Compare Shower Filters
Multipure Aquashower (AQSH) scores higher on safety - here's why.
R3 scored the Multipure Aquashower (AQSH) 6.0/10 and the Aquasana Shower Filter AQ-4100 5.4/10 on the same shower filters scoring system, weighing safety, efficacy, and usability. The Multipure Aquashower (AQSH) comes out ahead, led by its safety score (5.6/10 vs 4.8/10).
The most important dimensions, side by side.
See which one actually scores higher — and why
Free account unlocks full safety scores, spec-by-spec breakdown, and the R3 verdict on Multipure Aquashower (AQSH) vs Aquasana Shower Filter AQ-4100.
Unlock the full Multipure Aquashower (AQSH) vs Aquasana Shower Filter AQ-4100 breakdown
Free account unlocks all safety scores, complete spec comparison, scoring rationale, and the R3 verdict on which one to buy.
Everything you need to make the call - who each one is for, and who should skip it.
Go for it if you...
Your water uses free chlorine and you want the most complete certification stack in the KDF-55 segment — WQA Gold Seal, NSF 61 media, and NSF 61 compliant housing together
Replacement frequency matters to you — 25,000 gallons means you might replace the cartridge once or twice per year versus monthly for short-capacity filters
You want verified NSF 61 housing compliance rather than an unverified brand claim about materials
Your water is treated with free chlorine (not chloramine) and you want a familiar brand with NSF 177 certification
Shower pressure is important to you — 2.5 GPM lab-confirmed means no pressure penalty
You want a filter that keeps your existing showerhead and installs in minutes
You are buying for someone who trusts brand recognition and NSF certification as sufficient due diligence
The main thing to know
KDF-55 media cannot remove chloramine — if your water utility uses chloramines, this filter will not address your primary disinfectant regardless of its certification depth.
Aquasana provides zero housing material disclosure — no BPA-free claim, no polymer type, nothing — which is the most notable transparency gap from a brand with NSF certification and broad distribution.
Skip this if you...
Your water utility uses chloramines — KDF-55 media cannot remove chloramine and you will need calcium sulfite or catalytic carbon media instead
Your first priority is THM protection — Multipure has not published independent THM lab data
Budget is the primary driver — Sprite HOC delivers similar chlorine performance with added chloramine protection at $47/year vs $133/year
Your water utility uses chloramines — KDF-55 cannot remove chloramine and you will not be protected from your water's primary disinfectant
You want any transparency about what your filter housing is made of — Aquasana provides none
You want independent THM lab verification — Aquasana has never published this data
You are comparing cost of ownership carefully — $128/year is mid-range, and Sprite HOC delivers superior chloramine protection at $47/year
Neither of these quite what you're looking for?
I've reviewed all Shower Filters options at every price pointEvery Shower Filters in our database is scored using R3's deterministic scoring system - the same inputs always produce the same score. For this comparison, we evaluated Multipure and Aquasana across 2 independent criteria: Safety (68%), Efficacy (31%). No sponsored rankings. No paid placements.
Straight answers - no sponsored content, no filler.
I'd start with Multipure Multipure Aquashower (AQSH) - it scored 6.0/10 overall in our scoring system. Safety is our top-weighted scoring pillar, followed by efficacy. Check which pillar matters most to your family and compare those specific scores.
R3 uses a deterministic scoring system - the same inputs always produce the same score. We evaluate each Shower Filters across Safety, Efficacy using independently verified data. No sponsored rankings. No paid placements. Every score is fully reproducible.
Not necessarily. The overall score reflects how we weight those three pillars, but your priorities may differ. If you care most about safety, compare the safety scores directly. If budget drives your decision, the prices tell a clearer story. The "right" pick is the one that matches what matters most to your family.
Not the right match? Explore these alternatives in the same category.
