Which Type of Water Filter Is Best?

What Is The Best Water Filter – For YOU?

Recently I talked about a little-known way of making sure that your water filter is the best possible one for your specific water and your own requirements.

Today I look at the next decision – choosing where your filter will go.

Your choices are to have a water filter:

In a pitcher or jug, and/or in your refrigerator
Attached to your faucet or tap
On your counter top
Under the sink
Where your water supply enters your home

Each choice has its pros and cons. Let’s look at them all.

Pitcher / Refrigerator Filters

You can buy pitchers or jugs which have built-in filters. Fill them with tap water and store in your fridge.

If you have a refrigerator which has its own water dispenser or chiller, it will also have a water filter – check with the fridge manufacturer or supplier to find out what options you have for replacement filters – and remember to replace the filter!

For added peace of mind, choose one with a filter life indicator, so you’ll know when it’s time to replace the filter.

Major pitcher or jug water filter manufacturers are Brita and PUR:

PUR is made by Procter & Gamble, who don’t have a great environmental record; however, they are working to overcome this. They offer flavour cartridges to add lemon or strawberry flavour to your water.
Personally I like the Brita water filters because they have a great recycling program, and they’ll also e-mail you when your filter is due for replacement. Both PUR and Brita normally do well in consumer reviews.

Pros: No plumbing is required to install them. They are relatively cheap to buy. You can add flavour to your water if you wish.

Cons: You need to remember to change the filter. Also, you need to remember to manually re-fill the pitcher with water, while the built-in fridge chillers will normally be supplied automatically from your tap.

Faucet-Mounted Filters

These filters are designed to simply clip on to your faucet or tap without special tools or skills. You can then switch between normal tap water and filtered water. There is a wide choice of brands.

Pros: Quick and easy to install (mostly). Relatively cheap. It’s nice to be able to switch between tap and filtered water.

Cons: Not all faucets can take one of these filters. They slow down the flow of water. If you move house, they are easy to move with you.

Counter Top Filter Units

These can also be called sink-top water filters, because they sit on top of your sink, next to the faucet. These are similar in principle to pitchers, but hold larger amounts. They may or may not need a plumber to install them. There is a cable or small hose which attaches to your tap.

The best-known brand name for counter-top water filters is Aquasana.

Pros: They filter larger quantities of water than pitcher filters. They may not need plumbing intervention. They are less likely to clog than pitchers and faucet-mounted filters. If you move house, you can take it with you.

Cons: They take up counter / sink space. They generally cost more than pitchers and faucet-mounts.

Under Sink Water Filters

These filters (obviously) live in the cabinet under your sink.

Pros: They filter large amounts of water. They don’t take up worktop or sink space.

Cons: Unless you’re handy, you may need professional installation which adds to the cost. You will need to drill a hole in the top of your sink. You may not easily be able to take it with you if you move.

Filters at Source

These filters are placed where the water supply enters your home. The pros and cons are very similar to those for Under Sink filters. Thy will filter all the water in your house, including bathrooms and garden.

They are not as ecofriendly as the other options, becuase you filter more water than you need to. For example, you don’t need to filter water that will be used to flush your toilet.

Warm regards,

signature Clare

Please Share this useful post – quick sharing buttons below and right – thank you!

Other interesting articles on water filters:

Share 0

Tags

Aquasana, best water filter, Brita, countertop water filter, faucet water filter, PUR, tap water filter, under counter water filter, water filter, which type of water filter, whole house water filter

I have been using a Brita water filter for about the last year and really enjoy it. I did not know about the service Brita offers. Thanks for the info.

We have used a Brita for about 15 years now. I have always wondered how effective they are at filering. Are all water filtering systems about the same in effectiveness? And is there somewhere to go to see ratings on quality of the filtration?

Againg thanks for all the research you have done – you make it easy to look at these options and see which one makes the most sense for you.

For renters, the Britta seems to be the most practical. That is what I have used. I also like that the water is cold.
Sonya Lenzo

Excellent comparison! I’m currently using a Zero Water pitcher for filtration, which is a better system than the Brita pitchers I used for years. The downside is that the filters are expensive and don’t last long. My favorite method is the undersink reverse osmosis system. As soon as I buy my next house, I’ll have one installed right away. Installation for the last one was under $200 and included drilling the hole in my sink. Overall, the price for the unit, maintenance, and installation FAR offset the cost of bottled water, not to mention the damage it causes to the environment.

Cherie Miranda

I prefer to use the portable water filter bottle, that way when I’m on the go, I can get clean fresh drinking water without worrying about quality. Thanks for the current info on Water Filters.

Andrew

I would love to have a whole house water filter but my new fridge does an excellent job. Well, good enough for me anyway.

Las Vegas Air Conditioning Service & Repairs

Clare, this is really helpful information. I hadn’t really thought about all the nuances of water filters before, and I’m appreciating your thorough discussion.

TKS

Great run-down on the best type of filters and the pros and cons of each. Personally, I like the Brita -exactly why you said, P & G doesn’t have a great record for being enviromental record. I also like the Brita because they have a great little portable unit for easy travel 🙂

Stay Extraordinary and Do Great Things, Neil

Thank you for all the great info about different types of water filters. I hope you post soon about the costs/benefits of an under the sink unit as opposed to a filtered pitcher. Is there data handy that shows how often each needs filter changes, etc?

Michael

This is a very thorough review of the options available to us. I use an undersink RO unit in my primary residence and Brita pitchers at my vacation home. They both produce very clear water with no aftertaste. It’s hard to tell the difference by drinking.

Dennis

So many choices!
Thank you for the great explanations!
It used to be good water for drinking or not good water for drinking…
Now there is so many other considerations!
Looking forward to tomorrow!

Hi Green Goddess,

So the maker of BRITA walter filter pitchers has a recycling program for the hard plastic filters? Could you blog about that in a bit more detail in a future post? WHERE do we take the used filters to?

Plus I have a question about dishwashers. I’m the cleaner in the house. Others contribute as well, but I am the primary cleaner in the household. The dishwasher is an OLD like 1980s dishwasher that is part of the apartment unit. Not really ours to get a new one or anything. Well, it gets gross. I take it apart as much as possible and wash the parts. Mold? Dark likely mold in there. I use a scrubby sponge and dishwashing liquid (it’s an eco prod). I’ve started to see some dishwasher cleaning prods, one called FINISH dishwasher cleaner. Would you look into it and do a Product Review of it from the perspective of the Green Goddess? Thanks!