Water is essential for every living thing. But that would be only half the statement as you cannot just drink any water from anywhere. The irony is that water has all the essential elements that can kill you or make you very sick. Even though the United States has one of the safest water supplies, the CDC estimates that more than 7 million Americans fall sick due to water-borne diseases.
This situation is where water purifiers or filters come in. To make water safer and hygienic, having a water purifier system is crucial, even though the municipality treats the water that directly comes to your home. Filtration is complex, and our testing standards and parameters are even more stringent. We’ve tested the best water purification systems out in the market, checked every feature, and how these features would translate in general use. This is the list/brief review of the best under-the-sink water filter system and what makes them so desirable.
ClearlyFiltered 3-Stage water filter is a small, compact, yet powerful filtration unit that comes with all the powerful features to provide contaminants-free water. The filter is easy to install and comes with a lifetime warranty. While small in size, it can remove 99.9% of 232 contaminants, making it one of the best choices for your home.
How Does Under Sink Filtration Works?
The process of filtration is very simple on paper, but its technology to complete the process is very complex. The filtration unit acts as a buffer between the tap or the water outlet to your house and the water inlet from the source. Think of it as a gate for the water that enters your home. The filter is attached to the waterline, where it gets a constant stream of water. Depending on the type of water filter, it is either filtered on the go or stored inside for filtration in a separate unit. More on that later.
The most basic filtration method uses the absorbent process, and it is present in almost all basic water filter systems. This is when a very fine filter (with very small pores to pass water through) is used as a barrier that stops most of the larger particles of water contaminants that include plastics, waste, or any other heavier contaminants. The level of filtration depends on the fineness of the pores used in the filter—the smaller the pore, the better the filtration. But as you can imagine, this is the most basic form of filtration that can only sift the water, removing just the larger particles.
This requires the addition of more technologies to filter the water even further. RO, which stands for Reverse Osmosis, is the industry standard. We’ll explain what it does and how it works later. Besides RO, carbon filters and UV light are also being added to the RO system to make filtration even more precise. UV light is radiation that damages the DNA. But you don’t have to worry about it since this light is perfect for killing microorganisms and other pathogens without chemicals. Of course, the more filtration technology used, the better and safer the filtration will be.
Under The Sink Vs. Countertop
We have chosen the best under-the-sink water filtration systems for one very important reason; the overall looks and the smart use of space. Countertop water filters are an overall mess to handle and keep, and they look very untidy. You get two options to accommodate that large piece of the machine near the sink, either keeping it on the countertop, which takes up so much usable space and makes the entire area congested. Or you can go for placing the filter on the wall, but near the sink or waterline. This includes an extra process of making a support structure to hang the filter. Moreover, countertop water filters look messy and ruin the look of your kitchen. Countertop filters are a no-go if you plan to go for a minimal, clean kitchen design.
This is where under the sink water filters come. The biggest advantage they have over the countertop counterparts is that they can be placed under the sink, an area with space but limited use. The setup process can be done by yourself, the space is large enough, and most of the filters that we have included are small and mobile enough to fit in almost under all the sinks. This also improves the look of your kitchen, while you don’t have to sacrifice the countertop space. More space for more cooking.
Best Under Sink Water Filter System Reviews
As discussed in the earlier topics, we have considered several parameters in our list of Best Water Filters. We have assessed and evaluated the filtration systems of dozens of the most prominent ones in the market. And our results narrowed down to the best performers. Scroll down to read in detail.
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Home Master TMAFC Artesian Full Contact Reverse Osmosis System |
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1. Clearly Filtered 3-Stage Water Filter
The company, known for its excellent water bottles, also offers some of the most efficient and feature-rich under the sink water filter systems. As the name suggests, this filter comes with three-stage filtering to offer maximum purity and removal of contaminants.
The first filtration stage uses a carbon filter to remove the smaller particles and other volatile organic compounds. And as a plus point, it also removes the effects of chlorine used in water filtration from the source. This means no bad taste or odor.
The second filtration stage uses ultrafine filtration methods to remove the main harmful contaminants such as lead, arsenic, pesticides, PFAs, and other harmful chemicals. The filtration offers an impressive 99% filtration.
The third filtration stage here focuses on the high levels of fluorides found in the US water supply. The company claims an impressive 90.7% of fluoride removal using proprietary technology. However, don’t be alarmed that the removal is not 99%, as a little bit of fluoride in water is necessary for health.
