Showers can help you relax. Remote controls can help you relax. Why not combine them for the ultimate in relaxation? Perhaps that is what product managers at Moen thought when they hatched the idea of adding remote control capability to their ioDIGITAL showers and baths.

It’s hard to argue with the premise here — I’d give thumbs up to a good shower, and thumbs up to a good remote control. On the other hand (yes, I have more than two thumbs), don’t you have to be standing in the shower to enjoy it? If so, what’s the point? Perhaps this is like a remote starter for your car — you still have to get in the car to use it, but for people who can’t stand to wait a few seconds for the temperature to adjust, you have a remote control.

To be fair, the ioDIGITAL system seems to have a lot more going for it than remote control. Digitally controlled temperature and flow settings, four different presets so that you can get exactly what you want each time without having to fiddle with knobs — these seem like real benefits. But a tiny remote that you will spend more time locating than you would walking over to the bath and hitting one of those preset buttons? Please, spare the expense.

Speaking of expense, the LA Times reports that MSRP for the ioDIGITAL shower or Roman tub is $1,200, while the vertical spa (rain shower head plus four body jets) will set you back a cool $2,500.