Should I buy the digital shower?

fantasyvn

Forgive me for the lack of knowledge. But only today did I know that there is such a thing as a digital shower. According to the Triton website, this "new technology" ensures you will have consistent water temperature. Also, there is a remote control to use. And the price is rather affordable - the one I was looking at is sold for £370.

Do you have any experience with this digital shower? Is it really excellent?

Thank you.

tired_dad

we have aqualisa HiQu. Excellent it is. Very easy to use. Looks nice. It is a pumped one. Bathroom fitter found it v easy to install. They have a control unit which has to be placed somewhere. Ours in in the loft. If they fail it costs a few hundred quid to have the company out to repair (change the pcb). This is what Ive been told. Very happy with it. Equally happy with the non digital hansgroge showers.

fantasyvn

Hi tired dad, thanks a lot for your kind reply. Do you mean it would cost a bit much in case it goes wrong after a few years?

tired_dad

When we got the shower, my research indicated that the control units can sometimes fail. Having said that, Aqualisa give a long guarantee if it is fitted to manufacturers guidelines.

At the end of the day, its a luxury quality product. Like a Mercedes, you pay more for it and expect higher maintenance costs. Unlike a mercedes it does not need servicing annually. Its fire and forget. You just need to remember that if the control unit has a problem it will need repairing.

I would still go ahead and get a digital shower. Just a nice showering experience

keystone

Just don't buy a Triton IMO.

Cheers

Beenie

The research I did a few weeks ago indicated that these showers DO go wrong as they rely on a microprocessor for control.

If they are sited in the loft, they can be subject to low temperatures which sends them loopy - also a power cut will cause failure.

Apparently it's fairly easy to re-set the controls with the telephone advice of the shower company, but who wants to be doing that when they're in the loft, dripping wet at 7a.m?

Out of the guarantee period, it's c.£200 for repairs. Fitters love them as it's easy installation but I was put-off by what I read.

cyclonebri1

I really don't see the need to go electronic for a shower, it's environment is hardly condusive to longevity

KISS remember ;)

Thermostaic showers are so cheap today that they can almost be regarded as throwaway items.

I too have had some rubbish products from Triton, the fact that B&Q and Wickes stock them (or did), means they have to come in cheap.

tired_dad

basically I agree. A good thermostatic shower does the job. Digital showers can be nice however esp when you dial in a temp or preheat the shower etc. There are little touches that make them appeal to a certain customer.

BoxerfanUK

In spite of the negative comments, I bought the shower in the link below for my bathroom last year and it's flippin' brilliant, love it, so much so that I've just bought another one for my en-suite.

So much better, no more pipes in walls and ripping out tiles to fix a shower. My loft is boarded and well organized so no problem to access the pump if it ever goes wrong. Triton also give a 5 year guarantee.

Just my own experience. :beer:

http://www.plumbworld.co.uk/triton-satellite-thermostatic-3258-17460

keystone

Beenie wrote: »

The research I did a few weeks ago indicated that these showers DO go wrong as they rely on a microprocessor for control.

That seems a very blinkered attitude. A great deal of stuff in your house these days is microprocessor controlled.

Cheers

keystone

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

I really don't see the need to go electronic for a shower, it's environment is hardly condusive to longevity

Neither do I see the real need for all this electronic monkey motion you get in a motor car these days. The point is?

Thermostaic showers are so cheap today that they can almost be regarded as throwaway items.

Cheap Chinese made tat will forever be cheap Chinese mad tat. Don't forget what CE these days usually means. I don't understand the "moneysaving" logic of spending x pounds every two or three years when spending y (where y might = 3x) pounds in the first place on a product that will last for 10 years is actually cheaper in the long run.. Then you've got to add in the cost of a new install every so often let alone the cost of recycling and disposal and the effect that has on your taxes and I can't see how that adds up to money saving at all.

I too have had some rubbish products from Titan, the fact that B&Q and Wickes stock them (or did), means they have to come in cheap.

Quite. I have a Triton shower in my bathroom. Its lasted 12 years so far. No sign of it needing a new cartridge. It wasn't cheap then but on the other hand I wouldn't replace it with a Triton now. The only thing thats going to make me replace it is that its time for a bathroom revamp anyway.

Cheers