8 Best Filter Showerhead Buys in 2023, Tested and Reviewed

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Your hair and skin will thank you.

If you've noticed that your hair doesn't feel as healthy and soft as it used to, there's no need to panic. You just need a filter showerhead. We're not the only ones who think so: New York City dermatologist Marisa K. Garshick, MD happens to agree. "It may help to improve the overall appearance of hair by helping to reduce dullness and breakage," she says. "Additionally, using a shower filter may help to preserve hair color."

How is such a thing possible, you may be wondering? A filter showerhead works by removing contaminants in water that cause dryness and dullness. Such culprits often include chlorine, sulfur, and hard metals, which you may notice building up on your current showerhead in the form of musty, white-colored grime. Now imagine that same disgusting mess building up on your skin and hair. Gross, right? If you, like us, are thoroughly fazed by this, you may want to buy a cheap test to determine if you have hard water and, if s, what specifically is running through it. Even well water can contain contaminants!

So we went ahead and rounded up the best eight shower water filters and backed them up with our own experiences and customer reviews. Don't wait too much longer because some of the universally beloved filter showerheads are sold out all over the place.

If this sleek showerhead looks familiar, you may have seen it a few times on your Instagram. Rest assured, the filter lives up to the hype, according to two House Beautiful team members who tested it themselves.

"After using this showerhead for a week, my hair did feel slightly softer. I live in Manhattan where the water is moderately hard, and I felt like this did a decent job of filtering out any lingering minerals—the kind that often causes buildup and leaves my hair looking greasy the next day," says Mackenzie Dunn, the lifestyle and home commerce manager at House Beautiful's parent company, Hearst Corporation. "I didn't notice any huge improvements in my skin, but I would probably need to use it for a longer period of time to see any results there. Bonus points are that it provides nice water pressure and looks very sleek. Ultimately, I do think this does a decent job of filtering water, but I also think there are less expensive options that are equally effective."

The Jolie filter showerhead comes in three finishes, including the brushed steel seen here. No matter which one you choose, you won't notice any difference in performance as they all do the same thing: remove chlorine, heavy metals, and other contaminants in your shower water. Did we mention it's very easy to install? It takes only three steps!

"I moved into a new apartment earlier this year and hated the water pressure," says former House Beautiful editor Isis Briones. "Then again, I was nervous about installing a showerhead in a rental, but Jolie's step-by-step instructions couldn’t be easier to follow. The only difficult part was getting the old showerhead off."

Filter Lifespan: 90 days

Installation: Easy

Flow Rate: N/A

"This is the best thing I've purchased this year," HB's associate shopping editor's cousin, Rachel Cherner, admits. "Before this filter, the water in my New York City apartment was so hard that my hair was brittle—it felt like it was going to break off. Then I bought this filter showerhead, and my hair has life again: It's shinier, and it feels healthier. I can literally feel the difference in water quality." The impressive system owes its efficiency to its maximum flow rate of 2.5 gallons per minute, making this one of the most impressive on our list. It's also lightweight, rustproof, BPA free, and highly durable, not to mention easy to install. You don't even need tools to connect it to your shower arm(it basically snaps into place, or you can use Teflon tape.)

Filter Lifespan: 42 days

Installation: Easy

Flow Rate: 2.5 gallons per minute

We didn't think using minerals to rid our shower water of, well, minerals, would work, but hairstylist-beloved beauty brand T3 has figured it out. The mixture of calcium sulfide, zinc, and copper in this filter showerhead mainly works by removing chlorine from your shower water, which is often the thing that makes your hair and skin feel a bit rougher and drier than it should. Filtration aside, it also comes with seven spray settings so you can customize your ultimate luxurious shower experience without having to do so much as twist the nozzle. One reviewer says, "This was a game changer for my hair. I have well water and after a few shampoos, it starts to get frizzy. This showerhead filter made my hair feel and look sleek and smooth after the second time. Highly recommend." The only downside? It's kind of a pain to install. Start by unscrewing your existing showerhead from the pipe, then clean the pipe threads. Next, wrap plumbers tape clockwise around the threads and screw the new showerhead into place. Finally, flush with hot water for one minute before using it.

Filter Lifespan: Six months

Installation: Difficult

Flow Rate: 2 gallons per minute

We were shocked by how cheap this filter showerhead is considering all it does. It actually makes your shower feel like a monsoon of high-pressure water that's free of all heavy metals, chlorine, and other impurities that sometimes make it smell like a bowl of rotten egg yolks. What's more, it has three spray modes and a 60-inch hose, which is nice for when you don't want to get your hair wet or when you need to clean. One of the 3,000-plus five-star reviews says, "This shower head changed my life. I used to have psoriasis on my neck/back really bad. After installing this bad boy my psoriasis has calmed down very much. Almost gone. The water even smells different now, smells clean. It comes with two shower heads which is very helpful. Great price for everything they offer."

