The Best Shower Pumps For Boosting Your Morning Routine
Twin impeller pumps that turn a weak gravity-fed shower into a strong one.
Our quick verdict
Our pick of the best shower pump is the Bristan ST PUMP20TN. Its 2.0 bar twin boost turns a weak gravity-fed shower into a proper one without emptying the hot water cylinder, and Bristan backs it for five years. If you're running a big rainfall head or body jets, the Stuart Turner Monsoon is the most powerful pump here at 3.0 bar.
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Our Picks At A Glance
- Check price of Bristan ST PUMP20TN
- Check price of Salamander CT75 Xtra
- Check price of Stuart Turner Monsoon
- Check price of Stuart Turner Showermate ECO Pump
Easiest To Install
Stuart Turner Showermate ECO PumpDIY installs boosting a mixer shower, bath or tap
- Check price of Grundfos STR2 Shower Booster Pump
Best Budget
Grundfos STR2 Shower Booster PumpA modest pressure boost on a gravity system for less money
- Check price of Arley Cyclone Booster
Best Budget Runner-Up
Arley Cyclone BoosterBudget installs where a UK-made pump with WRAS approval matters
Your plumbing narrows this list before price or power comes into it. Every pump here needs a cold tank in the loft feeding a hot water cylinder, so a combi home is ruled out from the start, and a loft bathroom sitting level with the tank needs a negative head model.
After that, match the bar rating to your shower head and to the size of your cylinder, because a bigger boost drains the hot water faster. We've fitted pumps in several of our rentals, and the picks run from budget boosters up to 3.0 bar.
How We Tested These Shower Pumps
Over the years, we've plumbed shower pumps into several of our rentals and Airbnbs. Sometimes it's to bring a feeble shower up to an acceptable standard, and other times it's to give guests a more luxurious one, and every installation has made a big difference.
Where we can, we upgrade pumps to newer models and keep testing. The photos below are from recent installs, and none is tied to a specific pump in our list.
Once a pump was in, we judged it on how much it improved the shower, how straightforward it was to fit, how well it was built and what hardware came in the box. Noise and vibration got close attention too, as a pump can kick in every time a tap on the boosted supply is opened. Alongside our own installs, we compared compatibility, warranty and value across every pump in the list.
The Best Shower Pumps We Recommend
Every pump here is for gravity-fed systems with a cold water tank. Check whether your installation needs a positive or negative head pump before buying.
Best Overall
Bristan ST PUMP20TN
Best for: Most gravity-fed homes wanting a reliable 2.0 bar boost
Check Price On AmazonThe PUMP20TN is a 2.0 bar twin pump, so it boosts both the hot and cold supplies and suits most mixer showers in a gravity-fed home. It's one of four in Bristan's range, alongside a 1.5 bar twin, a 2.0 bar single and a negative head pump.
It works fully automatically, starting when you turn the shower on and stopping when you turn it off. Inlet and outlet connections come in the box along with the fixing kit, so there's no need for a trip to the plumbers' merchant before fitting.
Bristan backs the pump with a five year guarantee, which is as long as anything else in this roundup. Like every pump on this list, it's for gravity-fed systems only, so it won't help a weak shower on a combi boiler.
What we like
- 2.0 bar twin pump boosts hot and cold
- Range includes single, twin and negative head models
- Five year manufacturer guarantee
- Connections and fixing kit included
- Fully automatic start and stop
What to know
- For gravity-fed systems only, so no use with a combi
Our verdict
For a typical gravity-fed home with a mixer shower, the PUMP20TN gets the balance right. There's enough boost to make a real difference without asking more of the cylinder than it can give, and if your bathroom sits high in the house, Bristan makes a negative head version too. Only step up to the Stuart Turner Monsoon if you're feeding a big rainfall head.
Best All-Rounder
Salamander CT75 Xtra
Best for: Compact cupboards where a small 2.0 bar twin pump needs to fit
Check Price On AmazonThe CT75 Xtra is a 2.0 bar twin impeller pump with a compact body that fits into tight airing cupboards, and Salamander is a brand we've fitted before, as our installation photos show. It's a regenerative positive head pump, suited to conventional and multi-function showers.
Salamander says it's designed for reduced noise and vibration, and it uses a brushless motor drive. It's continuously rated, so it can run for long periods without overheating, and it's WRAS approved. AV couplers and a hose kit come in the box, which helps cut down vibration travelling through the pipework.
After installing one, we found it slightly noisier than some of the other pumps we've fitted, so it's worth mounting on a solid floor with an anti-vibration mat. The guarantee runs for three years.
What we like
- Compact body for tight spaces
- 2.0 bar twin impeller
- Brushless motor drive
- AV couplers and hose kit supplied
- WRAS approved
- Three year guarantee
What to know
- Slightly noisier than other pumps we've installed
Our verdict
The Salamander CT75 Xtra is a good choice when space in the airing cupboard is tight and you want 2.0 bar from a well-known pump brand. If noise is a worry, take care over mounting or look at the Stuart Turner Showermate ECO. For a longer guarantee at the same pressure, the Bristan PUMP20TN offers five years.
