Axor Thermostatic Shower Mixers
This is the largest group of Axor taps at Bella Bathrooms, and most of it is concealed thermostatic hardware from Hansgrohe's design line. The families here are Axor ShowerSelect and ShowerSelect ID, the ShowerSolutions Select modules, and thermostatic modules from the Starck, Citterio, Montreux and Axor One ranges. A few exposed items sit alongside them, including a Citterio showerpipe with thermostat.
What a Concealed Thermostatic Module Is
A thermostat holds the temperature you set even when another outlet in the house is opened. Concealed means the working parts sit in the wall, which makes it two purchases rather than one. The valve body, called the basic set and usually an iBox universal, is plumbed in before tiling. The visible plate, handle and escutcheon are the finish set, ordered separately and fitted after. Several items here are finish sets on their own and a few are basic sets on their own, so read the title before ordering.
Functions, Outlets and HighFlow
Axor counts a module by functions, written as outlets in some shortened titles. A one function module feeds a single outlet, a two function module feeds an overhead and a hand shower, and the ShowerSolutions Select modules here go to three, four and five for walls with body jets. Settle the outlets before the module, because adding one later means opening the wall. HighFlow versions pass a considerably higher flow rate and are meant for large overhead showers and other high volume outlets.
ShowerSelect, ShowerSelect ID and the Shapes
ShowerSelect is spelled two ways in Axor's data, ShowerSelect and ShowSel, so try both when hunting a specific item. ShowerSelect ID is the more recent of the two lines. Both come in four escutcheon shapes, square, round, SoftSquare and SoftCube, cut down in the titles to sq, rnd, SoftSq and SoftC. Th and therm mean thermostatic, conc means concealed, and o or outl means outlet. Finishes run from chrome and matt black to the Axor FinishPlus surfaces, BBR being Brushed Bronze and BRG Brushed Red Gold.
The wider range sits on Axor taps, with the single lever concealed sets and the iBox universal bodies on Axor concealed shower mixers. The full Axor range adds the bathroom accessories.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I buy the Axor valve body and the plate separately?
Yes, for concealed installation they are two separate purchases. The basic set is the valve body, usually an iBox universal, and it is plumbed into the wall before the tiling goes on. The finish set is the visible plate, handle and escutcheon, and it fits over the body afterwards in whichever range and finish you choose. Order the body early, because the wall closes long before the trim is chosen.
What does a thermostatic shower mixer actually do?
It holds the water at the temperature you set. A thermostatic cartridge reacts to a change in incoming pressure or temperature and adjusts the mix to compensate, so opening a tap elsewhere in the house does not turn the shower cold, and the geyser catching up does not scald anyone. On a concealed Axor module the temperature control and the on-off control are separate, so the setting stays put between showers.
What does 1, 2 or 3 functions mean on an Axor thermostatic module?
It is the number of outlets the module can feed. One function runs a single outlet, such as an overhead shower. Two functions runs two, usually an overhead and a hand shower, and the module switches between them or runs them together depending on the model. The ShowerSolutions Select modules here go up to five for a wall with body jets. Decide this before the plumber sets out the wall.
Why do some products say ShowerSelect and others say ShowSel?
Because Axor supplies the product data in two spellings and both come through into the listings. ShowerSelect and ShowSel are the same family, just abbreviated differently, and ShowerSelect ID is the more recent line within it. If you are searching for a specific model, try both spellings before concluding an item is not stocked. This collection holds every one of them regardless of how the title is written.
Can I use a Hansgrohe valve body with an Axor finish set?
Generally yes, because the iBox universal is made to take finish sets from both the Hansgrohe and the Axor programmes. That is the point of it: the body goes into the wall early in the job, and the visible trim can be settled later without changing what is buried. Check the specific finish set listing against the body you have, and confirm outlet count and installation depth with your plumber.
