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Whether your water source is well water or city water that runs through a water treatment plant, all water contains harmful contaminants to some degree. From sediment to heavy metals to chloramine, your water quality is only as good as your water filtration system.
And a lot of people aren’t using one.
If you turn on your tap water and the water is not clear, you know you have a problem. But even crystal clear water that looks perfectly safe to drink, shower and cook with can be full of impurities.
Ready to protect you and your family from the chemicals, pesticides and other contaminants in your drinking water? Here are the 15 best water filters for your home, whether you want to filter your entire water supply or a single tap.
What Does a Water Filter Do?
Herbicides, volatile organic compounds (or VOCs), lead, and mercury are just some of the toxins that are probably flowing through your water supply right now.
Water filters can remove those harmful chemicals and toxins, improve your water’s taste and quality and actually save you money in the long run. (They’re much more cost effective than buying single-use plastic water bottles every single day).
Related: 16 Tips On Making Your Kitchen More Kid Friendly [And Safe]
What to Look For in Your Next Water Filter
If you’re considering buying a house water filter, you should know that different types do different things.
For example, activated carbon filters are great at removing chlorine and other common chemicals used to treat and clean the water supply. On the other hand, reverse osmosis water filters can filter out pretty much every contaminant you can think of, including fluoride, lead and sentiment, which are hard to remove.
There are also different ways to filter water. There are water filter pitchers with a filter in their lid, faucet filters that hook directly up to your sink and under-sink filters that can be concealed beneath your kitchen counter.
Some homeowners go as far as to install a whole house water filtration system, though most people are mostly concerned with filtering the kitchen taps they use to drink and cook. For people that rent rather than own a home, a water pitcher or faucet filter is usually the preferred option since you can take it with you when it’s time to move out.
Ready to find the water filter that’s right for you? Here are 15 of the best water filters you can start using in your home right now.
Related: 5 Natural Drain Cleaners You Can Make At Home [Safety First]
Water Filter Pitchers
Of all the water filter systems, water filter pitchers are by far the easiest to use.
Simply fill the pitcher straight from your tap, let the water drip through its built-in filter, and it’s safe to drink or cook with.
Separate replacement filters are available for all models, so as long as you have a clean filter on hand, you’ll always have clean water.
PUR Ultimate Filtrations Water Filter Pitcher
The PUR Ultimate Filtration Water Filter Pitcher is one of the best water filters for tap water. Sized to hold seven cups of water, this pitcher can be stored in the fridge to hold drinking water or filled up and used for cooking water.
It’s detailed with an easy-to-fill lid, a locking mechanism that keeps the cylinder filter in place, and a light that indicates when it’s time to replace the old filter with a new one.
Available at Amazon, $35.49
Brita Standard Metro Water Filter Pitcher
Water contains all sorts of minerals and chemicals, including magnesium and calcium, which aren’t harmful to drink. The Brita Standard Metro Water Filter Pitcher works to eliminate only the contaminants that are bad for you, such as cadmium, copper, chlorine, and mercury.
Brita uses coconut-based activated carbon in their filters that are BPA-free for even greater peace of mind. The Brita brand is one of the most popular and most affordable water filtration brands on the market.
Available at Amazon, $19.99
Soma 10 Cup Water Filtration Pitcher
A sustainable white oak handle adds a stylish touch to the Soma 10 Cup Water Filtration Pitcher. Like most filter pitchers, it can filter out chlorine, copper, mercury and more. It’s sized to hold ten glasses of water and has an auto lid for easy filling.
Available at Amazon, $39.99
Aquagear Water Filter Pitcher
Rid your water of fluoride, lead, chlorine and chromium-6 with the Aquagear Water Filter Pitcher.
This Aquagear is a bit pricier than some other popular water pitchers. Still, it can filter out lead, which is of great concern, especially to families with small children. At the same time, it manages to retain healthy minerals, such as calcium and magnesium, which are safe to drink.
