How To Choose the Best Water Filter For Your Home

In the pursuit of a healthy lifestyle, few factors are as important as maintaining proper hydration. Water plays a pivotal role in digesting food, eliminating waste, and supporting the optimal functioning of every cell in our bodies. Additionally, adequate hydration contributes to the regulation of blood pressure and supports a well-functioning lymphatic system. Nevertheless, it's important to recognize that not all water is of equal quality. To ensure that we consume clean water enriched with essential minerals, it is often necessary to invest in a reliable water filter.

Tap Water is Not Always a Clean Source of Dinking Water

You will find that water meets government standards if you check your local tap water reports. However, if you research a little closer, it has been proven tap water may contain chemicals that are harmful to human health despite being up to government regulations. This is why I like using EWG’s tap water resources; their testing is up-to-date and more stringent. EWG’s Tap Water Data Base allows you to type in your zip code, select your water service, and see what your tap water contains based on their testing. Tap water can contain lead, arsenic, PFAS, fluoride, and many other harmful substances to human health. 

Another option, if it is in your budget, is to test your water on your own. I used Tap Score to test my water and get a better idea of what was in my tap water. Local testing will test water at your water source, but it cannot determine what your home water looks like. This is because water has to travel through pipes to get to your home, and those pipes can be contaminated or damaged. Comparing an at-home test with your government testing and EWG will give you the most precise picture of what is in your tap water. This will help you select the best water filter for your home.

What is the Best Filter for Your Home?

 I often get asked what the best water filter is; the short answer is that it depends on what is in your water. There is no one-size-fits-all, so doing a little research on your own water is what I recommend; it is what I did in my own home to find the best filter for my water.

Many factors go into choosing a filter for your family beyond filtering drinking water. Does your family travel a lot? Travel may mean you want a portable water filter. Do you own or rent your home? This may impact if you can drill holes into the countertop for an under-the-sink filtration system. Does your kitchen have adequate counter space? You may need to opt for an under-the-sink option if you don’t have space to keep a counter system. Another important consideration is how much time you are looking to spend on the upkeep of your water filter system. Some water filtration systems require more frequent cleaning and changing filters, so you will want to factor in the amount of time and money for the initial install, as well as long-term to maintain your water filter system. 

I had a whole house system installed by Water Techniques, a water treatment service company based in Los Angeles. The whole house system has activated carbon with specific points of reverse osmosis, including the kitchen and the kids’ bathroom sink. I then have trace minerals added back in through the company. 

What are Trace Minerals?

Trace minerals are an important part of diet to ensure the body functions properly and provides enough energy for your immune system to work properly. We only need a small or trace amount of the minerals, but they are essential. These minerals include magnesium, selenium, calcium, and salt, among others and where too much can cause adverse effects, so can too little. Due to farming practices, soil depletion, and water filtration, essential minerals are being stripped from our diet and water. So, do you need to add trace minerals to your water at home? This depends on several factors, such as your diet, activity level, where you live, and what type of water filtration system you use at home. For example, Aqua Tru removes minerals, whereas a system such as Pure Effects does not remove essential minerals. Deciding if you need to add essential minerals to your water is a good conversation to have with your healthcare provider and something to consider when selecting a water filtration system for your home that fits well. 

Is Fluoride in Drinking Water Cause for Concern?

There have been recent concerns about the safety of fluoride being added to our drinking water, and rightfully so. According to a 2018 study , approximately 73% of US drinking water has fluoride added to it to strengthen teeth and protect against cavities. This practice has been going on since 1945, when the first city (Grand Rapids, Michigan) in the US altered the fluoride concentration in their water to improve oral health. However, an abundance of new studies have found that too much fluoride in developmental years can be a neurotoxin and that too much can lead to fluorosis, which is a weakening of the bones and leads to severe tooth damage. This has become a growing issue in the US pediatric population. 

I choose to tackle oral health with a nutrient-rich diet and use toothpaste with hydroxyapatite in brands such as Rise Well and Boka. Most filters, such as Pristine Hydro and Pure Effect, remove fluoride from the water. Some filters, such as Berkey, need an additional filter to remove fluoride. Where fluoride has some benefits with proper dosing, there are drawbacks to it being ingested through drinking water, so I prefer to use alternate ways to strengthen our kids' teeth that have been proven more effective and do not have adverse health effects.

Does Certification, Testing, and Accreditation Matter?

