The Best Shower Water Filters
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If you spend enough time on Instagram, you might begin to get the idea that the biggest problem facing America is water. And that the best shower water filters are the only answer. Over the past few years, a new generation of stylish filtered showerheads has arrived to hijack our collective social media feed—and possibly our subconscious—with a terrifying question.
Can you really trust the water that comes out of your shower?
The answer, according to WIRED's reporting, is not always encouraging. The makers of filtered showerheads often make bold pronouncements about what your deteriorating pipes and chemical-filled shower water might be doing to your body, during what may otherwise be the only peaceful five minutes of your day. If you can rid yourself of the chlorine or contaminants in your water, the argument goes, it may be the cure for your most embarrassing problems: everything from frizzy hair to limp hair to dandruff, hair loss, eczema, dry skin, split ends, blackheads, and the heartbreak of psoriasis.
The best shower water filters on this list are indeed quite good at removing the abrasive chlorine compounds that cities add to your tap water to kill bacteria. And so this was our focus. Maybe half the country’s water systems, including New York and Seattle, use chlorine to disinfect the city’s water supply. But most major metropolitan areas use a more stable substance called chloramine that’s thought to be less carcinogenic. Chloramine is more difficult to filter out—and not all shower filters succeed.
In fact, the differences in performance were shockingly big in some cases. So, let’s say you don’t like chlorine in your water? And you live in a city? These are the showerheads we recommend.
For more purity filters and tests, check out our guides to the Best Backpacking Water Filters, Best Air Purifiers, and Best Indoor Air Quality Monitors. For more ways to level up your bathroom, check out our guides to the Best Bidets, Best Electric Toothbrushes, and the Best Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products for Your Home.
Updated April 2025: We've added the Weddell Duo, Hydroviv, and Curo filters and showerheads, and updated our descriptions of previous picks after durability testing. We also updated prices and links throughout.
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How We Tested and What We Tested
The market for filtered showerheads remains young and largely unregulated, and performance claims are only rarely backed up publicly by independent data. We made lots of requests, but few shower filter companies hand over their lab results. (Thank you, Aquasana, Weddell, and Curo for being exceptions.)
Some makers told us that independent labs and certifying bodies have been backed up, and that data is forthcoming. Many offered customer satisfaction surveys instead. This all means that some skepticism is warranted.
And so I got out test kits at home, instead. First I tested the total chlorine levels in the water without any filtering, a measure that includes either chloramine or free chlorine that's interacted with whatever's in your pipes. Then I tested the water filtered by the showerhead. I performed each test multiple times to account for imprecision or fluctuations in testing and in municipal chlorine levels. In most cases, I did this over multiple days.
For testing, I avoided painfully unreliable home test strips, and instead got out somewhat nasty chemical indicators and used digital and chemical tests designed for pools and aquariums.
We also tested total dissolved solids using a TDS meter, and separately tested filters' effects on pH in order to gauge effects but also to verify the reliability of chemical test results.
The effectiveness of filters goes down over time, of course, depending on how much contamination is filtered out of the water—which is why filters always need to be changed. As we update this guide, we’ll continue to test the most effective showerhead filters to see how their efficacy changes over time—and add any new shower filters we’re able to recommend.
What Shower Filters Probably Don’t Do
The upshot is that you probably shouldn’t expect these shower filters to soften the mineral hardness of your water or remove most substances.
After all, a filter must be relatively small to fit into a showerhead. And yet it’s being asked to filter gallons of water each minute, pushed out at both high temperature and high pressure. A showerhead filter poses a daunting engineering challenge, as compared to countertop water filters that treat only a small amount of water at a time—or a bulky reverse-osmosis device that can plug into your under-sink plumbing.
So what do these showerhead filters actually do, in a way we can measure? They filter chlorine and chlorine compounds, mostly through chemical reactions. Pretty much every American city adds low concentrations of chlorine or chlorine compounds to drinking water to kill potentially harmful bacteria. This is all well and good when the water’s still in the pipes. But chlorine’s not exactly great for your hair or your skin, and few people like to drink it. Some are also especially sensitive to the taste or smell, or prone to skin reactions.
The most prominent home shower filters rely in part on a zinc-copper mixture called KDF-55, known to be quite effective at neutralizing “free” chlorine in chlorine-treated systems. Other common substances used to treat chlorine and chlorine compounds include calcium sulfite and activated or catalytic carbon. The most effective filters use these in some combination. The main thing I was able to verify, and test, was shower filters' ability to remove the total chlorine content of water coming out of your shower.
