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Simple tips to help you reduce your shower costs
You might not realise it but there are several key ways you can reduce your shower costs, whether you're looking to replace your shower altogether or are just after tips to reduce how much you spend using your current shower.
Our lab tests include measuring water flow rate and energy efficiency, so we can tell you the price differences between the type of shower you choose and how the wattage will affect your bills, plus whether it's worth investing in a shower with eco settings or an eco shower head to help you use less water.
Find out what we recommend and the simple steps you can take to help you save some extra cash when showering.
Jump straight to our electric shower reviews to compare more than 70 models we've tested
The cost of electric showers vs mixer and power showers
When buying a new shower, your options are limited to electric, mixer and power. The type you choose could save you a considerable amount.
Electric showers
You don't need a hot water supply for an electric shower, as it will produce it on demand. It only heats the water you use, meaning no energy will be wasted heating a whole tank. They generally have a lower flow rate, typically around four to five litres of warm water a minute. Due to this, an electric shower is generally a better option if you're looking to save on water and energy.
Mixer showers
You'll need access to a hot and cold water supply, which isn’t always practical for some. A mixer can use anywhere between five litres a minute to an astonishing 30 litres a minute. Considering a mixer can use around double the amount of water a power shower uses, you could be spending a lot more for showering every day of the year.
Power showers
Similar to mixer showers, they combine water from the hot and cold water supply to reach your desired temperature. As the name suggests, power showers produce a far stronger flow than an electric unit, around 14 litres a minute. That’s a lot of water, but not quite as much as a mixer shower.
Find out more the different types and the best from our tests in our guide to the best electric showers
How your shower’s kWh affects cost
In addition to the type of shower, the power output is important to consider.
If you have a 10-minute shower every day for the entire year this is roughly what you'll be spending:
- 10kW shower Annual cost could be more than £200
- 9kW showers Between £164 and £185 annually, depending on the model
- 8.5kW shower Around £160 each year.
It's not simply a case of opting for a shower with a lower wattage to save money.
Higher-powered showers are more expensive as they use more water, but they also offer a more robust water flow and with more substantial pressure you may not need to be in the shower for as long washing off soap.
So depending on your shower habits, you may use less water and energy by having a more powerful shower and reducing your showering time.
Check out the best electric shower brands to see which ones owners rate
Does eco mode make a difference?
Using your shower's eco mode could cut costs by nearly half. In our tests, the 9kW showers dropped to around £84 for a 10-minute daily shower each year.
However, our testing also revealed that some electric showers can go rogue, with one in particular having an eco mode that costs around £50 more than similarly powered showers using the same setting.
Take a look at our electric shower reviews to compare the flow rate, as well as water pressure and temperature stability to ensure you don't end up with a shower that you'll hate using.
And if your shower doesn't have an eco mode, you might be tempted to look into adding an eco shower head.
These can be a great addition to a mixer or a power shower, because they give the feeling of higher pressure without actually using more water, so you can turn the dial down and save water.
Our eco shower head guide explains everything you need to know about water-saving shower heads and eco shower gadgets, including where to buy them.
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Four shower tips to help you save money
- Reduce shower time to five minutes You could save anywhere between £50-£90 a year if you take five minutes less to shower.
- Fix water leaks Wasted water can add up and even a slow-dripping shower head can make an impact on your bills if it's not sorted.
- Clean the shower head Limescale can clog up your shower head, meaning the flow won’t be as strong and you're much more likely to need more water to shower with. Make sure to clean yours regularly to reduce the impact of limescale.
- Switch to eco or low mode Although it leaves you with a weaker water flow, the amount you can save is staggering.
If none of these cut it and you’d rather just get a new shower altogether, then take a look at our Great Value electric showers to see which ones really punch above their weight despite a lower asking price.
Want to know more about our tests? Take a look at how we test electric showers