Best Shower Head Water Filters 2020
Last year I was at a wonderful beachside resort, but when I washed my hair there I felt that it wasn’t rinsed at all! The water felt sticky, the shampoo didn’t work too well, and my hair and skin were pathetic.
I learned later that the water at the resort had a very high content of minerals and other organic substances. It also showed in the taste and odor it had. A cup of tea there had a very different taste.
The inconvenience caused by itchy skin or limp hair is not the only downside of contaminated water. Research has also shown that it could have very serious effects on our health.
Luckily, using a showerhead filter is a simple and very efficient way to keep our showers healthy and enjoyable. But which filter is the best? And what exactly does it need to remove? And why? Read on, and let’s find out.
Here are some of our favorite showerhead filters.
Our Top Picks
This is a list of the best shower head filters in the market. Bear in mind the quality of water in your area, and your budget. The filters we picked have various degrees of filtration. There’s the 15-stage filter all the way to the simple budget-friendly model.
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1. WASSA High Pressure Shower Head and 15 Stage Shower Filter Combo
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The WASSA combo is a very efficient shower filter. It has more than one strong point, but we can start with the 15-stage filtration: Water filters usually concentrate on removing a specific contaminant, so some would remove the hardness of water, chlorine content, heavy metals, bacteria, organic matter, or rust. The 15-stages employed here eliminate most of these pollutants.
Being a combo means that you don’t have to shop for a filter and a shower head separately. It also gives a very good fit between the two. Leakages happen, and they affect the flow of the shower head spray. They are often caused by mismatches between the junctions, but having a combo minimizes that possibility.
The WASSA is easy to install. It works well even when the water pressure and flow are not optimal. It also has self-cleaning nozzles to prevent the buildup of sediment.
The shower head is compact, so the spray would be powerful and concentrated, and you wouldn’t have water spreading everywhere. I’d prefer an adjustable spray option, but then again, this 3-in uniform spray is the setting most of us use.
The price is just a bit higher than the other models, but considering all its features, I’d say it has a very good value for money. It also comes with a lifetime guarantee.
Pros
- 15-stage filtration removes most contaminants
- Replenishes the water with good minerals
- Works well even at low water flow and pressure
- 3-in compact shower head
- Lifetime guarantee
- Easy installation
- Comes in a full package
- Self-cleaning nozzles
Cons
- A bit overpriced
- The spray output is not adjustable
- Unusual looking design
2. AquaCare Filtered Handheld Shower Head
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The aqua care filter is great for those who like handheld showerheads. I’m one of these folks by the way!
It has a 3-stage filtration system consisting of a KDF stage, then active Carbon, and finally Calcium Sulfite. It effectively eliminates Chlorine, heavy metals, pesticides, prevents the growth of algae, mildew, and mold. These are the main contaminants you need to remove.
The 4-in showerhead offers a luxurious possibility of setting your spray in 7 different ways. They have nice names like Power Rain, Pulsating Massage, Hydrating Mist, Rain/Massage, and Rain/Mist. It also has a water-saving, economy, and pause settings.
The price can be considered fair, if we bear in mind how it’s feature-packed. It has a long lifespan of 10,000 gallons of water, or about 6-9 months depending on your usage.
Pros
- The 3-stage efficient filtration system
- Integrated system
- Handheld showerhead
- Large 4-in shower head
- 7 spray settings
- Extra long hose
- Patented pause switch for water conservation
- Easy to install
- Long lifespan of 10.000 gallons of water or 6-9 months
Cons
- Not the most durable, according to some reviews
3. Culligan WSH-C125 Wall-Mounted Filtered Shower Head
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Culligan is a big name in the field of household water purification. They seem to know exactly what to focus on for optimal results. The filtering system employed removes chlorine very efficiently and has an NSF certification to prove it. The chlorine-free water is considered healthy and invigorating.
It has five spray settings for a spa-like experience. The nozzles are made from anti-clog rubber to reduce the build-up of sediment. And it works on the EPA approved 2.0 gallons/min flow rate, which is the optimal amount for you as well as the environment.
It’s easy to install and has a long lifespan. You’d need to change the filtration cartridge twice a year, or after 10,000 gallons.
The price is also pretty moderate, and so is the cost of replacing the filtration cartridge.
Pros
- Anti-clog rubber spray nozzles
- 5-spray settings
- Patented bacteriostatic filter
- NSF tested and certified for the reduction of chlorine
- Long lifespan of 10,000 gallons, or 6 months
- Easy to install on any ½-in standard shower arm
- Moderate price
Cons
- Limited removal of contaminants
4. Aquasana AQ-4105 Showerhead Filter System with Handheld Wand
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The Aquasana filter has a unique design. The water is fed to the bottom of the filter and then it flows upwards into the shower head. This lets the water stay longer in contact with the filtering agents, which increases the efficiency of the purification process.
The filter has two stages of filtration: coconut shell carbon and copper-zinc mix. Together they reduce chlorine, lead, mercury, iron, hydrogen sulfide, pesticides, herbicides, and other organic compounds. This is more than the basic filtration, and it’ll show in the improved quality of water you use for showering.
It has a movable hand-held wand for flexibility. The spray can be adjusted in multiple ways for optimal customization.
This filter looks a bit bulky, but it’s easy to install and maintain. It has a long life span, so you would need to change the cartridge about twice a year. It’s a bit on the pricey side, but it does have many impressive features.