We’ve seen little evidence that the most common types of showerhead filters have much effect on the softness or hardness of water, or on calcium buildup. In fact, some early academic studies present evidence that they don’t. The shower filters we tested also had very little effect on the sum total of dissolved solids in our water, according to measurements with a TDS meter—i.e., the filters aren’t removing a large amount of materials or minerals from the water.
I wasn't able to test claims by some companies that these filters remove heavy metals like lead and arsenic, which thankfully aren’t in my pipes. We only found one company, Weddell, whose filter was certified to remove lead. So far, so good! Nonetheless, if you believe you have dangerous lead or arsenic in your water, you probably shouldn’t try to fix the problem with a mail-order showerhead. Talk to a water treatment professional or your public health authority.
What Is Chloramine?
If you live in a major US city, chlorine is likely not what your city uses to treat the water in its pipes. New York, Chicago, Seattle, and Phoenix use chlorine, sure. But Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Boston, and most big cities in Texas don’t.
More than half of American big cities use a substance called chloramine, a more stable and enduring chemical that’s harder to filter and test. That's also what was in my water supply. To test, I got out my handy digital water colorimeter and a somewhat nasty chemical indicator, and then tested the ability of each shower filter to treat any of a number of chlorine compounds in the water.
First I tested the total chlorine in the water without any filtering, then I tested the water filtered by the showerhead. I did each test multiple times to account for imprecision or fluctuations in testing and in municipal chlorine levels. In most cases, I did this over multiple days. As we update this guide, we’ll continue to test the most effective showerhead filters to see how their efficacy changes over time—and add any new shower filters we’re able to recommend.
Best Overall
Canopy was one of only a few showerhead brands I tested that was able to bring my chloramine-treated water’s total measurable chlorine down to undetectable levels, over multiple days of testing and at all water temperatures. The filter is a mix of multiple substances known to be effective at reducing chlorine: KDF-55, calcium sulfite, and granular activated carbon made from coconut shells.
Canopy is a handsome and elegantly designed showerhead, whose thoughtfulness often shows up in the small details. The stream is adjustable on three settings, from a satisfyingly broad and even spray to a punishing middle jet. Installation was tool-free, and also the most hitch-free I encountered. Filter replacement is even easier and doesn’t require unscrewing the showerhead. Canopy offers aromatherapy options from diffusers to felt air fresheners you can hang from the top of your showerhead and refresh with essential oils—a clear play to turn its shower “experience” into a wellness-based lifestyle brand. Heck, even the packaging is quite pleasant, if also excessive, designed for the era of influencer TikTok unboxings.
But it’s also easy to appreciate the Canopy showerhead’s simple efficacy and the refreshing level of care taken in its design. Filters will set you back about $37 once every three months—a nonnegligible expense, but at the low end for similar devices. Note, however, that Canopy—like pretty much all of the new wave of filtered showerhead makers—declares in marketing materials that its showerheads exceed NSF standards for chlorine removal but did not provide evidence of independent lab testing upon request. My own testing results showed the filter is exceedingly effective out of the box. Two months into the filter's life, this effectiveness had drifted down closer to filtering out more like half of the total chlorine. This is still better than most filters we tested.
Specs Filter material 3 layers: KDF-55, calcium sulfite, activated carbon Filter replacements $37, once every three months Independent lab testing? None offered Spray settings Three settings, from wide spray to forceful centered blast Flow rate and limiters 2.5 g/min; 1.8 g/min restrictor included Best Inline Shower Filter for Chlorine-Treated Water
Most makers of shower water filters are a bit circumspect about releasing lab test data, or getting their products certified by international testing bodies. Not Weddell. As of April 2025, the Weddell Duo was the only US shower water filter I found that had received certification for free chlorine removal with the NSF international testing organization. The Duo is also certified by NSF to remove lead from pipes, and Weddell cites third-party testing by IAPMO R&T showing that the showerhead removes PFAs, though this is not accompanied by any certification.
If your city uses chlorine, this is probably the filter I'd get. The Duo is an inline filter, which means you screw it in between your pipe and your existing showerhead. It's not overly pretty—a bit like your shower got skewered by a fuel rod—but it is lab-tested and certified. Each filter is certified to remove the lion's share of free chlorine over the course of 8,000 gallons. (An average household uses 350 gallons per person each month.) Still, according to our testing, the Duo was not as effective as other top filters at removing chloramine, the substance used in more than half of major metropolitan areas. New York, Chicago, Seattle, Detroit, and Phoenix use chlorine to disinfect their drinking water. This is the filter I'd likely favor in those cities, if free chlorine were my main concern.
Specs Filter material 2 layers: activated carbon and “proprietary medium” Filter replacements $30, once every three months Independent lab testing? NSF certification to remove free chlorine and lead; independent testing to remove PFAs Spray settings No effect Flow rate and limiters Rated for up to 2.5 g/minute.
