Taking a hot shower can be an incredibly relaxing part of your daily routine. But did you know that your shower water could contain harmful contaminants like chlorine, heavy metals, and other chemicals that may be negatively affecting your health and the health of your skin and hair?
That’s where a quality shower filter comes in. Shower filters work to remove impurities from your water before they ever reach your body. In this comprehensive review, we’ll be taking an in-depth look at the Aqua Earth shower filter to see if it’s worth investing in for your home.
How Shower Filtration Works
Before we dive into the specifics of the Aqua Earth, let’s do a quick overview of why shower filtration is important in the first place.
The water that flows from your showerhead likely contains:
- Chlorine – Used as a disinfectant but dries out skin and hair
- Chloramines – Another disinfectant with similar issues as chlorine
- Heavy metals – Like lead, mercury, and arsenic that are toxic to humans
- Hard water minerals – Calcium and magnesium that create “scum” and reduce lather
Prolonged exposure to these contaminants may lead to:
- Dry, itchy, inflamed skin
- Brittle, frizzy hair that’s hard to manage
- Long term health issues (especially from heavy metals)
A high quality shower filter can help remove many of these harmful substances from your water before they cause damage. And beyond just being safer for you, filtered shower water also feels more refreshing and moisturizing.
Let’s look at why the Aqua Earth is one of the most popular shower filters on the market.
Key Features of the Aqua Earth Shower Filter
The Aqua Earth shower filter is designed as a universal, easy-to-install unit that will work with most standard shower setups. Here are its key features:
- 15-stage filtration system – Uses a combination of filter media like activated carbon, calcium sulfite, and KDF-55 to remove contaminants.
- Removes chlorine & chloramines – Its activated carbon media removes these harsh chemicals that dry out skin and hair.
- Reduces heavy metals – Substances like lead, mercury, and arsenic are filtered out.
- Vitamin C balls – Help neutralize chlorine and add vitamin C to the water for added skin benefits.
- pH balancing minerals – Helps restore alkalinity to neutralize acidic water that can irritate skin.
- Coconut shell activated carbon – A highly porous type of carbon that effectively absorbs impurities.
- Easy installation – Can be installed in under 10 minutes with no tools required. Fits standard 1/2″ shower arms.
- Includes 2 filters – Comes with 2 replacement filter cartridges to get you started.
With a powerful multi-stage filtration system, the Aqua Earth aims to provide softer, smoother water for an improved shower experience. But how does it really hold up when put to the test? Let’s dig into the pros and cons.
The Pros of Choosing the Aqua Earth Shower Filter
There are several reasons why the Aqua Earth filter is one of the top-selling options and is highly rated by actual customers:
1. Extremely affordable price – Given its robust feature set, the Aqua Earth is very competitively priced, especially since it includes 2 replacement filters.
2. Quickly improves skin & hair – Most users notice positive effects on their skin and hair after just a few showers. Skin feels softer and smoother, hair is shinier.
3. Effective chlorine removal – With its activated carbon filtration, the majority of the chlorine is removed, leading to less dryness.
4. Compatible with any water type – It can be used with municipal water, well water, hard water, soft water, etc.
5. DIY installation is a breeze – Everything you need is included, and no plumbing skills are required. Just takes a few minutes.
6. Adds beneficial minerals – The vitamin C balls and minerals provide extra nutrients for your skin and hair.
7. No pressure or flow loss – The filter does not restrict your water flow or pressure, so your showers are unaffected.
8. Long filter life – Each filter cartridge lasts for 6-12 months, depending on your water quality and usage.
9. Excellent customer reviews – Online reviews are very positive overall, with most users seeing real benefits.
Given its affordable price and proven performance, the Aqua Earth provides tremendous value. But there are still a few downsides to consider.
The Potential Drawbacks of the Aqua Earth
While we recommend the Aqua Earth as a budget-friendly option, there are a few areas where it falls short of more premium shower filters:
Made in China – It’s not manufactured in the USA. So quality control may be questionable.
Replacement filters can be hard to find – They aren’t sold separately, so you need to replace the whole unit.
Shorter lifespan vs premium filters – Needs replacing every 6-12 months. Higher-end options last up to 2 years.\
While it does have some limitations compared to more expensive shower filters, none of these cons are dealbreakers, especially considering the low price.
Who is the Aqua Earth Shower Filter Ideal For?
Given its blend of affordability and performance, we think the Aqua Earth filter is a great choice for:
- Families on a budget – At under $40, it provides solid filtration without a big investment.
- Renters – It’s easy to install and remove, so it works well for rental properties.
- People with chlorine sensitivities – If chlorine specifically causes dry skin for you, this filter helps.
- Those with mild skin/scalp conditions – It may provide some relief from irritation, flaking, etc.
- Households wanting basic filtration – It covers the basics like chlorine and hardness reduction.
- Anyone seeking smoother hair – Reduce frizz, split ends, and brittleness caused by shower water.
While more specialized filters exist, the Aqua Earth hits a sweet spot of affordability and performance that suits most households.
Should You Buy the Aqua Earth Shower Filter?
Based on our extensive research and analysis, here is our verdict on whether to purchase the Aqua Earth shower filter:
Yes – If you have a limited budget but want smoother, softer shower water that’s gentler on your skin and hair. For the price, it delivers noticeable improvements.
Yes – If you want an easy DIY installation without any tools or plumbing skills required. It just screws right onto your existing setup.
Yes – If you mainly want to remove chlorine and filter for basic hard water problems. It excels at making water feel more moisturizing.
No – If you want a shower filter with a US-made, premium quality build. The Chinese manufacturing raises durability concerns.
In Conclusion: A Budget-Friendly Option Worth Trying
When it comes to shower filters, you often get what you pay for. Premium filters with exhaustive contaminant removal can cost over $200.
The Aqua Earth takes a different approach – by focusing on the basics and keeping costs low. For under $40, you get a shower filter that will effectively eliminate chlorine and soften hard water to leave your skin and hair feeling cleaner and smoother.
While we recommend the Aqua Earth, also consider your needs:
- If you require comprehensive filtration or have serious skin conditions, consider investing in a more heavy-duty shower filter. Options like the Sonaki or Berkey provide superior filtration.
- To remove chloramines along with chlorine, choose a filter with KDF media like the Aquasana or Culligan.
- If you want maximum absorbtion of toxins, an activated alumina filter like Vitamin C or Aquabliss is ideal.
While it has some limitations, at its affordable price point, the Aqua Earth shower filter is absolutely worth trying out. It provides noticeable improvements in skin and hair quality for most users.