Electric vs. Mixer shower - cheapest to run?

emsie_81

Hello, we are looking at doing our bathroom up and putting a shower in (don't have one at the moment, just a bath). We have a combi boiler and have been told we are looking at either an electric or mixer shower (thermostatic). We are wondering which would be the cheapest to run in terms of gas/electric, does anybody know?

Thanks in advance for your help

Leif

I am facing a similar question and the fitter has recommended an Aqua Lisa Visage Digital which seems to have an electric heater. In my case I have a Worcester Bosch 30CDI boiler.

daveyjp

Gas is cheaper than electricity therefore a combi boiler shower will be cheaper to run.

ziggyman99

Leif wrote: »

I am facing a similar question and the fitter has recommended an Aqua Lisa Visage Digital which seems to have an electric heater. In my case I have a Worcester Bosch 30CDI boiler.

The Aqualisa Visage Digital is what it says - a DIGITAL shower - that is not the same as a ELECTRIC shower. It doesn't heat the water.

phill99

emsie_81 wrote: »

Hello, we are looking at doing our bathroom up and putting a shower in (don't have one at the moment, just a bath). We have a combi boiler and have been told we are looking at either an electric or mixer shower (thermostatic). We are wondering which would be the cheapest to run in terms of gas/electric, does anybody know?

Thanks in advance for your help

I think the cost of installation will be your decider.

If you have seperate mixer valve working of the combi you will simply require a hot and cold water feed to the valve. Low cost installation. A shower mixer tap is even cheaper.

To put an electric shower in will rewuire a dedicated feed from the consumer unit (which it self may require upgrading), plus a cold feed. A basic shower will cost you £100 and the associated installation works could cost £400 - £500. You can put in a shower mixer tap for less than £100 and no associated electrical works.

Leif

ziggyman99 wrote: »

The Aqualisa Visage Digital is what it says - a DIGITAL shower - that is not the same as a ELECTRIC shower. It doesn't heat the water.

To be honest I am trying to find out what on earth "digital shower" means but without success. It seems to be a thermostatically regulated mixing system, and clearly requires some power source as there is an LED. Info online suggests that it beeps when the required temperature is achieved, so I guess it produces water when turned on, and then lets you know when it is at temperature. I guess it uses a low voltage feed from a transformer placed in a safe place such as above the ceiling. I must admit all this shower stuff is confusing.

MX5huggy

Digital showers have to be one of the best examples of over complicating something that is very easy. The advantages seem to be that you can have a button outside the shower to turn it on, so you don't get a bit of cold water on your arm. Then it tells you again via a LED or beep that the water has reached the required temp, again something that is quite easy to test for with a hand, and you quickly learn how long it takes anyway.

Get a good quality thermostatic shower valve made by Mira, bristain or such like.

If you have a combi the only advantage of an electric shower ( that's one that heats the water) is it gives you a source of HW when the combi fails.

moonrakerz

MX5huggy wrote: »

Digital showers have to be one of the best examples of over complicating something that is very easy. The advantages seem to be that you can have a button outside the shower to turn it on, so you don't get a bit of cold water on your arm. Then it tells you again via a LED or beep that the water has reached the required temp, again something that is quite easy to test for with a hand, and you quickly learn how long it takes anyway.

I went for an "optical" shower in my bathroom - it tells me when it is at the right temperature by misting up the glass side panel - damned clever