Best Handheld Device
My favorite fixed showerhead I tested also made my favorite handheld. The filter in Canopy’s handheld wand is the same tri-layered puck as the basic Canopy showerhead, using the same mixture of filtering compounds. This means that the handheld, just like Canopy’s fixed showerhead, was able to bring total chlorine in my water down to undetectable amounts.
Canopy’s handheld offers a classic silhouette—without the complicated, ungainly, mad-scientist laboratory assembly required by some filtered handhelds. The reason for the simplicity is simple: The filter is installed inside the spray head, not as a separate part. This gives Canopy’s handheld what some would describe as a pleasing heft, as compared to the cheap-feeling flimsiness of other filtered handhelds I tested. Others may find the Canopy’s heft to be simply “heavy.”
There are other trade-offs. The spray is not adjustable, which means the wand does not offer any forceful “massage” settings. And changing the filter is a bit of a pain, requiring more force than seems reasonable. Which is to say there’s room for improvement. But in the somewhat sparse market for excellent filtered shower wands, it’s the best and most effective I’ve tried.
Specs Filter material 3 layers: KDF-55, calcium sulfite, activated carbon Filter replacements $25, once every three months Independent lab testing? None offered Spray settings No adjustments Flow rate and limiters 2.5 g/m; 1.8 g/m restrictor included The Most Spa-Like Spray
Most filtered showerheads, by their nature, are bulky. They have to be, because they need to house a big filter with zinc and copper inside. Afina turned this bug into a feature by leaning hard into its size, offering a broad, flat-fronted shower face that gave the most soothing spray—and satisfyingly forceful water jets—of all the filtered showerheads I tried. It’s not adjustable: It is what it is. But I quite like what it is.
Afina’s two-stage chlorine filter is also as effective as any of the filtered showerheads we tested, reducing total chlorine levels to undetectable amounts when it's new. After being used for a month and some change, this effectiveness had started to drift downward considerably. Afina recommends filter replacement every two months at $40 a pop ($29 with a subscription). Chloramine filtering effectiveness did drop swiftly after a month or so, so I'd probably suggest this as well. Installation is tool-free and simple enough, and filter replacement requires just a quick twist of the wrist. Filters can be assessed easily by color to determine whether replacement is needed.
Specs Filter material “Proprietary blend” with KDF-55 and calcium sulfite Filter replacements $40, once every two months Independent lab testing? None offered Spray settings No adjustments Flow rate and limiters 2.5 g/m; 1.8 g/m restrictor included
A Bacteriostatic Showerhead That Filters Out Chlorine
Hydroviv is a water filter company of long standing, and its KDF-55, calcium sulfite, and catalyzed carbon showerhead ranks among the few shower filters I've tested that was able to filter total chlorine levels down to undetectable levels, in a chloramine-treated water system. I haven't yet tested it over months to determine durability, but chlorine levels remained undetectable after a week of very long showers. Hydroviv suggests filter replacements once every six months, a longer span than comparable shower filters such as Canopy or Afina; that said, at $75 its filters cost double what most other filters do. As with most makers of shower filters, requests to see independent lab testing results were not answered by company representatives.
While I didn't find the actual showerhead itself as charming and thoughtful as Canopy's, nor the spray as refreshingly fine and broad as Afina's, Hydroviv adds an extra claim, namely that its filter media are “bacteriostatic.” What's this mean? It means that icky and potentially health-damaging mycobacteria are less likely to grow inside it. This is difficult to assess without access to lab results, but it's hard not to like the notion of fewer bacteria colonies in your life.
Specs Filter material Three layers: KDF-55, calcium sulfite and catalyzed carbon. Bacterostatic medium discourages mycobacterial growth Filter replacements $75, once every six months Independent lab verification? Not provided Spray settings Is what it is Flow rate and limiters 2.5 g/m or 1.75 g/m options Best for Bacteria
OK, OK, you got me: This isn't a filter. This is an unfiltered showerhead. But it's relevant here. The ShowerClear is designed to solve a problem you probably hadn't thought about, but may keep you up at night: Potentially infectious bacteria called mycobacteria, prone to causing respiratory lung infections, enjoy growing inside showerheads and are resistant to chlorine treated water. They grow in colonies, a bit like fungus. Hence the name. What's worse, if you can't open up your showerhead, you can't see them and you don't know they're there. Gives you the willies.