What Made Us Recommend this Product?
The Size
One of the best qualities of the ClearlyFiltered filter is the size. It is small, compact, and the filters are light and thin. This means that they can be easily fitted under any sink, no matter how small the space is. In addition, it takes less space, filters water well, and is very clean and minimal to look at. This means that in case the filter is visible, it won’t be an eyesore.
Installation
Since it is one of the smallest and lightest 3-stage water filters we have ever seen, the installation process becomes a breeze. All you need is a few screws or nails and a pipe wrench, and you are good to go. This under the sink filter can be installed without the help of a plumber or any complicated tools. The installation is also not permanent since you need to hang the product.
Easy Filter Change
Just like installation can be done without the help of any professional; anyone can also change the filter very easily. In addition, the company offers tool-free filter change at a recommended 2,000 gallons, which is very impressive. All you need to do is open a few screws, change the filter, and that’s it.
Outstanding Filtration
With seven proprietary filtration technologies, the ClearlyFiltered filter offers 99.9% removal of more than 232 contaminants, which includes lead, arsenic, fluoride, VOCs, and other contaminants from the water. It exceeds the capacities of reverse osmosis filtration, which has impressed us. And hence, it made its way to the list. The filtration is tested by both NSF and EPA standards.
Convenience
The filter is mobile, easy to install, easy to change the filter, and the best part is it does not require a different faucet to work. The waterline can be attached to the existing water line and faucet, so you get filtered water from the common faucet. In addition, it does not impact the hot water line.
Lifetime Guarantee
The filter comes with a lifetime warranty. This means that if there is anything wrong with the filter or it fails to function properly, the company will fix it free of charge. The company is also known for its great customer support service.
What We Did Not like?
Not all about this filter was great. Some glaring issues might be an inconvenience for many. Here are some of the cons of the ClearlyFiltered water purifier.
Cost
All the features and filtration come at a hefty cost. The system is priced at a pocket-damaging $500. Granted that it is not the most expensive water filter system in the market, and the features do justify the cost to some extent. Still, this water filter is not an active water filter. This means that it does not use electricity. A great price for this filter would have been under $400.
Expensive Filter Replacements
The filter replacement is very expensive and if you are a family of more than three, then be ready to shell out some hefty amount every 6-9 months. This is further worsened if your city water is heavily contaminated. So if you live in Texas or Nevada, good luck!
Water Pressure
Since this is a passive filter system, the water filtration rate is slow. This leads to reduced water pressure, which can be a big problem for many. Long waiting periods for filling the bottles will be usual if you get this filter.
Visit the Review to know more about Clearly Filtered 3-Stage Water Filter or Click the button to order the filter.
2. Home Master TMAFC Artesian Full Contact Reverse Osmosis System
With a mouthful name, the Home Master TMAFC is one of the market’s best active water filtration systems. The most impressive thing about this filter system was the price and the modularity available. For all the people who are very concerned about the quality of water, or if your city has very poor water quality, this is the one to go. The filter comes with extra add-on features that make it one of the most powerful water filtration systems. The feature list here will not end; that’s how many features it has! Let’s look at the basic features that come with it.
What Made Us Recommend this Product?
Excellent Filtration
It uses a 7-stage filtration process to remove 99% of all the contaminants, including an excess of chlorine, lead, arsenic, microplastics, heavy metals, fluoride, etc. The filter uses a catalytic carbon filter to remove the contaminants, while it employs reverse osmosis to provide excellent filtration. It also comes with a 5-micron depth sediment filter, ensuring great water pressure and reduced water wastage. In addition, the filter offers a 98% reduction in the total dissolved solids in the water.
Modular Design
Add what you want, keep what you need; This is what we use to describe the modular design of this filtration system. With the basic model coming with already impressive features, you can add more to make the filter even more capable and convenient. From increasing the size of the purified water tank to a massive 53 gallons to changing the material of the faucet, the options are impressive. Some of the other features that you can add (at an extra cost) include:
- A permeate pump reduces the backflow of dissolved solids in the water and increases the efficiency of the filter.
- Antimicrobial tubing prevents the formation of microbial film in the tubes. This prevents water from tasting and smelling foul.
- Dow RO membrane increases the efficiency of the RO system, increasing the output rate.
