Best Faucet Water Filters Reviewed

Faucet Water Filters Compared

The Benefits of Faucet Water Filters

Among the various benefits of water filters, here are a few that stand out.

How To Choose a Quality Faucet Water Filter

Here are a few aspects to consider when selecting the best faucet water filter system for your home or office.

Water Quality

Filter Porousness

The porousness of the filter decides what type and size of water polluting particle can pass through the filter. The tinier the holes, the harder it is for water and pollutants to pass through and the faster the filter is clogged. The ideal faucet water filter would offer the perfect balance to ensure that your supply doesn’t get clogged.

Filter Capacity & Compatibility

There are various filter capacities and compatibilities available in the market. Before opting for what looks like the best faucet water filter system, make sure it has the required capacity of the water that you require it to last for, and that the system is compatible with your faucet size.

Construction Material & Finish

The faucet water filter market is replete with new designs and finishes. While some people like to go with standard materials, some opt for different designs and colors that complement the look and feel of their space.

Features

Filter Cartridges

Installation Types

Costs

When considering to buy a new faucet filter, it is important to remember that most filtration systems require you to replace their filters periodically, and so their cost should also be accounted for. Some brands might offer filter systems with low upfront cost but charge high prices for filter replacements.

Warranty

If you are particular about warranties, you might want to check the manufacturer’s website. In our reviews, we found that the industry standard remains a limited 12-month guarantee that covers any manufacturing defect. However, some manufacturers do provide extended warranty periods, but that differs from product to product.

6 Best Faucet Water Filters Reviewed

Here are our top picks – the best faucet water filters that are available in the market:

1. PUR Advanced LED

PUR continues its tradition of manufacturing some of the best filters, with their Advanced Faucet Water Filter that packs in the capability to filter 100 gallons in its life cycle.

The filter is designed with a stylish chrome coat that sits over a sturdy plastic build, making it durable, and easily cleanable. Additionally, its space-saving size also makes it ideal for small faucets and sinks.

While it doesn’t accommodate pull-down faucets, it is compatible with all standard taps and carries the advantage of not requiring additional plumbing with a simple 1-click operation.

However, the differentiating factor that makes PUR Advanced Filter the best faucet water filter system is its amazing performance at such an affordable price point. The filter manages to tackle 70 different contaminants and is certified to remove up to 99% lead, 96% mercury, and 92% of pesticides that pollute the water.

With a built-in life indicator, sleek design, and dominant performance, the cons are almost negligible for the PUR Advanced faucet water filter.

2. Culligan FM-25 

If you want a pocket-friendly, durable faucet water filter, you've come to the right place — the best faucet mount water filter in our review: the highly rated Culligan FM-25.

The standout feature of the Culligan FM-25 is its replacement filter cartridge that provides approximately 200 gallons of filtered water – almost double the industry standard. The design features a sleek chrome finish that complements the plastic body nicely.

The Culligan FM-25 is very easy to install, with two connectors included in the package that enables it to be mounted on any standard faucet, excluding pull-down, pull-out, or spraying ones.

The filter is built to eliminate leading causes of water pollution and is certified against ANSI Standard 42 and 53 for removing chlorine, VOCs, and lead by NSF International. Users have the added advantage of having the option to choose between tap water and filtered water for extending the filter’s life.

3. Brita On Tap

The Brita On Tap water filter is everything you’d like in a faucet filtration system. It’s compact, stylish, and highly effective at filtering out contaminants – all while coming at an economical price.

Don't let the size deceive you. This filter can clean at least 100 gallons of water and treat it for over 60 impurities such as odor, chlorine, benzene, and asbestos contaminants.

However, it is most efficient at cleaning out one of the leading causes of water purification: lead. The Brita On Tap system is effective at cleaning 99% of the lead, making it the best faucet filter for lead reduction.

Another innovative feature in this faucet water filter is the water flow versatility function. In addition to a ‘filtering switch’ that allows users to consume filtered or unfiltered water for varying purposes, the Brita On Tap faucet water filter system comes with a spray option for unfiltered water.