Anyway, this ShowerClear showerhead is not overtly high tech. There are no filters to replace. It's not pretty, nor is it overtly unpretty. But it has a hinge and a latch. This means you can open it up, look inside, and clean its interior completely, with soap or vinegar or disinfectants. This is a very rare quality even among filtered showerheads. The ShowerClear's inventor, who boasts the implausible name of Steve Sunshine, says in company materials that he invented the showerhead after he found what looked like mold in the showerhead of his ailing mother. The showerhead's latch, which withstands the not-insignificant pressure of shower water, is inspired by a vintage gas cap. Some online reviews say the latch is difficult to open and close, though I didn't have this trouble. I'd be happier if the ShowerClear's water flow fanned out a little better, or if the latch were less of a defining design feature. But what's all that, for a little peace of mind? (That said, if you want a filter to remove chlorine, you'll also need an inline filter like the Weddell Duo.)
Specs Filter material ABS antibacterial substrate Filter replacements N/A Independent lab verification? You do your own showerhead cleaning. You can verify your work with lab work, if you like Spray settings Is what it is Flow rate and limiters 2.5 g/m or 1.8 g/m options
Best Low-Plastic Shower Filter
A good number of filtered showerheads claim to remove microplastics. But the funny thing is, most of their filters are made with a significant amount of plastic. Take that paradox as you will. But English brand Curo uses far less plastic than any other brand we've found, aside from a bit of polyester in the filter's mesh—and according to founder Harry Bilby, it's working on getting rid of even this tiny bit of plastic.
Like our top-pick Canopy, Curo's three-layer shower filter also reduced total chlorine to indetectible levels in our testing. And in a rare gesture, its founder also shared third-party lab testing results showing that the filter is effective on free chlorine levels for 8,000 gallons at a high flow rate. The catch, for those in the United States, is that Curo is a handheld showerhead that doesn't come with a hose and adapter for American shower pipes. And so Americans will have to figure that out, if they don't already have a handheld showerhead setup. If you do have a handheld showerhead, just screw it off and screw on the Curo. Note that the showerhead itself is priced lower than other brands on this list, but filter replacement is more expensive.
Specs Filter material KDF-55, calcium sulfite and activated carbon Filter replacements $55 every 3 months ($47 with subscription), or $163 for a set of four filters for the year Independent lab verification? Reviewed by WIRED, from a Korean lab Spray settings Is what it is Flow rate and limiters 2.5 g/m or 1.75 g/m options
Also Effective
Aquasana Inline Filter for $150: Aquasana's funnily bulbous two-layer filter removed the majority of total chlorine in my chloramine-treated system, and it was also one of the only shower filter companies to offer independent testing data backing up its claims for chlorine-based systems. So far, so good. So why’s it not up near the top of our list? A flimsy shower wand with poor spray force and radius, a slight but unfortunate tendency toward leakiness at the shower connection, and unforgiving geometry that means it doesn't link up well with all showerheads as an inline filter. Still, it works and it's lab-attested for free chlorine removal, and I happily recommend it.
Jolie Filtered Showerhead for $165: Jolie pioneered the influencer-centric, testimonial-driven, vocal-fried marketing model that has made shower filters so dominant in the public conversation. Its design, which looks a bit like a giant Monopoly playing piece and comes in chrome, gold, black, or red, is eminently likable. The device offers even water spray and a soft, stippled faceplate that feels luxuriant in the strangest of ways. But Jolie didn't respond to requests for independent testing when we asked in late 2024, and our own testing put it somewhere in the middle of the pack in terms of removing total chlorine from a chloramine-treated system.
Not Recommended
Sproos! Filtered Hand Shower for $148 ($99 with subscription): Sproos is a quirky, kicky, kooky shower brand aimed squarely at young “renters and DIYers”—offering a rainbow of bold colors for handheld filtered showerheads. But filter testing was middle of the pack or worse. Also, the valve on Sproos’ heavy, side-mounted filter broke under its own weight after two days when we tested in 2024, causing an alarming bang and a bit of a mess.
Kohler Cinq for $155: Kohler is a venerable Wisconsin brand with a number of water treatment options for showers and faucets. The Cinq filtered showerhead is admirably classic in form, and its five-layer filter looked equally promising, advertising in particular KDF-55 and activated carbon. Home testing didn’t show great results with my chloramine-treated water, however, and for the price I felt entitled to high expectations. Requests for independent lab testing data in 2024 didn’t get results.
Act + Acre Showerhead Filter (Out of Stock): Beauty company Act + Acre’s filtered showerhead didn’t perform as well as others in my home testing of total chlorine. We also didn’t fall in love with the showerhead itself, which looks a bit like a gooseneck desk lamp and droops awkwardly from the shower pipe. The showerhead was listed as out of stock when we checked in on April 2025.
