Over the course of 14 months, I tested both of Hello Klean's filtered shower heads, starting with the shower head 2.0 in April 2025 before upgrading to the shower head+ when it launched a year later. As both models use the same three-stage filtration system to prevent scale, mineral build-up and chlorine from making it to your hair and skin, I was able to separate my thoughts on the filtration itself from the new smart features that account for the £45 price difference (with plus being the more premium pick).

As expected, the filtration remains the feature that makes the devices worth investing in. Over time, I noticed my naturally warm strawberry blonde hair gradually regained its brightness as mineral build-up from my ‘very hard’ water area became less of an issue. Of course, those improvements began with the shower head 2.0 and continued after I switched to the shower head+. Once I had the plus model in hand I merely shifted my focus towards its flashy connectivity features and considered whether they warranted a £45 upgrade.

(Left) my hair before using a shower filter and (right) after using the shower head 2.0 and shower head+ in succession for more than a year (Lucy Smith/The Independent)

My favourite addition is without a doubt the built-in temperature sensor. A red light flashes whenever your shower exceeds 42C, encouraging cooler washes that are kinder to both hair and skin. It sounds simple, but it kickstarted a habit change and within a couple of weeks of lower temperature showers (still hot, I might add) I noticed less hair collecting in my hairbrush. I only wish the warning was harder to miss – a larger light or an audible alert would make it much more effective, especially if you prefer to face away from the shower head.

The warning light, while helpful, is the size of a hundred and thousand sprinkle (Lucy Smith/The Independent)

The accompanying app is intuitive, with useful reminders to change both the handle and head filters. It uses a ‘hydrotrack’ system that monitors your water usage to personalise replacement timings, rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all schedule. Replacing them remains a quick screw-off, screw-on job, though even with the on-handle light and in-app notifications it's the sort of task that winds up at the bottom of my to-do list.

The act of syncing to gather this information is easy, too. Just tap your phone against the NFC point where the handle meets the shower head and your data transfers instantly. However, this placement does mean there's a slight risk of your phone catching stray drips during syncing – I’d argue moving the sensor further down the handle would’ve made more sense.

Your insights become increasingly accurate with each subsequent shower and sync (Lucy Smith/The Independent)

I also appreciated the new skincare insights, with the app highlighting how the length and temperature of your showers could affect your skin. Although, at present, the information is fairly surface level, offering broad summaries such as "skin health: moderate" rather than personalised recommendations.

Unfortunately, the smart features aren't foolproof. The showerhead+ needs consistently strong water pressure to record data, indicated by a steady white light, meaning lower-pressure showers may miss sessions entirely. Hello Klean also recommends syncing weekly, but I found data from previous showers occasionally disappeared unless I synced immediately after washing. Plus, because it can’t distinguish between the temperature habits of each user, the data can become muddled if more than one person uses the shower head.

Combine all of this with a flow that felt slightly weaker than my previous shower head (despite Hello Klean's claim that its micro-nozzles intensify water pressure while reducing water usage by 25 percent) and, since moving house, incompatibility with my current power shower, there remain a handful of fixes for the brand to work through.

Still, if your shower setup is compatible and hard water is leaving your hair feeling coated or lacklustre, the filtration system remains top tier. While I'm not convinced the app alone justifies the £45 premium over the shower head 2.0, the flashing temperature warning does. Without it, I'd never have realised I'd spent years showering at temperatures that were too harsh on my hair and skin, and within weeks of following its guidance I noticed less hair fall. It's the feature I'd miss most if I went back.