Digital showers

A digital shower is the premium control tier of the shower market: a processor unit that holds the temperature and flow at exactly the settings you choose, controlled from a panel on the wall or by a wireless remote. It’s the smart shower in the literal sense — programmable, repeatable, with the precise temperature management that mechanical thermostatic valves can’t quite match. The trade-off is price and compatibility: digital costs more, and you have to choose the right system version for your water setup.

What is a digital shower?

A digital shower has its working parts in two places. The processor unit (a box about the size of a hardback book) sits somewhere hidden — in the airing cupboard, under the bath, or behind a service panel — and contains the motorised valve and the electronics. The control panel sits on the wall inside the shower, with buttons or a touch screen to set temperature and flow. Some digital showers also include a wireless remote you can use to start the shower from outside the bathroom, so it’s already at temperature by the time you step in.

Inside the processor, the valve is motorised rather than mechanical, and the electronics hold the temperature within a tighter band than a traditional thermostatic shower can manage. Press the button, the shower starts at exactly the temperature you set last time. That repeatability is the main day-to-day reason people upgrade to digital.

Control and presets

Three control layers separate a good digital shower from a basic one.

• Push-button or touch control. The simplest version: on/off plus warmer/cooler. Easy for anyone in the household to use, and a clear upgrade over twisting a thermostatic mixer to the right setting.
• Wireless remote start. A small handset (often magnetic to stick to a bathroom mirror) that starts the shower remotely. Useful if you want to leave it warming up while you finish getting ready, or just don’t want to step into a cold cubicle.
• Programmable presets. The more premium models let each household member save their preferred temperature and flow, so a single press gets your exact settings. Mira’s Mode and Platinum ranges, and Aqualisa’s Quartz and Smart lines, all offer this.

Some digital showers also include a "warm-up" mode that pauses the flow when the water reaches temperature, then releases it when you step in — saving water that would otherwise run cold down the drain while you wait.

Where the processor sits

This is the practical question that distinguishes a digital install from a thermostatic one. The processor needs a hidden, accessible space within roughly ten metres of the shower itself, with mains power available and the hot/cold supply pipes routed to it. Common locations:

• In the airing cupboard, next to the existing hot-water cylinder. The easiest install when the cupboard is on the bathroom wall.
• Under the bath or in a vanity unit, behind a removable panel. Useful when there’s no airing cupboard adjacent.
• In the loft space above the bathroom. Workable in some installs but needs proper insulation against frost.

The processor needs servicing access at install time and occasional access over its life, so wherever it goes, it can’t be sealed in permanently. A good fitter will identify the location during the survey and plan the pipework and cable run around it.

System compatibility

Digital showers ship in different system versions for different water systems. Buying the wrong version is the single most common digital shower mistake.

• High-pressure (HP) version: for combi boilers and unvented mains-pressure systems where both hot and cold arrive at mains pressure.
• Pumped version: for gravity-fed systems with an integrated pump to boost the flow up to digital-shower standards.
• Standard / gravity version: for gravity-fed systems with sufficient head height to feed the shower without pumping. Less common; check the spec carefully against your system.

Always match the version to your water system before you buy. A high-pressure digital fitted to a gravity-fed system without enough pressure won’t work; a pumped version fitted to a combi can damage the boiler. If you’re unsure, ask a qualified plumber to check the pressure with a gauge before you commit.

Digital shower FAQs

What is a digital shower?

A shower controlled electronically by a wall panel or wireless remote, with the working parts (the motorised valve and processor) in a hidden unit usually in the airing cupboard or under the bath. It gives precise, repeatable temperature control and often includes programmable presets.

Is a digital shower worth the extra cost?

For households that want repeatable, smart-controlled showering and don’t mind paying a premium, yes. The price is meaningfully higher than a good thermostatic mixer, but the convenience of one-press start at exactly the right temperature is genuine, particularly for busy family bathrooms with multiple users.

Will a digital shower work on my water system?

Most can be made to work, but only if you choose the right system version. High-pressure for combi or unvented mains, pumped for gravity-fed with low head, and standard for gravity-fed with good head height. Check the product spec carefully against your system before buying.

Do digital showers use a lot of electricity?

No, very little. The processor uses mains electricity for the controls, the valve and any pump, but the energy used to heat the water still comes from your boiler (just like a thermostatic mixer). Day-to-day electricity use is comparable to a small appliance on standby.

Can I install a digital shower myself?

No. The plumbing and the electrical wiring both need qualified tradespeople, often a plumber and an electrician working together. The processor unit needs siting properly and the cable run to the control panel is precise, so this is firmly a professional install.

Filter the grid above by brand, control type and finish, or read electric vs mixer vs thermostatic showers for the wider type comparison.

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