Prices from Amazon AU, updated daily. Swipe or use the arrows for more.
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Quick summary8 picks
- Entry PickKovizen Filtered Shower Head | 9 Functions… about$34
- Kovizen Shower Head about$38
- weAQUA Heavy Duty Shower Filter for Hard Water about$40
- Decaura Filtered Shower Head with High… about$40
- AUHUB Filtered Rainfall Shower Head about$40
- Baseau Luxury Filter Shower Head about$46
- Handheld Shower Head with Filter about$5003" screen.
- Most PremiumAUHUB Magnetic Filtered Shower Head about$50
What a shower filter does, and what it doesn't
A shower filter is a small cartridge of filter media that the water runs through on its way out of the head. Most of the ones on Amazon AU use a mix of KDF, which is a copper and zinc granule, calcium sulfite and activated carbon. KDF and calcium sulfite are there mainly to knock down chlorine in hot water, and carbon does a bit of that too. A sediment screen at the front catches grit and rust flakes from old pipes. That's the useful part, and it's real.
What a shower filter can't do is soften hard water in any serious way. Softening means swapping calcium and magnesium for something else, and that takes a big resin tank and a lot of contact time, not a cartridge the size of a toilet roll with water rushing through it at nine litres a minute. You might see a little less scale on the screen, but the glass and the tiles will still spot. Philips was honest enough to say its filter generally doesn't reduce total dissolved solids, which is the giveaway.
I'll be plain about the marketing too. Almost every listing in this category promises things about your skin, hair and nails, and some go much further than that. I've left all of those claims out, because none of the listings back them with anything I can check, and I don't write that sort of thing. What I can check is the hardware: what the head is made of, what it's rated to flow, what thread it uses and what the refills cost. That's what this guide is about.
If what you actually want is better water to drink, a shower filter is the wrong tool. an under-sink filter or a filter jug does that job properly, because the water sits in the media for longer and the filters are tested for drinking water. A shower filter is a chlorine and grit filter for the bathroom, and it's worth buying on those terms or not at all.
The refill is the real price
The head or housing is a one-off. The cartridge is what you'll keep buying, so I worked out the yearly cost of each pick from refill listings sold by the same brand on Amazon AU, checked today. It's the same trap as printer ink or a water filter jug: the box price is the easy number to compare, and the refill is where the money goes. A filter that's never changed is worse than no filter, because the media fills with grit and starts to grow a slime of its own.
weAQUA sells a two-pack of its refill cartridges for $44.95, so each cartridge works out at about $22.48. Its listing says one filter lasts six months, so a year of refills costs roughly $45. Decaura sells a three-pack of refills for its shower head at $29.99, about $10 each, and says each lasts up to six to eight months, so you're looking at roughly $15 to $20 a year. Kovizen sells a four-pack at $24.99, about $6.25 each, and recommends a change every four to six months, so about $12 to $19 a year.
Baseau is the gap. Its listing says the filter is removable, but I couldn't find a Baseau-branded refill on Amazon AU today, so I can't give you a yearly figure for it. Kovizen says its four-pack suits most hand showers on the market as well as its own, but sizes vary, so measure the old cartridge before you buy anything that claims to be universal. If you can't get refills, the shower head stops being a filtered shower head after about six months.
These figures move with the price of the packs and with your water. Bore water, old galvanised pipes and a big household all wear cartridges out faster than the makers' estimates. The tell is usually the flow: when the shower drops off noticeably, the cartridge is clogging and it's time to change it, whatever the calendar says.
WELS ratings and what flow you'll actually get
Every shower head sold in Australia has to carry a WELS water rating, and the four heads among the picks all list theirs. The Kovizen 9-function, the Kovizen 10-function, the Decaura and the Baseau are each WELS 3 star at 9.0 litres a minute, and each lists its WELS registration number and the Australian standard AS/NZS 6400:2016. That's a good sign the listing is aimed at this market rather than copied from an overseas one.
