You can have all the water you need, but you can’t always guarantee that what you’re getting is safe enough for consumption. The National Groundwater Association revealed that approximately 44% of the people in the US source their drinking water from groundwater which may contain heavy metals, pesticides, volatile organic compounds, and other types of contaminants.
Fortunately, there are various water filtration systems in the market that are designed to address this problem in our water supply.
The Best Water Purification Systems Reviewed
Water filters and water purification systems have become an essential part of improving the overall water quality in every household. However, choosing the right one for you can be a bit challenging. Read on as we take a deeper dive into the best water filters!
Aquasana EQ-1000 Whole House 10-Year 1,000,000-Gallon Water Filter with Pro Install Kit
This is a high capacity water filter system – and will leave your home with clean and health access to water. The Aquasana EQ-1000 water filter system is affordable, long-last, eco-friendly and easy to maintain, so its a winner all around. In fact, the only time you wouldn’t consider this as an option would be if you had a small house (less than 2 bathrooms) or if you were looking for a water softener rather than a filter. Click here to read our review of the Aquasana EQ-1000 whole house water filter. To top it all off, its got a 10-year warranty and a 3 month no questions asked money back guarantee.
The Culligan Filtered Showerhead Review (Culligan wsh-c125)
Maybe you’re not looking for a huge, total-fix water filter solution? Maybe you just want to see how filtered water feels in your household before you go out and invest time and money into a large water softener or filter system? After all, those heavy-duty filtration systems can be pricey.
Enter the Culligan filtered showerhead, which you can read about here. This is an inexpensive and super easy to install shower-head that has a changeable filter within. The filters need to be replaced just once a year. Yes, it’s not a water softener and it won’t provide you with filtered water throughout your whole house, but it’s a great performer and can be installed in minutes.
The iSpring 5-Stage Reverse Osmosis Water Filter Review (With Brushed Nickel Faucet)
When it comes to water filter systems, the iSpring 5-Stage Reverse Osmosis Water Filter Review (With Brushed Nickel Faucet) is the favorite, hands down. This water filter system has received an enormous amount of high customer feedback on Amazon.
Some of the significant benefits of this system include the fact that it’s super easy to install and run, it fits in small spaces, and it will provide you with an unlimited amount of crystal clear fresh and great tasting drinking water. Excited yet? we are, so read the iSpring review here.
Note that it’s not a water softener. Reverse osmosis systems, in general, are not capable of removing minerals that make up hard water. However, if your water is not super hard – this is a great option.
The Best Water Filter Pitchers: Reviews & Guide, 2018
If you’re thinking about filtering your household water, why not ‘try before you buy’ (or in this case, try before you ‘invest’ in a whole house system) with a water filter pitcher? They are inexpensive, and filter out most of the harmful chemicals and toxins which we find in our tap water! They can even reduce the chlorine content of your water. There are lots of options to choose from. However, we’ve reviewed the 4 best water filter pitchers exclusively here.
Find out which pitcher is the best rated, and why, and start enjoying a guilt-free glass of H20 today!
Best Reverse Osmosis System Reviews 2018: The Top 5
Reverse Osmosis water filter systems come in various shapes and sizes, but one thing is for sure; they make your water taste great, and remove up to 99% of contaminants (depending on the system you choose).
Some of the best systems even go one step further and double filter your water to ensure that harmful chemicals are removed, and beneficial nutrients and minerals are left in! But then again, that doesn’t take away from the fact that reverse osmosis systems are not water softeners. Feel free to read our guide to the best reverse osmosis water filters right here. We reveal the top 5 as rated by consumers.
Aquasana Water Softener and Filter Reviews
Thinking of choosing an Aquasana system for your next water softener/filter? You’re thinking is along the right track, however, you still need to choose the right system (they have 5 variations)
Read our Aquasana water filter reviews here and you’ll know exactly what type of system is right for you. The great thing is – the decision is easy once you know what’s available!
Reviews Best Countertop Water Filters
A countertop water filter is a small water filtration device that is placed on the countertop of a kitchen to provide clean water. They’re effective at purifying the water and making it drinkable. However, they tend to take longer than regular water filters. Usually, it will take around 5 hours to filter 1 gallon of water. They require electricity to function, and they release some heat and run their integrated fans when being used. It’s portable, which makes them convenient to transfer from one kitchen to another, and they don’t take long to set up.
Countertop water filters use a chemical process to clean the water by removing impurities, making it safe to drink. These products work in similar ways to conventional water filtration devices, except that they’re placed on the kitchen countertop so they can directly be used to distill water. These products are also smaller than regular filters, but they have a sizable capacity and can filter plenty of water at once. Countertop filtering devices are affordable as well, which makes them a good choice for any kitchen.
The Top Faucet Water Filters – Product Reviews
A faucet water filter, which is the perfect alternative to a water pitcher filter, is the most inexpensive among tap water filters. Thanks to its small size, it can be installed within minutes without needing any tools. All you need to do is to click the filter into the faucet, and your job is done.
So, why should you install one in your Home?