Pros
- Upflow design inside the filter
- NSF-certified,
- It removes chlorine efficiently
- Multiple spray settings
- Versatile 5-ft shower hose
- Two stages of filtration remove several contaminants
- Long lifespan of 10,000 gallons or 6 months
- Easy to install and maintain
Cons
- A bit expensive considering its features
5. AquaBliss High Output 12-Stage Shower Filter
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The 12-stage filtration system is the main attraction for the AquaBliss. It has layers of sediment filters, redox media, calcium sulfite, activated carbon, and ceramic balls.
The combined effect of these successive stages is reducing a broad range of contaminants such as Chlorine, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, dirt, and unwanted odors. It also resists the buildup of scale and sediment in the shower head nozzles.
The AquaBliss filter has a layer that replenishes the water with healthful minerals. This double advantage of taking out the unwanted elements, and supplying the good ones, makes this filter so popular among consumers.
It’s engineered to fit on any shower system, including fixed, rain, and hand-held. This can be very practical, but it can also have a downside. Mismatched junctions between the filter and the shower head can cause leaks, and these, in turn, affect the flow rate and pressure of the shower spray.
The price of the filter is moderate, probably as the package doesn’t include a showerhead. It has a long lifespan of 10,000-12,000 gallons, or up to 8 months of usage, which is one of the longest we’ve seen. The replacement cartridges are also moderately priced, and quite easy to install.
Pros
- 12-stage filtration removes a broad range of pollutants
- Infuses beneficial minerals into the filtered water
- Long lifespan 10,000-12,000 gallons or up to 8 months
- Moderate price
- Fits on any shower system
- Doesn’t require any tools for installation
- Easy-Swap tech for easy cartridge replacement
Cons
- Doesn’t include a showerhead
Why Do You Need a Shower Head Filter?
There are many benefits to using a showerhead filter.
We normally take frequent showers, with the water staying on us for at least ten minutes each time. It penetrates our skin and our hair. We even inhale the chemicals in that water.
Medical research has shown that regular exposure to chlorine causes damaged skin, itchy scalp, and hair problems. Inhaling it can lead to respiratory issues and even cancer.
Chlorine is not the only chemical that needs to be filtered out. The list also contains heavy metals, dirt, rust, bacteria, and other organic elements. None of these look very nice to have in our daily showers, right?
It’s therefore essential to make sure that our water is as free from contaminants as possible. If there are children in your household, this becomes a priority.
Pure water is claimed to restore the healthy glow to your skin and helps your hair gain back its strength. I believe filtered water also feels and smells much better.
Water impurities don’t just affect us. Hard water clogs faucets and nozzles, and decreases the potency of soap or shampoo. We all experienced that at one time or another, the soap bar that gets coated with an oxide film and doesn’t wash our hands!
Rust is another unwanted material, it’s not good for us or for our bathroom fixtures. The good news is, it’s one of the easiest minerals to filter out.
Some areas have pollutants in higher amounts. In some locations, contaminants leak into the water system, maybe from nearby agricultural or industrial plants. Luckily, many of these can be eliminated using a showerhead filter.
How to Choose The Right Shower Head Filter
It’s not easy to pick a product when there are so many in the market, and several of them have outstanding features.
The first thing you need to do is specify your own needs. What are the main contaminants in the water of your region? What’s your budget? And do you prefer a fixed or movable shower head?
This will set you on the right path to picking not only the best product, but the one that suits you best. Here are a few things to consider before buying a showerhead filter.
Price
Buying a showered filter for your house is not the same as buying one for a rental you’re using for the summer. There are Hi-End products for your home use, and budget-friendly models you can purchase for a vacation.
The price of the filter can sometimes be moderate, but when you need to replace the cartridge you discover that it is very costly, or that you have to change it often.
The plumbing bills are hidden costs too. Look for a filter that wouldn’t need professional assistance for installation.
Filtration system
The type and amount of contaminants in your water will tell you what kind of filter you need. In some houses, tap water is of very high quality, and a simple filter would more than suffice.
In other locations, there’s a long list of pollutants, and a more sophisticated filtering system is better.
Some filters employ twelve or even fifteen stages of filtration. This effectively reduces a broad range of unwanted chemicals.
Lifespan
The quality of water is highly dependent on the state of the filter, after a while the active ingredients that do the actual filtration become saturated with impurities. At this point, the filter needs to be replaced.
The best filters need a change of cartridge twice a year, or after around 10,000 gallons of water. Most of the good showerhead filters are of that grade.
Ease of installation
This is always good, and most manufacturers are making sure that products are easy to install and maintain. Changing the filter cartridge should also be a simple process.
Many of the good products are snap-on and do need any tools to mount on the pipes. They also pack any needed washers or Teflon tape with the filter. This greatly facilitates the installation. Most often you do not professional assistance at all.
Spray settings
A shower head with an adjustable spray setting is a nice thing to have. It’s not essential, but it feels good, and adds a spa-like feel to a morning shower.
Some models come with a fixed spray setting and a 3-in showerhead. This would also give an optimal spray, and maybe that’s the setting most people use anyway. If the filter is good and budget friendly, I wouldn’t stress over this point too much.
Warranty
Showerhead filters aren’t high investment items, but big or small, money is money, and a good warranty inspires trust in the product. Sometimes we actually need it, so its best to buy a product well backed by its manufacturer.
To Wrap it All Up
Picking the best shower head filter wasn’t so easy. Most of the models we saw have at least one outstanding feature. And two of them are head to head in that race!
I would, however, recommend the High Pressure Shower Head and 15 Stage Shower Filter Combo. It’s a combo system of filter and shower head. It utilizes fifteen stages of filtration, purifies your water, replenishes it with good minerals, and it comes at a very reasonable price.