The rating is a maximum at a set test pressure, not a promise. In a house with low mains pressure or an old gravity hot water system, you'll get less, and a clogged filter cuts it further. The "high pressure" on these listings means the nozzles are small, so the same water comes out faster and feels harder. It doesn't add pressure your pipes don't have, and it won't fix a tired hot water system.
Flow is also where most of a shower's running cost sits. At 9 litres a minute, a seven-minute shower uses 63 litres of water. If that water is heated by an electric storage system from about 18 to 40 degrees, it takes roughly 1.6kWh, which at the AU average of about 33c/kWh is around 53c a shower before any tank losses. Those are my assumptions, not a measured figure, but they show why a WELS 3 star head matters more than the filter does. If you're on electric hot water, a hot water timer can matter as much as the head.
The weAQUA is different, because it's an inline filter, not a head. It screws on between your shower arm and your existing head, so your head's WELS rating stays the one on its own box. The listing says the design keeps full water pressure, but any cartridge adds some restriction, so expect a small drop on a low-pressure system.
Thread fit and the hose
Australian shower arms and hoses use a half-inch BSP thread, which you'll often see written as G1/2. The Kovizen 9-function states a universal G1/2 connector outright, which is the clearest of the five picks. The Baseau and both Kovizens say they fit shower arms and hoses in Australia, and the Decaura says it fits any standard shower hose. The weAQUA says it fits all standard shower types without naming the thread, so check it against your arm when it arrives.
The thread is the reason I left out a Philips filter that sells well on Amazon AU. Its model code ends in /37, which is Philips' North American code, and its listing quotes capacity in US gallons. North American showers use a tapered NPT thread, not BSP, and the two don't seal properly against each other even though they're both called half-inch. A thread that's slightly wrong will usually drip from the join, and plumber's tape only goes so far.
Handheld heads need a hose, and not all of them include one. The Kovizen 9-function's listing says plainly that it's only the head and there's no hose. The Kovizen 10-function talks about installing it with its hose, and the Baseau and Decaura don't say either way, so check your existing hose before you order. A fixed rose on the end of a shower arm needs a handheld bracket and hose as well, which is a bigger job than swapping a head.
Fit is a hand-tight job on all five. Use the washer that comes with the head, add a turn or two of thread tape if the join weeps, and don't go at the plastic with a shifter. Most of these heads are ABS plastic with a chrome finish, and plastic threads strip and crack long before brass ones do.
Head or inline filter
A filtered head puts the cartridge inside the handle. It's tidy, it's one part to buy, and the refills slide in and out of the handle in a minute. The catch is that the filter is tied to that head. If the head breaks or you want a different spray, you lose the filter too, and you're relying on the brand still selling refills that fit.
An inline filter like the weAQUA keeps the shower head you already have. That suits a good fixed rose or a rain head you don't want to replace, and the filter carries on if you change the head later. It makes the whole assembly longer and heavier, so on a long or thin shower arm it can droop or put strain on the wall fitting. Its refills also cost the most of the four picks whose refill prices I could find.
For most people renting or just wanting chlorine out of a hot shower, a filtered handheld is the simpler choice. For someone with a head they like, or a ceiling rose with no hose, the inline filter is the one that works.
Bathrooms, water and the gear you keep in them
This is the part where the repair shop comes in. A lot of the phones that come into the shop with water damage got wet in a bathroom, and it's often not a drop in the bath. It's a phone propped on the vanity, steam every morning, and a slow build-up of corrosion on the charge port. If you want the longer version, I've written up what water does to a phone and why rice doesn't help.
Shower heads add their own risk: a handheld with a power jet setting will throw water a long way, and a jet mode meant for cleaning tiles will happily soak a phone or a speaker on a shelf. Keep chargers and plug packs out of the shower room, keep the phone outside the splash zone, and don't run a Bluetooth speaker's charge lead across a wet floor.
A dripping join on a new head is worth fixing straight away. Water running down the wall behind the tiles is how damp and rot start, and you won't see it until it's done its damage. If the bathroom sits above a ceiling or next to a cupboard with electronics in it, a water leak detector under the vanity or near the shower costs very little next to a ceiling repair.
