The Best Power Showers For A Luxurious Shower On Low Pressure
Pumped showers that turn a feeble trickle from a loft tank into a proper spray.
Our quick verdict
Our pick of the best power shower is the Mira Vigour Thermostatic Power Shower, which pairs a strong 14 litres per minute with a thermostatic valve, so the water stays at the same temperature when someone runs a tap downstairs. It also ran quieter than the previous Mira model when we tried it. Where pump noise would wake the house, the Triton Silent AS200SR is the better choice.
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Our Picks At A Glance
- Check price of Mira Vigour Thermostatic Power Shower
Best Overall
Mira Vigour Thermostatic Power ShowerGravity-fed homes wanting strong flow at a steady temperature
- Check price of Mira XS Event Manual Power Shower
Best For Low Pressure
Mira XS Event Manual Power ShowerVery low-pressure gravity systems where flow comes first
- Check price of Bristan Hydropower Shower
Best For Low Pressure Runner-Up
Bristan Hydropower ShowerSmall bathrooms where a compact unit fits the wall better
- Check price of Triton Silent AS200SR
- Check price of Triton Manual Power Shower
Before spending anything, check the plumbing. These units only belong on a gravity-fed system with a loft tank and a hot cylinder, and if you have a combi or an unvented cylinder, you already have mains pressure and a thermostatic mixer shower is the right buy.
After that, a thermostatic valve earns its extra cost in a busy household, and pump noise becomes the deciding factor when the bathroom shares a wall with a bedroom. We fit these in rentals with weak pressure, and the five below include manual and thermostatic units from Mira, Bristan and Triton.
How We Tested These Power Showers
Some of the rentals and Airbnbs we look after suffer from weak water pressure, and those are the properties where we fit power showers. We don't put them in everywhere, only where low pressure leaves the existing shower too weak.
Our two most recent installs are shown below. On the left is the Mira XS Event, and on the right is the Triton AS200SR, and both ticked all the boxes in our testing.
For each shower, we looked at four things in use. The first was performance, meaning how strong and steady the spray felt. Then came build quality, followed by how awkward the unit was to plumb and wire in, and finally how much noise the pump made while running, which matters in a house where someone's asleep in the next room.
When a brand brings out a newer model, we try to swap it in for testing where it makes sense. Alongside our own installs, we compared the supplied accessories, design, warranty and value for money of every unit in this list.
The Best Power Showers We Recommend
All five are designed for low-pressure gravity systems with a cold water tank. Check you have stored hot and cold water before buying any of them.
Best Overall
Mira Vigour Thermostatic Power Shower
Best for: Gravity-fed homes wanting strong flow at a steady temperature
Check Price On AmazonThe Mira Vigour combines a pump with a thermostatic valve, so you get a strong shower that holds its temperature when someone runs a tap downstairs. Separate dials control the flow and the temperature, which gives you more control than a single knob.
Mira rates it at 14 litres per minute, enough to turn a loft-tank dribble into a proper spray, and it comes with a four spray handset, hose and slide rail. There's a maximum temperature override for safety, and you can choose white or chrome.
According to Mira, it's one of the easier power showers to fit because there's no need to prime the pump, and the filters and check valves are removable for cleaning. In our testing, it ran noticeably quieter than the previous Mira model. The unit itself has a plain, boxy look.
What we like
- Flow rate of 14 litres per minute
- Thermostatic temperature control
- Quieter than the previous Mira model in our testing
- Four spray handset, hose and slide rail included
- No priming needed according to Mira
- White or chrome finish
What to know
- Plain unit design next to some of the alternatives
Our verdict
Temperature swings are what the Vigour fixes best, and that's why it's the power shower we'd put in most gravity-fed homes, where someone always seems to turn on a tap mid-shower. The separate flow dial lets you soften the spray without touching the temperature. If the bathroom has very little wall space, the compact Bristan Hydropower Shower is the easier fit.
Best For Low Pressure
Mira XS Event Manual Power Shower
Best for: Very low-pressure gravity systems where flow comes first
Check Price On AmazonThe Mira XS Event is one of the two power showers we've installed most recently, and it's the white Mira unit in our testing photos. It's built for low-pressure systems only, and Mira says it gives a powerful spray even when the supply is weak.
It delivers 14 litres per minute through a four spray head, with separate controls for temperature and flow so you can fine-tune both. The temperature control is manual rather than thermostatic, so expect the temperature to shift if water is drawn elsewhere in the house. There's a maximum temperature stop to prevent scalding.
As with the Vigour, the filters and check valves can be removed for cleaning. It's the most expensive power shower in our roundup, and the warranty is only one year.
