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BristanSmile 8.5kW

Standard electric shower
Non-thermostatic

£239.99View retailers

Test score

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The Bristan Smile (also known as the Bristan SM385W) is a reasonably priced electric shower. Bristan says it's 'Britain's number one for showers and taps', so we sent it to our test lab to see if this shower supports the claim.

pros

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cons

What's included?

What is it?
What's it great at?
Is there anything else I should know?
Should I buy it?

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KEY TEST RESULTS
Water flow rate
Stability on high setting
Temperature recovery time

Dec 2019First reviewed by Which?
Jan 2016Released

The overall Which? test score is made up of the following star ratings, all determined by our rigorous lab tests.

How we test electric showers

27 Mar 2023

Water flow rate

How we test water flow rate

We measure the amount of hot 40°C water that's delivered through the shower head in one go. In general, the higher the wattage of the shower the more hot water it will produce. Showers scoring five scores produced around a litre more per minute than models scoring three stars.

Temperature stability

Overall
Stability on high setting
Stability if the pressure drops
Temperature recovery time

How we test temperature stability

We test to see how well the shower can maintain a 40C temperature if someone else uses the water supply at the same time.

Ease of use

Overall
Ease of installation
Ease of cleaning
Ease of operating
Ease of adjusting the shower head

How we test ease of use

We test how easy the shower is to use and to clean. This includes elements such as how easy the instructions are to follow, how easy the shower head and temperature dials are to adjust and how easy the shower head is to clean.

Shower efficiency

Overall
Water efficiency
Electricity efficiency

Quietness

How we test quietness

We measure the decibel level while the shower is running and also subjectively assess the noise levels to pick out any particularly irritating sounds.

General
Type of shower	Standard electric shower
Temperature controls	Non-thermostatic
Power (Kw)	8.5
Colour/finish	White
Annual running cost	£116.43
Annual running cost of eco setting	£80.09

Features
Built-in pump	No
Number of spray patterns	1
Digital/LCD display	No
Phased shut down	No
Soap dish	No
Anti-kink hose	No

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Prices updated daily

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Amazon Marketplace UK
Out of Stock£239.99

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BristanSmile 8.5kW

pros

cons

What's included?

Test results

Specifications

Where to buy (1 retailer)

Suggested Alternatives

Mira

Redring

Triton

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