Best Water Filters
Did you know that 60 percent of your body is made up of water? And that drinking enough of it every day is essential for good health? Refreshing and thirst-quenching, water should take first place in your daily beverage choice.
Sadly, due to environmental toxins and pollutants, a lot of the drinking water available in cities and towns is filled with contaminants, smells badly and tastes even worse. Some people drink bottled water, but all of that plastic is not good for the planet. That’s where a good water filter comes in.
Not all water filters are created equal or do the same thing. Some make water taste better, others remove toxins like lead, chlorine and mercury. The water filter you need depends upon your specifics situation and need. Regardless of the issue, a good water filter can make all the difference.
To help you find what you need, we narrow down the four best water filters you can buy online. Read on and find the right one for you.
Top Pick Best Pitcher Filter: Brita Water Pitcher
The water where you live goes through many filter systems before it reaches your taps, but for you and your family, it never really tastes very good, and sometimes the water is cloudy. Every now and then you wonder if it contains some impurities. You want to start drinking more water, but would like to improve its taste and quality. If you are looking for a simple, inexpensive way to filter your tap water, this is the product for you.
For an affordable way to filter tap water, we recommend the Brita Water Pitcher. Unlike other pitcher filter systems, this one comes with a Longlast Filter that lasts for approximately six months before it needs to be changed. No need for a new filter every month or so. And its large 10-cup capacity means you don’t have to fill it up as often. Talk about convenient, right?
The pitcher is made from BPA-free plastic, measures 10.7 x 5.4 x 10.1 inches and fits neatly on a shelf in the fridge. With its advanced filter technology, this model cuts the taste and odor of chlorine to deliver great tasting water, and is certified to reduce copper, cadmium and mercury impurities. Easy to use, just pour water into the top of the pitcher, wait until it drips through the filter into the bottom of the pitcher, and you’re ready to drink fresh-tasting water.
How to know when the filter needs to be replaced? The status indicator on the pitcher takes the guesswork out of it and lets you know when to purchase a new filter.
Pros:
- Affordable
- Easy to use
- Large capacity 10-cup pitcher
- Filter lasts for 120 gallons or six months before replacing
- Removes 99.99 percent of chlorine from municipally-treated tap water
Cons:
- Only filters out some impurities
Top Pick Best Faucet Mount Filter: PUR Classic Faucet Mount Filter
You are concerned that the water coming out of your taps isn’t the best quality. It certainly doesn’t taste great. And you worry that it may be contaminated with heavy metals like lead and mercury, as well as pesticides. You’d like to find a good water filter, but you’re not interested in the ones that come in a pitcher. Ideally, you’d like all the water you consume, including what you use for soup, tea and coffee, to be purified. If you are looking for a water filter that attaches to your kitchen faucet to filter all the water you use, then this is the product for you.
We recommend the PUR Classic Faucet Mount Filter for all of your water filtering needs. This faucet filter is compatible with most faucets and it is easy to attach – no tools required! However, this model will not fit on a pull-out or hand-held faucet.
The PUR Classic Faucet Mount Filter has a MineralClear filter that filters water over natural minerals, producing a crisp, refreshing taste. It is also NSF and WQA certified to reduce more than 70 contaminants, including lead, mercury and certain pesticides.
Not only will you have peace of mind knowing that the water you are drinking is healthier and safer, you will taste the difference, save money and the planet, too. A single PUR lead-reducing faucet filter provides up to 100 gallons of filtered water – the equivalent of 750 single use plastic water bottles. It doesn’t get much better than that!
Pros:
- Fits on the faucet so all water used is filtered
- NSF and WQA certified to reduce more than 70 contaminants, including lead, mercury and certain pesticides
- Fits most standard faucets
Cons:
- Does not fit on pull-out or hand-held faucets
Top Pick Best Showerhead Filter: AquaBliss High Output Revitalizing Shower Filter
Recently you’ve noticed that your hair and nails are becoming dry and brittle and your skin is itchy. You’re wondering if it has to do with the water coming out of your showerhead. Hard, chlorinated water that is filled with chemical impurities can have negative effects on your skin and hair, leaving them dry and brittle and stripping them of nutrients. If you are looking for a way to filter out harmful ingredients from your shower, then this is the product for you.