Additionally, the system is equipped with a LED filter life indicator that makes sure you remember when it’s time to change the filter. The Brita On Tap water filter works on all standard faucets, except for pull-out and spray faucets.

4. New Wave Enviro 10 Stage Plus

If you're looking for a long-lasting solution that enables you to enjoy filtered water without worrying about replacing filters now and then – we present the best countertop faucet water filter that we came across in our review: the New Wave Enviro 10 Stage  Plus water filter system.

The standout feature of this product remains its filter life. The New Enviro is capable of filtering 1500 gallons of water which is enough for a family of four to last for a year. Additionally, the filtration process is enhanced with a 10 stage process that effectively cleans the water supply of chlorine, chloramines, herbicides, pesticides, trihalomethanes, micro-organisms, heavy metal infiltration, arsenic, asbestos, and PCBs to name a few.

The filter recognizes the importance of beneficial water minerals and makes sure it doesn’t filter out magnesium, potassium, and fluoride.

The New Enviro 10 Stage faucet water filter fits perfectly on your countertop, but there is an additional kit that can be purchased to have it fixed under the sink if you’re running low on space.

5. CuZn UC-200 High capacity

With a large filter life that provides up to 50,000 gallons of filtered, clean water and a manufacturer warranty that can be claimed for half a decade – the CuZn UC-200 is undoubtedly the best under counter faucet water filter that we’ve come across.

Despite such a remarkable capacity, the installation process of this unit is a breeze. It connects directly with your sink’s cold line water and comes packed with all the components required for installation.

Its exceptional filtration system features three different stages; starting with the micro sediment membrane that is tasked with removing all carbon elements in the water. Up next is the UC-200 filtration system that preserves the necessary minerals in the water. Lastly, it’s the water testing stage which monitors the filtration accuracy.

Not only does it help get rid of the majority of harmful water contaminants – such as chlorine, water soluble cation heavy metals (lead and mercury to name a few), herbicides, pesticides and sediment – It also prevents algae and mold from growing inside the system.

6. Waterdrop 320-Gallon 

The Waterdrop is quite appealing on the eye with a sleek and seamless plastic body placed vertically on the faucet for added space in the kitchen.

Despite its compact size, this faucet filter is manufactured to last up to 320 gallons. The manufacturer proudly claims the amount to be thrice of what similar-sized faucet water filters have to offer, further mandating that it’s enough to last up to 6 months of typical use.

While it may sound a stretch, but coupled with a simple lever that allows you to switch to tap water, it may enhance the filter’s life if used adequately.

The Waterdrop 320 gallon faucet filter system comprises of a 5-step filtration. For sediments, there are stainless steel meshes pre and post-filter, and for small particles, PP cotton layers pre and post-filter.

In the middle of the process, there is the activated carbon filter that removes up to 93% of chlorine, lead, and fluoride, alongside eliminating odor and improving taste. Such enhanced filtration process renders it the best kitchen faucet water filter for fluoride & chlorine removal that we came across in our reviews.

However, it works on all standard faucets except pull-out and spray variants.

Understanding Faucet Water Filters

Filtering System Types Explained

There are various types of faucet water filter systems. Let’s discuss each type:

Activated Alumina

Activated Alumina filters are made of Aluminum Oxide that acts as the purifying agent. These activated aluminum filters are not only cost-effective but equally adept at removing various levels of contaminants such as selenium compounds, arsenic compounds, and fluoride to name a few.

Activated Carbon

These filters are also known as activated charcoal. Activated carbon filters use processed carbon compounds that are further treated by applying heat to enhance their filtration capability.

Activated Carbon filters feature minute, microscopic holes that filter out VOCs (volatile organic compounds) among larger particles, such as sediment, to improve the water quality for human consumption.