How I picked these five
Every pick is sold new on Amazon AU by the brand's own storefront: WeAQUA AU, Baseau, Kovizen-AU and Decaura-Home, and the four heads carry Australian WELS registrations. Four of them are filtered handheld heads with a stated WELS rating, and one is an inline filter that keeps your existing head. The prices run from $33.99 to $45.99 at time of writing, a bit lower than the band I'd planned for, because the bigger-ticket units were mostly multi-packs and refill bundles of the same products.
Ranks are Amazon AU's own sales ranks, checked today. The weAQUA has the best rank of the five by a long way, at #1 in Showerhead Filters and #15 on the whole of Amazon AU. Among the heads, the Baseau ranks best at #13 in Showerheads and Handheld Showers. The two Kovizens and the Decaura sit between #20 and #30 in the same category. The Kovizen 10-function's black and silver listings share one rank, so read that one as the pair's.
I left out listings that made medical claims and gave no capacity, life or part number to check, filters sold as two-packs and refill bundles of the picks, and anything with US gallons and a North American model code. Prices move week to week, and refill prices move too, so check both on the day you buy. If a shower drip has already reached your phone or a speaker, bring it into our Erina workshop before you try to charge it.
The 5 picks, $34 to $46
Prices are Amazon AU at time of writing (2026-11-09) and move week to week. Ranks are Amazon AU category sales ranks, checked the same day. Refill prices are from each brand's own refill listing, checked the same day.
Kovizen Filtered Shower Head, 9 Spray Settings, Handheld (Premium Chrome)
ASIN B0D95T15RJ • $33.99 • Sold by Kovizen-AU on Amazon AU
The Kovizen Filtered Shower Head is the lowest-priced pick at $33.99 at time of writing, sold by Kovizen-AU. It ranks #30 in Amazon AU's Showerheads and Handheld Showers category, and #1,738 overall. The model code on the listing is 14294, in premium chrome. It's a handheld filtered head with nine spray settings, from a soft massage to a mist and a pause. I'd pick it for someone who wants to swap a tired handheld for a filtered one without spending much. It's also the pick that states its thread outright, a universal G1/2 connector, which is the Australian half-inch BSP size. That's the detail that decides whether it seals on your arm.
The listing says it has 47 anti-clog silicone nozzles plus 19 regular spouts, which matters with hard water because you can rub scale off silicone nozzles with a thumb instead of soaking the whole head. It's chrome-plated, with a handle the listing calls ergonomic. It's WELS registered at 3 stars and 9.0 litres a minute, registration number S18892, to AS/NZS 6400:2016. The listing also says plainly that it's only the head and there's no hose, so you'll need your existing one or a new one. That's honest, and more than most listings in this category tell you. It's a tidy, light head for a small bathroom, and it hangs easily in most brackets.
Its own listing doesn't describe the filter media or the cartridge life, so I've gone by Kovizen's four-pack of refills at $24.99, which recommends a change every four to six months. That's roughly $12 to $19 a year. Check the old cartridge size before you order refills. Hand-tighten it on with the washer in place. For a simple filtered handheld with a stated thread, it's the pick. Pull the cartridge and rinse the sediment screen every month or so on older pipes, and descale the face with vinegar when the spray starts to wander. If the flow drops right off, change the cartridge rather than the head.
Honest caveats: Honest caveats: there's no hose in the box, so check yours is in good shape first. The listing doesn't describe the filter media or say how long a cartridge lasts, so the refill figures come from Kovizen's separate four-pack listing. Its rank is the lowest of the five, and the listing's comfort claims are marketing I haven't repeated.
Best for: Swapping a handheld for a filtered one on an existing hose, with a thread you can confirm.