To help remove harmful chemicals from your water and to actually restore the damage done to your nails, skin and hair, we recommend the AquaBliss High Output Revitalizing Shower Filter. Due to this model’s unique proprietary system and multi-stage sediment filters, redox media, calcium sulfite, activated carbon and ceramic balls, you receive maximum water filtration to neutralize odors, balance your PH levels and infuse beneficial minerals into your skin, nails and hair. This showerhead filter uses 12 stages to impeccably clean water to reduce chlorine, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, dirt and odors.
And the good news is, it’s so easy to install – no tools necessary. Just remove your old shower or chlorine filter and replace it with the AquaBliss, which fits on all shower types, including fixed, rain and handheld models. Filters last for 10,000 – 12,000 gallons or approximately six months, making it a cost-effective choice.
Pros:
- Fits all shower types
- Removes impurities and odors
Cons:
- Does not work well with water that contains chloramine
Top Pick Best Under Sink Filter: Waterdrop 15UA Under Sink Water Filter System
The tap water where you live is not the best quality for drinking, cooking or even washing dishes. Because it doesn’t taste good, has a peculiar odor and contains impurities, you’ve been buying gallons of bottled water to meet your daily needs. Even though the water you buy comes in large refillable glass bottles, you’re tired of spending so much money on water. If you are looking for a top-quality water filter you can use for drinking, cooking and washing dishes, then we’ve got the model for you.
For an innovative five-stage filtration system that has been tested against NSF standards, we recommend the Waterdrop 15UA Under Sink Water Filter System.
This under-sink water filter system installs right under your kitchen sink. So convenient, you never have to buy bottled water again. You’ll also have peace of mind knowing this filtration system prevents scaling and removes 99 percent of odor, sediment, rust, arsenic and other heavy metals. It also retains minerals that are essential to your body, such as potassium, calcium, sodium, and magnesium. The activated carbon block and other advanced filter media provide efficient and safe filtration.
You don’t even have to hire a plumber to install this water filter system. It connects to you cold water supply using innovative push-to-connect fittings and takes less than three minutes. With the twist-and-lock design, you can replace the filter in about three seconds. Included in the installation package is a 3/8-inch hose with a direct connection that adapts to standard 3/8’-inch feed water valves under U.S. sinks. The 3/8-inch’–1/2’-inch convertor fitting helps you connect the system to both 1/2-inch and 3/8-inch cold water lines and faucets.
Since this water filter system has been developed for household and commercial use, it can be installed in your kitchen, bathroom, RV, or office to meet your daily water needs. And here’s even better news: When used with your municipal water, each filter has a maximum service life of 24 months or 16,000 gallons. Now that’s a worthwhile investment.
Pros:
- Filters out sediment and other large particles, preventing scale buildup
- Removes 99 percent of odor, sediment, rust, arsenic and other heavy metals
- Made from BPA-free, lead-free material
- Easy to install
Cons:
- Pricier than a tap-mount water filter
Things to look out for:
Consider these things when looking for a water filter so you will choose a model that works best to suit your needs:
Use:
The first thing to consider before purchasing a water filter is to decide what you want it for. If you want it to filter out chlorine and make the water you drink taste better, then a good pitcher-style water filter will do the job. These models come in a variety sizes and take some time to fill up, so consider how many people will be drinking from it. Also consider the size of your fridge so that it will be a good fit.
If you are looking for a filter that will greatly reduce harmful pollutants, toxins, chemicals and heavy metals from the water and make it taste good, then you need to find a model that does all of these things. If you need it for all of the water you use, including washing dishes, then look for a model that attaches to the faucet or under the sink directly to your water flow. This will allow it to filter all the water that you use.
Quality of your water
Probably the best way to choose the correct filter for your needs is to get your water tested by a certified lab to check which contaminants may be present. There’s no use purchasing a model that filters out something that is not in your water. Some filters remove only a few impurities, while others remove 40 and still others as many as 60 or more.
Maximum filtration rate
This refers to the amount of filtered water a filter can produce each day. Choose a model that filters enough water to match your daily consumption so you won’t be disappointed. If your daily water consumption outweighs the maximum gallons of water produced by your filter, the filter is not right for you.
Installation and maintenance
When it comes to a filter for your faucet, under the sink or showerhead, read the descriptions carefully to make sure it will fit the kind of faucet, sink or showerhead that you have. Most are easy to install and others are more complicated. If you’re not particularly handy, purchase an easy-to-assemble model, or consider hiring a plumber or handy person. Make sure the filters are easy to change, and that the container or parts that hold the filter are easy to clean and maintain. Stay away from cheap plastic pitchers that may crack or break over time, or contain BPA.