- The refrigeration kit lets you add the filter’s output to the ice-cube box, which lets you directly get ice cubes made from filtered water.
Price
One of the best features of this filtration system is the price. The base model (which is already very competent) comes at just $330. Would you believe that? So many features for just under 300 bucks. But here’s another interesting thing; with all the extra features mentioned above in the modular design section, the price goes only to $480. That’s still $20 cheaper than ClearlyFiltered’s product. This is why the price is one of the USPs of the Home Master TMAFC filter.
Taste and Minerals
Many filters with their extreme filtration cause the removal of minerals already present in the water. That is not the case with this filter. It uses a remineralization technique that allows the loss of lost minerals such as magnesium, calcium, and other essential minerals to be recovered. This also prevents storage tank degradation. Along with this, the filter also makes the water slightly alkaline. This makes the water taste better. Minerals and taste, both ensured.
Easy Installation
The Home Master TMAFC offers a great installation process that can be done by yourself; no need to call a plumber or bring out the complex set of tools to set it up. Just a little bit of drilling and setting up a few screws, and you are good to go.
Easy Filter Changes
The filter canisters are well-exposed and come with an easy to open design for a quick twist and push-in opening. Anyone can change the filters very easily without the use of wrenches or other complex tools. The filters last for around one year or 2,000 gallons. This is an impressive number since we are talking about an active RO filter system.
Great Water Pressure
Since this is an electronic water filter, the rate of filtration is high, and the filtered water is stored in a tank. This ensures great water pressure from the faucets. In addition, the filter comes with a Fast Flow RO kit that doubles the rate of water flow from the RO sink spigot.
Less Wastage of Water
The Home Master TMAFC comes with an optional permeate pump which is perfect for reducing water wastage by almost 80% while increasing the filtration rate by 50%. This also reduces the TDS creep where the dissolved solids in the water flow back to the filtered water. This feature also improves the filter life.
What We Did Not Like?
There were not many things that we did not like about this product. The price to feature ratio for the Home Master TMAFC is excellent. But here are some of the cons as well:
Heavy and Clunky
This is not a con of this particular product but a con of most RO filters in the market. As you can see, more filtration requires more components, and RO filters need an extra storage tank to keep the filtered water separated. Due to this, the Home Master TMAFC becomes a heavy mess. Also, it might be difficult to fit them under smaller sinks where space is less due to the tank and filters.
Extra Faucet
There is no integration with the common faucet, and that is understandable since the filtered water is served from the tank and not from the waterline. While installing the filter can be done by yourself, fitting another faucet might require professional help and extra cost.
Tank Capacity
We were not impressed by the stock tank that comes with it. The tank has only a 3.2-gallon capacity which is okay for 2-3 people but very lacking for a family of bigger than four members. A 5-gallon tank as the stock would have been better.
Poor Warranty
The Home Master TMAFC comes with a warranty of just 5-years which is not bad, but not great either. The reduced years in the warranty are due to the RO machinery, which has an increased failure rate. Apart from this, the filter changing costs are also very high.
Visit the Review to know more about Home Master TMAFC Artesian Full Contact Reverse Osmosis Water Filter or Click the button to order the filter.
3. Aquasana Claryum 3-Stage Filter
The compact-king of the list, the Aquasana Claryum 3-stage filter, is a powerful water filter system perfect for people with small under sink space or looking for a mobile filtration system that can fit almost anywhere. The Clary is the best and most powerful filter in the market, but it makes up for that in other sections. It can offer great filtration, which includes the three-stage filtration process. It removes most of the harmful metals and chemicals, and it is a non-RO-based filter, which means no additional tank or electricity. The entire filtration is carried out with carbon, ion exchange, and ultrafine membrane.
What Made Us Recommend this Product?
Compactness
The Claryum is extremely compact, with a system dimension of just 4.25″ x 12″ x 9″ (L x W x H). This makes fitting this filter under any sink or water supply easy and hassle-free. In addition, the filter fits in well due to the smaller footprint, so even if it is kept exposed, it won’t be an eyesore.
Cost
The Claryum is one of the cheapest water filters you can get. The general price is $350, but with the filter subscription, you can get the entire filtration system at just $280. The lower price makes the feature to price ratio of the filter great.