Price: $33.99 (Kovizen-AU) • Model: 14294 • Type: Handheld filtered head • Spray settings: 9, including pause • Connector: Universal G1/2 • Hose: Not included • WELS: 3 star, 9.0 L/min (S18892) • Refills: Kovizen 4-pack $24.99, change every 4 to 6 months • Rank: #30 in Showerheads & Handheld Showers (Amazon AU)
View on Amazon AU
Kovizen 10-Function Filtered Shower Head, 15-Stage Filtration (Silver)
ASIN B0D93VQ5VF • $37.99 • Sold by Kovizen-AU on Amazon AU
The Kovizen 10-function filtered shower head is $37.99 at time of writing, sold by Kovizen-AU, and it ranks #20 in Amazon AU's Showerheads and Handheld Showers category, #1,164 overall. That rank is shared with the black listing, which is the same model 14592 at $39.99. This is the silver one. It's a bigger handheld head than the 9-function Kovizen, with ten functions, two power wash jets and a 15-stage filter. I'd pick it for a household that wants a larger spray face and a jet for rinsing the tiles. Its refills cost the least per cartridge of any brand here. It's a good fit for a busy family bathroom with kids and a dog to rinse.
The listing says it has 63 no-slip nozzles and uses what Kovizen calls air-in technology to make the spray feel stronger at low pressure. The ten functions include a gentle stream, a pause mode for soaping up and a pulsating mode, plus a point jet and a wider jet for cleaning. The listing describes an ABS outer shell with a brass ball joint inside, which is the part that usually starts leaking on a plastic head. That's the detail I'd look for first on any handheld, because the swivel is what wears. It's WELS 3 star at 9.0 litres a minute, registration S18890, to AS/NZS 6400:2016, and says it fits shower arms and hoses in Australia.
The listing talks about installing it with a hose but doesn't spell out what's in the box, so check before you order. Kovizen's four-pack of refills at $24.99 suits its hand showers and works out at about $6.25 a cartridge, changed every four to six months. Point the jets away from anything electrical on the shelves. For a big filtered handheld with low refill costs, it's the pick. Rub the nozzles with a thumb under running water every few weeks to stop scale building up. If you buy the black one instead, it's the same head and the same refills, so pick the finish you like.
Honest caveats: Honest caveats: the listing doesn't state the filter's capacity or life, so the refill interval comes from Kovizen's separate refill listing. What's in the box isn't spelled out. The jets throw water a long way, so keep phones and speakers clear. The black listing shares its rank and costs a little more for the same head.
Best for: A larger filtered handheld with cleaning jets and the lowest refill cost per cartridge.
Price: $37.99 (Kovizen-AU) • Model: 14592 • Type: Handheld filtered head • Functions: 10, incl. pause and 2 power wash jets • Filter: 15-stage • Build: ABS shell, brass ball joint • WELS: 3 star, 9.0 L/min (S18890) • Refills: Kovizen 4-pack $24.99, change every 4 to 6 months • Rank: #20 in Showerheads & Handheld Showers (Amazon AU), listing shared
View on Amazon AU
weAQUA Heavy Duty Inline Shower Filter (Chrome)
ASIN B0D8R3XSFP • $39.95 • Sold by WeAQUA AU on Amazon AU
The weAQUA Heavy Duty Shower Filter is $39.95 at time of writing, sold by WeAQUA AU, and it has the best rank of the five by a long way at #1 in Amazon AU's Showerhead Filters category and #15 on the whole of Amazon AU. It's not a shower head. It's an inline filter that screws on between your shower arm and the head you've already got, in chrome-plated ABS. I'd pick it for someone with a fixed rose or a rain head they like and don't want to replace. It's also the one that keeps working if you change your head later, because the filter isn't tied to it.
The listing says the media is sediment, carbon, KDF and calcium sulfite, and that one filter lasts six months. It says it fits fixed and rainfall shower types and installs without tools in under five minutes, with spare parts included. The seller's own figure is under 15c a shower. weAQUA sells its refill cartridges in a two-pack at $44.95, so each one is about $22.48 and a year of refills costs about $45, the most of the four picks with refill prices I could find. The listing's removal percentages and skin and hair claims are the seller's, and I haven't repeated them. It suits a rental too, since it comes off in a minute and leaves nothing behind.
