Recently, a joint Consumer Reports-Guardian US news organization investigation of the nation's tap water revealed that of tested locations across the U. PFAS per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances—synthetic compounds known as "forever chemicals" are linked to major health problems. Those sampled water systems serviced more than 19 million people. One way to get rid of contaminants in water is by filtering your water.
Water filters not only protect against harmful contaminants but also can improve the taste. The biggest drinking water complaints relate to taste and smell, so we test flavor and odor reduction in both our pitcher water filter ratings and under-sink water filter ratings.
Our ratings also include countertop, faucet-mounted, and reverse osmosis water filters from previous testing. In addition to refrigerator water filters, the most popular are pitcher-style filters—the kind you fill from the tap and keep in your fridge.
They're easy to use, require no installation, and take up little space. They hide discreetly under cabinet and filter a higher volume of water at a greater flow rate.
They may require custom plumbing, or sink or countertop alterations for the water dispenser. But if convenience is important to you, under-sink filters are a good option. We test water filter pitchers by timing how long it takes the pitcher to finish filtering 1 quart of water at multiple intervals until we've gone through up to 40 gallons of water, the typical life of this type of water filter. We also check claims of flavor and odor reduction by spiking water with commonly found compounds that can make water smell and taste like a sewage treatment plant, damp soil, metal, and a swimming pool.
A trained panel of professional tasters evaluates how successful the filters are at removing these flavors and odors. An Excellent rating means that most people wouldn't be able to discern a palatable difference between the filtered water and pure spring water. A score of Fair or Poor means you will probably be able to tell the difference. We test under-sink filters by measuring how effectively they remove flavor and odor taints from a CR-created "control water" sample.
Then we examine how close that control water compares with regular filtered water. We determine the flow rate by the time it takes to filter 1 quart of water, and clogging reflects whether and how the filter's flow rate slowed over the course of a cartridge's lifespan.
We also verify under-sink filter claims of lead and chlorine removal. The Environmental Protection Agency requires community water suppliers to provide a Consumer Confidence Report to customers every July.
If you rent an apartment, contact your building manager or local water company for a copy. Community water systems providing water to , or more people must post the reports online. In that case, check with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for information on testing and treatment.
The water quality report tells you about the water in your municipality, but if your home was built before lead-free pipes were mandated in , a test is the best way to assess the quality of the water coming out of your faucets at home. In the CR-Guardian study, almost every test sample had measurable levels of PFAS, which are linked to cancer, learning delays in children, and thyroid disease. More than 35 percent exceeded the maximum safety threshold specified by CR scientists and other health experts.
PFAS, found in hundreds of household products, are a growing concern. At least 2, communities in 49 states have drinking water contaminated with PFAS , according to a January analysis by the Environmental Working Group, an advocacy organization. Your state or local health department might offer free water test kits, and test kits are sold at home improvement stores. The EPA recommends sending samples to a certified lab for analysis.
Your local water authority can offer a list of labs. For more on testing your water, see our interactive guide. What a filter removes from water varies. Our water pitcher tests found that all models effectively remove chlorine and four models remove lead. And no aftertaste. These alkaline water sticks make it easy for reviewers to purify their water without the rigamarole of getting a new plastic pitcher. Reviewers give this alkaline-water-filter pouch top marks for being their on-the-go source for filtered water.
One used it while on a two-week trip to London. I also had no issues going through the airports X-ray machines with these. I waited a few minutes, and all the flavor from the soda fountain water was GONE. Another on-the-go option, reviewers love that this BPA-free bottle allows them to filter water anywhere. The pH2O bottle balances these two goals perfectly. This attractive stainless-steel pitcher is shatterproof and better for the environment , unlike those made from plastic, and it uses the same pH as On-the-Go pouches, our pick for best alkaline water filter for travel.
And as a result, reviewers are able to feel good about using less plastic. The filtered water tastes good and goes from tap water to purified alkaline water in 3 to 5 minutes.
This filter pitcher is slightly smaller and therefore a little cheaper than our best-rated pick, but reviewers are just as impressed with the taste of alkaline water that it produces.
My kids and I are huge water drinkers and, because of this, we have done away with bottled water. This handsome alkaline water filter is made from bamboo and glass, making it a more attractive and ecofriendly option than a standard plastic pitcher.
The water tastes amazing. It is NSF certified and, according to the brand, removes over contaminants while retaining healthy minerals such as calcium and magnesium.
The filter cartridge itself should last for four months, depending on the source water used. And it even has a lifetime warranty, so if it ever breaks, Clearly Filtered will replace it for free. Several people, including Broida and Dr. Michelle Jantzen, mentioned using a Larq water bottle to purify water on the go from faucets or drinking fountains. While the above water filter pitchers use gravity and materials like activated carbon or nanofiber to catch contaminants and keep them out of the water you drink, Larq uses UVc technology to zap and kill certain microorganisms like cysts and giardia that might make you sick.
Jantzen uses a reverse osmosis water-filtration system to clean her water at home, but if she had to choose a water filter pitcher, she says it would be the Larq. Everyone we talked to agreed that reverse osmosis filtration systems, like the one Jantzen uses, are the best at removing the most contaminants from water.
Cohen points out that reverse osmosis is what hospitals and doctors use in the United States to prepare water to be used for dialysis. Instead of letting gravity push contaminated water through a filter, reverse osmosis filters use pressure and several different types of filters to clean your water. One downside of this process is that it can waste a lot of water. Another is the cost and logistics of installation.
Third-generation plumber Gerald Carpenter often works with clients who live in areas with mineral-heavy and very chlorinated water. The KFLOW countertop reverse-osmosis system uses a four-step filtration process and removes over 1, contaminants from tap water, including heavy metals, chlorine, microorganisms, bacteria, viruses, and pharmaceutical remnants.
Three of the nine people we talked to own and recommend a Berkey countertop water filter. Unlike other filters, Berkey designed its filters to both catch large contaminants, like heavy metals, as well as attract the molecules of certain microscopic contaminants, like viruses, to the filter material like a magnet, preventing them from passing into your drinking water.
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