If it feels as though filtered shower heads are suddenly everywhere, you’re not imagining it. Once something that felt incredibly niche, they’re now increasingly commonplace, with a new generation of sleek, design-led filters promising to rethink the water we wash in. Given how much attention we now pay to the quality of the water we drink and the air we breathe, it makes sense that the water we shower in is coming under closer scrutiny, too.
pick of the best shower filters at a glance:
There’s also a familiar beauty benefit. Ever noticed that your hair feels inexplicably softer on holiday, or that your skin seems happier after showering somewhere other than home? The water you’re washing in may be one part of the equation. Chlorine is added to our water supply for good reason, but some people find chlorinated water leaves their skin feeling tight or their hair dry, while minerals and metals present in water can also contribute to build-up. “We spend so much time thinking about the products we put on our skin and hair, but often don’t think about the water we’re washing in every day,” says Adam Bedford, co-founder and CEO of Sans.
Read more: Is Hard Water Drying Your Skin Out? These Are The In-Shower Fixes To Try
Before you start mentally blaming every bad hair day on your postcode, though, an important distinction: a shower filter and a water softener are not the same thing. “This is probably one of the biggest misconceptions around shower filters,” says Bedford. Conventional shower filters can be designed to reduce chlorine, chloramine or certain metals and impurities, depending on the filtration media inside them, but they don’t necessarily remove the calcium and magnesium responsible for hard water. “If your goal is to actually soften the water and reduce limescale, you need an appropriately specified water-softening system.”
So, how to choose one? Beyond filtration credentials, there are pleasingly prosaic matters to consider: whether your shower is handheld or wall-mounted; what it will look like alongside your existing hardware; how frequently its cartridge needs replacing; and what those replacements will cost. The good news is that the latest generation looks considerably less like plumbing equipment than its predecessors.
Below, ’s edit of the filtered shower heads worth knowing about.
Shower Head 2.0
- Why it’s -approved: If your bathroom has a handheld shower rather than a fixed arm, Hello Klean is one of the easier swaps. Its multi-stage cartridge uses calcium sulphite, activated carbon and KDF copper-zinc media to reduce free chlorine and certain metals, with SGS testing showing chlorine reduction remained above 96 per cent across its tested service life. There’s also anti-scaling media designed to help limit mineral deposits – useful in hard-water areas – although, again, it doesn’t actually remove the calcium and magnesium from the water. Installation is tool-free, and the streamlined head comes in a choice of neutral finishes, so there’s no need to sacrifice the bathroom aesthetic in the name of better water.
- Shower type: Handheld
- Filter life: Around three months
Read more: Why Hello Klean’s Latest Drop Is The Only Shower Head I’ll Be Using From Now On
- Why it’s -approved: Jolie helped make shower filtration something you might actually want people to notice. Available in several finishes, its pleasingly minimal shower head contains KDF-55 and calcium sulphite, which are designed to reduce chlorine and certain heavy metals while coping with the heat and relatively high flow of a shower. More importantly, the filtration isn’t supported by aesthetics alone: Jolie is NSF-certified to NSF/ANSI 177 for chlorine reduction, with testing reporting an 81.8 per cent cumulative average reduction at its certified 2,400-gallon capacity. It’s designed to fit a standard half-inch shower arm and can be installed without calling a plumber. Win-win.
- Shower type: Fixed shower arm
- Filter life: Around 90 days
- Why it’s -approved: The irritating thing about finding a filter you like is discovering that it doesn’t correspond with the shower you actually own. Water2Skin gets points for offering both handheld and rainfall iterations, as well as three finishes. Inside is a relatively simple dual filtration system of KDF-55 and calcium sulphite, designed to reduce chlorine and certain heavy metals; Water2 reports third-party testing showing more than 90 per cent chlorine filtration. It’s another filter rather than a softener – Water2 explicitly states that it doesn’t remove limescale – but for anyone reluctant to swap a rainfall shower for a handheld model simply to filter their water, the choice of formats is a considerable plus.
