Best Shower Water Filter of 2022 (The Only List You Need)

🎭 The Competition

Reviews of products we’ve recommended in the past but no longer make the cut can be found here:

• AquaHomeGroup Filter Shower Head
• Sprite High Output 2

🧾 Shower water filter buyer’s guide

When you are deciding whether or not to purchase a shower filter, we know how overwhelming it can be doing all the research to cross your t’s and dot your i’s.

That’s why we’ve gone ahead and done it for you! Use our biggest buyer’s guide below to learn everything there is to know about shower head water filters and how to make the best choice for your specific needs.

🚿 What are shower head water filters?

The best shower head water filters are cleverly designed to filter out impurities from your water while preventing your showerhead from becoming clogged with these contaminants.

They can also help to reduce the build-up of soap scum, which is caused by the calcium and magnesium minerals in hard water. Not only will this benefit your skin and hair, but it’ll make cleaning your showerhead and bathtub so much easier.

You’ll need to remember to replace your shower head water filter regularly if you want to get the most out of your system.

The average filter lasts for 6 to 8 months, depending on the level of use it gets. After this time, a filter may become too clogged with sediment to effectively soften your water and reduce impurities. If you have harder water in your household, you might be required to change your filter more regularly.

🌢 What’s wrong with showing in unfiltered water?

If you’re still wondering whether a shower head water filter is really worth it, it might help to know about the issues with unfiltered water, and how they can negatively affect your health.

Standard, unfiltered shower water contains a number of contaminants that can affect the quality of our skin and hair.

The calcium and magnesium minerals in hard water are responsible for producing limescale, which can not only leave a difficult-to-clean coating on your bathtub and shower unit, but can deposit the same scummy residue on your hair and skin.

Chlorine is essential for disinfecting water, removing harmful pathogens like bacteria and viruses and making it safe for drinking.

But studies have found that when chlorine becomes airborne, it’s more damaging than when we drink it in water. Inhaling chlorine vapor from shower water can cause irritation and breathing difficulty. It’s much safer to shower in chlorine-free, filtered water.

Even with chlorine removing most pathogens from water, some bacteria and viruses may still be able to make it into your plumbing. Chemicals like pesticides and herbicides may also enter water through surface runoff.

The total quantity of contaminants in your water varies from city to city. If you’re not sure about your water’s quality levels, you can test it yourself using a water testing kit, or request a water quality report from your local water treatment center.

✔️ Benefits of using a shower filter

Sometimes softens hard water

The biggest benefit of some shower head water filters is their ability to soften hard water, removing calcium and magnesium minerals and improving water quality.

The soft water produced by a shower head water filter can prevent a build-up of limescale in your bath and shower unit, and promote healthier skin and hair.

Reduces chlorine

All shower head water filters are designed to remove chlorine chemicals from water. This can produce much healthier, higher-quality water for safer showering.

Research has found that chlorine is absorbed more easily when we breathe it in than when we drink it, and can strip the natural oils from our skin, hair and nails, making them less healthy.

Eliminates some bacteria and viruses

The best shower head water filters contain additional filter media for removing harmful pathogens like bacteria and viruses from water.

Your showerhead is the perfect location for bacteria to form, creating a warm, damp environment for these microorganisms to thrive in. A shower head water filter can eliminate these bacteria before they have the chance to breed.

Safer for young families

Children and toddlers are more susceptible to the harmful effects of chlorine and other chemicals in water. Providing your children with clean, soft water for showering will help to reduce the risk of respiratory diseases like asthma.

Reduces pesticides and herbicides

Some pesticides and herbicides can make their way into your water source from farmland, making water unsanitary to shower in and bad for your health. Some shower head water filters can effectively remove these chemicals from water.

🔎 How do shower water filters work?

Shower head water filters are attached to your shower, and send water through different filter media, which remove certain contaminants and impurities from water. It’s hard to imagine that so much could take place in a surface area so tiny, but the shower head water filtration process is actually fairly complex.

Here are the most common filters you’ll find in a shower head filtration system:

Carbon filters

Shower head water filters contain activated carbon filters made up of more than 10 filter media, designed to remove the common contaminants and chemicals from water. These mediums combine different materials, like cotton, for removing particles larger than 0.3 microns in size, chemicals, for softening water, and activated carbon, for removing volatile chemicals like chlorine and chloramines.

This filter stage is designed to remove contaminants like sediment, rust, bacteria, debris, viruses, chlorine and other chemicals from water.

