Best Shower Filter (Reviews & Guide)

Hard water minerals decrease the effectiveness of shampoo, make the hair look dull an dry, and irritate the skin. They also cause scale buildup and soap scum on shower heads. Using a shower head water softener you can eliminate or prevent these detrimental effects of hard water. The best and most effective solution would be installing a whole house water softening system. However, for renters or for people who can’t afford the high price tag of these large units, a shower head for hard water is the only solution.

Below you can view the best shower head water softener comparison of the top products on the market. Under the table you can read the shower head water softener reviews with more details of their features.

Shower Head Water Softener Reviews

1. Culligan WSH-C125 Wall-Mounted Filtered Shower Head Review

Culligan WSH-C125 is the best selling shower head filter and for a good reason. First of all, it’s one of the most affordable shower filters, even though it offers top quality and performance. It utilizes a patented filter for reducing chlorine up to 99 percent. Additionally, it reduces sulfur odors and scale, other impurities, and many users noticed a softer feel to the water that improved their hair and skin condition. With reduced amount of scale in the water, your skin will get more of the hydrating nourishment.

Not just the filter, but also the showerhead offers many benefits. It features anti-clog rubber spray nozzles. You will be able to enjoy 5 different spray settings and an invigorating massage.

The filter has 10,000 gallons capacity, which would require replacement every 6 months. The installation of the unit is a breeze, and no tools required.

If you can’t install a conventional water softener in your home, this is your next best option for the shower.

2. Jonathan Product Beauty Hard Water Shower Filter Review

Unlike most other shower filters, the Jonathan Product Beauty system uses a 2-stage filtration process. This is a patented system that is designed to remove toxic heavy metals by replacing them with healthy potassium ions. Additionally, it removes synthetic chemicals, chlorine, sulfur odor, and other impurities. It provides pure and pH balanced water. The result you will feel on your hair and skin.

The 3 spray settings on the shower head cover most potential wants. The installation is also quite simple and the filter requires replacement after 6 months of filtration.

3. WaterChef SF-7C Shower Filter Review

WaterChef SF-7C is a great option for you, if you are looking for a water softener shower head with a handheld wand. The deluxe shower head is adjustable and can provide 5 different spray patterns. Additionally, you can enjoy a pulsating massage experience. The shower head provides a steady shower stream with no water pressure drops.

The filtration system also uses 2 stages, which results in significant chlorine reduction. To reassure you of the quality, the company has all their shower systems tested and certified by NSF International.

4. Aquasana AQ-4100 Shower Water Filter Review

Aquasana AQ-4100 is another inexpensive shower head filter from a very popular brand. It uses two stages of filtration to remove the harmful synthetic chemicals and chlorine, thus offering the cleanest and healthiest shower experience. This advanced filtration system can remove up to 91 percent of chlorine content in the water.

5. Rainshow’r CR-1000-MS Shower Filter Review

This shower head comes with an NSF certified KDF filter. Mainly it reduces chlorine and does so very effectively. The dissimilar metals in this KDF filter converts chlorine into a harmless compound.

The filter can also eliminate the effects of hard water elements on your skin and hair. Your hair feel soft and shiny again and there will be no more skin dryness or itchiness.

The shower head offers different spray options, as well as a nice massage setting.

The installation takes minutes and the 25,000 gallon capacity filter is also super easy to switch out.

6. ZenFresh Ionic Shower Head Review

The ZenFresh shower head is one of the best water filter options if your main purpose for getting a water softener shower head is to rejuvenate your skin. It has highly positive reviews and one of the best ratings.

It uses bioactive stones that purify water and at the same time improve mineral nutrient absorption. After the first day of use, you will feel and see a great difference. Your hair will feel softer and silkier and your skin will feel smoother.

There are 3 layers of these negative ion mineralized spheres, which work to greatly reduce chlorine content and other impurities. All this helps to reduce oil secretion and increase cell viability of the skin.

The shower head is also environmentally friendly. The product along with the packaging is totally recyclable. Moreover, the shower head uses only a 1.45 GPM flow rate, though the water pressure still stays incredibly high.


It’s worth noting though that there’s no actual shower head with built-in water softener. These shower heads do not actually soften the water, however many users have seen results of scale reduction, the water feeling somewhat softer on the skin, reducing the hair and skin dryness. Mostly these units are designed to reduce chlorine and other harmful chemicals, but they do not have the ability to remove calcium and magnesium. For full effect of water softening, you will need a conventional whole house water softener. But with one of these shower filters, you will still be able to improve the health of your hair and skin, as well as get other benefits from using water without harmful chemicals.

The Bottom Line

To get full effects of water softening in your home, I would still recommend investing into a water softener. However, if you are renting your place or simply don’t have the space or the budget, you can still improve your skin and hair condition by installing a shower head water softener. They won’t be as effective at actual water softening, but will make the water more clean and some even have the ability to make it feel softer. The best shower head water softener models featured above are the top choices in 2020. Choosing one of them will give you the best results of improving the water quality in your shower.