Best Water Filter in 2025? We’ve (Lab-)Tested 68 Systems!

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Authors: Sara, Adam, Mike, and Raoul | Last Updated: 2025/08/13

Sara in Her Kitchen Surrounded By Water Filters

About This Guide

We’ve tested and compared 68 water filters of all types to find out which are best! For each filter, here’s what we did:

  1. Hands-on experience: We set up, used, and maintained the system.
  2. Filtration effectiveness: We sent an unfiltered and a filtered tap water sample to a professional lab for analysis in order to determine real-life contaminant reduction capabilities. Plus, we checked for NSF certifications and other test data.
  3. More testing: We performed taste & odor, filtration/dispensing speed, wastewater, and other tests.
  4. All other product aspects: We considered initial + long-term costs, warranties, additional features, frequent customer complaints, etc.

Our Full Analysis of All 68 Water Filters

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Water Filter AquaTru Classic AquaTru Carafe Aquasana Clean Water Machine ZeroWater 32-Cup Ready-Read Dispenser Waterdrop ED04 Big Berkey Purewell Bluevua RO100ROPOT NU Aqua 4-Stage Countertop RO System APEC ROCT-PLUS British Berkefeld
(With Doulton Ultra Sterasyl Filters)		 Waterdrop C1H
(Updated Version)		 Waterdrop A1
(Updated Version)		 Frizzlife WB99-C Crystal Quest Countertop Thunder SimPure Y7P-BW ProOne Traveler+
(With Old G2.0 5″ Filter)		 Waterdrop King Alexapure Pro Santevia Gravity Water System Waterdrop CTF-01 Waterdrop WFD-22L PUR PLUS 30-Cup Dispenser Brita Ultramax Water Dispenser
(w/ Elite Filter)		 Brita Hub Countertop Water Filter System iSpring CKC1C Cloud RO Waterdrop G3P600 Waterdrop X12 Epic Smart Shield Aquasana SmartFlow US Water Systems All American 5-Stage RO Home Master TMHP-L HydroPerfection Loaded APEC ROES-50 Essence SimPure T1-400 ALK AO Smith AO-US-200 Brondell H2O+ Circle GE GXRQ18NBN Frizzlife PD600-TAM3 Culligan US-EZ-4 Clearly Filtered 3-Stage Waterdrop TSU Frizzlife SK99-NEW & SP99-NEW CuZn UC-200 Aquasana Claryum 3-Stage Max Flow (AQ-5300+) Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher Waterdrop Chubby LifeStraw Home 10-Cup ZeroWater 10-Cup Ready-Pour Kirkland Signature (Costco) Filtered Water Pitcher up & up (Target) Water Filtration Pitcher Navy 7 Cup Brita Large 10-Cup (Everyday) Pitcher w/ Elite Filter Aquagear PUR PLUS 11-Cup Epic Pure ProOne
(With Old G2.0 M Filter)		 PUR PLUS Vertical Faucet System PUR PLUS Horizontal Faucet System Brita Complete (Elite Advanced) Brita Basic (Elite) ZeroWater ExtremeLife Culligan FM-15A Waterdrop FC-01 Filterbaby Skincare Water Filter 2.0 Crystal Quest Faucet Mount Filter USWS Bodyguard Plus
(Incl. Interceptor Pre-Filter)		 USWS Bodyguard Fluoride Removal Filter SpringWell CF
Purchase Links & Codes
