Which shower controls?

[Milleniumaire]

I have now reached the stage of our bathroom refurbishment where I need choose which shower to install and I would be interested in recommendations as I'm sure as plumbers and heating engineers you probably install many different types of showers and have also installed showers in your own homes, possibly based on what you have installed for customers.

We have quite a large house bathroom and plan to have a walk in shower, possibly with a flush fitting tray, but maybe fully tiled. The shower area is 900cm wide x 1300cm long. A 1300cm glass screen will be used to separate the shower area from the rest of the bathroom and the other long side is a partition wall with a built in bedroom wardrobe on the other side of the partition. The 900cm wall side is an outside wall, so this is where the waste will run. The fourth (900cm) side is the open entrance to the shower area and we were thinking of having the shower controls on the left (against the partition wall), including a small shower head on a flexible hose and further in the shower having a round 30cm ceiling fitted shower head.

For the controls, I've been looking at the Mira Mode Digital, which has the ability to control both the flexible shower head and the fixed head and the processing unit could be installed in the bedroom wardrobe on the other side of the wall, so the power socket wouldn't be in the bathroom. I'm not really that interested in the app based controller so this is something of a gimmick.

Alternatively, I was thinking of something like the Hansgrohe Showerselect Thermostat Two Outlets or possibly the Grohe Grohtherm SmartControl Twin Outlet Thermostatic Shower Valve. Admittedly these are quite pricey!

I would be interested in your thoughts and recommendations on shower controls, fixed heads and flexible hoses you have found to be simple to install, reliable and of good quality. I know this is a lot to ask

 

[muggles]

Have a look at the Aqualisa digital range - excellent quality and a range of styles & installation options to suit most cases

 

[Milleniumaire]

I ended up buying the Mira Platinum dual ceiling fed system. I looked at the Aqualisa and really liked the Q model. Generally the Aqualisa Q seems to be more expensive than the Mira Platinum model, but I prefer the fact that the Aqualisa Q controller is wired to the digital box and also that it has a wall fed shower along with the ceiling fed deluge head. Unfortunately the Mira Platinum controller is wireless and requires batteries. The Mira Platinum looks to be easier to install to an existing bathroom, especially the ceiling fed version, assuming there is a loft space above the shower in which to site the digital box and access the water supply. This isn't an issue for me as it is being installed as part of a bathroom refurbishment.

As much as I preferred the Aqualisa Q, I couldn't bring myself to spend £650+ on it and then I came across an Amazon Warehouse deal for the Mira Platinum, priced at £425. Still a lot of money for a shower, but a good £150 saving simply because someone had returned an open box! And at £250 cheaper than the Aqualisa Q, I will have to live with the features I don't particularly like about the Mira!