The modern shower: What's available?

No longer must you struggle with a recalcitrant glass concertina shower door that seems to deliberately keep you out; no more do you need to crouch uncomfortably under a drippy shower head that trickles water in all directions - except yours; forget about those hideous 1970's brown tiles and awful stained shower recesses - it's time for a new shower, and the options are more exciting than ever before. If you want to know all about the modern shower and what it offers, find out right here.

Modern showers, multiple options

While fundamentally you expect a modern shower to both function well and be a generally pleasant experience, take some time to consider the options before you buy. Here are some contemporary takes on the shower concept.

• Steam showers offer a sauna type effect as well as simply allowing one to get clean. They come with built-in steam jets that allow for the relaxing and cleansing experience of a steam bath
• Electric showers are installed just like any other shower, connecting to your water supply. The difference is that water is heated not in a storage tank, but in the pipes (via an electric heating system) just before it reaches the shower. The main advantage of this system is the absence of a storage tank. Storage tanks are energy-wasteful, as they heat large volumes of water, often unnecessarily. They also concentrate waste materials, which further makes the electric shower system safer
• Mixer showers are a cheaper option, running both hot and cold water through one tap. They can be regulated around a thermostat, allowing the user to set a preferred temperature, or can come in manual, pressure balanced or pump - powered types. If you choose this type of shower, ensure that it complies with safety standards, as an incorrectly working mixer or thermostat can be unsafe
• Power showers can be considered if you are using tank water. Essentially they increase water pressure by using a pumping device, however they can only be used on tanks and have particular installation requirements (making the job best avoided, except by trained professionals)
• Doorless showers partition off a section of the bathroom and use the shape of the space to keep water within a certain area. Doorless showers avoid the need for clinging curtains or intrusive doors, which either take up space swinging into the room or use panels that break or are irritating to use. Designed with a lip or step to contain excess water and a bent or curved entrance for privacy, doorless showers are an increasingly popular option

If you know which of the above shower types interests you most, there are just a couple more factors that you might like to think about before heading down to your local bathroom supplier.

Choosing your shower: Additional things to consider

So you've got shower design covered, but what about cubicle shape? Perhaps more importantly, there's also the environmental aspect to contemplate. Saving water is a major green issue of modern times, so how should your new shower fare?

• Water economy is a particularly important requirement, given the current situation of low water storage in many parts of Australia. Consider one of the many water saving shower heads available, most of which give very satisfying showers. Advice on choosing a water-saving shower head should be available from your local council
• Modern cubicle design focuses on rounded corners, but these, although funky and easy to keep clean (no right angles!), do take up more bathroom space and so are therefore best suited to larger bathrooms

Space is obviously a factor to consider - there's no good opting for a shower that devours the majority of your bathroom floor space. Think practically and pick the right shower to match the room dimensions.

Whilst a shower might seem like the most basic of features in a home, it's easy to put up with a sub-standard appliance - at least for a short while. However, if you're looking to update yours soon, considering even just a few of these tips should get you enjoying a relaxing new showering experience in no time.