KDF filters

The next stage in a shower head water filtration system is to push water through KDF filters. These are usually made out of copper and zinc, which create a tiny electrical chemical charge that will alter the elements in your shower water.

When chemicals and metals pass through this process, their electrons will change, causing them to be water soluble and removing them from water.

KDF filters are actually effective enough to be used on their own. They can remove an endless list of contaminants from water, including algae, fungi, viruses and bacteria, lead, arsenic, aluminium, chlorine, iron and mercury.

Vitamin C filters

If you’re looking for a shower head water filter that can effectively remove chlorine, find one with a vitamin C filter. These filter types are particularly efficient at removing chlorine, as the vitamin C neutralizes this chemical in the water.

Vitamin C filters can also remove contaminants like chloramines and some smaller sediment. The best vitamin C filters can remove more than 90% of chlorine from water.

💭 How to choose a shower head water filter

There are so many shower head water filters on today’s market that you might not know how to begin your search. That’s why being aware of which shower head filters are available and how they work is so important.

You might be able to find a small selection of shower head water filters in your local home improvement store, but you’re always going to get the best range of options online. Not only does shopping online let you see exactly which options are available to you, you can also narrow your search down based on your specific preferences, like price, model and size.

When shopping online, be sure to dedicate plenty of time for reading product reviews, whether these are impartial reviews designed to give you the factual information about a filter, or customer reviews based on experience. These can prove incredibly helpful in determining whether a product matches up to its manufacturers’ claims.

Make sure you’re familiar with exactly what to expect from a particular shower head filter before you buy it. If the manufacturer has left out important information about a product, get in touch with them directly. You want to make sure you’re spending your money on a filter that will work exactly as expected.

📝 Types of shower water filters

There are three main designs of shower head water filters that you can choose between:

1. Standard shower head filters,
2. In-line shower filters, and
3. In-line and showerhead water filters

Water softener shower head

Standard water softener shower head filters look just like a normal shower head, although it might be slightly larger and heavier than what you’re used to.

They blend into a bathroom environment the easiest, while still providing water with all the filtration and softening benefits that you would expect.

In-line shower filters

These filters don’t come with their own shower head, and are designed for installing between your standard shower head and the water line.

In-line filters are a better option if you prefer the freedom of still getting to use a shower head of your favorite design, while benefiting from soft, filtered water.

This type of unit is less obvious than other filter types, and won’t stand out in your bathroom too much.

In-line and shower head water filters

In-line and shower head water filters consist of both the shower head and the attachment filter for installing at your water line.

These are the bulkiest of the three, and can take up quite a bit of space in your shower area. The filter itself is usually stored inside the in-line body, while the shower head is designed to manage water pressure.

📌 Things to consider when buying a shower water filter

Budget

Shower head water filters are priced differently based on performance, marketing, quality, and the popularity of a manufacturer. Sometimes shower head filters are priced at the lower or higher end of the market for no apparent reason, so don’t let cost be the only deciding factor for your purchase.

You can expect to pay between $40 and $90 for the best shower filters. If you can, set your budget at a point between these two figures, and narrow down your search to see what’s on offer.

There’ll be plenty of options available, so if you’d rather not go too high or too low with your budget, you’ll still have the choice between a wide range of filter types.

Shower head material

You can find a shower head water filter in either plastic or metal material.

Your personal choice might depend on the aesthetics of your bathroom and existing shower. Matching a shower head water filter to the rest of your bathroom space shouldn’t be too difficult, as their materials are designed to help them fit in.

Plastic shower heads or filter units are usually priced lower, but are prone to wear-and-tear and leaking, and aren’t usually as durable as metal alternatives. Some better quality metal shower head water filters are rust-proof, and you’ll need to pay more for this sort of higher-quality material.

Weight

Many people won’t think to check the weight of a shower head water filter before they make an online purchase, but it’s worth doing if safety and convenience are your priority. You want to be able to easily lift your shower head, and you definitely don’t want the unit to be so heavy that it can’t be supported by your shower arm.

The reality is that many shower head water filters are on the heavier side – you should expect an increase in weight because of the filtration components inside the unit – but some are far heavier than others. Compare products and decide on a weight that you feel happiest with.

Size and adjustability

As with weight, shower head water filters are also generally a lot larger than standard shower units. When you’re picking a filter, make sure it fits to the specs of your existing shower arm.

You should find clear measurements in a product’s description, which you’ll just need to match up to your own shower unit’s measurements and check for compatibility.

Keep in mind that some units will need to be assembled and mounted differently, and might not be suitable for attaching to your shower arm. If you’re choosing an in-line filter, it’s important that it can connect easily to your existing shower head, or you won’t be able to use it.