There are no federal regulations for the effectiveness of water filters, so certification, testing, and accreditation ensure that the companies' claims of contamination reduction are valid. You will see that many of the water filters I have included have NSF/ANSI certification, which means that the water filter has been tested and certified by the National Sanitation Foundation for its ability to remove certain contaminants. This is considered the gold standard for effective water filters, but it is not a requirement. Some companies need to be NSF certified and opt for independent testing through labs to reach an equivalent standard. This may be due to the high cost of testing each filter within a unit through NSF. When available, links are provided for independent lab testing. I prefer NSF certification or independent testing with transparent lab results available to consumers. Having any water filter is better than having no water filter at all. Still, some are better than others, which is why looking at certification, testing, and accreditation matters. 

Types of Water Filters/ Water Filtration Systems I Recommend 

There are so many water filter options and many factors to consider, including cost and feasibility based on your lifestyle and home environment. I researched and tested several water filters with the help of my team to find the best water filters. I looked at what kind and what stages of filtration each filter offered, where the filters are manufactured, if they are BPA-free, and their certification and accreditation. I also looked at up-front costs, the cost of replacement filters, and how long each filter lasted. These are the most popular and effective water filters on the market, and I have broken it down for you to find the best water filter for your home.

PRISTINE HYDRO

This type of water filtration system is known as the Water Revival System, which uses a Selective Deionization process based on 10 stages of filtration. They have given me a code for you to use. Use DRORGANICMOMMY at checkout

1-5: Micron - removes dust, particulates, and rust sediments measuring over 5 microns from the water. Made of 100% pure polypropylene fibers.

2 + 3: KDF + Carbon - KDF Increases life of activated carbon by 4-5 times. Reduces chlorine, heavy metals, and bacteria. CARBON: Reduces turbidity, chlorine, chloramines, organic contaminants, pesticides, and chemicals.

4: High efficiency reverse osmosis membrane - Utilizing an ECO friendly 1:1 waste to recovery process, this stage removes undesirable contaminants and pollutants down to .001 microns in size (by comparison, the size of most bacteria is about .5 microns / virus about .05 microns).

5 + 6: Dual deionization - remove remaining undesirable solids and acids (i.e. Acid Rain) left behind by traditional filter systems. Two Unique Proprietary Laboratory Grade Cation and Anion Resin Filters remove the remaining trace contaminants (i.e. heavy metals) as well as all the invasive bad acids that pass-through STAGE 4.

7: Remineralization (increases beneficial ions in water, such as Magnesium Bicarbonate, which gives the water its crisp taste, light body and clean finish)

8: Coconut carbon - Enhances flavor and removes odors while polishing the water to perfection. This carbon filter is made from coconut shell that has undergone a steam activation process to create its activated carbon form with micro-pores. During activation, it creates millions of pores at the surface of the carbon, thus increasing the total surface area.

9 + 10: Restructuring + recharging- In this final stage the water is run over lodestones and quartz crystals simulating the properties of a living stream. This naturally restructures, recharges, and reprograms what was once damaged water into the purest water on planet Earth since The Industrial Revolution.

Pristine Hydro provides a certificate of analysis for their water systems. The filtration systems are made in the USA and are BPA free.

Cost: Under the sink: $1999 Filters: $75 per year (plumbing required)

Water taste: pure, crisp, clean, slightly sweet and refreshing. The portable filtration unit is that of which was tested. The system arrives in a black case containing all of the necessary components (water revival system assembly, travel case, faucet adapters TDS Meter). All PristineHydro Water Revival Systems produce the same quality water that is 100% free of all undesirable acids and contaminants.

PURE EFFECTS ULTRA-UC DISINFECT UNDER SINK

Filteration Type: Water Revitalization System through Absorption, Adsorption, Ion-Exchange.

Manufactured: USA

Cost (USD): $725

Replacement Filter Cost: $173.per 500 gallons or every 12 months, whichever comes first.

Certifications and Testing: Independently tested. Lab results can be found here.

BPA Free: BPA and Phthalate Free

Unit: Under Sink

Filtration Stage

1. Super Blok Cartridge removes Micron Dual-Catalytic Carbon Block to remove chemicals and sediment.

2. Ultral Filteration Membrange to remove nano-plastics/particles to 0.05 micron.

3. FluroSorb Mas activated Carbon to remove Fluoride

4. AniRad-Plus cartridge removes radiation, heavy metals, and revitalizes water.

5. Optional LED UV-C light to kill viruses, Bacteria, and other organisms *ideal for well water can be used for city water

Review from a member of my team:

As a family who is busy and most often home, we wanted an under the sink option that required little upkeep and cleaned our water well. This filter removes toxins and naturally raises alkaline PH which was important to us. It also does not remove trace minerals which was a plus. I like that it has the option to purchase a gallon tracker so there is no guess work on when filters need to be changed and that it removes fluoride. This unit also requires no electricity so even when the power is out, which happens here due to storms, our water can be filtered. The biggest plus to me is that it has a built in natural bacterial protection which most filters on the market lack. Filters are more costly but changing them is quick and easy and the filtration is wonderful and worth the investment for our family.

