Customer Reviews

Aquasana AQ-4100 Deluxe Shower Water Filter System with Adjustable Showerhead

5 star:		(98)
4 star:		(32)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(17)
1 star:		(20)

 

 

My husband is allergic to chlorine, so a shower filter is an absolute necessity. We've probably tried every filter that the home supply stores carry -- and this one makes all of those look like toy equipment.

It's not that the filters you get at Home Depot don't work. They do; they're certainly an improvement over the hard water we have, not to mention clearing out the chlorine. The thing is, they don't last long. The filters don't last three months, and we've never had the gizmo itself survive for more than a year. Usually, they broke in a dramatic manner, spraying the entire bathroom as they cracked with a loud bang. Depending on the design, they were also awkward to install, especially if you have a non-mundane shower head.

We've had the Aquasana for six months, and I've just bought the first replacement filter for it. This is definitely a significant improvement over those "basic" filters, and it's worth the extra money. The filtering is MUCH better -- I can tell the difference in that "I just feel cleaner" way -- and the filter lasts twice as long. It wasn't a bad installation, either. If you go to the company's Web site, you can also sign up for the filters to be auto-shipped to you, which is a distinct time savings.

Yes, this one costs a little more than the "basic" units you'll find at Lowe's or Home Depot. And it's definitely worth the expense.

Akin to most Amazon products with multiple reviews, there's something to be gleaned both from the positive AND negative feedback. This is certainly one of thosse products.

First things first: the Aquasana Shower Filter does what it promises. Expect noticeably cleaner and fresher water immediately after installation. I've used this in two different states over a 1.5 year-period. In both instances, the natural odor of the local tap water disappeared completely from my shower after installing this filter, likewise the water gunk ring that used to form after a week or two without it.

Related, this is one wonderful showerhead. I'm amazed with all of the filtration going on (alluded to below), such powerful pressure is produced. The multiple setting showerhead is likewise quite user-friendly, rarely -- once every 8-10 months -- requiring a moderate pore cleaning.

The Aquasana Shower Filter, however, is not perfect. This is one expensive solution to shower filtration. Ditto on filters which cost upwards of $35 (minus shipping), only available online (in most instances). It also weighs a ton + is enormous; if you have old or fragile plumbing, this is NOT the filter for you. Related, shower plumbing with minimal distance between the wall and the location of the shower head (<8 inches) might encounter problems with spacing.

Installation is likewise frustrating, requiring trial and error beyond description (for a moderate DIY'er). Getting the filter on without leaking plus the shower head firmly secure to the plumbing requires sufficient patience. Based on feedback from several reviewers, special caution should also be taken not to overtighten the filters to the shower head (to avoid housing unit cracking).

It also takes a hefty number of water gallons to clean the filter's carbon residue upon initial installation. I often thought I could fill the Erie Canal in the amount of water required to completely flush one Aquasana filter.

In sum: the Aquasana filter might be expensive, an installation bugger, and both large and bulky. It does, however, work quite well. My wife and I easily notice the quality loss (in water hardness, softness, odor, ph, chemicals, etc.) every time we shower elsewhere.

i have mixed emotions about this product. the filter itself is great -- as soon as i stopped using it, i noticed a very definite difference in my skin and hair -- i miss the filter and long to have another one. HOWEVER, three in a row have cracked on me. the first one i let it slide because they ship every six months on auto-ship and i was due a new one in the next week. The second one cracked within a month of replacement, i called the company and explained the problem. They were happy to send a replacement but i had to pay the shipping (!?!). That frustrated me, but since i hadn't reported the first one, i paid the shipping and they sent me a new one. The third and last one cracked within a couple of months and i just gave up. i'm tired of paying for a faulty product and the company doesn't seem to care whether it's faulty or not. I also had the under the sink kitchen filter, which i also loved, but was very upset to come home one day and find the cabinet under the sink flooded. It was a gasket, which the company replace for free and i didn't have to pay the shipping (light weight items), but i still had to deal with the flood under the sink. The filter itself works great, but the housing is shoddy and not worth the trouble to keep using this product. i'm now using a PUR undersink filter (which also works and tastes great - definitely better built) and am looking for a new shower filter. Sigh....

After much research on the Internet, I came to the conclusion that this unit from Zoe Industries is the best bang for the buck. Having used a cheaper unit from one of the big name hardware stores and finding it totally inadequate, we purchased this unit through Amazon.com. It came with a new adjustable showerhead that puts out a wonderful spray pattern. The unit was easy to install and we no longer detect any smell of chlorine in the water. The replacable cartridge is an easy twist task without tools. I'm confident it will last as long as any unit in or even above it's price range. NO MORE DRY ITCHY SKIN!!! Get one and you'll be singing too.

I just received my filter today [with the optional extension piece since the combined price took an additional 10 dollars off the hose extension].

My review is on the installation and reaction with a first shower [I just stepped out of the shower and wanted to share my thoughts].

1) The initial unpackaging, installation, and prep work was as not difficult as I imaged it would be: unscrew your old shower piece with a nice size wrench [I used one that allows you to change sizes of clamp - like a monkey wrench], you then *carefully* hold your new filter up and screw it in, then look for a nice medium size bucket to catch the water in when you first turn on the water...this part is the part every seems to leave out. You need to be very careful with the pressure of water when you first turn on the shower. I put the water on at near full speed and the water splattered all over the dry bucket and realizing that when you first run water through the unit, there is a bunch of black water (this is the carbon filter that even fish filters use). I ended up with black water splattered all over the sides of the shower walls in places I could not reach. I was standing on the shower/bath rim trying to reach these black water spots and realized how dangerous this was. Becareful of the speed of water when you first run the unit!

