Being able to turn the shower on and warming the water to the perfect temperature before you even get out of bed, is one of the luxury features of a Digital Shower.
Five years on from our en-suite bathroom renovation where we treated ourselves to a Digital Shower, I can honestly say that it was a great investment for us. We still love it!
I share my experience so you can decide if it will be a good investment for you.
What is a Digital Shower
Unlike with a standard mixer shower, where you manually turn a handle to control the water, a Digital Shower controls the water temperature and flow via signals it receives from a thermostat.
As the flow and the temperature of the water is controlled remotely and digitally, a digital shower can offer some fantastic features (depending on make and model):
The shower controller can be located anywhere within the signal range. Alternatively you can turn the shower on from your smart phone or by voice command. Ever wanted to turn the shower on while still in bed?
You can preset the perfect temperature so you won't freeze your buns off while waiting for the shower to heat up. Some models also support individual settings for each member of the family.
An App on your smartphone can track water usage, running time and indicate the cost of running your shower.
Also, no cold shocks if someone turns a tap on elsewhere in the house, due to the way the water is mixed and the temperature is controlled before it reaches you.
With enquiries and demand for Digital Showers on the increase, it is no wonder the market has expanded since we bought ours five years ago. Some of the leading brands include Mira, Aqualisa and Triton.
Photo Credit: Mira, Triton and Aqualisa
Features
We chose the Mira Platinum Dual, which comes with the following features:
Precise Temperature Control and Safety
The Mira allows you to control the exact temperature and the rate at which the water flows to create your perfect shower experience.
It also has a maximum temperature setting, preventing you or members of your family from scolding themselves.
Warm-up Mode - My FAVOURITE!
This feature allows you to start your shower, having set your perfect temperature, and it will run the water until it has reached the set temperature and STOP.
When you are ready to jump in, just start the water flow (with the press of a button) and the water flow starts again at your desired temperature. No more doing the 'cold shower dance' while you wait for it to warm up or getting that cold water shock (which I DO NOT enjoy, especially on a freezing winter morning!)
Demonstration of the warm-up mode of the Mira Platinum. Video Credit: Me
Eco Features
The flow control helps to reduce the amount of water you use and allows you to turn it up (when you need that extra power to rinse your hair). All it takes is a simple twist of the controller.
The warm-up mode greatly reduce the amount of water wasted while trying to get the temperature just right.
If you're the person to turn the shower on and get distracted by the handsome stranger in the mirror - How you doin? - the warm-up mode will turn off and hold the water automatically at the set temperature until you are ready to get in (or can tear yourself away from the mirror...).
The built in digital clock will display a 5 minute timer when you select the eco function, so you can keep track of how long you are spending in the shower.
Other features
Unique spray experiences are provided through the two different shower heads supplied with the Platinum model. The water flow from the overhead shower feels much stronger than a typical rain shower, even when the eco setting is selected. The handheld shower head has 4 different sprays including 2 very powerful streams. Both shower heads can be used at the same time (although that would not be very eco-friendly...).
Another of the main advantages of digital showers is that they are really easy to install.
From a features perspective, I cannot fault ours, so this is a major pro for me.
Price
As you would expect, a digital shower is more expensive than a standard shower. With the market expanding, pricing has become more competitive and ranges from around £350* to £1000* depending on the brand and system you choose.
Our Mira Platinum Dual costed £849 and comes as a complete system, including:
Digital Wireless Controller
Digital Mixer
Dual Shower Heads (one handheld option on a fixed riser and one ceiling mounted)
All the fixtures and fittings
Depending on your hot water setup, it can also include a built-in pump, should you require additional water pressure and this will add to the cost of your system.
Comparing the controller with other digital thermostat controllers, for example for central heating, the current price for a mid range controller is £149*, which when compared to that of smart central heating controllers, is middle of the road with the Hive costing less (at £95*) and the Nest costing more (at £190*). With a wide range of shower heads and finishes available it is much harder to make a comparison. That leaves the price of the digital mixer, which together with the water pump (if needed), seems to make up the majority of the cost of the shower.
Price has to be a consideration, however as it is a luxury product, you could argue that it is priced as such.
Experience and Quality
The Mira Platinum shower controller has a sleek, polished design that does not look cheap. Both the shower controller and shower heads feels heavy in your hand and are well engineered. The controller push buttons and dial responds instantly to touch and due to their design, are easy to activate even with wet hands. The digital display is clear and effortless to read.
Mira also provide a decent 5 year warranty with their Digital Showers, 2-3 years on shower pumps and 1 year warranty for fittings and accessories. Long life filters are included and replacement filters, cartridges and spare parts are available to buy, to extend the life of your Digital Shower.
The quality is certainly what you would expect from a luxury product and it delivers.
Verdict
After singing it's praises for this entire blog, it is no surprise that I highly rate our Mira Digital Shower and I think it is was worth every penny for an item we use daily and will get enjoyment from for many years to come.
I hope you have found this review helpful and it has in some way aided you in your decision whether to treat yourself to a Digital Shower.
*Prices quoted correct as at time of publishing.
Links provided throughout are not affiliated and based on my personal research and what I would use or recommend. Any products shown are not intended as a recommendation for a specific product, but rather as examples of what is available and to provide ideas and inspiration.