{"id":5464,"date":"2022-09-19T13:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-09-19T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/watersoftenercritic.com\/?p=5464"},"modified":"2023-02-22T02:20:37","modified_gmt":"2023-02-22T02:20:37","slug":"water-softener-shower-heads-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/watersoftenercritic.com\/water-softener-shower-heads-2020\/","title":{"rendered":"The 8 Best Water Softener Shower Head Options for 2022"},"content":{"rendered":"

Why would you even consider a water softener shower head? Are you going through bottles upon bottles of conditioner just to keep your hair feeling soft?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Does your skin feel tight and itchy the moment you step out of the bath?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you notice an unpleasant odor coming from your shower head every morning?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All of these signs point to potentially harsh chemicals and minerals in your home’s water. While the compounds commonly found in tap water are generally harmless \u2014 if you’re at all concerned, please get your water professionally tested ASAP \u2014 they don’t always play nice with our hair and skin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fortunately, installing one of the best water softener shower heads on the market can help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What You Need to Know About Water Softener Shower Heads<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The home improvement sphere is full of tools and gadgets promising to upgrade your day-to-day life. So when it comes to water-softening shower heads, are they really worth your time and money?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before you can make that decision, it’s important you fully understand what a water softener is and how a shower head filter can (or cannot) replicate one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Women<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What is a water softener, and how does it work?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There are many different water filtration systems on the market, with water softeners being just one sub-type.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

True water softeners work by exchanging harsh mineral ions<\/a> for sodium (salt) ions. Calcium and magnesium are the minerals most frequently targeted by this method.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other filtration systems use physical filters (like activated carbon ) to remove unwanted particles and chemicals in your tap water. These systems mimic the benefits of water softening without facilitating the actual process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But this all begs the question:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do water softener shower heads actually soften water?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Right now, we don’t know of any shower heads that qualify as true water softeners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because the water softening process takes a long time (much longer than it takes for water to pass through your shower head). Instead, the best water softener shower heads work hard to duplicate the benefits of soft water without the bulk or expense that comes with a full-size system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since each filtration medium targets specific contaminants, it’s never a bad idea to test your home’s water<\/a> before choosing a shower head. The best water softener shower head for your home won’t always be the best option for someone else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Man<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Can a shower head filtration system benefit the hair and skin?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Yes! Actually, healthier hair and skin is one of the most talked-about reasons for installing a water softener or filtration system in the home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When we shower, our goal is to step out of the bathroom feeling 100-percent clean. But bathing in hard or unfiltered water can lead to a buildup of harsh minerals \u2014 no matter how hard you scrub.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mineral buildup along the hair follicle<\/a> can make post-shower styling more difficult and even cause your dye job to fade faster. Hard water can also interfere with the skin’s natural oil production<\/a>, leading to dryness, enlarged pores, redness, and other unwanted side effects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the best way to combat hard water is with a whole-home water softener, investing in a physical filtration system for your shower can also make a huge difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8 Best Water Softener Shower Heads<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There’s no shortage of shower head filters available on the market, with some offering better results than others. But for our review, we focused on the best filtration systems that provide results similar to soft water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To select the best products, we compared customer reviews, product specifications, filter media, and third-party certifications. The following reviews are in no particular order.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paragon Integrated Shower Filter WMF1<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Paragon Integrated Shower Filter WMF1<\/a> offers a simple, low-profile way to improve your shower’s water quality. The shower head features five spray settings and an attractive chrome finish. Once installed, no one will even know it doubles as a filter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The filter cartridge itself uses KDF (Kinetic Degradation Fluxion) and proprietary media to target harsh and unpleasant chemicals in your water. Each cartridge will filter approximately 10,000 gallons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This shower head filter is NSF-certified for chlorine reduction, removing up to 99-percent of chlorine. It also claims to reduce water-borne chemicals like hydrogen sulfide, radon, and calcium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pros<\/h4>\n\n\n\n