The HigherDOSE showerhead filter is one of the most intriguing products I’ve tried all year, and that says a lot coming from someone who tests products for a living at the Good Housekeeping Institute. I've been using showerhead filters at home for more than a year, but this was the first one I'd encountered that combines water filtration with built-in red light therapy, and I couldn't wait to try it.
If you’ve ever used a red light face mask, the concept is similar. Except instead of wearing a mask, the LEDs are built directly into your showerhead. With the press of a button on a little remote, you're instantly bathed in a red glow while you shower. HigherDOSE says that the combination of filtered water and red light has numerous benefits for your skin, scalp, and health, and I set out to find out whether or not there was any truth to those claims.
After showering with the HigherDOSE showerhead red light water filter for several weeks, here's what I discovered.
Pros
- Sleek, modern design
- Easy DIY installation
- Built-in red light creates a relaxing shower experience
- Good water coverage and no intital loss in water pressure
- Available in matte black, silver, and gold
Cons
- No NSF certification
- Expensive up front and long-term costs
A sleek look that blends in
The HigherDOSE showerhead filter is available in three of the most standard finishes you’ll find in bathrooms: matte black, silver, and gold. My bathroom has exclusively matte black fixtures, so finding a matching showerhead that blended in with my shower arm was crucial. Although the design isn't especially eye-catching, I appreciate that it's sleek, modern, and blends seamlessly into my bathroom.
I also appreciate that its wide design allows for decent water coverage when you’re showering, and I didn’t notice any reduction in shower pressure.
Simple DIY setup
My much taller partner installed the showerhead and found the instructions straightforward. He was pleased that a wrench was included in the box, which made removing and replacing our existing showerhead a more seamless process. The installation took less than 15 minutes, and most DIYers should be able to tackle it without special tools or plumbing experience.
What it’s like to shower under red light
When I first turned on the Higher Dose showerhead’s red light, I’ll admit that I found it a bit creepy. The red light isn’t something I’m used to, and it was giving horror movie vibes. But once my initial reaction subsided, I started loving the effect of showering underneath a red light.
Whether the light is actually doing anything for my skin remains to be seen, but the feeling of bathing underneath a red glow is shockingly pleasant. It gives the sensation of showering outdoors with the sun warming up your skin. It’s difficult to describe without actually trying it yourself, but I now find myself missing the red light if I forget to turn it on—so much so that I’ll literally step out of the shower to grab the remote and turn it on. I’ve always been someone who loves showering, and it made an experience I already enjoyed feel even more relaxing. My partner’s equally obsessed with it and turns it on every day, which also surprised me.
Does the HigherDOSE showerhead filter actually work?
HigherDOSE says its 10-stage filtration system is designed to reduce chlorine, heavy metals, VOCs, microplastics, and other contaminants for cleaner shower water. However, unlike some competing showerhead filters, it isn’t NSF-certified, which is an independent certification that verifies certain water filtration claims.
According to GH Institute Home Improvement and Outdoor Director, Dan DiClerico, there are two primary NSF certifications to look out for when shopping for a showerhead filter:
- NSF/ANSI 177: verifying the reduction of chlorine
- NSF/ANSI/ 372: verifying the reduction of lead
NSF certification doesn't automatically mean a filter performs better than one without it, but it does provide third-party confirmation that a product meets specific performance standards. HigherDOSE says its showerhead has undergone independent laboratory testing to evaluate its performance against contaminants including chlorine, microplastics, VOCs, and heavy metals, though those results haven't been certified through NSF.
As someone who lives in New York City, I'm generally a fan of showerhead filters. I've been using one for more than a year, and I do think my hair looks and feels healthier than it did before. Potentially my skin, too. But isolating the effects of a specific showerhead filter is difficult, especially without before-and-after water testing. After a few weeks of using the HigherDOSE filter, I can’t say whether I’ve noticed a meaningful difference in my hair, skin, or water quality compared with other showerhead filters I've used.
Can red light deliver real benefits?
The HigherDOSE showerhead uses “dual red and near-infrared wavelengths (650nm + 850nm) [to] bathe the body in light.” The brand claims that the red light supports “skin radiance, circulation, and an overall sense of calm.”
I’m not sure that I noticed any of these effects after showering underneath the red light, though it did elevate my experience. Was I in a better mood? Oftentimes, yes. But that could also be just because I took a hot shower and it felt great. Was my skin glowing? Sometimes, but it could have just been the heat of the shower.
To get more insight, I spoke with the GH Institute’s Beauty & Personal Care Lab Director, Sabina Wizemann. She believes red light therapy is promising for beauty and health, but expressed some skepticism about the HigherDOSE showerhead filter’s ability to “ignite a natural glow” and “support skin and scalp health.”
She explained that red light therapy is most effective when the skin receives consistent doses over time. Because showers are relatively short and involve constant movement, it's difficult to achieve that type of consistent exposure.
Additionally, when light travels through water, it is partially absorbed and weakened, as well as impacted by water temperature. “Red light is most effective when the source is close to the skin,” Wizemann says. “Being emitted from the showerhead, the light has a greater distance to travel and must travel through water, which may likely further reduce the amount of light reaching the body.” HigherDOSE does state that the device uses a higher power density for better penetration, but our experts were not able to verify those claims.
The high cost of ownership
Showerhead filters typically start at around $50 and tend to increase in price from there, with many averaging around $100. You can expect to pay more for a sleeker design like the Jolie, which is one of the more popular showerhead filters on the market, starting at $169. In comparison, the Red Light showerhead from Higher Dose starts at $599. It’s significantly more expensive, meaning you’ll be paying a premium for the red light technology.
While the cost of the actual showerhead is one thing, you also need to factor in the cost of replacement filters and how much you’ll be paying throughout the year. HigherDOSE’s filters are $45 a pop and last roughly 75 days, while Jolie’s replacement filters cost $38 and claim to last about 90 days. That’s a huge price difference when you do the math. Over time, those replacement filters will make ownership considerably more expensive than many competing showerhead filters. For instance, replacements for the GH-recommended WEDDELL Duo are as low as $20.
If value over time is your priority, then you should probably think twice before investing in the HigherDOSE showerhead filter, unless your heart is set on the built-in red light.
On the bright side, the light portion of the showerhead is rechargeable, and in my testing it lasted for several weeks. When it’s time to recharge, you just detach the red light ring and charge it on the provided charging dock (which doubles up as a stand if you ever want to use the red lights solo).
Final verdict: Is the HigherDOSE shower filter worth it?
Short answer: Maybe. If you value premium design, easy installation, and the novelty of built-in red light therapy, the HigherDOSE Showerhead is unlike anything else I've tested. I genuinely enjoyed using it, and the red light made my daily showers feel more relaxing, even if I can't say it noticeably improved my skin or hair more than other shower filters I’ve tested.
That said, shoppers looking for independently verified filtration performance may feel more confident choosing an NSF-certified alternative. If your primary goal is simply filtering your shower water, there are plenty of less expensive options that offer similar filtration for a fraction of the price.
I'll continue using the HigherDOSE because it’s really grown on me, but its steep upfront cost and expensive replacement filters make it difficult for me to recommend universally. Whether it's worth it ultimately depends on how much value you place on the red light experience.
![jennifer garner at peacocks the five star weekend premiere held at the hammer museum on july 08, 2026 in los angeles, california photo by christopher polkdeadline via getty images](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/e417e56d-f9fc-4b35-9e34-5853ed84cf23.jpeg?crop=0.666727075027xw:1xh;center,top&resize=360:* "Peacock's "The Five Star Weekend" Premiere")
