Bathroom Shower Head Filter Brands To Steer Clear Of (And Alternatives To Consider)

If you are not ignoring the signs that you need to clean your shower head, but your water still causes problems, you may benefit from a filter. Chemicals and contaminants in water can cause problems like dry, damaged skin and hair, but a good shower head filter can reduce exposure by helping to eliminate chlorine, bacteria, and heavy metals using kinetic degradation fluxion (KDF), activated carbon, ceramic, and more. With so many filter options, it can be tough to choose one. There are some good brands, like Weddell and Aquasana, and some to steer clear of based on lack of certifications and high prices, such as AquaBliss and Jolie.

One thing to check is the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) rating, which tells if a shower head filter is certified to reduce free available chlorine. A lack of NSF certification means that the filter has not been approved to meet NSF standards, and you probably want to avoid spending money on uncertified products. Amazon's overall pick, the AquaBliss High Output Revitalizing Shower Filter, is not NSF-certified, making AquaBliss a brand you may want to avoid despite its positive reviews on Amazon.

Expensive products can also be a reason to avoid a brand, especially because you'll need to buy replacement filters frequently. Jolie, a popular brand, claims the NSF 177 certification and is highly rated by reviewers, but a one-time purchase of the Jolie shower head and filter costs $165, and filter replacements cost $33 per one-time purchase. According to Jolie, filters should be replaced every 90 days. While this may work for some people, a high price is a good reason to look at other brands.

If cost deters you from the Jolie brand, you might consider filters from Weddell or Aquasana. The Weddell Duo shower filter is more affordable than Jolie at $89.99, and it is also NSF-certified with high reviews on Amazon. Filter replacements cost $29.99 but only need to be replaced about every five or six months. You can also attach this filter to your own shower head, which can be a bonus. The Aquasana filtered shower head is another good option with solid Amazon reviews and an NSF 177 rating. Aquasana, unlike many brands, shares independent testing data that supports the efficacy of its filters. It is also more affordable than some options at $84.99 for a max flow handheld shower head filter and $38.99 for filter replacements about every six months.

There are many options out there, and you may want to start with a more affordable option and determine if a shower head filter will improve your bathroom experience before buying some of the more expensive filters. It can be difficult to tell how effective a filter is, so be sure to check for NSF ratings along with customer reviews. Also, learn how often you should replace your shower head filter for each particular brand before buying, and consider that recurring cost when making a decision. Finally, take the time to properly clean your shower head to make sure your water does not pick up any extra bacteria on the way out.