Power shower vs electric vs mixer shower: which do you need?
It is the question that trips up most people buying a shower: power, electric or mixer, and do you need a pump? The names sound similar and the boxes on the wall look alike, but they work in different ways and suit different homes. Choose the wrong type and it either will not fit your plumbing or will not perform. The good news is that the decision is simpler than it looks, because your water system makes most of it for you. This guide explains how each type works, shows which suits your system, and points you to the right product, without the jargon.
How each type works
Start with what is actually happening inside each unit, because that is what decides where it works:
An electric shower heats cold water on demand. It takes a cold feed straight from the mains, passes it over a heating element (like a kettle), and heats only the water you use. It needs no hot-water supply, which is why it works in almost any home. Its power is rated in kilowatts (kW), and a higher kW heats water faster, so it can run a little more freely. Because it heats as it goes, the flow is more measured than a pumped shower, and it keeps working even if your boiler is off, which makes it a dependable choice for an ensuite or a second bathroom.
A mixer shower blends water you have already heated. It takes hot water from your cylinder or boiler and cold from the supply, mixes them to your temperature, and sends that out. It does no heating of its own, so it relies on your existing hot water and pressure. On a high-pressure system it gives an excellent shower; on a weak gravity feed it needs a separate pump to feel strong. Thermostatic mixer models hold the temperature steady when water is used elsewhere.
A power shower is a mixer with a built-in pump. It blends stored hot and cold like a mixer, then a pump boosts the flow. That pump is the difference, and the reason a power shower only works on a gravity-fed system with stored water. It is the all-in-one way to turn a weak gravity shower into a forceful one without fitting a separate pump. Here is the comparison at a glance:
| Type | How it works | Suits which system | Pump? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electric | Heats cold mains water on demand | Most systems, including combi and mains | No, uses mains pressure |
| Mixer | Blends stored hot and cold water | Gravity-fed or mains (check the model) | Optional separate pump on gravity-fed |
| Power | Mixer plus a built-in pump | Gravity-fed only (tank and cylinder) | Yes, built in |
Which suits your water system?
Your water system is the deciding factor, so identify it first. If you have a cold-water tank (usually in the loft) and a hot-water cylinder (usually in an airing cupboard), you have a gravity-fed system, and it gives you the most choice: mixer, electric or power shower all work, and a power shower or a pumped mixer is the way to beat low pressure. If you have a single wall-mounted combi boiler and no tank or cylinder, you have mains-pressure hot water on demand, so an electric or a mixer shower suits you, but a power shower does not. If you have an unvented (pressurised) cylinder fed from the mains, you again have pressure already, so a mixer or electric shower is right and a power shower is not needed.
The reason this matters so much is that a power shower's pump only works with stored water and must never draw directly from the mains, both because there is nothing for it to boost and because water regulations restrict it. So the system does not just nudge the decision; it rules options in and out. Spend two minutes confirming yours, by checking for tanks and a cylinder, before you look at a single product, and the rest of the choice becomes far easier.
So the routing is simple. On a gravity-fed system wanting more force, look at power showers. On a combi or mains system, see electric showers or mixer showers. To check which system you have, read are power showers good for low water pressure? (linking when live).
Do you need a pump or a power shower?
If your home is gravity-fed and the shower is weak, you have two ways to add force, and people often muddle them. A power shower is an all-in-one answer: the pump is inside the shower unit, so you replace the whole shower and get the boost built in. A separate shower pump is a standalone unit (usually fitted near the cylinder) that boosts the water feeding a normal mixer shower, so you keep your existing shower and just add pressure. Choose a power shower when you want a complete new shower; choose a separate pump when you want to keep your current mixer, or boost more than one outlet such as a shower and a bath tap.
If keeping your existing mixer appeals, see shower pumps. On a combi or high-pressure mains, you need neither a pump nor a power shower, because you already have the pressure.
A separate pump also has the edge where you want to boost more than one thing. Twin-impeller pumps can drive a shower and a bath tap, or feed a whole bathroom, where a power shower only ever boosts itself. The trade-off is space and fitting: a separate pump needs somewhere to live, usually near the cylinder, and its own electrical supply, so it is a slightly bigger job than swapping a shower. For a single shower, a power shower is the neater, simpler answer; for boosting a wider system, a pump is the more flexible one.
