An In-Depth Shower Filter Comparison of 5 Leading Brands
In the last few years, there has been a tremendous increase in the sale of shower filters. Perhaps the trend is due to news stories about the dangers of weed killers, pharmaceutical drugs or other chemicals in our tap water. Or maybe the growing evidence of the health and cosmetic benefits of showering in filtered water is reaching more of the public. What seems clear is that once people become aware of the risks, they see a chlorine shower filter as a necessity, not a luxury. The question then becomes which filter to choose.
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 Shower Systems
When considering the price, it is crucial to factor in the yearly cost and the filter’s performance. The Paragon filter has an inexpensive initial cost of $69.99. Yet, when you take into account that a new filter must be bought at three month intervals for $39.99, the startup price is somewhat deceiving. Likewise, the ShowerWise system costs $79.99 and a replacement filter, which is needed after three months, is $39. Each system costs $13 a month.
Their prices are among the lowest of the top brands, but neither system utilizes a carbon filter. The Paragon has a KDF filter and ShowerWise relies on both KDF and Chlorgon. However, both shower filters fail to take advantage of carbon filtration, which is highly effective at removing synthetic chemicals, THMs and VOCs. Though their prices are low, the lack of a carbon filter and having to replace the filter every three months, helps explain why neither are at the top of many comparisons. Additionally, Paragon and ShowerWise reduced the height of the shower and have flow rates that are less than 2.5 Gallons Per Minute (GPM). Therefore, let’s shelve them until we look at the elite of the comparison.
The Wellness Shower System
The Wellness Filter costs $249. While it only needs a new filter every 18-24 months, the cost for a replacement filter is a steep $189. This averages out to a cost of $16 per month, easily the most expensive filter. Unfortunately, the high price is largely unjustified since its filtering performance is very similar to the much more reasonably priced Aquasana AQ-4100. Furthermore, the Wellness shower system uses only a single KDF filter and is priced at $150 above its nearest competitor. For these reasons, and particularly because of the price, this filter doesn’t make the top two spots of 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.
The last point to consider about the two leading brands is service. Aquasana has more than 17 patents and has been involved in the home water treatment industry for more than 15 years. They have sold over 9 million water filter products, which are backed by an amazing 60-day guarantee (90 for some products). Furthermore, when you enroll in their auto-ship program called “Water 4 Life,” you get a lifetime warranty on your system. On the other hand, the Jonathan Beauty shower filter webpage does not even mention a shower filter warranty. Only after you look through lots of salon products will you find the terms and conditions. While each item comes with a money-back guarantee, there are no details about how long it lasts, so buyers beware. Given the consistent marks of the Aquasana shower filter in all categories, especially service, it wins the top spot.
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.
Learn more about shower filters from the #1 rated home water filter company in the USA. Visit www.aquasanaforlife.com for the best deal on the top-rated Aquasana shower filter system.