Best For Performance
Stuart Turner Monsoon
Best for: The strongest possible shower from a gravity-fed system
Check Price On AmazonThe Monsoon is the pump for a shower that needs serious pressure, such as a large rainfall head or a body jet setup fed from a tank in the loft. Its twin impeller design delivers 3.0 bar, the most in this roundup.
Stuart Turner builds it with brass pump bodies inside a plastic housing, and the peripheral impeller design is straightforward to plumb in. It's continuously rated, WRAS approved and runs relatively quietly for the pressure it produces.
According to Stuart Turner, the Monsoon is for positive head installations only, meaning water must flow from the shower head by gravity before the pump starts. If your shower sits above or level with the tank, you'll need a negative head pump instead. The guarantee runs for five years, and it's the most expensive pump on this list.
What we like
- Powerful 3.0 bar twin impeller
- Brass pump bodies
- Relatively quiet for its output
- Continuously rated
- WRAS approved
- Five year guarantee
What to know
- Most expensive pump in our roundup
- Positive head installations only
Our verdict
Buy the Monsoon when a standard boost won't drive the shower you've planned. It's also the dearest pump here, and it'll empty a small cylinder quickly. Most bathrooms are well served by 2.0 bar from the Bristan PUMP20TN, so save the Monsoon for a setup that genuinely needs it.
Easiest To Install
Stuart Turner Showermate ECO Pump
Best for: DIY installs boosting a mixer shower, bath or tap
Check Price On AmazonThe Showermate ECO is Stuart Turner's mid-range twin pump, and it can boost the hot and cold supply to a mixer shower, a bath filler or a tap as well as a single shower. That flexibility helps if you're fitting a new bathroom suite and want a better fill rate on the bath too.
The kit is what makes it the easiest to fit. Flexible 15mm hoses come in the box, which means you can connect it without lining up rigid pipework perfectly.
It has a plastic body, it's WRAS approved and it's backed by a three year guarantee. Like the Monsoon, it only works on positive head systems, so check that water flows from your shower by gravity before ordering.
What we like
- 15mm flexible hoses supplied
- Boosts showers, baths and taps
- Twin pump for hot and cold
- WRAS approved
- Three year guarantee
What to know
- Positive head installations only
- Plastic body rather than brass
Our verdict
DIY installers get the most from the Showermate ECO, because the flexible hoses take the fiddle out of connecting it. Being able to boost a bath or tap as well is a bonus during a full bathroom refit. Check your system first, as it won't run on a negative head setup.
Best Budget
Grundfos STR2 Shower Booster Pump
Best for: A modest pressure boost on a gravity system for less money
Check Price On AmazonThe Grundfos STR2 is a more affordable way to boost a gravity-fed shower, with a regenerative twin impeller giving up to 1.5 bar according to Grundfos. That's a noticeable improvement on a weak supply, though not as dramatic as the 2.0 and 3.0 bar pumps here.
It's continuously rated and has an auto-resetting thermal cut-out that switches it off if it overheats and back on once it cools. It's rated IPX2 against dripping water and has 3/4 inch connections. The 3 metre power cable is the practical bonus, as it gives you some choice over where the pump sits relative to the fused spur.
It's noisier than many other shower pumps, and the warranty runs for two years.
What we like
- 1.5 bar twin impeller according to Grundfos
- Auto-resetting thermal cut-out
- Continuously rated
- IPX2 water protection
- 3 metre power cable
What to know
- Noisier than many other shower pumps
- Two year warranty is shorter than Bristan and Stuart Turner
Our verdict
On a tight budget, the STR2 gives a gravity shower a modest but welcome lift. Where you put it matters, since it's not a quiet pump, so a garage or a cupboard away from bedrooms suits it best. Anyone wanting a stronger shower will notice the difference with a 2.0 bar pump like the Bristan PUMP20TN.
Best Budget Runner-Up
Arley Cyclone Booster
Best for: Budget installs where a UK-made pump with WRAS approval matters
Check Price On AmazonThe Arley Cyclone is one of the cheapest shower pumps we'd still consider. It's a 1.5 bar twin impeller pump made in the UK, and it's WRAS approved, which confirms it meets the water regulations for use on a domestic system.
Arley describes it as powerful yet quiet, and the switching is automatic, so it starts and stops with the shower. An installation kit comes in the box.
The build quality isn't up to the premium pumps from Stuart Turner or Bristan, and the warranty is 12 months, the shortest in this roundup.
What we like
- 1.5 bar twin impeller
- Made in the UK
- WRAS approved
- Automatic switching
- Installation kit supplied
What to know
- Build quality isn't up to the premium pumps
- 12 month warranty is the shortest in our roundup
Our verdict
Rentals that need a weak shower fixed for the least outlay are where the Cyclone fits. UK manufacture and WRAS approval are reassuring at this price. The 12 month warranty and lighter build are the compromises, so for a pump you expect to run for years, the Bristan PUMP20TN is the better long-term buy.