Great Filtration
The Claryum is capable of filtering out 77 contaminants from the water, which includes lead, VOCs, PFAs, chlorine, pesticides, and much more. It can filter out 99% of the lead, VOCs, asbestos, and other heavy metals from the water, while 97% of chlorine and chloramine. While removing the metals prevents the removal of healthy minerals such as calcium, potassium, and magnesium. Here are some of the key features of the filtration system used:
- Uses 20 micron pre-filter for better filtration.
- Filter change alert system.
- It comes certified to NSF/ANSI standards 42, 53, and 401, which means it has been extensively tested for proper filtration.
- Since the filtration is done using membranes, nothing extra is added to water, preserving the original taste.
Eco-Friendly and Safe
The entire filtration unit is made of disposable plastic parts that are both safe for drinking water and the environment.
Easy Filter Replacement
The replacement of the filters is very easy and can be done within minutes. Instead of using a wrench or any other complicated tools, all you have to do is twist open the filter container and change the filter. That’s it.
Faucet For Option
What makes the price of this filter so great is that it comes with a dedicated faucet! That is rare to see when it comes to direct-line filters at this price. This allows you to have a separate stream of filtered water and unfiltered water. Drink with one, wash with the other, great convenience.
What We Did Not Like?
Here are some of the cons of the Claryum water filter system:
Filtration
Don’t get us wrong, the filtration it offers for the price range is great, but it clearly cannot compete with the other filtration systems in the market. Where other competitors offer to eliminate over 200 contaminants, the Claryum can remove just 77. So if filtration is your priority and you can spend more, then this is not the one for you.
Filter Capacity
Claryum has a very poor filtration capacity, just 600 gallons. After 600 gallons, you’ll have to replace the filters, which are not cheap at all. The price of three filters is around $70, and if you consume a lot of filtered water, it is better to choose an expensive filtration system with longer filter life. That would save you more money.
Visit the Review to know more about Aquasana Claryum 3-Stage Water Filter or Click the button to order the filter.
4. Frizzlife 3-Stage SK99 Filter System
For the people who want to save a buck, this filter system will help you save a lot of it. The Frizzlife 3-stage SK99 is a very capable water filtration system that comes with all the bells and whistles needed to filter water and make it suitable for consumption. This filter is an under the sink filter system that is very compact and easy to install. Again, the filtration it provides is not as great as some of the powerful RO filters, but when we factor in the price, the features and filtration it gives become worth it.
Why We Recommend this Product?
Here are some of the best features that we loved about this filter and why you should consider buying it:
Price
As mentioned above, this one is for the people who want to get all the basics of filtration at the absolute lowest price possible. The Frizzlife SK99 is one of the cheapest 3-stage filters we have seen, costing only $125 with an extra 10% off. Yes, we know this filter is cheap. But does the price reduction come with other sacrifices?
Great Filtration
The Frizzlife comes with an ultrafine membrane with a 0.5-micron pore filter. This extremely small pore size allows for great filtration while saving costs. It claims to remove over 99% of 70-80 contaminants such as lead, arsenic, chlorine, chloramine, fluoride, VOCs, etc., which are the most common and harmful elements in the water. It also prevents the removal of healthy minerals from the water. The filter is also certified by IAPMO against NSF/ANSI 42 and 53 for material safety (safe to use for food and water).
Great Water Flow Rate
Usually, in the case of passive filters, water flow from the tap is very slow. Thankfully that is not the case with this filtration system. The machine has a claimed flow rate of 2 GPM @60 psi, which means that the rate is decently fast in everyday language. For example, the company says that a cup of 11 oz will fill within 3 seconds at this rate.
Faster and Easy Installation
Since there are no complicated parts involved in the installation, they can be installed within 15 mins, without any professional tools or plumber. The compact size also makes setting this filter up under most of the sinks. And further adding to the convenience, it can also be attached to a fridge, making it great for ice-boxes.
Great Tech Support
One of the most important features of any filtration system is customer support. The FrizzLife offers great tech and customer support along with a roster of online help tutorials and videos. In addition, the company offers a 24/7 tech support line in case you ever need any assistance.
Eco-Friendly
The plastic and all the other filtration material used in this system are eco-friendly. This is important as it saves the environment and reduces our carbon footprint.
Works With the Same Faucet
You don’t need to install any other faucet as the filter can be easily fitted with the existing water line and work with the single faucet.