2) There was a leak. Not a profuse leak at first, but a moderate speed of water dripping from the space where the shower piece and the water pipe (from the wall) meet. I had my wrench handy to find the "sweet spot" to tighten or loosen the unit to stop the leak. Going in either direction cause the drop to accelerate and even eventually turn to a small leaking flow of water! I figure rather than over wearing the shower unit's metal contact piece and the pieces inside (i.e. washer and plastic parts), I need to visit LOWES or Home Depot to purchase some of that white vinyl tape wrap that you put over screw pieces to stop leaks. Don't over exert yourself on stopping the leak by repeatedly loosening/tightening the piece, it does not work.

3) If you buy the separate hose attachment, the filter and hose take up a lot of space and you end of angling the clamp that holds the "wand" piece nearly horizontally. The water will shoot out the other end of the shower and hit the wall...splashing water all outside the shower as well. The way around this was rotating the filter at a slight angle, so its not hanging completely down vertically. This leaves room for the clamp to angle lower so your wand will shoot right where you are standing.

4) The water quality is noticeably different. I checked my local water district's water quality table online [just Googled my city + "water"] and it turns out Chlorine was one of the words listed on that table. I have noticed that whenever I took showers the water would leave my skin extremely dry to the point where it felt sticky and tact. After stepping out of the shower just now, it feels less so. I imagine it will be even better later on as I continue to use the shower filter.


*Update: April 8, 2008*

Its been almost a month since my review of first use. After one weeks use of the shower, a fine size crack appeared on the hose attachment. I e-mailed the main company site and they sent my a new hose free of charge [without having to send in the defective one]. I still have a leak, but the leak is only a slow steady drip, and I hardly notice it. Since my first shower, I noticed that the quality of the water purity has been less clean/fresh than when I first used the unit. Though there is a difference than when I showered without the filter [especially the grainy/sandy/dry feeling on my skin], this feeling on my skin has come back to a noticeable degree even with the filter on! For the price, trouble of replacing the hose unit, the problems when installing the unit, and the noticeable decline in water quality in only less than a month [please note, I have checked my local water district to make sure the added chemicals were ones that Aquasana stated it could filter], I would take back the 4 star review and give it a 3 or even a 2 and 1/2 stars.

I did a great deal of research on the Internet for the "best" shower filter. I was concerned about the filter not lasting, losing water pressure, etc. I came across the Aquasana on amazon and read all the great reviews on it... After ordering it, I am so glad that I did. It was really easy to install and I honestly feel like the water pressure coming out of it is BETTER than with my old shower head. The shower head swivels and has several different settings, like massage, rainfall-type flow, etc. It really does feel like you are showering in spring water. Just the idea of showering in chlorine-free and mineral-free water is refreshing in itself. I am really happy with my purchase and would definitely recommend it to anyone living in an apartment who wants filtered water and who cannot install a filter on the main line.... It's a little pricy but well worth it.

I have long, chemically treated hair. Ever since I moved to LA it has been severely dry and brittle b/c of the chlorine and minerals in the water. I've tried expensive shampoos & conditioner but nothing helped until now. This water filter is AWESOME! It's the ONLY thing that has helped and makes such a big difference! My hair feels SO much softer, and even looks cleaner. I noticed it after 1 wash! I never write reviews, but I was so excited about this I had to share. It was easy to install and the initial carbon residue flushes out in a couple minutes as described in the directions. I was concerned about losing water pressure, but it's great. If you have long, dry hair and live in a big city you should definitely try this. It's worth every penny.

I am so happy with Aquasana Shower Filter. I live in a building where the water is so harsh and sometimes discolored. As a consequence, my skin shortly turned dry and I continuously got skin problems. I even thought about buying drinking water to clean my face everyday. Now that I have found Aquasana, I feel so happy. It does what it promises. I could feel the smoother skin by just using it from the first time. And it did feel like showering in natural spring water. I couldn't be happier with this product!

I have a feeling most of the positive reviews on here are from Sun Water employees, even the ones that say "real name."

So I noticed my skin would break out at my apartment, but not when I travelled. I figured out it was the chlorine...my skin hates it. So I bought the Culligan for about $30 and it did a great job, the filters just did not last very long. Then I decided to try this one because I wanted to go a step better. It was a step in the wrong direction. And, after doing some research, I am confident this company is a scam. One, when you connect the filter you have to get rid of all the extra black carbon (the water comes out black at first). After a couple of minutes the water is clear, but a week later I was sill getting black stains on the bottom of my shower (can'be be good for my skin). So I did some more research and found this review:

[...]

My skin hated the acquasana filter (it might have made my water worse). It is not NSF certified (the Culligan is; as is the Sprite). There is a reason why Lowes and Home Depot don't carry this brand--it doesn't work and it is not NSF certified. You get the most for your money with the Sprite, which is what I have now. Wish I hadn't wasted my money on this. Oh, and now aquasana calls me every couple of weeks trying to sell me a new filter (I only purchased it a month ago).

After I read stories about problems chlorine causes in the shower chlorine I got this filter. It turns out most water systems are using chloramine now, a more stable additive, instead of chlorine and this filter, like most, is ineffective at removing chloramine. See if your water system uses chloramine and save yourself an expensive filter that probably doesn't work.