Choosing The Right Shower Pump
A shower pump is only the right answer on certain plumbing, and picking the wrong type means it won't run at all. Check the following before you order.
Gravity-Fed Systems Only
Shower pumps are for homes with a cold water storage tank, normally in the loft, feeding a hot water cylinder. They must never be connected to a combi boiler, an unvented cylinder or the incoming mains, as pumping straight from the mains is against water regulations. If you have a combi and a weak shower, the cause lies elsewhere, such as a limescaled head. Our guide on cleaning a shower head is a good first step.
Positive Or Negative Head
A positive head pump needs water to flow out of the shower head by gravity before the pump kicks in. That's the normal setup when the tank sits well above the shower. If the shower is level with or above the base of the tank, for example in a loft bathroom, you need a negative head pump, which starts on demand even without gravity flow.
Single Or Twin Impeller
A single impeller pump boosts just one supply. A twin pump boosts both hot and cold, which is what a mixer shower needs to stay balanced. Most homes upgrading a mixer will want a twin.
How Much Pressure You Need
Pumps are rated in bar. A 1.5 bar pump gives a clear improvement for a standard head, while 2.0 bar suits most mixers and rainfall heads. A 3.0 bar pump drives large heads and body jets, but it also empties the hot water cylinder faster, so check your cylinder size can keep up.
Noise, Vibration And Fitting
Every pump makes some noise, and the airing cupboard next to a bedroom isn't ideal. Stand the pump on a solid base with an anti-vibration mat and use the flexible hoses supplied to stop vibration travelling through the pipes. A pump also needs its own fused spur, so the job involves both plumbing and wiring and is best left to a plumber unless you're confident with both. For the shower itself, our pick of the best shower heads helps you make the most of the extra pressure.
Shower Pump Questions From Homeowners
Can I fit a shower pump to a combi boiler?
No, you can't fit a shower pump to a combi boiler. A combi takes water straight from the mains, and pumping from the mains is against UK water regulations because it can reduce pressure to neighbouring properties and draw back contaminated water. Shower pumps are only for gravity-fed systems with a cold water tank and a hot water cylinder.
What is the difference between a positive and negative head pump?
A positive head pump needs water to flow out of the shower head by gravity before it starts, which is the case when the cold tank sits well above the shower. A negative head pump starts on demand even when there's no gravity flow, so it suits showers that are level with or above the tank, such as in a loft conversion.
Do I need a single or twin shower pump?
You need a twin shower pump if you have a mixer shower, because it boosts both the hot and cold supplies equally and keeps the temperature balanced. A single pump only boosts one supply, so it suits a setup where hot and cold are already blended before the pump. Most homes upgrading a mixer shower on a gravity system choose a twin.
How can I make my shower pump quieter?
To make a shower pump quieter, stand it on a solid floor rather than a suspended shelf and put an anti-vibration mat underneath. Use the flexible hoses supplied instead of rigid pipe right up to the pump, and clip nearby pipework so it can't rattle. If it's still loud, check the filters are clear, as a blocked inlet makes a pump strain.
Is the Stuart Turner Monsoon worth it over the Bristan ST PUMP20TN?
The Stuart Turner Monsoon is only worth it for a setup that needs serious pressure, such as a large rainfall head or body jets. It delivers 3.0 bar, the most in this roundup, but it's also the dearest and it'll empty a small cylinder quickly. Most bathrooms are well served by the 2.0 bar Bristan ST PUMP20TN.
Which shower pump is easiest for a DIY fitter?
The Stuart Turner Showermate ECO is the easiest to fit, because 15mm flexible hoses come in the box. You can connect it without lining up rigid pipework perfectly. It can also boost a bath filler or a tap, which helps in a full bathroom refit. It won't run on a negative head setup, so check your system first.
Is the Grundfos STR2 enough to fix a weak shower?
The Grundfos STR2 gives a gravity shower a modest but welcome lift, with up to 1.5 bar according to Grundfos. It's the budget pick, though not as dramatic as the 2.0 and 3.0 bar pumps here. It isn't a quiet pump, so fit it in a garage or a cupboard away from bedrooms.
Is the Arley Cyclone good enough for a rental bathroom?
Yes, the Arley Cyclone suits a rental that needs a weak shower fixed for the least outlay. It's a 1.5 bar twin impeller pump made in the UK, WRAS approved and switching automatically with the shower. The build is lighter than the premium pumps and the warranty is 12 months, so choose the Bristan ST PUMP20TN if you want a pump for the long term.
Which Shower Pump We'd Choose
The Bristan ST PUMP20TN is the shower pump we'd fit in most gravity-fed homes. It gives a mixer shower all the lift it needs, and Bristan stands behind it for as long as anyone here. For the most powerful shower a loft tank can feed, the Stuart Turner Monsoon at 3.0 bar is the one to buy, as long as your cylinder can keep pace.
Fitting a pump is a good time to look at the rest of the shower too. Our guide to the best mixer showers covers valves that will make the most of the extra pressure.
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.