Deal 1 ($100 Off!): aquatruwater.com aquatruwater.com ($100 Off!) aquasana.com Amazon waterdropfilter.com bigberkeywaterfilters.com Amazon bluevua.com nuaquasystems.com apecwater.com Amazon waterdropfilter.com waterdropfilter.com frizzlife.com crystalquest.com simpurelife.com Amazon waterdropfilter.com Amazon santevia.com waterdropfilter.com waterdropfilter.com Amazon Amazon Amazon Amazon cloudwaterfilters.com waterdropfilter.com waterdropfilter.com Filter System: epicwaterfilters.com aquasana.com uswatersystems.com Amazon apecwater.com simpurelife.com Amazon Amazon Amazon frizzlife.com Amazon clearlyfiltered.com waterdropfilter.com Without Faucet: frizzlife.com Amazon aquasana.com clearlyfiltered.com waterdropfilter.com Amazon Amazon costco.com target.com Amazon drinkaquagear.com Amazon epicwaterfilters.com Currently Not Available Amazon Amazon Amazon Amazon Amazon Amazon waterdropfilter.com filterbaby.com crystalquest.com uswatersystems.com uswatersystems.com springwellwater.com
OR OR OR
Deal 2 (Incl. Free 1-Year Filter Set + 15% Off!): waterandwellness.com Amazon Optional Dedicated Faucet Kit: epicwaterfilters.com With Faucet: frizzlife.com
Discounts Already Applied When Using Our Links! $100 Discount Already Applied When Using Our Link! AQBOS50 – Up to 50% Off! ED04BOS – 3% Off on Top of Most Waterdrop Sales! BOS5 – 5% Off When You Buy From bigberkeywaterfilters.com! BOSWATER – 5% Off! WD10BOS – 10% Off! A1BOS – 3% Off on Top of Most Waterdrop Sales! BOSWB2410 – $120 Off! BOS5OFF – 5% Off! SPY7P – 20% Off! WD10BOS – 10% Off! bos_water – 10% Off! WD10BOS – 10% Off! WD10BOS – 10% Off! BOS200 – Additional $50 Off! G3P600BOS – 5% Off on Top of Most Waterdrop Sales! X12BOS – 5% Off on Top of Most Waterdrop Sales! BOSEpic – 20% Off! AQBOS50 – Up to 50% Off! BESTRO5 – 5% Off! bossimpure – 35% Off! BOSPD2410 – $120 Off! BOS10 – 10% Off! WD10BOS – 10% Off! BOSSK15 – 15% Off! AQBOS50 – Up to 50% Off! BOS10 – 10% Off! RCPT – 21% Off! BOSEpic – 20% Off! WD10BOS – 10% Off! BOS – $10 Off! BOS5OFF – 5% Off! BESTRO5 – 5% Off! BESTRO5 – 5% Off! BOS5OFF – 5% Off!
Image AquaTru Classic AquaTru Carafe Aquasana Clean Water Machine ZeroWater 32-Cup Ready-Read Dispenser Waterdrop ED04 Electric Water Filter Pitcher Big Berkey Purewell 2.25-Gal Bluevua RO100ROPOT NU Aqua 4-Stage Countertop Reverse Osmosis System APEC ROCT-PLUS British Berkefeld 2.25-Gal Waterdrop C1H Waterdrop A1 Frizzlife WB99-C Crystal Quest Countertop Thunder SimPure Y7P-BW ProOne Traveler+ Waterdrop King Alexapure Pro Santevia Gravity Water System Waterdrop CTF-01 Waterdrop WFD-22L PUR PLUS 30-Cup Dispenser Brita Ultramax Water Dispenser w/ Elite Filter Brita Hub Countertop Water Filter System iSpring CKC1C Cloud RO Waterdrop G3P600 Waterdrop X12 Epic Smart Shield Aquasana SmartFlow USWS All American Home Master TMHP-L HydroPerfection Loaded APEC ROES-50 Essence SimPure T1-400 ALK AO Smith AO-US-200 Brondell H2O+ Circle GE GXRQ18NBN Frizzlife PD600-TAM3 Culligan US-EZ-4 Clearly Filtered 3-Stage Waterdrop TSU Frizzlife SK99-NEW CuZn UC-200 Aquasana Claryum 3-Stage Max Flow (AQ-5300+) Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher Waterdrop Chubby 10-Cup LifeStraw Home 10-Cup ZeroWater 10-Cup Ready-Pour Brita Large 10-Cup (Everyday) Pitcher w/ Elite Filter Aquagear PUR PLUS 11-Cup Epic Pure PUR PLUS Vertical Faucet System PUR PLUS Horizontal Faucet System Brita Complete (Elite Advanced) Brita Basic (Elite) ZeroWater ExtremeLife Culligan FM-15A Waterdrop FC-01 Crystal Quest Faucet Mount Water Filter System

