This provides a more luxurious showering experience.
Water Pressure Requirements
An important factor to consider before purchasing any mixer shower is the water pressure. Some systems can run from as little as 0.1 bar whereas others need at least 1.0 bar of water pressure to run at its optimum performance. If you choose an incorrect system, you will be left disappointed with the water flow coming from the shower head.
Installation
Depending upon the system that you choose, installing a mixer shower is one of the easiest systems to install. However, if you are replacing an electric shower, you will need to plumb in a hot water supply, which can extend the installation time. All the UK mixer showers will use standard connections and many include multiple water entry points.
Shower Heads
Many people have certain preferences when it comes to the shower head of the mixer shower. Most fixed designs will have the desirable rainfall effect but others prefer a handheld unit, which is more versatile.
Construction
The majority of mixer showers will use brass components with high-shine chrome plating. The main reason is that the brass components will not rust and the chrome plating provides the luxury finish, which is also easy to clean.
Conclusion
Mixer showers are the best option if you are trying to build a luxurious bathroom. They don’t require unattractive plastic housing and there are several different designs that you can choose from to best suit your requirements.
All of the recommendations above are suited to a range of budgets and plumbing systems. We advise that you choose a system that provides optimum performance based on the water pressure of your home to avoid disappointment.
