The range of shower faucets is almost unlimited. From different valve systems to a wide range of styles and finishes, let's just say that there are a lot of options. But almost all shower faucets can be grouped into two categories: pressure balance and thermostatic. How do they work, what’s the difference, and which one is right for you? Let's look into it.

Pressure balance shower faucets, as the name suggests, balance the flow of two water streams, hot and cold, by using one handle for both temperature and volume.

Riobel Reflet™ Pressure Balance Trim

Thermostatic shower faucets work in a similar way, but they use two separate handles, one for temperature and the other to control the water flow. This simplifies the process of selecting the right temperature, as you don't need to set it every time.

Hansgrohe Ecostat Thermostatic Trim with Volume Control

Thermostatic shower faucets are usually more expensive, as they use more complex internal mechanisms. But for that price, you get the ability to set the desired temperature and leave it as it is, while with pressure balance faucets, you need to adjust it every time by finding that sweet spot. This can result in slightly higher water consumption.

Sometimes thermostatic shower faucets have a third valve or knob that diverts the flow from an overhead shower to a hand shower (or even a tub spout). The diverter in pressure balance faucets is often incorporated as a switch on the top of the spout.

These technical differences influence the everyday use of the shower. For example, pressure balance shower faucets can be affected by water pressure changes. If someone uses the toilet, it can result in a temporary change in pressure, which affects the temperature because of the single, shared system in a pressure balance faucet. Due to the design of the pressure balance shower valve, lower pressure can also cause the water temperature to drop.

Thermostatic shower faucets, on the other hand, don't have such issues. Even if the pressure changes, the temperature stays the same.

So what should you choose? If you are on a limited budget, choose a pressure balance shower faucet. But if you strive for a more comfortable option, thermostatic faucets are better, though slightly pricier.

To further understand the differences between thermostatic and pressure-balanced shower faucets, watch this video.