The Santevia Bath Filter is a bathtub filter that claims to reduce chlorine and infuse bath water with minerals like magnesium and zinc, protecting against skin dryness and irritation.
What We Like
What We Don’t Like
| Price | $19.99 |
| Contaminants Removed | Chlorine |
| Certifications | Not Certified |
| Process | Calcium Sulfite |
| Filtration Capacity | ~3,000 gallons |
| Annual Cost | ~$120 |
| Warranty | 30 days |
We tested the filter with city water in Colorado to see how it performed with real-world use. Alongside our analysis for flow rate, design quality, and ease of installation and maintenance, our scoring was also heavily influenced by objective data obtained from laboratory testing.
Table of Contents
📊 Scoring Data
We assessed the Santevia Bath Filter in a real-world testing scenario to see how it altered our bath water quality. Alongside Santevia, we also tested four other bath filters, so we could compare them across all areas of performance and rank them based on our data-based scoring system.
Our scoring system consists of 6 key performance categories, which are broken into smaller scoring brackets. For each filter we test, we combine and average these performance scores into an overall weighted score. The table below outlines the scores awarded to the Santevia Bath Filter.
| Criteria | Results |
|---|---|
| Health Related Contaminants | 7.90 |
| Aesthetic Related Contaminants | 9.90 |
| Performance Certification | Not Certified |
| Filtration Rate | 0.36 -1.65 GPM |
| Component Quality | Fair |
| Component Certification | Unsatisfactory |
| Setup | Outstanding |
| Servicing Requirements | Outstanding |
| Costs | $0.008/ gallon |
| Warranty Length | 30 days |
| Shipping | Free shipping on orders over $99, excluding Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Alaska and rural areas |
| Returns | 30 days |
🚰 Contaminant Reduction
Score: 7.80The main purpose of installing a bath water filter is to remove contaminants that have known skin and hair effects, as well as those that can be dangerous to inhale in water vapor. Our contaminant reduction testing aimed to prove whether or not the Santevia bath filter was capable of improving our water quality.
We awarded a contaminant reduction score based on Tap Score lab tests of our filtered bath water, as well as whether or not the filter had performance certifications from the NSF/ANSI, IAPMO, or the WQA for reducing select contaminants.
Our Performance Testing
Score: 8.00
We used SimpleLab’s Tap Score testing service to analyze our bath water before and after filtration. We took two samples: a baseline unfiltered sample, and a sample filtered through the Santevia Bath Filter. After shipping these to the testing lab, we received two interactive reports that we could use to compare contaminants detected across both samples.
Here are two important testing points you should know:
- We prioritised testing for contaminants of concern in bath water: chlorine, water hardness, and disinfection byproducts. These have the most research-backed effects on skin, hair, and the air quality in your bathroom. We still mention additional contaminants detected in our testing, as the data is interesting to know, but our main focus was on the bath water contaminants mentioned here.
- We conducted all our tests with cold water. Yes, most of us prefer a hot bath. But disinfection byproducts can dissipate faster at higher temperatures, so we used cold water to more accurately gauge the filter’s ability to remove these contaminants, with a lower likelihood of reductions due to dissipation.
Health-Related Contaminants
Score: 7.90
The Santevia Bath Filter was the highest-scoring model of all the bath filters we tested and also received the highest score for removing health-related contaminants. That said, it didn’t perform exceptionally well—it just so happened to be the best of an average bunch.
The following health-related contaminants were detected in our baseline water sample:
- 24.7 PPB of chloroform (a disinfection byproduct), exceeding the protective Health Guideline Level of 0.221 PPB by 11,075%.
- Around 2 PPM of chlorine, within the “safe” range (up to 4 PPM) established by the EPA.
Starting with chloroform, this disinfection byproduct was only reduced by 2.83% in our filtered water. This suggests an incidental reduction, telling us that Santevia isn’t sufficient removing DBPs.
Moving on to chlorine, we conducted two separate tests at different faucet flows, then compared our results.
Due to chlorine’s volatility, it’s likely to dissipate while collecting and shipping the sample. To obtain the most accurate data, we used chlorine test strips to get an on-site chlorine reading.
We originally conducted a single chlorine test, taken after filtering water at the maximum faucet flow without water overflowing out of the top of the filter. But with this faster flow, we saw poor chlorine reduction for the majority of bath filters we tested. Because of this, we decided to conduct a second chlorine test at a slower flow to see if chlorine reduction would improve.
Here’s how Santevia performed:
- In our “fast flow” test (with an average flow rate of 1.65 GPM), the filter eliminated chlorine down to 0 PPM.