Water pressure

There’s an issue with some shower head water filters available today: they don’t provide adequate water pressure. This might mean that your showering experience is negatively affected by the flow of the water coming out of your shower head – instead of a steady stream, it’s more of a light trickle.

It’s essential that you read customer reviews before you buy a shower head water filter, as they will reveal information that a manufacturer won’t share.

There are plenty of efficient products that won’t compromise the quality of your showers, so make sure you look for one that’s got a track record of decent water pressure.

The lifespan of a filter cartridge

As with all water filter units, a shower head water filter will eventually become too clogged to be effective, and you’ll have to swap it out for a new one. Not all filters are created equally, and some products may require filter changes more frequently than others.

Look for a filter with a lifespan that suits your household’s needs. If you have a larger family, you’ll benefit from paying that little bit more for a higher quality filter that’s designed to last for longer.

Also note that if your home’s water contains a more-than-average quantity of hard-causing minerals, your filter will need to work harder to eliminate them, and will become clogged more quickly.

Most shower head water filter cartridges last between 6 months and a year. If you’re new to the idea of filter changing, this means you’ll need to change the filter cartridge inside the shower head or unit, and not the shower head itself.

⚙️ Key features to look for in a shower head water filter

Now that you know the standard components of a shower head water filter, we can look in more detail at these features, as well as any extra features that you might benefit from.

Number of filters included

Some manufacturers might provide you with an additional filter included with your shower unit, which will save you from buying another filter when you next need one.

Your manufacturer might also offer you replacement filters at a lower cost or discounted price, so get in touch with them when it’s time to change your filter.

Filter effectiveness

While most shower head water filters are designed to remove a number of key contaminants from water – chlorine, heavy metals, and hard water minerals – some can do this more efficiently than others.

The effectiveness of a water softener shower head depends on cartridge capacity and the product itself. If your water is more highly contaminated, this could also affect a shower head filtration unit’s ability to filter out the bad stuff.

A few shower water filters can provide extra filtration benefits, like the removal of bacteria and viruses from water. However, this tends to be a more specialist feature, and you won’t find it as a widely available option.

Simple installation and maintenance instructions

The best shower filters are designed for at home, customer installation. It’s more than possible to install your shower head unit yourself, even with limited DIY skills. But one thing that can either help or hinder your ability to get the job done quickly is the quality of the manufacturer’s installation instructions.

With any shower head water filter, you’re looking for installation guidelines that are clearly laid-out and not too wordy, and display relevant labelled diagrams to help you carry out installation as quickly and thoroughly as possible. Some filters may even have specific online video tutorials demonstrating the installation process, which can be useful if you’re more of a visual learner.

Equally important is having plenty of guidance for shower head maintenance. A good filter unit should come with a detailed user manual, providing you with all the information you need to know about filter changes and general upkeep.

Manufacturer support

Whether you have a basic question about a filter you’ve bought, or you’re struggling with installation and maintenance, being able to contact your manufacturer for support is key.

The best shower filter manufacturers offer 24/7 live support, helping you to conveniently resolve an issue as soon as it arises.

Product warranty

Nobody likes to think that a shower water filter they’ve invested in might become broken or damaged after only a few months of use, but it can happen.

Knowing that a product has a year warranty, or at least several months, will give you the peace of mind that if a problem occurs, you’ll be offered a replacement part or unit.

Product warranty is a promising sign – it means that a manufacturer has confidence in a filter unit. Manufacturers of a faulty showerhead filtration system are far less likely to offer out free product exchanges or replacement parts, as this would be an easy way to lose money fast.

🤔 Is it really necessary to have a shower water filter?

This depends on whether you already use a whole house water filter. This type of filter removes a broad range of contaminants from the water that passes into your home, including your faucet and shower water.

In this case, you won’t need a shower head water filter, as your water will already be sufficient for showering.

Otherwise, it’s not essential that you have a shower water filter, but there are plenty of benefits from this type of filter that make it worth your consideration. You’d be surprised at just how contaminated your home’s water really is.

Consider your water pipes – can you think of the last time they underwent maintenance, or were replaced? Most likely, you can’t, and this is because most water pipes aren’t changed unless they’ve reached a certain level of deterioration.

Your water pipes have quite a substantial influence on the water that reaches your home. Even while water may be cleaned thoroughly at a treatment center, on its journey to reach you, it could pick up a number of contaminants from the pipes alone.

Metals like lead and copper are used in some older piping systems, and can leach into water and give it undesirable taste, smell, and pose serious health risk.

