The 10 Best Shower Water Filters: Reviews & Ultimate Guide

This is our review of the best Shower Water Filters of 2023.

We reviewed several shower water filters and found out that the AquaBliss High Output Revitalizing Shower Filter is the best one overall.

There are several factors to look for when buying a shower water filter and to make your life easier we spent several hours researching to discover the best overall shower water filter, so that you don’t have to waste your limited time. And because there isn’t a one size fits all because each household and family has their unique situation, we also identified the best option for different situations.

You will find out the best shower water filters available today, their pros and cons, an explanation of why they are better for specific situations, and a complete buying guide with all the relevant information that you need to know to choose the best shower water filtration system for you.

Let’s get started!

Our Top Picks for Best Shower Water Filters

• AquaBliss High Output Revitalizing Shower Filter (Best Overall Shower Water Filter)
• ADOVEL High Output Shower Head and Hard Water Filter (Runner Up Shower Water Filter)
• AquaHomeGroup Luxury Filtered Shower Head Set 15 Stage Shower Filter (Good Choice Shower Water Filter)
• Aqua Earth 15 Stage Shower Filter with Vitamin C (Best for Chlorine Shower Water Filter)
• CraterAquaSystems 15 Stages Shower Water Filter (Best for Fluoride Shower Water Filter)
• BWDM 15-Stage Shower Filter (Best Value Shower Water Filter)
• G-Promise Luxury Filtered Handheld Shower Head (Best Inline and Showerhead Water Filter)
• Berkey Shower Filter (Best Inline Shower Water Filter)
• Culligan WSH-C125 Wall-Mounted Filtered Shower Head (Best Showerhead Water Filter)
• Luxsego High-Pressure Showerhead Filter (Best Handheld Shower Water Filter)

10 Best Shower Water Filters Reviewed

After investing our time researching and reviewing several shower water filters, we identified the 10 best options for different purposes.

Buying Guide for Shower Water Filter

With so many options available, buying a Shower Water Filter is not an easy task.

That is why we present a curated selection of the best shower water filters for different situations, and we also created a comprehensive buying guide for shower water filters so that you can understand the most important factors and be able to make an informed buying decision.

What to Consider When Choosing the Best Shower Water Filter

When researching for a shower water filter to buy, these are the key features that you should consider:

Contaminants Removed

Different shower water filters will have different capabilities to remove contaminants, because it will depend on the media filter they have, so it is important to have an idea of which contaminants you want to deal with first, and then choose the best shower filter to do that.

Some of the common media filters in shower water filters are:

• KDF 55: Good to remove chlorine and heavy metals (like iron, lead, etc.), good against the minerals that cause hard water which limits scale formation, and also prevents bacterial growth.
• Activated carbon: This media filter removes chlorine, reduces chloramines and chemicals. Not as good as KDF for removing chlorine because it is not as effective with hot water.

Cost

Buying a shower water filter is not as expensive as buying other types of water filters for your home. While the price should always be a factor to consider, there won’t be a massive difference between options.

You should find different shower water filter options in the $20 to $100 range, so if you define your budget first, then you can narrow your search for shower water filters that are in that range.

Dimensions

You should take into account the dimensions of the shower water filter before you buy one.

The weight is important because if it is too heavy you might have difficulties using it in the shower and your shower arm might not support it.

And if it is large, especially for an in-line filter, it might be challenging to install it.

Capacity & Filter Longevity

You will need to replace the filter cartridge of your shower water filter from time to time, and this depends on the longevity of the filter.

While not expensive, there is a cost to buy a new filter cartridge, so you need to consider this recurring expense in your analysis.

Ideally, you should choose a combination of good longevity and decent price, to not have to change the filter quite often and minimize the recurring cost of changing the filter.

Certifications

While not as important a factor for a shower water filter as for other water filter types because you won’t be drinking the water, certification is still a factor to take into consideration.

Both NSF or WQA are independent third-party accredited institutions that certify water filters, which gives the consumer the trust that those products can remove certain harmful contaminants. 

Typically shower water filters can have NSF 177 certification, which means that the filter is certified to have structural integrity, material safety, minimum flow rate, and substance reduction, like chlorine.

Flow Rate & Water Pressure

Filtering water has some impact on the water pressure, so you should check the water pressure of the different shower water filter models as low pressure can negatively impact your showers.

When you are showering you want a steady flow of water, that is why water pressure is an important factor to consider when buying a shower water filter.

Material

Shower water filters typically come in 2 materials, plastic or metal.