Some people use faucet filters as secondary filters to their whole house filters or just for drinking water from the kitchen faucet. These filters are very effective in reducing odors and improving the taste of water. Also, no water is wasted during the filtration process. Faucet water filters remove the contaminants from water without filtering out the minerals essential for your body.
However, it is vital to choose one that perfectly fits into your faucet without leaking. They need to be changed once every three months or so, and a new filter is not an expensive buy for most families.
The Best Under the Sink Water Filters – Product Reviews
Under Sink Water Filters, as the name indicates, are installed beneath a kitchen sink or counter. They go well with most modern kitchen designs, and unlike wall-mounted or countertop filters, they don’t clutter the kitchen counter with valves and tubing. These filters purify the water in the supply line itself, so the water becomes safe even before it reaches the tap. In most cases, the filter will be screwed to a valve under the sink. Under-sink filters remove pollutants, sediments and harmful microbes making the water totally safe for consumption. Contrary to the belief that these filters are difficult to install, there are many new models which can be fitted by yourself even without a plumber’s help.
Overall, an under-sink water filter is a perfect option for households with problems such as deposits of lead inside the pipes and sedimentation, which causes foul taste, odor, and health problems. They can remove chlorine, fluoride, and pharmaceutical residues in your water. Also, these filters do not remove the beneficial (naturally occurring) minerals dissolved in the supply water.
The Top Whole House Water Filters – Product Reviews
Whole house water systems are useful in solving problems associated with the quality of your water, its appearance, and taste. A whole house water filtration system is something every household should have, water filtration removes contaminants from tap water via a filter in your water line. In particular, those who live in the city should have a whole house system which filtrates carbon as city water is not as clean. Often if you live in the city you have contamination issues when it comes to your water supply, tap water in the city often contains fluoride, iron, bacteria, and sediment which can be potentially harmful and unhealthy.
Generally, there are just two types of whole house filtration systems, one of which is the heavy duty filtration system which is the highest performing system due to its larger amounts of filtration media. The filtration media is placed on a fifty-inch big tank and will provide protection for up to ten years and a minimum of five years before a replacement is needed.
A standard capacity water cartridge is the second of the two main types, this kind of filter is placed within durable filter housings which in effect treat the water supply throughout the home.
Note that whole house water filters differ in their flow rate. A flow rate tells you how fast your system can filter your water and is an indication of your water pressure. Ideally, the required flow rate for a single household can range from 15-40 gallons per minute. So, if a filter system’s flow rate is only 10 gallons per minute or below, that might result in water interruptions especially when the entire family is using water at the same time.
Installing a whole house water filter in your home will ensure that you will always have clean and filtered water to each and every water source in your house. Your baths and showers will be healthier and more sanitary while your clothes will last longer and be brighter and softer as the water used in laundry will not cause damage. Your hair and skin will also be healthier and contaminant free thanks to the pure quality of your home’s tap water. If you don’t have a whole house water filtration system, you should consider buying and installing one to protect you and the members of your household.
The Best Refrigerator Water Filters – Product Reviews
Refrigerator water filters provide uninterrupted access to pure, chilled water in your home. If your fridge has a mechanism to dispense cold water, it most likely has one of these filters built into it. Despite being a part of a refrigerator, they are as good as if not better than other types of filters. They remove the harmful particles and bacteria from tap water, making it completely safe, even for babies. Unlike other filter types, which only purify but not cool the water, a refrigerator filter provides you perfectly chilled water 24/7.
These filters commonly use activated carbon to eliminate the foul odor and bad taste present in tap water. More advanced filters can even remove dissolved contaminants such as the common heavy metals in the water like mercury, lead, pesticides, and herbicides. Furthermore, the filter systems installed into refrigerators are easily replaceable, and most manufacturers recommend changing them in every six months or after purifying 500 gallons of water. You can do the replacement by yourself without any assistance from a plumber. Overall, a refrigerator water filter offers a perfect balance between convenience and health to your family.
The Top Inline Water Filters – Product Reviews
Water is arguably the most important commodity in the home since it has numerous domestic uses. An efficient filtering system such as an inline water filter system is thus mandatory for filtering water for use at home.
Inline water filters are usually installed in home appliances such as the refrigerator as well as directly on the waterline. Apart from the fridge, the inline water filters are used in home appliances such as the coffee makers and ice makers. They may be integrated into reverse osmosis filtering system where they are used as final polishing filters.
The major function of these filters is to purify water, thereby adding taste to it. They are available in different models for distinct uses such as reducing bad water taste and odor, reducing chlorine taste and odor, remove contaminants such as particulates, sediments, and salt. They are thus highly recommended for use in houses to provide clean, treated and safe water for a healthy family.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a ceramic water filter any good?
Most ceramic filters are effective at removing bacteria and the larger protozoans, but not at removing viruses. So, yes, it is good to a certain extent, depending on what you need out of it.
Is UF needed with RO?
A UF system retains beneficial minerals that an RO system removes. So, yes, you’ll preferably get an RO system with UF capabilities if you want to get the full benefits of clean, rich water.
Can UF remove arsenic?
Yes. Membrane technology is a promising area for arsenic removal from water – this includes UF, RO, and MF.