- In our “slow flow” test (with an average flow rate of 0.36 GPM), the result was exactly the same: 100% chlorine reduction..
Of the five bath filters we tested, Santevia was the only product capable of eliminating chlorine in the fast flow test. The other filters were only capable of removing 100% chlorine at a slower, less practical faucet flow rate.
How do these results compare to Santevia’s performance claims? The manufacturer says that the filter can “reduce chlorine”, in turn supporting skin barrier health. Test results obtained by the manufacturer for chlorine reduction are also available to view on the website. Santevia’s main focus is on the benefits of chlorine reduction, and there are no misleading or exaggerated statements on the product page.
Hardness
As well as being the only bath filter to offer superior chlorine reduction at a faster flow, Santevia was also the only product to significantly increase our water hardness and TDS.
Our baseline water sample had a total water hardness reading of 17.13 PPM, meaning that it’s only just considered “hard”. For reference, NSF/ANSI 44 and NSF/ANSI 330 define soft water as water containing <17.1 PPM of hardness.
Post-filtration, our total water hardness had increased by 336%, to 74.81 PPM, putting it in the “moderately hard” category (60-120 PPM). The TDS of our water had increased by 151%, to 98 PPM. The pH of our water increased from 7.2 (close to neutral) to 7.9 (slightly alkaline).
Additionally, magnesium increased by a massive 2,626% (from 0.53 to 14.4 PPM), carbonate by 1,316% (from 0.012 to 0.17 PPM), sulfate by 257% (from 5.9 to 21.2 PPM), and bicarbonate by 169% (from 17.04 to 45.94 PPM).
To be clear, this is not an unexpected outcome. Santevia claims to infuse water with “skin-nourishing minerals like magnesium and zinc”. The Santevia Bath Filter contains an “mineral blend” media that’s specifically intended for this purpose.
Why did we see increases in carbonate, bicarbonate, and sulfate?
Most likely, the filter contains magnesium carbonate and magnesium sulfate compounds.
As for the increases in pH and total hardness, these also make sense, since magnesium is a hardness mineral and contributes to alkalinity.
Santevia does not claim in any way to reduce water hardness, and this is something that generally isn’t achievable with a point-of-use water filter (you would need to invest in a whole-home water softener for this).
Other Detections
Aside from chlorine, Santevia also removed 100% aluminum from our bath water. The concentrations of fluoride and phosphorus in our water remained the same, while barium increased by 6%, copper by 5%, and manganese by less than 1%.
These smaller increases were likely due to incidental fluctuations in our water quality between tests, simply telling us that the filter doesn’t effectively address these contaminants.
Performance Certifications
Score: 6.00
Shower filter manufacturers can obtain an NSF 177 certification for free chlorine reduction. But as far as we can tell, this certification is just for shower filters that “attach directly to the pipe just in front of the homeowner’s showerhead”, suggesting it doesn’t apply to bath filters. So, perhaps unsurprisingly, the Santevia Bath Filter isn’t certified, resulting in the lowest score in this category.
Were any of the bath filters we tested performance certified? No, but the Sprite Bath Pure filter uses the same media as its NSF-certified shower filter, which creates something of a loophole, although the bath filter itself is not certified.
🚦Filtration Rate
Score: 8.50Bath filters sit underneath a bath faucet and filter all the water that leaves the spout. Since flow rate will have a direct impact on how quickly you can fill your bathtub, this was an important datapoint in our testing.
For all the bath filters we tested, we used the faucet flow which provided more thorough chlorine reduction to determine the flow rate score. Santevia was the exception here, being the only product to reduce 100% chlorine at the faster flow.
Our flow calculations were based on how long the filter took to fill 2 cups of water, a test we repeated three times to obtain an average time. We then converted this to GPM to get an estimate of filtration speed at gallons per minute.
Santevia’s flow rate measured at 1.65 GPM, making it the fastest of all the bathtub filters we tested where chlorine was completely removed.
📐 Design
Score: 7.20The Santevia Bath Filter uses the same design concept as other bath filters, with a housing containing filter media that sits beneath the faucet. The idea is that when you turn the faucet on, water flows into the top of the filter and through the media before exiting the bottom of the filter into the bathtub. It simply hangs from your faucet, so it doesn’t alter your existing bath setup.
The filter received one of the highest design scores of all the bath filters we tested, which primarily came down to its reduced use of plastic components.
Component Quality
Score: 8.00
Most bath filters use a plastic housing, but Santevia uses an organic cotton bag, which gives the filtered water less exposure to microplastics or bisphenols. That said, the loofah that sits inside the bag (used to evenly disperse the water across the filter media) is made from BPA- and BPS-free polyethylene, so it’s not completely plastic-free.