What we like
- 14 litres per minute flow rate
- Four spray head supplied
- Separate temperature and flow controls
- Removable filters and check valves
- Maximum temperature stop
What to know
- Most expensive power shower in our roundup
- Manual temperature control rather than thermostatic
Our verdict
Where the supply is very weak and you want a powerful spray you can fine-tune, the XS Event delivers, and it's one we've fitted ourselves. Its price and manual control are the two things to weigh up. If people run taps while someone showers, the thermostatic Mira Vigour will keep the temperature steadier, and the Triton Manual gives the same 14 litres per minute on a tighter budget.
Best For Low Pressure Runner-Up
Bristan Hydropower Shower
Best for: Small bathrooms where a compact unit fits the wall better
Check Price On AmazonBristan's Hydropower is the smallest unit in this roundup, which makes it the easiest to fit on a narrow wall or in a tight en suite. It's thermostatic, with a simple push button to start and stop the water.
It comes in two versions, the NT1000 and the NT1500, and the more powerful NT1500 is the one we'd choose. Bristan quotes a working pressure range of 0.1 to 1.0 bar, which suits gravity systems with very little head. An eco button turns off the boost when you want to save water, and the fitting hardware is included in the box.
The trade-off is flow. It manages 10 litres per minute, four litres less than the Mira and Triton models, so the shower feels a little softer.
What we like
- Compact unit for small bathrooms
- Thermostatic temperature control
- Works from 0.1 to 1.0 bar according to Bristan
- Eco button switches off the boost
- Fitting hardware supplied
What to know
- 10 litres per minute is lower than the Mira and Triton showers
Our verdict
Pick the Hydropower when wall space is the problem, as it'll sit happily in a tight en suite or on a narrow wall where the bigger units won't. You give up four litres per minute against the Mira and Triton showers, which makes for a softer spray, but the thermostatic control and eco button are welcome in a small bathroom.
Best Quiet
Triton Silent AS200SR
Best for: Homes where pump noise would disturb anyone sleeping nearby
Check Price On AmazonTriton is best known for its electric showers, but it makes power showers too, and the AS200SR is its quiet-running flagship. It's the Triton unit in our testing photos, fitted in one of our properties with weak pressure.
Triton says it has Quiet Mark approval for low noise, which is a big plus in a flat or a bathroom next to a bedroom. The built-in pump delivers 14 litres per minute, and stop and start push buttons keep operation simple for guests who've never used it before.
Multiple entry points for pipes and cable make it easier to line up with the existing supplies on a low-pressure gravity system, and there's an adjustable maximum temperature. The warranty is one year, and it costs more than the Triton Manual.
What we like
- Quiet Mark approval according to Triton
- 14 litres per minute from the built-in pump
- Multiple pipe and cable entry points
- Adjustable maximum temperature
- Simple stop and start push buttons
What to know
- Costs more than the Triton Manual
- Only a one year warranty
Our verdict
We'd pick the AS200SR for a flat, an Airbnb with thin walls or any bathroom that shares a wall with a bedroom, because quiet running is what Triton built it around. It's relatively expensive and the warranty is only a year. Where noise doesn't matter, the Mira Vigour gives you thermostatic control and the same flow rate.
Best Value
Triton Manual Power Shower
Best for: A basic power shower upgrade on a tight budget
Check Price On AmazonThe Triton Manual strips a power shower back to the essentials. A numbered dial sets the temperature by hand, there's no thermostatic valve, and the price reflects that.
What it doesn't skimp on is flow, with the same 14 litres per minute as the dearer Mira and Triton units. The kit includes the shower head, hose and riser rail, so there's nothing else to buy before fitting. Triton has included an automatic shutdown if the water supply fails, which protects both the pump and the person in the shower.
It's for low-pressure systems only, and Triton backs it with a one year guarantee. At this price the plastics and finish are simpler than on the dearer units, which for a rental bathroom is a reasonable trade.
What we like
- 14 litres per minute flow rate
- Clear numbered temperature dial
- Automatic shutdown if the water supply fails
- Head, hose and riser rail included
- One year guarantee from Triton
What to know
- Build quality isn't as good as the premium models
- No thermostatic control
Our verdict
Budget buyers who are happy to set the temperature by hand get full 14 litre flow from the Triton Manual without paying for a thermostat. It's a sensible choice for a rental bathroom that isn't used by several people at once. In a busy family home, the thermostatic Mira Vigour is worth the extra.
Choosing A Power Shower For Your Home
A power shower solves one specific problem, and it only works on one type of plumbing. These are the things to check before you buy one.