It adds length and weight to the arm, so on a thin or long arm it can droop or strain the wall fitting. The listing doesn't name the thread, so check it against your arm. weAQUA's refill two-pack listing says both twelve months and half a year, so I've gone with the six months its filter listing states. Wrap the arm thread with tape. For keeping the head you've got, it's the pick. Change the cartridge on time, because the inline housing gives no warning other than a weaker shower. If your arm is already loose at the wall, fix that before you hang more weight on it.
Honest caveats: Honest caveats: refills cost the most of the four picks with known refill prices, about $45 a year at time of writing. The thread isn't named on the listing, and the extra length can strain a thin shower arm. The listing's removal percentages and skin and hair claims aren't backed by anything I can check, and its refill listing contradicts itself on how long a cartridge lasts.
Best for: Keeping a fixed or rain shower head you like and adding a chlorine filter in front of it.
Price: $39.95 (WeAQUA AU) • Type: Inline filter, no head • Media: Sediment, carbon, KDF, calcium sulfite • Stated life: 6 months per filter • Fits: Fixed and rainfall heads, thread not stated • Build: Chrome-plated ABS • Refills: weAQUA 2-pack $44.95 • Rank: #1 in Showerhead Filters (Amazon AU)
View on Amazon AU
Decaura Filtered Shower Head, 9 Modes, 15-Stage Filtration (Black)
ASIN B0GRTZSLLK • $39.99 • Sold by Decaura-Home on Amazon AU
The Decaura Filtered Shower Head is $39.99 at time of writing, sold by Decaura-Home, and it ranks #27 in Amazon AU's Showerheads and Handheld Showers category, and #1,595 overall. The model code is 8741 and this listing is the black head only. It's a handheld filtered head with nine spray patterns, a top jet for cleaning and a 15-stage filter. I'd pick it for someone who wants a black finish and the longest stated life per refill of the five. Decaura sells a three-pack of refills listed as compatible with this head, which takes the guesswork out of buying cartridges later. It's the one I'd pick for a renter who wants an easy swap back.
The listing says the nine patterns run from a mist to a massage, and that the top jet is for blasting soap scum off tiles and glass. It's ABS plastic with what the listing calls a chrome finish, on a black head. It's WELS 3 star at 9.0 litres a minute, registration S47875, licence 1955, to AS/NZS 6400:2016, and the listing says it fits any standard shower hose without tools. Decaura's three-pack of refills is $29.99, about $10 each, and says each lasts up to six to eight months of daily showers, so roughly $15 to $20 a year. That's well under half the weAQUA's yearly refill cost, for a head that does more.
It's sold by a marketplace seller, so check the returns terms before you order. The listing doesn't mention a hose, so plan on using yours. It's plastic, so don't over-tighten it. The black finish will show white scale spots on hard water, so wipe it down after a shower now and then. For a black head with long-lasting refills, it's the pick. Buy the refill three-pack with the head, so you're not caught short when the first cartridge clogs. Keep the jet pointed at the tiles, not at a phone on the vanity.
Honest caveats: Honest caveats: it's sold by Decaura-Home, a marketplace storefront, so read the returns terms first. No hose is mentioned. It's ABS plastic, so a hand-tight fit only. The six to eight month refill life is the maker's estimate and will be shorter on bore water or old pipes. The listing's skin and hair claims are left out here.
Best for: A black filtered handheld with refills made for it and the longest stated cartridge life.