So overall, the FrizzLife offers great filtration at a great price. It also comes with a 30-days money-back guarantee. Made from eco-friendly materials, the filtration system is extremely easy to install, and the filter changing is also easy due to accessibility.
What We Did Not Like?
Short Filter Life
The company recommends changing the first filter every 3-6 months, the second filter every 8-12 months, and the third filter every 12-18 months. This is not a great filter life, especially for the first stage filter. If you are a family of more than four or if water consumption is high in your house, this is not a great choice to go.
Proper Filtration
The price is low, but that does not mean the filtration it offers is great. If your priority is filtration and not the price, then this is not the one for you. It offers to remove only 70-80 contaminants which are decent. But it is not the best filter system out there.
Faucet Compatibility
Although we did not experience any faucet compatibility, we have seen many reviews that said there was some issue with this filter system not working properly with the existing faucet. Most of these comments were about the reduced water flow rate or straight-up non-compatibility with the faucet.
Visit the Review to know more about Frizzlife 3-Stage SK99 Water Filter or Click the button to order the filter.
5. Apec Water Systems Roes-50 5-Stage Ro Water Filter System
One of the most feature-rich and value-for-money water filtration systems that you can buy is the APEC ROES-50. It is our top recommendation as it excelled in all the parameters based on our tests. We cannot explain how great the price to feature ratio is here. If you are looking for one of the best filters in the market with excellent water filtration capabilities at a reasonable price, then look no further as you have already found it.
The APEC ROES-50 is the best seller in Amazon under the water filtration system category, with over 5,000 reviews crossing four stars. We think the customers’ verdict is very clear. The ROES-50 is a reverse osmosis filtration system; it is an active filter. So let’s begin with the things that make us want to recommend this product so much.
What Made Us Recommend this Product?
Supreme Filtration
Hands down, the ROES-50 comes with one of the market’s best and most advanced filtration systems. Since it is an RO filter, you can expect extreme filtration. The company claims to remove up to 99% of the contaminants in the water, which includes lead, arsenic, nitrates (pesticides and herbicides), heavy metals, etc. In addition, the filter can remove a whopping 1,000+ contaminants, a max total of 2,000 ppm of total dissolved solids. This is extremely good for a filtration system, regardless of the price—some of the filters that cost as high as $600+ do not offer this level of filtration.
5-Stage Filtration
This is the only water filtration system with a 5-stage filtration system. Here’s what the five filters are and what they do:
- The first stage is a sediment filter that removes the simple dust and other heavy particles.
- The second stage is a carbon-activated filter that removes chlorine, basic VOCs, chemicals and improves the taste, odor, and color of the water.
- The third stage also used a carbon filter to remove the finer and more harmful VOCs further and improve the taste and quality of water.
- The fourth stage is the reverse osmosis stage, where most of the filtration occurs. This stage is where the most harmful elements such as lead, arsenic, fluoride, and other heavy metals are removed.
- The fifth stage is a refining coconut carbon filter that gives the water a final filter and improves the taste.
Price
With the long list of features, you might have been expecting to see the price under the cons list. But pleasantly, the cost of this filtration system is one of the biggest reasons we are recommending it. The ROES-50 costs just $200! Yes, this is not a type; that is the price of the filter system. So the features you are getting for the price make it an incredible buy.
Great Water Pressure
The water pressure from the faucet is great and fills up cups and bottles very fast. This is to be expected as the water is sent from the storage tank. The other great feature about it is that you can add a permeate pump to further increase water flow. The filtration tank that holds the water is also decently sized, coming at 4 gallons pressurized. So there will be enough water to go around for a while.
Separate Faucet
The ROES-50 operates with a single faucet, as is the case with most of the RO-based water filters. So you get a separate faucet for filtered water and a normal faucet for all other purposes.
Filter Life
The three filters are recommended to be changed every year, which for an RO-based filter is great. You can replace the other two filters at longer intervals.
What We Did Not Like?
There are not many things that we did not like about this filter, but that does not make it flawless. So here are the cons of the APEC ROES-50 water filter system:
Huge and Clunky
It is common to expect this con with every other RO-based water purification system. There is a huge water tank to store the filtered water, which is good for water storage but bad for mobility and storage. This is further worsened by adding two more filtration units (as it is a 5-stage purification system). So if your under-sink space is less fitting, this absolute unit will be inconvenient.