Is A Power Shower Right For Your System
A power shower needs a gravity-fed system, with a cold water tank in the loft and a hot water cylinder. The built-in pump draws from both and boosts the flow. Connecting one to a combi boiler or an unvented cylinder isn't allowed, because pumping directly from the mains is against water regulations and can damage the system.
If you have mains pressure and still get a weak shower, the problem lies elsewhere, such as a blocked head or a narrow pipe. Our guide on cleaning a limescaled shower head is a good place to start.
Flow Rate
The Mira and Triton showers here all give 14 litres per minute, while the Bristan Hydropower gives 10. More flow feels more luxurious, but it also empties the hot water cylinder faster. A small cylinder won't keep up with several long showers back to back, so think about how many people use the bathroom each morning.
Thermostatic Or Manual Control
A thermostatic power shower holds the temperature within a narrow band, so it won't run cold when the kitchen tap goes on. A manual shower relies on you adjusting the dial, which is cheaper but less comfortable in a busy household. For rentals and homes with children, we'd always go thermostatic.
Noise And Running Costs
Every power shower has a pump, and every pump makes some noise. If the bathroom sits next to a bedroom, look for a model with a quiet-running claim such as the Triton Silent AS200SR. Power showers also use more water and more heated water per shower than an unpumped mixer, which adds to bills if your water is metered.
Installation
Unlike an electric shower that runs from the cold main, a power shower needs both hot and cold feeds from the stored supply, plus an electrical connection for the pump. Replacing an existing power shower is a reasonable DIY job, but a new installation involves both plumbing and electrical work in a bathroom, so get a qualified installer if you're not confident with either.
Power Shower Questions We're Asked
Can you have a power shower with a combi boiler?
No, you can't fit a power shower to a combi boiler. A power shower contains a pump, and pumping water drawn straight from the mains breaks UK water regulations and can starve other outlets. A combi already gives mains pressure, so a thermostatic mixer or an electric shower is the right choice. Power showers are only for gravity-fed systems with a cold water tank.
What is the difference between a power shower and an electric shower?
A power shower mixes stored hot and cold water and boosts it with a built-in pump, while an electric shower heats cold mains water itself using an element. Power showers give a stronger flow but need a hot water cylinder and a gravity-fed system. Electric showers work on any mains supply and keep working when the boiler is off, but deliver less flow.
Do power showers use a lot of water?
Power showers use more water than other shower types because the pump pushes a higher flow, up to 14 litres per minute on the models in our roundup. That also means more hot water drawn from the cylinder. Some, such as the Bristan Hydropower, have an eco button to turn off the boost when you want to save water.
Is a power shower or a shower pump better?
A power shower is better for a simple swap, as the pump is built into the unit and there's only one thing to fit. A separate pump is better if you want a stylish mixer valve, or need to boost more than one outlet, as it sits out of sight in the airing cupboard. Our guide to the best shower pumps covers that route.
Is the Mira Vigour worth paying more for than the Triton Manual?
The Mira Vigour is worth the extra if more than one person uses the shower. Both give 14 litres per minute, but the Vigour has a thermostatic valve that holds its temperature when someone runs a tap downstairs, while the Triton Manual relies on a numbered dial. For a rental bathroom with one user at a time, the Triton Manual is enough.
Which of these power showers is the quietest?
The Triton Silent AS200SR is the quiet one. Triton says it has Quiet Mark approval, and we'd choose it for a flat, a thin-walled Airbnb or any bathroom sharing a wall with a bedroom. It delivers 14 litres per minute, so you don't lose flow for the lower noise. It's relatively expensive and the warranty is one year.
Which power shower would you fit in a very small en suite?
The Bristan Hydropower is the one for a tight en suite or a narrow wall, because it's the smallest unit in this roundup. We'd choose the more powerful NT1500 version. It manages 10 litres per minute, four less than the Mira and Triton models, and it has an eco button that turns off the boost to save water.
Will the temperature change if someone runs a tap while I'm showering?
On the Mira XS Event and the Triton Manual the temperature will shift, because both set it by hand rather than with a thermostat. The Mira Vigour has a thermostatic valve, so it holds steady when water is drawn elsewhere in the house. The Bristan Hydropower is also thermostatic, which makes it a sensible pick for a shared bathroom.
Which Power Shower We'd Fit
For most homes with a loft tank and a weak shower, the Mira Vigour Thermostatic is the one we'd choose, with a strong 14 litres per minute and a temperature that stays put. The Triton Silent AS200SR is the better pick where pump noise would wake the house.
Once the shower is in, a good replacement shower head and a properly sealed tray will make the most of the extra flow.
Richard has spent years renovating properties and turning them into rentals and Airbnbs. Like a lot of people he started out as a beginner, and these days there isn't much DIY he won't take on.