The filter held up well in our testing, but we do have concerns about mold growth on the cotton bag over time. Santevia says you should wash it out and let it hang dry in a non-humid environment after each bath, which takes a bit more effort than simply wiping down a plastic exterior with a cloth.
Filter Materials
The Santevia Bath Filter contains a proprietary filter media blend that’s designed to reduce chlorine and introduce magnesium and zinc.
Some manufacturers choose not to disclose their filter media to avoid copycat products from competition. We speculate that Santevia’s filter contains calcium sulfite media, since this is most common in bath filters.
Materials Safety Certification
Score: 6.00
Water filters can also obtain certifications for materials safety and lead-free design. These are optional (meaning a filter doesn’t have to be certified to be sold in the US), but they provide extra reassurance of design quality and safety.
Santevia hasn’t obtained a materials safety certification, and neither have the other bath filters we’ve tested so far.
⚙️ Setup
Score: 9.50Like all the bath filters we’ve used, Santevia has a minimal-install design. You simply hook it onto your faucet, with no tools or DIY experience required.
The Santevia user manual doesn’t mention any filter priming, so the filter can be used immediately after unboxing. That said, we flushed the filter for two minutes to remove any air bubbles and activate the media (letting the water run straight down the drain) before we used it to filter our water.
🔧 Maintenance
Score: 9.75Santevia’s maintenance is both simple and affordable, earning it a high score of 9.75 for its servicing requirements and costs.
| Bath Filter | Price | Cost per gallon |
|---|---|---|
| Santevia | $19.99 | $0.008 |
| Canopy | $89.00 | $0.014 |
| Sprite | $29.99 | $0.022 |
| Crystal Quest | $64.95 | $0.016 |
| Tubo | $64.99 | $0.014 |
Servicing Requirements
9.50
The Santevia Bath Filter has a slightly different design from most other bath filters we tested. Rather than using a replaceable cartridge inside the housing, the filter is filled with loose media. At the end of its projected lifespan, you replace the entire filter, including the bag, rather than just replacing the media.
Santevia recommends replacing the filter every 2 months or after 4,755 gallons (approximately 100 baths).
Costs
Score: 10.00
Santevia’s filter replacement cost is the same as its upfront cost (around $20), so it’s one of the most affordable bath filters to maintain.
Santevia also offers bulk discounts for buying two, three, or four filters upfront, which can help you save on maintenance in the long term.
🏢 Company
Score: 7.75As a company, we identified a few areas that Santevia could improve on, particularly when it comes to its warranty and shipping policies.
Warranty
Score: 7.00
Santevia offers a 30-day warranty for its products—not the best we’ve seen, especially as many bath filter manufacturers offer significantly longer warranties spanning 1 year.
Under the warranty, Santevia will replace any parts free of charge if you discover that they’re damaged or broken due to manufacturing or material defects. You’ll need proof of purchase to be eligible, and the warranty doesn’t cover damage due to mishandling, accidents, or normal wear and tear.
Learn more about Santevia’s warranty here.
Shipping
Score: 8.50
All Santevia customers receive free shipping on orders over $99, excluding Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Alaska, and rural areas. That means, unless you’re doing a big bulk order, you’ll need to pay to get your filter shipped. Fees for shipping are variable depending on the method you choose.
Santevia’s shipping policy can be viewed here.
Returns
Score: 8.50
Santevia’s returns policy is the same as its warranty: 30 days. Under this policy, you’re entitled to a full refund if you’re unsatisfied with the filter for any reason and return it within 30 days of your purchase.
You’ll need to have the original packaging and provide your order number as proof of purchase. If you return a product without its original packaging, you’ll be issued a partial refund (minus a 20% restocking fee).
Read the full returns terms and conditions here.
💰 Value For Money
After testing the Santevia bath filter ourselves, we’re confident that you do get good value for money—as long as you’re realistic about what this filter can do.
As well as being the only filter we tested that was capable of removing chlorine at a more practical faster faucet flow, it’s also the most affordable on this list. Since it performs slightly better than its competitors and is, in some cases, significantly cheaper, it makes sense to choose it over other products.
But the filter is only capable of removing chlorine, and it was also the only product we tested that increased our water hardness, so it might not be the best choice for folks who are sensitive to minerals like magnesium.
If you want to soften your water, you’ll need a dedicated whole-house water softener. And, since Santevia reintroduces hardness, it’s probably not the filter to use in conjunction with a softening setup.
We’d recommend the Santevia Bath Filter to anyone who wants to marginally improve the quality of their bath water with an affordable filter that removes chlorine better than many others.
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