Flow, cost and running cost
Each type has a different feel and a different cost pattern, so it helps to weigh them together. On flow, a power shower or a pumped mixer gives the most forceful spray on a gravity-fed system, while an electric shower's flow is more modest because the water has to slow down enough to be heated as it passes through. On purchase cost, electric showers are generally the most affordable to buy, mixers vary, and power showers sit higher because of the built-in pump.
Running cost works differently for each, so compare like with like. An electric shower heats only the water you use, but it draws a lot of electricity while it runs. A power shower or mixer uses hot water you have already heated (by your boiler or immersion), plus, for a power shower, a small amount of electricity for the pump. Which is cheaper to run depends on how you heat your water and how you shower, so there is no single winner. We have kept prices out of this guide deliberately: check the current price on each product, because that is the only figure that is ever truly up to date.
If you want a simple way to weigh it up, think about it in this order: your water system rules some types out, then flow decides how the shower feels, and only then does cost separate the options that are left. Chasing the cheapest unit before checking your system is how people end up buying twice. Settle the system question first, and the flow-and-cost trade-off becomes a straightforward choice between products that will actually work in your home.
Installation: what each needs
How a shower is fitted differs by type, and it affects both cost and who you need. An electric shower draws a lot of power, so it needs its own high-amp electrical circuit and a thick cable run from the consumer unit, along with a cold-water connection; the electrical work must be done by a qualified electrician to meet the regulations for a bathroom. A power shower needs a cold and hot water connection and an electrical supply for its pump, but the pump's load is far lower than an electric shower, so there is no high-amp circuit or thick cable; the connection should still be made by a qualified electrician. A mixer shower has no electrics at all unless you add a separate pump, so it is usually the simplest to fit, needing only the hot and cold connections.
The practical upshot: an electric shower is the biggest electrical job, a power shower a smaller one, and a plain mixer the smallest. In every case, leave the electrical connection to a qualified electrician rather than attempting it yourself, both for safety and to meet the regulations for electrical work in a bathroom. A plumber handles the water side; the electrician makes the supply safe.
Which should you choose?
Pulling it together, the decision follows your home more than your preference. If you are gravity-fed with a weak shower and want the strongest result in one unit, choose a power shower. If you are gravity-fed but happy to keep your existing mixer, add a separate pump instead. If you have a combi or high-pressure mains, choose a thermostatic mixer to make the most of that pressure, or an electric shower if you want a unit that heats its own water and works independently of the boiler, which is ideal for an ensuite or a home where hot water is in short supply. Families and households with children or older relatives should lean towards thermostatic control on whichever type they pick, for the steady temperature and the safety stop.
Whatever you choose, confirm two things before buying: that the type suits your water system, and that the flow and controls match how you actually shower. Get those right and any of these showers will serve you well for years; get the system wrong and even the best unit will disappoint, so it really is the first thing to settle.
Shower-type FAQs
What's the difference between a power shower, electric shower and mixer shower?
An electric shower heats cold mains water on demand and needs only a cold feed. A mixer shower blends stored hot and cold water. A power shower is a mixer with a built-in pump to boost flow. They suit different water systems, which is what decides your choice.
Do I need a pump or a power shower?
If you have low, gravity-fed pressure, a power shower is an all-in-one fix, while a separate shower pump boosts an existing mixer instead. On a combi or high-pressure mains you need neither. See shower pumps for the standalone option.
Is a power shower the same as an electric shower?
No, though they are often confused. An electric shower heats the water itself, while a power shower mixes existing hot and cold and pumps it. They need different plumbing and electrics, and suit different water systems.
Which shower is best for a combi boiler?
A mixer or electric shower. A combi already delivers mains-pressure hot water, so a power shower is not suitable. Browse mixer showers or electric showers for combi-friendly options.
Which shower is best for low water pressure?
On a gravity-fed system, a power shower or a pumped mixer gives the strongest result. On a combi or mains system the pressure is already there, so a good mixer or electric shower will do. See power showers.
Do all three types need an electrician?
An electric shower and a power shower both need a qualified electrician for the connection, because both involve an electrical supply in a bathroom. A plain mixer shower has no electrics, so it does not, unless you add a separate pump, which does. In every case the water side is a plumber's job.
Once you know your type, shop power showers for a gravity-fed boost, or head to electric showers and mixer showers for a combi or mains home. Free UK delivery, price match and 365-day returns. Big brands, small prices.