Available at Aquagear, $68.95
Related: 9 Of The Best Smart Refrigerators On The Market [Reviewed]
Faucet Filters
Don’t want to pour water from a pitcher every time you want to fill your coffee pot or fill a pot on the stove? A sink filter is the way to go. These hook up directly to the faucet in your sink, and they screw on in just a matter of a few seconds.
With a faucet filter, you still need to change the actual interior filter from time to time. A dirty filter will lower water pressure and decrease your flow rate, so you’ll want to make sure it’s fresh and clean at all times.
PUR Faucet Mount Water Filtration System
Prefer a home water filter that doesn’t require you to open your refrigerator door every time you want a drink? The PUR Faucet Mount Water Filtration System attaches easily to most standard faucets, allowing you to enjoy filtered water every time you turn on the tap.
It comes in various colors and finishes and is certified to reduce over 70 contaminants, including lead, mercury, and pesticides.
Available at Amazon, $46.50
Culligan FM-15A Faucet Mount Filter
With adapters to fit most standard sink nozzles, the Culligan FM-15A Faucet Mount Filter uses a carbon filter to reduce chlorine, lead, and a slew of other nasty contaminants from your drinking water.
It’s super easy to install and very affordable, though it does tend to slow down water flow a bit.
Available at Amazon, $26.99
Brita Tap Water Faucet Filtration System
Don’t want a Brita water pitcher taking up valuable space in your refrigerator? Hook up the Brita Tap Water Faucet Filtration System instead.
Like the classic Brita pitcher, this faucet system filters out all sorts of impurities. It’s easy to install, and you can run 100 gallons of water through a single filter, which usually requires replacing about every four months.
Available at Amazon, $20.55
Related: How to Clean a Dirty Coffee Maker (Safe & Natural)
Under the Sink Filters
Don’t want a faucet filtration attachment to compromise the look of your kitchen sink? Opt for an under-sink model instead. At first glance, they look slightly more complicated than a faucet filter, but they’re actually pretty easy to install.
Waterdrop Reverse Osmosis Water Filter System
The Waterdrop filtration system is one of the best on the market right now. Hannah Lu, a senior manager with Waterdrop, shared a little insight on this particular model, saying, This system uses RO filtration technology with an accuracy of 0.0001 μm, which effectively removes 1,000+ contaminants, such as TDS, chlorine, taste and odor, chloramine, sediment and more.
The system takes a tankless design, which avoids secondary pollution and saves more room under the counter, and because of its faster water flow (400 GPD), the system can filter a cup of water in about 12 seconds.”
Overall, a great option for a big family looking to add clean drinking water to their kitchen faucet.
Available on Waterdrop, $549
Home Master Artesian Reverse Osmosis Filter
The Home Master Artesian Reverse Osmosis Filter has a seven-stage filtration system that reduces lead, fluoride, chlorine and up to 99% of unwanted toxins and contaminants. It’s even detailed with a pump to reduce the production of wastewater.
As a bonus, it adds calcium and magnesium into your water so you can enjoy mineral water straight from the tap.
Available at Amazon, $287.18
iSpring RCC7 Reverse Osmosis Filtration System
With a five-stage reverse osmosis process, this iSpring Filtration System is a filter and water softener in one. It’s designed to fit under any standard kitchen sink, and it’s made to remove up to 98% of lead and up to 99% of arsenic, asbestos, chlorine and other nasty elements you don’t want to drink.
Available at Amazon, $175
Aquasana 2-Stage Under Sink Water Filter System
Filtering water in two stages, this Aquasana Under Sink Water Filter System is an affordable option that’s easy to install. It’s the perfect Saturday DIY project — no need to call a plumber!
This under-sink filter system rids your water of up to 99% of over 77 contaminants, including mercury and lead.
Available at Amazon, $102.99
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Shower Filters
Filtered water is essential for drinking, but it’s also important to have clean water when you shower. For the cleanest, safest showers, hook one of these shower filters up in your bath.
Pelican Water PSF-1W 3 Stage Premium Shower Filter
Like the Aquasana model listed above, this Pelican Premium Shower Filter is designed to remove chlorine and chloramine from your shower water, so you minimize dryness and enjoy softer hair and skin.
