The Ultimate Guide to Help You Compare Shower Filters and Find the Right One

In recent years, there has been a spike in the sale of shower filters. The increase may be related to the public's awareness of pharmaceutical drugs, pesticides and other chemicals being found in our tap water. The trend may also reflect the growing connection between showering in unfiltered water and negative cosmetic and health consequences. When people learn about the hidden dangers of showering without a filtration system, they often take the stance that a chlorine shower filter is a need more than a luxury. The great dilemma then becomes how do you select the right one.

Like most comparisons, this review of five top brands will look at the basic attributes like cost and quality. However, it will also closely examine factors like service, filter performance and guarantees. Figuring out the best system for your needs can take some time, but it will save you headaches and money in the end. The filter performance is drawn from the manufacturer's documentation. The effectiveness of each system is based on how well it filters out chlorine, THMs (Trihalomethane), VOCs (Volatile Organic Chemicals) and both lead and copper. What becomes very clear is that a filter with a steep price tag does not translate to the best product.

Paragon and ShowerWise

When looking at price, it is important to take into account the overall price of operation for an entire year, as well as the filter technology involved. The Paragon filter actually has a very low startup cost of $69.99. However, because a new filter must be purchased every three months at a cost of $39.99, its initial cost is very deceiving. Similarly, the ShowerWise filter has a $79.99 price tag and a new filter, which will also need to be purchased every three months, costs $39. For both systems, the average price comes to $13 per month.

Although their prices are very affordable, they do not use carbon filtration. The Paragon utilizes a KDF filter, while ShowerWise uses a mixture of Chlorgon and KDF. The absence of a high-quality carbon filter means they can't effectively filter out synthetic chemicals, VOCs and THMs. While they are priced reasonably, having to replace the filter after three months and not having a carbon filter are likely reasons why the two systems rank low among top filters. Moreover, Paragon and ShowerWise have flow rates slower than 2.5 Gallons Per Minute (GPM) and also cause the shower head height to be lower. They don't inspire very much confidence for someone seeking value or a truly healthy shower experience.

Wellness

The Wellness Filter is priced very high at $249. Although the filter only needs changing every 18 to 24 months, the replacement filter cost is a lofty $189. Monthly average cost works out to be $16, by far the highest priced filter. Yet, the high price does not equate to superiority. Its filter performance is extremely similar to the much lower priced Aquasana AQ-4100. The Wellness shower filter costs over $150 more than the next most expensive competitor and it uses only a KDF filter. Due to the ultra high price and the reasons mentioned above, this filter doesn't deserve the number one or runner-up spot in this shower filter review.

Aquasana and Jonathan Beauty Shower Systems

We are down to two shower filters and its time to really dive into the details to determine which one is right for your needs. The Jonathan Beauty shower filter costs $95 and a new filter is needed every six months at a cost of $55, for a monthly expense of $9.25. While most of the leading brands won't break the bank, they all fall short of the Aquasana AQ-4100 when it comes to cost. It has a lower initial and annual cost. The system sells for $67.99 and the replacement cartridge, which lasts up to 6 months, costs only $42. This averages out to a mere $7 per month. This is definitely a great deal, but now let's compare the filtration effectiveness of the top two competitors.

Aquasana's performance was impressive. It removes over 90% of all VOCs, THMs and chlorine. It also reduces more than 70% of copper and lead. Aquasana scored the same as Jonathan Beauty in all performance categories except one. Jonathan Beauty was able to remove 90% or more of lead and copper. Both brands easily outperformed ShowerWise and Paragon. Overall they are very comparable, but Jonathan Beauty has a steeper price; it is over 39% more expensive than Aquasana and the replacement filter costs 23% more.

At this juncture, it makes sense to distinguish the service of the top two companies. Something that might cause concern is that the Jonathan Beauty shower filter webpage does not mention a guarantee or warranty. The terms are on a separate page. An unconditional money-back guarantee is offered, but how long it lasts is not stated. Compare that with Aquasana's more than 15 years in the home water filter business; over 17 patents; more than 9 million products sold; 60-day guarantee (90 for certain products) and even a lifetime warranty when you sign up for their free "Water 4 Life" auto-ship program. The Aquasana shower filter gets consistently high marks in every category and has the service and proven track record to back up its reputation.

Conclusion

Aquasana beat the field when it came to price. Except for one category, its 2-stage filtration process was equal to or outperformed the rest of field. Out of the top five brands examined here, only Aquasana and Jonathan Beauty have won the highly sought after Consumers Digest Magazine's "Best Buy" award, so they have shown that their manufacturing and quality are very high. A good rule of thumb is that if you don't feel safe drinking from your faucets, then what comes out of the showerheads is no safer. Take what you've learned here and select a high-quality shower water filter.

Visit www.aquasanaforlife.com if you would like to find out more about shower filters like the top-rated Aquasana AQ-4100. You'll find the perfect two-stage Aquasana shower filter at the best price and value.