Wiktor Wise
With the rising costs of utilities, many homeowners are looking for ways to reduce their monthly bills. One way to do this is to understand the costs associated with running an electric shower. Electric showers are generally considered to be energy-efficient as they heat only the water that is being used. However, electricity costs more than gas, so using an electric shower can be more expensive than using a gas boiler. The energy usage of an electric shower depends on its power rating and the duration of its use. A more powerful shower will heat water more quickly but will consume more electricity, leading to higher costs. Reducing the duration of showers can be an effective way to save money.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Cost of running an electric shower | £0.27-£0.34 per kWh (as of April 2025) |
| Cost comparison with gas showers | 3-4 times more expensive than gas showers |
| Power rating range | 7.5 kW to 10.5 kW |
| Energy efficiency | Energy-efficient as they heat only the water being used |
| Water efficiency | Do not save water; require a minimum of 30 litres per shower |
| Running cost reduction | Shorter showers, eco-mode settings, fixing leaks |
| Alternative options | Power showers, gas boiler showers |
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What You'll Learn
- Electric showers are more expensive to run than gas showers
- Electric showers are more expensive to run than traditional showers
- The cost of running an electric shower depends on its power rating
- The cost of running an electric shower depends on the duration of use
- Electric showers are more expensive to run than power showers
Electric showers are more expensive to run than gas showers
The energy usage of an electric shower is directly tied to its power rating and duration of use. A more powerful shower will heat water more quickly but will consume more electricity, leading to higher costs. A 9 kW shower, for example, uses 9 kilowatt-hours of energy if run for a full hour. If you shower for 15 minutes, you're using a quarter of that energy, or 2.25 kWh. Over a month, that's 67.5 kWh, and over a year, 810 kWh.
The length of your showers will also impact your energy bill. Reducing the duration of your showers can lower costs. Aiming for showers under 10 minutes can cut down on water and electricity costs by up to a third. Some modern electric showers have an eco-mode setting that uses less power to heat water, resulting in significant savings over time.
While electric showers are energy-efficient as they heat only the water being used, they are still more expensive to run than gas showers due to the higher cost of electricity.
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Electric showers are more expensive to run than traditional showers
The energy usage of an electric shower is directly tied to its power rating and the duration of its use. A 9 kW shower, for example, uses 9 kilowatt-hours of energy if run for an hour. However, most people shower for less than 15 minutes, using a quarter of that energy. A 15-minute shower with a 9 kW shower would consume 2.25 kWh, resulting in 67.5 kWh of energy usage per month and 810 kWh per year.
Electric showers with higher power ratings will heat water more quickly but will also consume more electricity, leading to higher running costs. The length of showers will also impact energy bills, with longer showers costing more. Reducing shower duration can effectively lower costs. Shower timers can help monitor shower length, and fixing leaks can prevent water and energy waste.
While electric showers are generally more energy-efficient than power showers, they can still consume significant electricity, especially compared to traditional showers heated by gas boilers.
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The cost of running an electric shower depends on its power rating
Electric showers have different power ratings, generally ranging from 7.5 kW to 10.5 kW. A more powerful shower will heat water more quickly, but it will also consume more electricity, leading to higher running costs.
For example, a 9 kW shower uses 9 kilowatt-hours of energy if used for a full hour. However, most people don't shower for an entire hour. Assuming a 15-minute shower, a 9 kW shower would consume approximately 2.25 kWh. Over a month, this would result in an energy consumption of about 67.5 kWh, and over a year, it would be around 810 kWh.
The cost of running an electric shower depends on the local electricity rates, which can vary by region and provider. In the UK, electricity rates are capped at 34 pence per kWh, so running a 9 kW shower for 15 minutes would cost approximately 7.65 pence.
To reduce costs, it is advisable to keep shower durations under 10 minutes, as this can lower water and electricity costs by up to a third. Some modern electric showers come with an eco-mode setting that uses less power to heat the water, resulting in significant savings over time.
Compared to gas, electricity costs more per unit. As of April 2022, electricity cost 29 pence per kWh, while gas cost 7 pence per kWh. Therefore, using a gas boiler for heating water can be significantly cheaper than using an electric shower.
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The cost of running an electric shower depends on the duration of use
Electric showers come in different power ratings, generally ranging from 7.5 kW to 10.5 kW. A more powerful shower will heat water more quickly, but it will also consume more electricity, leading to a higher running cost. For example, a 10 kW shower for 6 minutes will cost approximately 27p. Reducing the duration of your showers can be an effective way to reduce costs. Aim to keep your showers under 10 minutes, and you can cut down both water and electricity costs by up to a third.
The cost of running an electric shower is also influenced by the cost of electricity, which can vary by region and provider. In the UK, electricity costs four times more than gas, with gas costing 7p per kWh and electricity costing 29p per kWh as of April 2022. With the rising costs of utilities, understanding the cost of running an electric shower can help homeowners and tenants find ways to reduce their monthly bills.
It is worth noting that while electric showers are generally considered more energy-efficient compared to traditional showers, they can still consume a significant amount of electricity. Additionally, electric showers do not save water. In fact, they waste water when compared to traditional showers.
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Electric showers are more expensive to run than power showers
The energy usage of an electric shower is directly tied to its power rating and the duration of its use. A 9 kW shower, for example, uses 9 kilowatt-hours of energy if run for a full hour. Most people don't shower for an hour, but if you shower for 15 minutes, you're using a quarter of that energy, or 2.25 kWh. Over a month, that's 67.5 kWh, and over a year, 810 kWh.
Electric showers come in different power ratings, typically ranging from 7.5 kW to 10.5 kW. A more powerful shower will heat water faster but will also consume more electricity, increasing the cost. The length of your showers will directly impact your energy bill. Reducing the duration of your showers can be an effective way to reduce costs.
Electric showers are rated at around 9 kW, and cost around £3 per hour to run. In comparison, a power shower with a 400 W pump motor costs around 13p per hour to run. This makes a power shower around 20 times cheaper than an electric shower for the same length of time.
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Frequently asked questions
Electric showers are generally more expensive to run than traditional showers, with electricity costing more than gas.
The power rating of your shower and the length of your showers will impact the cost. A more powerful shower will heat water more quickly but will consume more electricity.
Keep showers under 10 minutes to cut down on water and electricity costs. Some modern electric showers have an eco-mode setting that uses less power to heat water, which can also help reduce costs.
Gas boiler showers are generally cheaper to run than electric showers. A family of four could save over £300 a year by switching from an electric shower to a gas boiler shower.
Electric showers can be useful as a backup option in case your boiler stops working. They are also seen as more beneficial if you plan to switch to renewable energy in the future.