AQUASANA OPTIMH2O REVERSE OSMOSIS + CLARYUM

Filteration Type: Clarym technology, reverse osmosis,, ion-exchange filtration.

Manufactured: USA

Cost (USD) $399-499 with lower cost being reduced price for auto ship.

Replacement Filter Cost $203.96-$244.96 with lower price being based upon auto ship.

Certification and Testing NSF tested and certified to NSF/ANSI standards.

BPA Free Yes

Unit Under Sink

Filtration Stage

1. Activatedcarbon filter out chemicals.

2. Reverse osmosis membrane filter dissolves solids and removes 14 impurities.

3. Claryum filter removes organic chemcilies and chrloire, Ion exchange and sub micron filtration tackles heavy metals.

4. Remineralizes adds back ideal amount of essential minders.

AQUATRU

The countertop unit uses reverse Osmosis. The stages of filtration include:

1-2: involve the Dual stage pre filter and carbon filter;

3: Reverse Osmosis stage;

4: VOC Carbon stage.

They offer the following certifications: AquaTru has been tested and certified to NSF standards to remove 83 contaminants by IAPMO (International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials Aquatru is BPA free and made in China.

Cost: $449 Filters: $59.

Water taste: pure and clean. Need to add back minerals to the water, as the filtration system strips the water of magnesium. The mineral drops sold by Aquatru are $19 and last for 60 gallons of water.

RKIN

This countertop unit uses reverse Osmosis. The stages of filtration include:

1: Five Micron Sediment

2. Activated Carbon block

3: Reverse Osmosis membrane

4: Choice of filter: OnliPure (Ion exchange) or AlcaPure (Alkaline post filter)

RKIN offers the following certifications: third party testing. BPA free and made in Taiwan. RKIN Water tanks made with Acrylonitrile Styrene (AS) plastic, not NSF certified.

Cost: $429 - $499 Filters: $49-69/ yr.

Water taste: not tested

OnliPure: the specialty Ion Exchange Media inside the OnliPure Post Filter reduces any residual contaminants after the Reverse Osmosis process to zero TDS. Measurable and confirmed from home with a simple TDS meter. * A TDS meter is a small hand-held device used to indicate the Total Dissolved Solids in a solution, usually water *

Alcapure: Polishing Alkaline Post Filter returns beneficial minerals – Calcium and Magnesium to purified water for the best taste. It also increases the alkalinity of the water to a perfectly balanced level of 7-8 pH.

BERKEY

This is a countertop unit that uses a carbon mix filtration system featuring the following filtration stages: micro-filtration, absorption, adsorption and exposure time. They offer the following certifications: This is the link they sent me with a list of PDF test results. Berkey is BPA/BPS free, the filters are made in the USA and the steel chambers are “imported”. No further clarification on “imported” provided. While this is better than no filter, I prefer the other options listed above.

Cost: $249 - $360 Filters: $65-120 per year

Water taste: not tested

CLEARLY FILTERED:

Contains Affinity Filtration Technology, removing up to 99.9% of 270+ harmful and dangerous tap water contaminants. The pitcher is independently tested to NSF standards. Removes Fluoride, Lead, BPA, Glyphosate, PFOAs, Hormones & over 270 of the most harmful tap water impurities. This pitcher retains the natural minerals & nutrients found in the water. Features BPA Free medical-grade Tritan materials. Average filter life is 100 gallons (replace every 4 months on average). The filters are manufactured in Mobile, Alabama. The pitcher is made from Tritan plastic. It is molded in Mexico and returned to the U.S. for final assembly. The filters are tested by a 3rd party EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) approved lab. All tests, unless otherwise reported, were performed in accordance with NSF Standards 42, 53, 244, 401 & 473 for water quality and the reduction of chemicals and contaminants. Test results here

Cost: $215 includes pitcher and 3 filters: replacement filter is $50 for one.

Taste: Smooth and clean.

FLOWATER

The unit is attached to the faucet and Micro Carbon Block filtration system. Features a Five-Stage Micro Carbon Block filter that reduces Lead, Mercury, and Arsenic to undetectable levels and reduces Fluoride to a safe PPM concentration. They offer the following certifications: third party testing. Flowater is BPA free and made in China.

Cost: $99 Filters: $49 for two filters. Each filter lasts three months.

Water taste: slightly better than tap water. Lacks pure and crisp taste.