Each material type has its pros and cons, plastic is not as strong as metal, but isn’t as heavy and also doesn’t rust. If you go for a metal shower water filter, you might consider one with more quality to be rust-proof.

Plastic shower water filters are generally cheaper than metal ones, but they will also be less durable than a metal shower water filter.

What is a Shower Water Filter?

We usually associate a water filter with filtering contaminated water to have fresh and clean water to drink, but in some cases, we also need a shower water filter that filters the water that we use to shower.

A shower water filter is a point-of-use (POU) filtration system installed at the showerhead to filter out the contaminants before they reach you.

It is important to filter some contaminants from your shower, like chlorine and chloramine, because they can irritate your skin and make your hair look dull and dry. Also, in a shower, you can inhale chlorine vapor which can cause breathing problems.

Shower water filters also reduce minerals like calcium and magnesium that cause hard water, avoiding the formation of limescale that would clog your showerhead, irritate your skin and hair.

How Does a Shower Water Filter Work?

A shower water filter is a showerhead filter installed or attached to your shower that makes the water flow through a filter media to remove contaminants before the water reaches your hair and skin.

Different filters will work in different ways:

KDF Filters:

KDF (Kinetic Degradation Fluxion) filters are a type of media filter is composed of a combination of copper and zinc, that can remove several contaminants like chlorine, lead, iron, mercury, fungi, viruses, bacteria, etc., through an ion exchange process.

Carbon Filters:

These filters combine different media containing different materials that remove particles with distinct sizes, as each media layer targets specific contaminants.

Vitamin C Filters:

Another filter used on shower water filters is the Vitamin C filter. Because Vitamin C neutralizes chlorine it is being used to remove this contaminant from the water.

Some Vitamin C filters can remove up to 90% of chlorine, and they can also partially remove chloramines.

And these filters have the extra benefit of adding a vitamin to the water that has a positive effect on your hair and skin.

The Different Types of Shower Water Filters

Shower water filters come in different types, so it is important to understand each one better to decide which type suits your needs.

Showerhead Filters

This type of water filter is a showerhead with an in-built filter system that you attach to your existing shower, replacing the existing showerhead.

Because they are smaller than inline shower filters they will have less space to have media filters, so their filtration capacity is less powerful. But there are some models with multiple media filter layers that will target different contaminants.

Inline Shower Filters

Inline shower filters are systems designed to be placed between the water pipe and the showerhead. This way you can continue to use your current showerhead because the filtration will happen on this device.

Inline shower filters have filter cartridges that can be easily replaced, and typically have more than one filtering media layer to ensure the removal of multiple contaminants.

Inline and Showerhead Water Filters

The last type of shower water filter is a combination of both types we described before. An inline and showerhead water filter joins both an inline shower filter and a showerhead water filter to give you more filtration capabilities.

The idea is that the water will first go through the inline shower filter which will remove most harmful contaminants, but then the shower head water filter will remove the remaining contaminants that could have passed through.

Shower Water Filter Benefits

Using a shower water filter has some benefits, such as:

Make your family healthier

Not only drinking contaminated water is bad for your health, but showering with contaminated water will also hurt your health, and this is a concern especially for risk groups like children and elderly people.

Long exposure to chlorine, heavy metals, and hard water can increase the risk of respiratory diseases and skin problems, so using a shower water filter will definitely help with these issues.

Can soften hard water

Different studies have shown that showering with hard water can cause skin [1,2], and hair problems.

The minerals in hard water prevent the soap from dissolving completely and don’t create enough lather in your bath, making your skin feel dry and itchy.

Another benefit is that softening hard water will prevent the limescale buildup in your bathtub, making it cleaner and better looking.

Can reduce chlorine

As you might have noticed when you spent some time in a pool with chlorine, this chemical makes your skin and hair look dry and itchy.

Also, in a shower, you will absorb chlorine through your breathing, which isn’t good for your overall health.

This is why the ability of shower water filters to remove chlorine from your water is so important, as it will minimize the impact previously mentioned.

Can remove harmful contaminants

Shower water filters are not only important to deal with hard water and remove chlorine, but they can also deal with other types of contaminants, such as bacteria, viruses, pesticides, herbicides, etc.

Showerheads are good environments for bacteria to develop, so it’s important to use a filter that prevents this.

Some water sources are contaminated with pesticides and herbicides, which are harmful to your health. If you are in this situation, make sure you buy a shower water filter that can deal with this, or buy a whole house water filter to remove these contaminants from the entire household.