Whether contaminants in your water are important to you, if you’re interested in keeping your hair healthy, a shower water filter is necessary. You might find that no matter how often you wash your hair, or with what products, you still can’t achieve a soft and shiny appearance.

This is most likely because the hard water you’re using to wash your hair with prevents your shampoo from lathering properly, and causes your hair to lose moisture, resulting in dry and brittle strands.

Hard water can also affect your skin, because of the soapy residue left behind by calcium and magnesium minerals. If your skin gets irritated easily, hard water may cause it to flare up. It can also clog up your pores and lead to dryness, especially on your face. Using a water softener shower head can help with this.

You might also like my other guides: Whole house filters, check it out here, and reverse osmosis systems here.

🔧 How to install a shower head water filter

Installing a shower head water filter is a quick and fairly easy process. You won’t need the help or a plumber or handyman for the job, and most filters will come with their own detailed instructions to simplify the task at hand.

Exact installation of a shower head water filter may vary depending on whether you’re looking to install a shower head filter, an in-line filter, or a two-in-one shower head and in-line filter.

In this how-to segment, we’re looking specifically at the step by step process of installing a standard in-line activated carbon-based filter that attaches to your existing shower head.

1. Remove your shower head – Use a pair of pliers to help you detach your shower head from your shower arm. You may also need to unfasten the nuts of your shower head with another tool. Check your user manual for more information on the size of the nuts used to secure your shower head to the shower arm.
2. Seal the shower pipe – Wrap plumber’s tape around the edge of the shower pipe, making sure to place the tape properly, so there won’t be any leaking potential when you install your in-line filter once it’s assembled in place.
3. Install your in-line filter – Remove your in-line filter unit from its packaging and place it onto the shower pipe, rotating it until it’s fairly tight, but not too much. If the filter is supplied with nuts, twist these with your pliers to tighten.
4. Flush your filter – Before continuing with assembly, you need to flush your filter to remove any lingering carbon deposits and other sediment before use. To do this, turn on your cold water and let it flow out of the filter head until it runs clear.
5. Flush with hot water – Once your cold water is clear, turn on your hot water and repeat the process, flushing the filter until the water is no longer cloudy or discolored. Then you can turn off the water and continue with installation.
6. Attach your shower head – If you’ve appropriately researched an in-line filter beforehand, you should already know for sure that it fits your standard shower head. You’ll usually be able to screw your shower head in place with very minimal effort.
7. Check for leaks – Your shower head water filter is now ready for use, but while you’ve got your plumber’s tape with you, it’s worth switching on the water and checking for leaks. If there are any, simply apply more plumber’s tape to the area to solve the problem.

While this installation only applies to an in-line filter, the process would be exactly the same for a dual in-line and shower head filter. The only difference is that rather than attaching your standard shower head to the in-line unit, you’d attach the special shower head that came with your unit.  In regards to shower head filters: these attach straight onto your shower arm, as they contain the filter media inside the shower head itself. You’ll normally be able to twist this type of filter straight onto your shower arm for a minimal-fuss installation.

🧰 How to change filters in your shower head unit

No shower water filter is designed to last forever, and there will come a time – usually between 6 months and a year – when you’ll need to change yours. Filters need replacing regularly as they become blocked with sediment after so many months of use, which prevents them from working efficiently.

A filter may require replacing more frequently under certain circumstances. For example, if your water quality is particularly poor, your filters will become more quickly clogged with sediment and contaminants.

Larger families will also need to factor in for more filter changes, as they’ll be using the shower more regularly than a standard household.

Changing your shower head filter cartridge doesn’t require changing the actual shower head or in-line unit itself. You’ll be able to access the filters inside the body of your filtration system without going to too much effort.

To replace you filter cartridges in your shower head filter, follow these step by step instructions:

1. Remove your shower head from your shower arm.
2. If your filter is in your shower head, open the shower head and take out the old filter cartridge. If it’s in your in-line unit, do the same with your unit. Normally, this cartridge will just be sitting inside the filter unit, and won’t need unscrewing or unclipping.
3. Replace your filter cartridge with a new one, making sure to properly dispose of your old filter. Check that the filter cartridge is inserted into the shower head or in-line unit the right way.
4. Close the shower head or unit and, if you’re replacing the filter for an in-line unit, run cold water through it for a minute or two to flush it. Otherwise, screw the shower head back onto the shower arm and run water straight through the shower filter

🧠 Frequently Asked Questions

☁️ My water is running cloudy. What’s the issue?

If the water running from your shower head filter is cloudy, you might be experiencing one of two issues.

