Shower Filters

What a Shower Head Filter System Does

The Sprite High-Output filters free chlorine, combined chlorine, hydrogen sulfide, and other contaminants for up to one year or 10,000 gallons. It replaces almost any standard shower head, comes with a three-setting chrome head, and accepts any standard shower head if you'd rather keep your own. The kit includes the filter cartridge, shower head, an optional flow restrictor, PTFE tape, and a replacement reminder decal.

Fixed vs Hand Held Shower Filters

Shower filters come in two layouts. A fixed filter sits between the shower arm and the head; a handheld filter puts the cartridge in or near a detachable wand. The choice comes down to how you shower and what else you rinse.

Fixed Shower Head Filters

The Sprite High-Output is a fixed shower head filter. Its HOC cartridge is reversible: flipping it periodically back-flushes the media and prevents channeling, so water keeps passing through the whole cartridge instead of a worn path.

Hand Held Shower Filters

A handheld shower filter, also called a handheld filtered showerhead, places the filter cartridge inside the handle or inline on the hose. A filtered handheld shower is useful for rinsing children, pets, tubs, and tile, and a shower head filter with hose is easier to aim for seated showering. If you already own a Sprite handheld filter, the Pack of 2 Sprite Hand Held Shower Filter Replacement Cartridges (Model HHC) fits all Sprite handheld models.

What to Look for in a Handheld Shower Head With Filter

The best handheld shower heads with filter share a few traits: media matched to your water (chlorine, combined chlorine, or sulfur odor), cartridges that are easy to find and change, a hose long enough for your space, and spray settings you'll actually use. Refill cost matters most over time. Sprite's HHC cartridges, for example, are changed every 3 months.

Shower Filters and Low Water Pressure

Every filter adds some resistance, so in a home with low water pressure the cartridge's condition matters more than the head's brand. A cartridge past its service life clogs and cuts flow, and a flow restrictor lowers it further. Before shopping for the best handheld shower head for low water pressure, check household pressure and the age of the cartridge already in place. With Sprite filters, changing the HOC or HHC cartridge on schedule keeps flow steady, and the High-Output's flow restrictor is optional, so you can leave it out.

Can You Get a Reverse Osmosis Shower Head Filter?

Reverse osmosis isn't used at shower heads. An RO membrane produces water slowly, needs a storage tank, and sends part of the water to drain, while a shower draws several gallons every minute. Shower filters use faster media instead, like the cartridge in the Sprite High-Output. RO belongs at the kitchen sink, where AFW's reverse osmosis systems treat drinking and cooking water.

Replacement Cartridges and Maintenance

Replace the High-Output's HOC cartridge every 6–12 months or 10,000 gallons, whichever comes first. Replace HHC cartridges in Sprite handheld filters every 3 months; the 2-pack covers six months. Between changes, reversing the HOC cartridge back-flushes it and keeps filtration even.

Shower Filter or Whole House Filter?

A shower filter treats one shower. Homes with chloraminated city water, or more than one bathroom, get more from treating water where it enters the house. AFW's catalytic carbon systems reduce chlorine, chloramine, and hydrogen sulfide at every tap and shower at once.