Price: $39.99 (Decaura-Home) • Model: 8741 • Type: Handheld filtered head • Spray patterns: 9, plus top jet • Filter: 15-stage • Build: ABS plastic • WELS: 3 star, 9.0 L/min (S47875) • Refills: Decaura 3-pack $29.99, up to 6 to 8 months each • Rank: #27 in Showerheads & Handheld Showers (Amazon AU)
View on Amazon AU
Baseau Filter Shower Head, 10 Spray Settings, Handheld (Premium Chrome)
ASIN B0CWQRL54H • $45.99 • Sold by Baseau on Amazon AU
The Baseau Filter Shower Head is the most expensive pick at $45.99 at time of writing, sold by Baseau, and it ranks #13 in Amazon AU's Showerheads and Handheld Showers category and #821 overall, the best rank of the four heads. The model code is 14591, in premium chrome. It's a five-inch handheld with ten spray settings, two power wash jets and a 15-stage removable filter. I'd pick it for someone who wants the best-ranked filtered head and a pause button, and who doesn't mind tracking down refills. There's also a listing with a stainless steel hose for $49.99 if yours is worn out. It's a good handheld for a family bathroom where everyone wants a different spray.
The listing says the filter uses KDF, calcium sulfite and coconut shell carbon, and that the filter is removable. It has a ten-setting, six-zone spray face with self-clean anti-clog nozzles, a built-in pause mode and two jets for tubs, tiles and rinsing a dog. It says it fits shower arms and hoses in Australia and New Zealand and goes on by hand in about two minutes. It's WELS registered at 3 stars and 9.0 litres a minute, registration S17825, licence 2052, to AS/NZS 6400:2016. That's a properly specified listing for this category. It's the most complete listing of the five, which made it the easiest to write about honestly, and the WELS number is there for you to look up.
I couldn't find a Baseau-branded refill on Amazon AU today, so I can't give you a yearly cost. That's the one thing I'd check before you buy it. Third-party refills that claim to be universal are common, but measure the old cartridge first. Keep the jets away from anything electrical. If refills turn up, it's an easy pick. Pull the cartridge out every couple of months to check it, since you won't have a replacement schedule from the maker. Descale the face when the spray starts to wander. The pause button is handy for cutting hot water use while you soap up, which is where most of a shower's running cost sits.
Honest caveats: Honest caveats: I couldn't find a Baseau-branded refill cartridge on Amazon AU today, so the yearly running cost is unknown. A hose isn't mentioned on this listing. It's the most expensive of the five. The listing's skin claims are marketing I've left out, and the pet-shower copy is the seller's.
Best for: The best-ranked filtered handheld head, for someone happy to source refills.
Price: $45.99 (Baseau) • Model: 14591 • Type: 5-inch handheld filtered head • Spray settings: 10, plus pause and 2 jets • Filter: 15-stage, removable (KDF, calcium sulfite, carbon) • Fits: AU and NZ shower arms and hoses • WELS: 3 star, 9.0 L/min (S17825) • Rank: #13 in Showerheads & Handheld Showers (Amazon AU)
View on Amazon AUSide-by-side comparison
What we see fail in the workshop: filtered shower heads
We don't repair shower heads at the shop, but we see what water does to plastic, seals and electronics every week, and filtered heads fail in the same few ways. Most of it is scale, a tired washer or a cartridge left in far too long. Here's what tends to go wrong and what to check before you buy a new one. Nearly all of it is a five-minute fix.
The flow drops off
Nine times out of ten this is the cartridge. As the media fills with grit and scale, it chokes the flow, and the head feels weak even though nothing's broken. Pull the cartridge and run the shower without it for a moment: if the flow comes back, the cartridge is done. If it doesn't, check the sediment screen at the inlet, which catches grit before it reaches the filter. On a handheld, also check the hose for a kink or a collapsed inner lining, which is common on old hoses.
Drips at the join
A drip where the head or filter meets the arm or hose is usually a missing, twisted or flattened washer. Unscrew it, check the washer is sitting flat, and add a turn or two of thread tape. Don't crank a plastic thread tight with a shifter, because it'll crack or strip. If it still drips with a good washer, the thread may be the wrong type: North American NPT fittings don't seal properly on Australian BSP arms. Fix a drip quickly, because water behind tiles is how damp and rot start.
Nozzles block or spray sideways
Hard water leaves scale in the nozzles, and a blocked nozzle makes the spray uneven or squirt sideways at the wall. On heads with silicone nozzles, you can rub most of the scale off with a thumb while the water's running. For heavier scale, soak the face in white vinegar for an hour, then rinse. Rinse it well afterwards, because vinegar left on chrome plating dulls it over time. Don't poke the nozzles with a pin, because it tears the silicone. A filter doesn't stop scale in the nozzles, so plan on doing this every few months.