Do I Really Need a Shower Water Filter?

If you are looking for a shower water filter you probably are not that happy with the quality of the water that you are using in your showers and/or baths, so it might be a good indicator that you need a shower water filter.

In reality, a shower water filter isn’t essential for most households but can bring several benefits. Let’s look at some different scenarios when it can or can’t make sense to buy a shower water filter.

If you have hard water at home a shower water filter is recommended because hard water has negative effects on your skin and hair health. But if you are already using a water softener for your house, you won’t need to have an additional filter for your shower.

Another situation that you might not need a shower water filter is when you already have a whole house water filter. In this situation, the water that goes into your shower is already filtered, so there is no need of having an additional filter.

But apart from these scenarios, you can definitely benefit from a shower water filter. Several water sources will have some contaminants, and even your pipes can leak contaminants into the water, so it is not a bad idea to have a shower water filter to ensure that you are showering with clean and healthy water.

Shower Water Filter Installation

Unlike other types of water filters, installing a shower water filter is quite simple and you should be able to do it by yourself without the help of a plumber.

Anyway, we always recommend following the manual that comes with the shower water filter that you purchase.

How to install a shower head water filter

Installing this type of shower water filter is quite simple, as you only need to detach the current showerhead, and attach the showerhead water filter.

How to install an inline shower water filter

Start by detaching the current showerhead, and seal the shower pipe.

Then, install the inline shower water filter by connecting it to the shower pipe.

Turn the cold water to flush the filter and remove any particles that might be there. Do this process again, but this time using hot water.

Finally, attach back the showerhead, and check that there are no leaks.

Shower Water Filter Maintenance

Usually every 6 months you will need to change filters in your shower head unit because they will become clogged with impurities after extensive usage.

This is a straightforward activity, as you only have to detach the showerhead filter, open the shower head and remove the filter cartridge, replace it with a new one, and attach back the showerhead filter. Let the water run for a few minutes to flush any impurities that might be there.

If you have an inline shower water filter the process is similar, but the filter cartridge is located in the inline unit instead of the showerhead.

FAQ About Shower Water Filters

Here are some answers to frequently asked questions about shower water filters.

What is the cost of a shower water filter?

Shower water filters are not expensive, and if you compare them with other types of water filters they can be considered quite cheap.

You can find good options from around $20 until $100, which cannot be considered expensive in the current market.

You should also factor in the cost of replacing the filter cartridge once or twice a year, which will add up to your budget.

Does a shower water filter reduce my water pressure?

If you buy a quality product this won’t be an issue for you. Just read the reviews before you buy a shower water filter to check if customers are complaining about that specific problem for that product.

Which shower water filter is best for me: a showerhead filter or an inline shower filter?

Both types of shower filters are good and efficient at removing contaminants, so it is more a matter of personal preference, and which type will suit and look better in your bathroom.

The inline filter allows you to use your existing showerhead, which might be something that you want to do, but are typically larger than showerhead filters.

Can I install a shower water filter myself?

Yes! Installing a shower water filter is quite simple, and you should be able to do it by yourself.

You can check the steps in our section “Shower Water Filter Installation” above.

How long does a shower water filter last?

Typically around 6 months, but it will depend on the usage (so the number of people who will use it) and how contaminated the water source is.

Do I need to buy a shower water filter if I have a whole house water filter?

If you already have a whole house water filter, this should already remove the contaminants from your home so you should not need a shower water filter.

The only two reasons that might make you buy a shower water filter if you already have a whole house water filter in your household are:

• If you have hard water and no water softener, then a shower water filter is a good option to remove the hardness of your water before you shower and improve the health of your skin and hair
• If your pipes are not in good shape and you suspect that they can leak contaminants, like metals, into your water. A whole house water filter removes the contaminants when they enter your main water line, but then the water can still be contaminated by your household pipes.

Do I need to buy a shower water filter if I have a water softener?

It might be a good idea because a water softener does not remove contaminants, it only softens the water.

A shower water filter can remove chlorine and other contaminants from the water, which can be harmful to your health.

Our Verdict

By now you are aware of the benefits of using a shower water filter in your home, which can improve the quality of your showers and/or baths for an affordable price.

You know the main factors to look out for when buying a shower water filter, and you should also know the best options available in the market, and how they suit different situations.

For us, the best overall choice is the AquaBliss High Output Revitalizing Shower Filter, but all the shower water filters we covered in our article are great options, so you can’t go wrong with any of them!