Sprite Showers HOB_CM High Output Brass Metal Shower Filter Housing, Chrome

TLDR: This is one of the best shower filters on the market for removing free chlorine, and is also effective on sodium hypochlorite, lead, mercury, iron, hydrogen sulfide, iron oxide, bacteria, algae, fungus, dirt, sediment, and odors. Like all shower filters, it's not effective on chloramines and won't soften your water by removing magnesium, calcium, or other minerals. Chloramines can only be effectively removed from cold running water using a carbon filter, and minerals can only be removed by a water softener - in both cases typically using whole-house systems.Sprite filters use a combination of Kinetic Degradation Fluxion (KDF, aka copper zinc water filtration) and Chlorgon filter media, both of which operate on redox (oxidation/reduction) chemical processes that are effective at typical shower water temperatures (85 to 105 degress Fahrenheit) and allow high flow rates and volumes with a relatively small amount of filter media. Carbon is not effective above 80 degrees Fahrenheit for example, above which point it readily sheds contaminants back into the water.Sprite filters are only certified to NSF standard 177 for aesthetic effects (specifically free chlorine removal), but the filter media should be effective on other contaminants as well. The phenomenal efficacy of free chlorine removal was independently verified by "reviewguy" in 2007, when he measured a 99% reduction in free chlorine from 1.67ppm to 0.02ppm. His page disappeared back in 2008 but can still be accessed via Wayback Machine.KDF, which is used by most shower filters, removes chlorine, lead, mercury (only at low concentrations though), iron, and hydrogen sulfide. It has a mild anti-bacterial, algaecidic, and fungicidic effect and may reduce the accumulation of lime scale (but does not significantly alter water hardness). It does not remove organic chemicals, such as pesticides and disinfection byproducts, nor is it effective against the parasitic cysts of giardia or cryptosporidium. It's only effective on water that's already relatively clean (TDS<150) and within a pH range of 6.5 to 8.5. There is some worry that the chemistry behind KDF is dubious however, so take all of this with a grain of salt and verify efficacy with a test kit if you're relying on this filter to help with anything beyond free chlorine.Chlorgon, unique to Sprite filters, removes free chlorine (Cl-), combined chlorine (sodium hypochlorite), hydrogen sulfide (rotten egg smell), iron oxide (rust water), dirt, sediment, and odors. It converts free chlorine and some combined chlorines to chloride salt, which makes Sprite filters more effective at removing chlorine than filters that contain only KDF.Chloramines are a combination of ammonia with chlorine that can easily be removed from cold running water using a carbon filter, or from warm or hot water using a very large amount of media (much larger than would fit inside a shower filter) or a very long contact time. If there is a shower filter out there that claims to remove chloramines, most likely it’s a very tiny percentage which would hardly make a difference. According to the chloramine.org FACTS page, “There is NO certified showerhead filter to remove chloramine”. Of note, the half-life of chloramine removal using vitamin C is 4 minutes, so that can be an effective way to remove chloramines from something like bath water but the very brief contact period it has in vitamin C shower filters makes them completely ineffective.Minerals and metal cations such as magnesium and calcium (the primary constituents of hard water) are not removed in significant amounts by any water filters. The most common way to remove them (and therefore soften your water) is by means of lime softening or ion-exchange resins. The only water softener I'm aware of that can be installed in a shower is the WaterSticks ShowerStick, which is available with one of two ion exchange resins, both of which are effective at removing magnesium and calcium, and one of which is effective at removing iron as well.I bought this to replace the plastic Sprite shower filter I had for years because I wanted an all-metal one. The plastic one it replaced still works great, so it will probably be used elsewhere. As with the one it replaced, the water coming out of this filter feels great and seems more agreeable to my hair; it's one of the first things I install when I move to a new place. Installed easily between a solid metal shut-off valve and solid metal arm-mount hand shower using blue monster thread tape.I'm also working on measuring the impact this filter has on water quality and will update this review with the results.The other products I'm using:● DANCO Shower Volume Control Shut-Off Valve, Chrome, 1.6 inch, 1-Pack (89171)● 100% Solid Metal Hand Held Shower Head Set with 2.5 GPM High Pressure Spray Wand, 72" Long Stainless Steel Hose & Brass Holder Bracket for Hotel Quality, Polished Chrome● Mill-Rose 70885 Blue Monster PTFE Pipe Thread Sealant Tape, 1/2-Inch x 1429-Inches, Blue● Sprite HOC Replacement High Output Shower Filter

Pro:The metal filter capsule makes this product worth it. Be sure to also wrap thick (>=1/2" wide) teflon tape around the center of the cylinder male threads, not only on both ends after enclosing the filter. I found that the water leaked down the middle without teflon tape, when I used another brands filter, but it was working without it temporarily.My apartment Con:The Sprite HOC filter cartridge does effectively reduce some hardness and catch minerals/chemicals, likely chlorine (haven't verified past feeling my own hair thickness), but it does not filter out some harsh minerals, or Chloramines, as another brands filter, which I won't name here for fairness. This is not a fault of the product, it is my apartments insanely hard water. In fact, the HOC filter did not leak at all without teflon tape down the cylinders middle threads, which tells me this had high precision design and good engineering. Seriously, I could see this being a perfect product for folks with slightly softer water than mine.Tip: This Sprite HOC filter cartridge measured close to 68mm~=2.68" long and 63mm~=2.48" diameter if you'd like to try out another compatible filter cartridge; if the filter cartridge measures +/-1mm in diameter, there already is room to wrap teflon tape around both ends and seal it. I found a filter that filters out lead and chloramines works better for my apartments exceptionally hard water, though this filter may suffice for you.

Nice design, very sturdy and easy installation. Comes with plumbers tape. The one I received is identical to the picture, except it is silver. I bought a filter because my apartment's hot water is a filthy, brown color and I have small, itchy red patches on my skin after every shower that move around from day to day. I have to treat it with hydrocortizone after each shower. This filter has cleaned the water, it seems, of all brown coloring, but has not relieved the itchy patches =( I tested the water and it is drinkable, but ugh, at a loss of what to do next .... I have lived and traveled around the world and never experienced anything like this. Thanks New Jersey ... and Trump, lol ...

This product was easy to install even for a goof like me. I was able to attach my old shower head to it with some plumbers tape with no problems. My family and I were experiencing dry, itchy skin and hair. My hair felt like straw and was unmanageable with tons of dandruff. As an African American woman was waist length natural hair keeping my hair curly, bouncy, shiny, and soft is a process. We are not supposed to wash our hair so much with shampoo as it strips the natural oils from our hair. But I had such bad dandruff I had to wash my hair with shampoo every few days. After using this product for a few weeks my dandruff is gone, my hair is less frizzy, it is soft and very manageable. I was shocked at how well this worked. Our skin has ceased being uncomfortable, dry, and itchy. I would encourage anyone who experienced the side effects of hard water to get themselves a shower filter.