- Shower type: Handheld or rainfall
- Filter life: 90 days
- Why it’s -approved: Sans is the newest arrival here, and arguably the one that looks least like you’ve retrofitted a water filter to your otherwise carefully considered bathroom design. Available in metallic finishes, the generously sized head has both Rain and more concentrated Jet settings, while its filter combines calcium sulphite with catalytic activated carbon. Independent testing found reductions of more than 99.5 per cent of chlorine and 99.7 per cent of chloramine under the brand’s stated test conditions – the latter is worth noting, since not every compact shower filter is designed to tackle chloramine. It attaches to a standard half-inch shower pipe and the cartridge lasts up to 90 days. Crucially, Sans is clear that this is filtration, not water softening: it won’t remove the calcium and magnesium that make your water hard.
- Shower type: Wall-mounted, fits standard shower arms
- Filter life: Up to 90 days
How do I choose the right shower filter?
Start with your shower rather than your skin. A beautiful rainfall head isn’t much use if your bathroom is configured for a handheld hose, and vice versa. Check whether the filter replaces the entire shower head or sits between existing components, the thread size it requires and, if you have an electric or particularly low-pressure shower, whether there are any minimum flow requirements.
Then turn your attention to what’s inside. “I would start with three questions: what does it reduce, has that performance been independently tested, and how long will the filter perform for?” says Bedford. Calcium sulphite, KDF and forms of activated carbon are among the media commonly found in shower filters, but the ingredient list alone isn’t proof of performance. Look for independent testing, the conditions under which it was carried out and precisely which contaminants the manufacturer claims to reduce.
Finally, factor in the less glamorous bit: refills. Most of the filters in this edit require a new cartridge at roughly three-month intervals, so the replacement price is part of the true cost of ownership.
Do shower filters help with hard water?
Here is where things get muddled. Hard water contains relatively high levels of dissolved calcium and magnesium. Most shower filters do not remove those minerals, so fitting one does not magically turn hard water into soft water.
“Someone living in a hard-water area may prefer how filtered shower water feels, but if your goal is to actually soften the water and reduce limescale, you need an appropriately specified water-softening system,” says Bedford.
Some filters incorporate anti-scaling technology designed to reduce the way minerals deposit onto surfaces, but that is different from removing the minerals themselves. If limescale is your primary concern – rather than chlorine or other substances a particular filter has been tested to reduce – check the small print carefully.
Can a shower filter improve your hair and skin?
Yes – if it is, in fact, the water that’s affecting your hair or skin. Chlorine is an essential part of keeping our water supply safe, but repeated exposure can have a drying effect on the skin and hair. It can interact with the skin’s natural oils and the lipids that help protect the hair fibre, which may help explain why some people notice that their skin feels tighter or their hair drier, duller or more prone to tangling after washing in chlorinated water.
This is where filtration may be useful. By reducing chlorine before the water reaches the skin and hair, a shower filter may make the water feel gentler – something that could be particularly noticeable if your skin or scalp already tends towards dryness or sensitivity, or if your hair is colour-treated. Jolie’s Showerhead is clinically proven with 81 per cent of users reporting less hair shedding and 50 per cent of people noticing an improvement in dry skin.
How often should you change a shower filter?
For many popular shower filters, it’s suggested that you change the filter approximately every three months – but always follow the individual manufacturer’s instructions. Filter media have a finite capacity, and leaving the same cartridge in indefinitely means you can’t assume it is still performing as intended.
“You can’t reliably tell how well it’s filtering simply by looking at the water or cartridge,” says Bedford. “If you leave a filter unchanged for too long, its performance can decline, so I’d always recommend replacing it on schedule rather than waiting until you notice an obvious difference.”
If you know you’ll never remember when 90 days have passed, a refill subscription can be an extremely convenient option.