Decision tree: which one should you actually buy?
- Want a filtered handheld on your existing hose, for the least outlay? → The Kovizen 9-function at $33.99, with a stated G1/2 thread and refills at about $6.25 each.
- Want a bigger spray face, cleaning jets and low refill costs? → The Kovizen 10-function at $37.99, WELS 3 star with a brass ball joint and the same $24.99 four-pack of refills.
- Happy with your fixed or rain head and just want a filter? → The weAQUA inline filter at $39.95, the best-ranked of the five, with refills at about $22.48 each.
- Want a black head with refills made for it? → The Decaura at $39.99, with a $29.99 three-pack of refills rated up to six to eight months each.
- Want the best-ranked filtered head? → The Baseau at $45.99, with ten settings and a pause button, but check refills are available first.
- Shower spray got into your phone or speaker? → Don't charge it. Bring it into the Erina shop and we'll check for corrosion and tell you what it'll take before you spend anything.
Frequently asked questions
Do filtered shower heads actually work?
For chlorine and grit, mostly yes, while the cartridge is fresh. The KDF, calcium sulfite and carbon media in these filters knock down chlorine in hot water, and a sediment screen catches rust and grit. What they don't do is soften hard water in any meaningful way, because softening needs a large resin tank and far more contact time than a small cartridge gets. Philips says its own shower filter generally doesn't reduce total dissolved solids, which is a fair summary of the category.
How often should I change a shower filter cartridge?
Most makers say every four to eight months. weAQUA says six months per filter, Decaura says up to six to eight months, and Kovizen recommends four to six months. Bore water, old pipes and a busy household wear them out sooner. The best sign is the flow: when the shower drops off noticeably, the cartridge is clogging. A cartridge left in for years can do more harm than good, because the media fills with grit and grows slime.
Will a filtered shower head fit my shower?
Most will, if it's sold for the Australian market. Australian shower arms and hoses use a half-inch BSP thread, also written G1/2. The Kovizen 9-function states a G1/2 connector, and the Baseau and Kovizen 10-function say they fit Australian arms and hoses. Be careful with filters made for North America, which use a tapered NPT thread that doesn't seal properly on a BSP arm. Handheld heads also need a hose, and some don't include one.
Do filtered shower heads reduce water pressure?
A little, and more as the cartridge clogs. The four heads among the picks are WELS 3 star at 9.0 litres a minute, which is the most they'll flow at the test pressure. The high-pressure claims on listings mean small nozzles that make the spray feel harder, not more pressure from your pipes. An inline filter like the weAQUA adds some restriction in front of your existing head. On a low-pressure system, expect a small drop.
What does a filtered shower head cost to run?
Mostly the refills. Based on each brand's refill pack on Amazon AU at time of writing, Kovizen works out at about $12 to $19 a year, Decaura about $15 to $20 a year and weAQUA about $45 a year. Baseau refills weren't listed on Amazon AU when I checked. The bigger running cost is the hot water: at 9 litres a minute, a seven-minute shower on electric storage heating costs roughly 53c at 33c/kWh, on my stated assumptions.
Can a filtered shower head soften hard water?
Not really. Softening hard water means removing or swapping out the calcium and magnesium, and that takes a proper softener with a resin tank. A shower cartridge is too small and the water moves through it too quickly. You may see a little less scale at first, but the glass and tiles will still spot, and the nozzles will still need descaling. If scale is the real problem, a whole-house softener is the tool, not a shower filter.
Related buying guides
Phone or speaker caught the spray?
Water in the bathroom is one of the commonest ways phones and speakers end up damaged, from a jet mode aimed the wrong way to steam every morning on the vanity. Don't charge it. Bring it into our Erina workshop and we'll check for corrosion and tell you what it'll take before you spend anything.
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