Installment
We wouldn’t call installing this filter a big inconvenience or a very cumbersome task, but it is not easy to install it. The sheer size and weight of the entire system make it very difficult to install. Getting professional help would be recommended, although a passionate individual who has a knack for plumbing and tools would be able to install it.
No Filter Change Alert System
The only way to know if the filter needs to be changed is by opening the filter box and looking at it. If it looks dirty, change it. This is very inconvenient and sends it to the cons list.
Replacement Filters are Difficult to Find
One of the most echoed complaints about this product was the inability to find replacement filters. In addition, people complained that they could not find the exact filter that fits the filter well. This is a con.
Visit the Review to know more about Apec Water Systems Roes-50 5-Stage Ro Water Filter or Click the button to order the filter.
Buyer’s Guide For Choosing The Under Sink Water Filter That Fits Your Needs
Various Types of Filtration
The products that we have chosen come with the three most important and powerful filtration methods, all used together to provide the best filtration, eliminating particle contaminants, heavy and toxic metals, pesticides, and other microorganisms. There are broadly two types of filtration used; Active and passive. Removing the contaminants from the water using energy is active filtration, and passive is when the water is pushed through a filter to separate it from contaminants.
Let’s take a look at the three filtration technologies used in these filter systems. The three technologies are Reverse Osmosis, Ultrafine membrane filtration, and carbon filter.
#1. Carbon Filter
This is the most basic filtration method and is used in almost every water filtration system. Carbon filters use active carbon molecules to remove the contaminants in the water. These carbon molecules attract particles that get attached to them, and then the water is moved to the other side of the filter. The process is very simple, and the filtration is very basic. This is why getting a water filter with just this technology is not recommended at all, while it can be used to filter non-drinking water for general use.
#2. Ultrafine Membrane
The ultrafine membrane is the more advanced form of filtration technology that uses a membrane or a set of membranes that act as the filter to clean the water. The basic process is to pass the water through very tiny pores, which only pass the water, stopping the finer particles that contaminate the water. The degree of filtration depends on the size of the pores, and some of the ultrafine filters have pores in the range of micrometers, which means they are very tiny. While ultrafine membranes are very effective in cleaning the water and removing microscopic particles, they still fall behind in terms of proper filtration and removing some heavy metals such as lead or arsenic. This is where RO steps in.
#3. Reverse Osmosis
RO or reverse osmosis is the standard used for complete and proper water filtration. Most water filters use this with the other two technologies mentioned above. While the filtration methods above pushed water through a filter, keeping the contaminants on one side of the membrane, reverse osmosis does the opposite of that. Instead of pushing the water through a filter, osmosis takes the contaminants out by pulling them out of the water. It uses two sections of water; the contaminated section and the filtered section (which has been filtered using the membranes). RO pulls out the remaining contaminants from the filtered section and puts them in the contaminated section. RO offers excellent filtration since it is active filtration and not passive.
With the basics explained, let’s look at the water filters we have chosen, the best of the best, with all the filtration technologies that will ensure safer, hygienic water for you and your family.
Parameters That We Considered
To test these water filters, we considered some of the parameters or features that are the most prominent ones in providing the best performance and filtration. Other factors also played a role in determining the five best under the sink water filter systems. These are the parameters we chose:
#1. Affordability
The cost of the water filter system is a very important factor, but we must do it the right way. We did not take lower price as a feature, resulting in including the low-quality products in the list. We did not focus just on the lower price but the price to feature ratio. This allowed us to include products that cost low but come with the top features for the price. So instead of getting cheap products on the list that do not offer any features even for the low price, we included products worth every dime you pay.
#2. Mobility
Mobility is another important factor as it is one of the most beneficial features of under the sink water filtration systems. These filters give you the ability to place these filters anywhere you like. It could be under other sinks, on the fridge, or even in small spaces under the sink. The mobility feature allows you to fix the filter anywhere there’s a water pipeline. This is why mobility is important for convenience.
#3. Warranty and Support
This protects your money and ensures you a greater product. A longer warranty is preferred as it shows that the company trusts the product it has made. And even in the case of failure of the machine, you can be assured that you’ll get a free service, or in the worst-case scenario, a free replacement. The longer the warranty period, the more preferable the product. But the warranty does not cut it.