It’s easy to connect, easy to change the filters and it comes with an optional scent bar so you can even enjoy a little aromatherapy while you bathe.
Available at Home Depot, $64
Aquasana Premium Shower Filter
Make your hair, skin and body look and feel healthier by showering under the Aquasana Premium Shower Filter. This filter removes 90% of chlorine that can wreak havoc on skin cells and hair.
Because it’s designed specifically as a shower filter, it works only to remove chlorine, not all of the other contaminants that you need to remove from drinking water.
Available at Aquasana, $119.99
Related: How To Get Rid Of Mold In the Shower [And Other Mold Facts]
Whole House Water Filters
Want to improve the quality of all of the water that comes into your home? There are a variety of entire house water filtration systems that you can hook up at your main water shut-off valve just before the pipes split and run to different parts of the house.
Like all water filtration systems, filter changes are required for this set-up as well. Depending on your plumbing skills, you may need a plumber to do the initial installation, though most people are able to change the filters themselves.
Aquasana 10 Year 1,000,000 Gallon Whole House Water Filter
Though it will set you back a few hundred bucks, the Aquasana 10 Year 1,000,000 Gallon Whole House Water Filter will make clean water flow from every tap in your house.
Designed to filter one million gallons of water (which takes most families about ten years), this water filter system features a carbon filtration kit to remove all sorts of impurities.
Available at Amazon, $779.10
iSpring WGB32B 3-Stage Whole House Water Filtration System
The iSpring WGB32B 3-Stage Whole House Water Filtration System doesn’t just remove the typical impurities from water – it also removes sediment, rust, industrial solvents, and all sorts of VOCs.
With a three-stage filter system and carbon filters, this filter can supply a family of four with clean water for an entire year.
Available at Amazon, $398
Refrigerator Filters
Does your refrigerator have a water spout or an ice maker? If so, it should also have a filter.
Most refrigerator manufacturers make filters that are compatible with their specific refrigerator models. So just check your fridge manual or look up the serial number to make sure you buy the right filter for your fridge.
After all, there’s no point in drinking filtered water from a Brita or a faucet filter only to fill that glass with ice made from water that hasn’t gone through the filtration process.
Related: Is Your Refrigerator Set at the Right Temperature?
Do You Need a Water Filter For Your Home?
Some local water supplies are cleaner and safer than others — but it can only benefit you to add a water filter (or several) in your home. If you rent or don’t have the ability to install a whole house water filter system, we suggest investing in a faucet filter for your kitchen sink and a shower filter for your bath.
Regardless of which type of filtration system you buy, be sure to have a few replacement filters. If you don’t change the filters often, there’s no point in using it at all.
You might also like: LaCroix vs. Spindrift [The Great Sparkling Water Showdown]
The 15 Best Water Filters For Your Home:
- PUR Ultimate Filtrations Water Filter Pitcher
- Brita Standard Metro Water Filter Pitcher
- Soma 10 Cup Water Filtration Pitcher
- Aquagear Water Filter Pitcher
- PUR Faucet Mount Water Filtration System
- Culligan FM-15A Faucet Mount Filter
- Brita Tap Water Faucet Filtration System
- Waterdrop Reverse Osmosis Water Filter System
- Home Master Artesian Reverse Osmosis Filter
- iSpring RCC7 Reverse Osmosis Filtration System
- Aquasana 2-Stage Under Sink Water Filter System
- Aquasana Premium Shower Filter
- Pelican Water PSF-1W 3 Stage Premium Shower Filter
- Aquasana 10 Year 1,000,000 Gallon Whole House Water Filter
- iSpring WGB32B 3-Stage Whole House Water Filtration System
Jessica Heston
view postJessica Heston
After 15 years in the fashion industry, this Philadelphia native ditched her corporate career to focus on writing full time. Jessica is a TV junkie, whiskey lover and true crime addict. She finds inspiration from Broadway musicals, Hitchcock films and The Beatles. She is happily married without children, which she credits as the reason for her professional success, youthful attitude and solid eight hours of sleep every night.
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