Ceramic

Ceramic filters are treated with silver to enhance them for water filtration. Ceramic filters are adept at killing finer water pollutant particles, such as bacteria, that can be fatal for humans. Additionally, the inherent qualities of the filter also prevent algae and mold from forming and causing the water quality to deteriorate. 

Reverse Osmosis

As one of the most excellent water filters, reverse osmosis filters make use of a membrane that is marked by microscopic pores. The water is forced to pass through the minute pores which enables reverse osmosis filters to trap water pollutants including chemicals, heavy metals, and even parasites.

Ultra-Violet

Ultraviolet filters utilize cutting edge technology to rid the water of pollutants. These filters operate through specially designed glass elements through which the water passes. The flowing water is targeted with UV rays to kill off any bacteria, viruses, parasites or other micro-organisms that might be polluting the water.

Why Filter Tap Water

The journey of water from the source to your tap undergoes several stages that affect its quality. From different channels, water is infected with bacteria, germs, pesticides, and herbicides coming from several commercial sources.

In addition to this, it is further ‘disinfected’ by chlorine, ammonia, chloramines, and fluoride. Radon, arsenic, and nitrates are common pollutants in drinking water, and drugs including antibiotics and hormones have also been traced to have a presence in our water supplies.

A study describes that approximately 9-45 million Americans are exposed to unsafe tap water every year!

While extremely low-quality water supply can be detected using sight, smell or taste – most contaminating particles are invisible to the naked eye, and you will need to invest in a water quality kit to accurately asses the water quality.

Water filters not only filter sediment, rust and dirt particles, but advanced technology has allowed filters to remove harmful toxins, VOCs, heavy metals and kill microorganisms – allowing clean, safe-to-consume water for people.

Installation Guide on Tap Faucet Water Filters

Cleaning and Replacing Faucet Water Filters

The maintenance and repairing of faucet water filters depend entirely on the model and the manufacturer of the filter. However, modern designs have made the task very easy and time-efficient.

Replacing faucet water filter cartridges is not a big deal, and you can check this tutorial online. Most faucet filters feature the same replacement technique.

If you own one of the latest filters, they are equipped with LED light indicators that will notify you when it’s time to change the filter. However, we recommend replacing the filter in the time frame mentioned by the manufacturer.

New filters can be replaced quite quickly, but the older ones can't be cleaned and re-used. Once the filtration capacity or life is met, they have to be changed.

People also Ask (FAQs)

How often do I have to change the filters?

The filter cartridge’s life is dependent upon the model and manufacturer instructions. Either an LED indicator identifies when the filter needs replacement, or you have to maintain a check for the time limit.

What should I do with the used filters?

While some manufacturers do offer a recycling initiative for the used filters of the faucet water filter systems, not many do. The user may either discard them or recycle them as water filters are not made to be reused, despite people using different ways to clean used filters.

Does my water filter remove limescale?

Limescale is prevalent, especially in hard water supplies such as well water. Typically, limescale particles are large enough for every filter to trap them and prevent them from flowing further. However, constant exposure to limescale can cause the filter to form a residue and affect the water flow rate.

What happens if I do not replace my water filter?

Filters are manufactured to effectively clean water of harmful contaminants, however constant exposure to such particles can form residue inside the filter. This highly decreases its cleaning efficiency and ultimately renders it useless, while also reducing water flow. This is why it is advised to replace the water filters regularly.

Is tap water chlorinated?

In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires tap water to be treated with a detectable level of chlorine to help prevent contamination. According to the organization, only chlorine-based disinfectants can provide lasting protection against waterborne diseases.

Conclusion

In our review of the best faucet water filter systems, we reviewed a plethora of faucet water filter systems and checked them for their filtration capacity, cleaning ability, filter life span, space efficiency and a lot more.

However, the easy installation, stylish design, and comfortable maintenance makes the PUR Advanced Faucet Water Filter the best faucet water filter in our opinion. The advanced filtration technology allows it to clean up to 70 water contaminants with unbelievable precision, making it the best bet to filter out clean water for your consumption.