Firstly, if you’ve just changed your filters, it may just be that you need to run your water for a couple more minutes to remove the carbon sediment from your filter. This usually clears up the problem in new filters.

If your showerhead’s filter hasn’t been changed in recent months, it’s most likely that it’s due for a replacement. Filter cartridges eventually become so clogged up with sediment that they’ll no longer be able to filter your water, which will mean you’re essentially showering in your usual quality of water. In this case, simply change your filter, flush it with water, and see if the issue has resolved.

🚿 Which filter is for me – a shower head filter, an in-line filter, or both?

There is virtually no difference in the efficiency of the different shower head filter types, so don’t let that influence your decision too much. Ultimately, you’ll probably end up deciding on a particular filter type based on aesthetics.

Shower head water filters and in-line shower head filters come in a particular design, and if you don’t like them, there’s not a lot you can do about it. In-line filters give you the flexibility to use your own shower head in your bathroom, although you’ll have the bulky in-line filter to get used to.

Luckily, the quality and design of shower head water filters have improved dramatically in recent years. Shopping for a shower head filter should now feel more like shopping for a standard shower head, thanks to the bigger variety of options you’ll be able to choose between.

🏠 Should I get a shower head water filter or a whole house water filter?

This completely depends on your water filtration needs. Obviously, a shower head water filter is designed for in-shower use only, meaning you won’t be able to benefit from filtered water elsewhere in your home.

If you only want to enjoy healthier skin and hair, and a safer showering experience, stick to a shower head filter. It wouldn’t be worth investing in a whole home water filter if you didn’t actually want one.

Alternatively, if you’re keen to benefit from clean water around your entire house, including at your kitchen faucet, appliances and plumbing, you should look into buying a whole house water filter. This will allow you to use filtered water in all aspects of your life.

📆 How do I know when to change my filter?

If you go by visuals alone, it’s usually fairly obvious when you’ll need to change your shower head water filter. Your water will start to run cloudy, or come out of your shower head at a lower pressure.

If you’d rather not leave it to the last minute for a filter change, you can take a look at the filter inside your shower head and in-line unit. If it’s looking several shades darker than when you first fitted it, this is a sign that it’s pretty clogged with sediment.

Usually, you should start looking to change your filter after four months of use. Keep track of filter changes by logging key dates into your calendar. It’s a good idea to bulk-buy a batch of filters in advance if you want to avoid the last-minute hassle of buying a new one.

⬇️ Will a shower head water filter reduce my water pressure?

No, if you buy a good product, it won’t affect your water pressure.There are some shower head water filters out there that may have an impact on flow of water, but generally, this is reflected in price and customer reviews. Stick to best-selling, highly rated products, and you won’t go wrong.

The only time your water pressure may be affected is when your water filters become particularly full of sediment and contaminants. This will reduce water flow through your filters, reducing the water flow out of your shower head as a result. The simple solution is to change your filter.

✔️ Do shower head water filters come with a filter cartridge?

Most of the time, yes, your shower head water filter will come with a filter cartridge, enabling you to put it to use straight away. A number of filter manufacturers might also give you an additional cartridge to keep you going for longer. Always check a filter’s product description to know what you’re getting.

➰ Does a shower head water filter work like a softener?

Not exactly. Water softeners remove only calcium and magnesium ions from water in the process of ion exchange, replacing these minerals with sodium. Shower head filters are designed with additional filter media to remove other contaminants like heavy metals and chlorine. They don’t add salt to your water, making it easier to rinse soap from your skin and leaving it feeling soft and clean.

🕓 How soon will I notice the effects of a showerhead water filter?

You should notice the effects of a showerhead water filter immediately. When washing your hair in softened, contaminant-free shower water, your hair will feel less rough and brittle, and lather more efficiently with your shampoo. Your skin will feel much softer, and you won’t experience dryness, especially on your face and hands.

You might not notice the difference from de-chlorinated water, but your lungs will. You’ll be able to shower with the peace of mind that you’re not breathing in harmful chlorine odors that might affect your respiration.

❕ Final Thoughts

Shower head water filters are a low-cost, simple solution for producing soft, contaminant-free water for showering in. They’re quick and easy to install, and can provide you with long-lasting benefits for your hair, skin and overall health.

Now that you’re an expert on shower head water filters, it’s time to start searching for the right product for you. Make sure to look at plenty of unbiased third-party reviews to get an idea of the main components of a filter, as well as its advantages and disadvantages. Customer reviews can also give you a clearer understanding of how a shower head water filter works in real life.