Filter Lifespan: 90 days

Installation: Medium difficulty

Flow Rate: 2.5 gallons per minute

This shower water filter is a bit different from the others on our list because there's no head attached. We'd consider that a good thing, though, because it can latch onto pretty much any pre-existing showerhead. Just remove your current showerhead, screw this filter onto the shower arm, then put your showerhead on the other end. It basically works as a moisturizer, purifier, and softener, so if you have sensitive skin (and fine hair), this thing will change your life. The secret ingredient? Activated carbon, which removes volatile organic compounds and chlorine from your shower water. "It's a little bigger than I expected, but I admit I didn't look at the specifications. Had to run water through it a bit longer than recommended for the water to turn clear," one reviewer says, "Other than that, I can definitely feel a difference in the way my hair and skin feel! Certain filters are directed towards certain contaminants, and this filter covers a few of the more common ones!"

Filter Lifespan: Five months

Installation: Medium difficulty

Flow Rate: 2.5 gallons per minute

This nifty filter utilizes coconut shell carbon and copper-zinc to reduce more than 90 percent of chlorine in your shower water. It's also super easy to install (just four steps), so if you're not particularly dexterous, you can still get this thing up and running in no time. "Now that I've been using this for the past 2 months, I have noticed very few tangles, and they're easy to untangle within 2ish minutes, just once a week," one reviewer says. "This may just be great for those of you with hair prone to tangling/clamping and breaking off as well, noticed that there's barely any chunks of hair coming off, usually once a week, and it's way smaller than it used to be."

Filter Lifespan: Six months

Installation: Difficult

Flow Rate: 2.5 gallons per minute

At just $26, this filter showerhead gives you a lot of bang for your buck. It includes a shower head and a filter that removes chlorine, lead, mercury, nickel, and chromium. What's more, you can choose from among five jet options, including rain, massage, and mist modes. "I installed myself in under five minutes and took my first everything shower tonight. The water didn’t feel any different, but holy moly did it fix my hair," one reviewer says. "The shampoo and conditioner worked up better than normal and I was able to run my fingers through my damp hair—something I'd been unable to do recently due to the awful texture. I can't believe how quickly this device solved my problem."

Filter Lifespan: 90 days

Installation: Easy

Flow Rate: 1.8 gallons per minute

If you know Kohler, you know that its products tend to set the gold-standard for luxury, and the Aquifer shower filtration system is no exception. Just hook it up to your shower arm and feel the difference in your water (your hair and skin will be a lot softer). The system reduces chlorine and odor, controls scale, and inhibits the growth of bacteria and algae. "My shower head is from Kohler too but I feel that the Chrome and the material used for the filter is better than the shower head. Even the internal metal part looks well made. It took me about 5 minutes to install it on my existing shower head," a reviewer says. "When turned on the shower, I did not feel any reduction in water flow, which is a huge plus (I originally had the concern that it may cut the water flow). I am exactly sure when I need to replace the filter (maybe 6 months?) but it should be easy to look up in Kohler’s website."

Filter Lifespan: Six months

Installation: Easy

Flow Rate: 1.75 gallons per minute

Like your shower itself, shower water filters are unique. In other words, they're not one size fits all, so before grabbing the one that looks the prettiest or has the most five-star reviews, do some research to be sure you're buying the one that will best suit you, your needs, and your shower. Here are the most important factors to consider before making the purchase that will surely change your life.

Filter Capabilities: "A showerhead filter can help to filter out certain contaminants in water, such as chlorine and other chemicals, that can otherwise be harsh or drying on the hair," Garshick explains. But not all filters filter out the same contaminants, so we'd recommend figuring out what specific materials are floating around in your water and buying a filter that targets those specific nasties. You can do that by checking your local water quality in the Environmental Working Group's Tap Water Database. Just enter your zip code, select your municipal water supplier, and it tells you exactly which contaminants have been detected in your area.

Installation: Some filters simply require you to remove your current showerhead and snap them into place on the exposed shower arm; others require a few more nuts and bolts. If you're not very good with assembly or plumbing, you may want to stick to the filters with easy-to-master instructions.

Lifespan: Like the water filter you use in your refrigerator, the one in your shower won't last forever. Be sure to take note of your shower water filter's life span because, at some point, you'll have to replace it. We're not talking about the whole contraption; just the filter! Some of our favorites last for three months, others six.

Yes, showerhead filters do actually work! Not only have we tested them ourselves, but you can actually see and feel the proof. For instance, after running your new filter for about five minutes, fill a cup with water and stick a hard water test inside to measure the amount of contaminants. If you want to go with a less official test, just pay attention to the grime. After a month or so, is it still building up on your showerhead?

House Beautiful editors know everything about elevating your bathroom, including your shower water filter. Shopping editor Jessica Cherner tested many of these filter showerheads herself and gathered hands-on reviews from colleagues and family members. She also interviewed experts in skin and hair health to fact-check the claims filter showerhead companies make about their products' benefits. Marisa Garshick, MD, FAAD, is a leading board-certified dermatologist serving patients throughout New York. She completed her undergraduate education at Emory University and graduated from Tufts University School of Medicine.

Jessica Cherner is House Beautiful’s associate shopping editor and knows where to find the best high-low pieces for any room.

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