Imagine getting a water filter system with 5-years of warranty, and when something goes wrong. How will you reach the company? If the customer support is poor, you’ll be stuck with a defective machine, a 5-years warranty promise, and an unclean water supply. So to ensure the best services and products, we took both warranty and support into account.
#4. Size
The size of the filter has a lot of impact on the mobility and convenience of the product. While larger, heavier water filters are good at offering advanced filtering, smaller ones are much more convenient to install and store. So what we did was we selected the best of both worlds. Not too small, not too large, and something that offers great filtration, great enough that it removes all the harmful contaminants, but small enough to fit in most of the under-sink space without any issue at the same time.
#5. Features
This part goes without saying; the more the features, the better the filter. Apart from the filtration power (which is the core element of this list), we looked at the other peripheral features and offerings that made these filters stand out from the competition. This includes the type of plastic used, how eco-friendly it is, if there are any other added benefits, other faucets, waterline integration, and a lot more. The more features we found, the more chances the filter found to be on this list. The more features you get, the more value for money the filter becomes.
#6. Water Pressure
This is one of the most overlooked features when people consider buying a water filter, but trust us, it is one of the most important features for convenience. And we have considered it. The water pressure refers to the pressure or speed at which the water is dispensed through the filter faucet. You don’t want to wait 20 seconds to fill one cup of water or a whole minute to fill up a large bottle. So we chose the products with some of the best outlet flow.
#7. Odor Removal and Taste Enhancement
Filtering the water is great, but you know what’s greater? It removes the odor from mostly chlorine and other chemicals and improves the taste of water. This makes the water much better to drink and use and improves the taste of other consumables that use water, such as coffee or food.
#8. Installation
The ease of installation is another important factor for considering the water filter system. Since we are reviewing under the sink filters, installing it yourself becomes a major plus point as you don’t have to look for plumbers or some complicated tools to set it up. Almost anyone can install the filters we have mentioned with minimal help from tools. This is great for convenience and saves a lot of money too.
#9. Mineral Retention
Many of the water filters offer great contaminants removal, but in the process of filtration, they also remove some of the essential minerals in the water that are beneficial for health. This is why we have chosen the filters that use either remineralization or barriers that stop the removal of minerals while removing the harmful elements from water.
Some Important Terms to Understand:
1. VOCs
Volatile Organic Compounds are harmful compounds that are present around us in our houses, plumbing, wall paint, etc. These compounds are present in water as well as in the air.
2. PFA
Polyfluorinated substances are harmful substances that are derived from industrial processes and are sometimes found in the water supply.
3. NSF
NSF is an organization that tests the efficacy and features of water purifiers. NSF-certified products are safe to use.
The Need For Filtration
To check the efficiency and efficacy of the water filtration system included, we dug down to the roots, distilling the most important water filtration requirements. So first came the root needs, which are the most important reasons to get a filtration system and if these products are good at getting it done. So this is the priority of the list.
Then comes the secondary features, which allow further purification with some extra added steps and make them water more fit for consumption. Let’s talk about the need for filtration and why your house needs a water filtration system more than you think.
The two major contaminants in water that threaten US homes are bacteria and heavy metals. While the state-owned filtration units get rid of most microorganisms, some bacteria might slip into the water, mostly due to the pipings. These bacteria can cause dangerous diseases, even cholera or typhoid; although these cases are rare, it is better not to test the odds.
The other and far more dangerous contaminant in the US is heavy metals. You might think that the water coming out of the tap is safe to drink, even in cities like New York, where the entire water line is filtered, but that is not the case. A study conducted by The Guardian and Consumer report tested a water sample that almost 19 million people were using. The test was conducted on “safe drinking water,” which went right from the tap to the mouth. The results? This is what they found;
More than 35% of the samples had toxic metals that last forever or PFAs. More than 8% had arsenic way above the normal levels as per the Consumer Reports. And here’s the big shocker; 118 samples out of the tested 120 had detectable amounts of lead. Detectable means dangerous here because lead is dangerous at all levels.
All the data points towards the excessive need for water filtration systems, even if the water is “said” to be safe. The products we featured in this list take care of all these harmful substances and elements to the best of their ability. Ensure that you drink safe water that does not affect your health.
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Home Master |
Aquasana |
Frizzlife |
APEC |