USWS Bodyguard Plus USWS Bodyguard Fluoride Removal Filter SpringWell CF1
Type Countertop RO Countertop RO Regular Countertop Regular Countertop Regular Countertop Gravity Filter Gravity Filter Countertop RO Countertop RO Countertop RO Gravity Filter Countertop RO Countertop RO Countertop RO Countertop RO Countertop RO Gravity Filter Gravity Filter Gravity Filter Gravity Filter Faucet-Connect Regular Countertop Regular Countertop Regular Countertop Regular Countertop Faucet-Connect Tank-Based Under Sink RO Tankless Under Sink RO Tankless Under Sink RO Regular Under Sink (Optional Faucet Kit) Tank-Based Under Sink RO Tank-Based Under Sink RO Tank-Based Under Sink RO Tank-Based Under Sink RO Tankless Under Sink RO Regular Under Sink (Extra Faucet) Tank-Based Under Sink RO Tank-Based Under Sink RO Tankless Under Sink RO Regular Under Sink (Extra Faucet) Regular Under Sink (Inline) Regular Under Sink (Extra Faucet) Regular Under Sink (Optional Faucet) Regular Under Sink (Inline) Regular Under Sink (Extra Faucet) Pitcher Pitcher Pitcher Pitcher Pitcher Pitcher Pitcher Pitcher Pitcher Pitcher Pitcher Faucet-Mount Faucet-Mount Faucet-Mount Faucet-Mount Faucet-Mount Faucet-Mount Faucet-Mount Faucet-Mount Faucet-Mount Whole House Whole House Whole House
FINAL RATING
trophy top pick
Final Rating 4.81/5.00 4.51/5.00 4.32/5.00 3.89/5.00 4.07/5.00 4.07/5.00 3.83/5.00 4.42/5.00 4.38/5.00 4.21/5.00 3.16/5.00 4.39/5.00 4.42/5.00 4.15/5.00 2.97/5.00 3.68/5.00 2.26/5.00 2.79/5.00 3.55/5.00 2.65/5.00 2.97/5.00 3.07/5.00 3.04/5.00 3.56/5.00 3.52/5.00 3.16/5.00 4.66/5.00 4.65/5.00 4.49/5.00 4.62/5.00 4.11/5.00 4.52/5.00 4.45/5.00 4.53/5.00 4.40/5.00 4.28/5.00 4.18/5.00 4.11/5.00 4.24/5.00 4.16/5.00 3.78/5.00 3.10/5.00 3.26/5.00 3.74/5.00 1.51/5.00 3.95/5.00 3.37/5.00 3.71/5.00 3.64/5.00 4.08/5.00 3.78/5.00 3.65/5.00 3.50/5.00 3.85/5.00 3.91/5.00 1.40/5.00 4.19/5.00 4.29/5.00 3.76/5.00 3.66/5.00 2.88/5.00 3.03/5.00 2.87/5.00 1.79/5.00 2.36/5.00 4.80/5.00 4.80/5.00 4.60/5.00
Verdict (Best For) #1 Overall #1 Countertop RO for Lower Budgets
 
Ideal If You Want a Glass Container		 #1 Regular Countertop Water Filter (Together With ZeroWater 32-Cup Dispenser) #1 Regular Countertop Water Filter (Together With Aquasana Clean Water Machine) #1 Budget Pick for a Regular Countertop Water Filter With Decent Filtration Results #1 Gravity-Type Filter Based on Our Lab Testing #1 Budget Pick for a Gravity-Type Filter With Decent Filtration Results
 
#1 Gravity-Type Filter for Nitrate		 #1 Under Sink RO #1 Tankless Under Sink RO #1 Regular Under Sink Filter With Most Effective Filtration + Great Budget Pick Made in USA (Except Tank) Made in USA (Except Tank + UV Module) Solid Under Sink RO Budget Pick #1 All-Rounder Pitcher + Possibly the Most Effective for Fluoride #1 Pitcher If Usability + Looks + Low Price Are Your Priority Possibly the Most Effective Pitcher for Bacteria & Cyst #1 Pitcher for Nitrate + Possibly the Most Effective for Fluoride Pitcher With Highest Score in Our Lab Testing Faucet Filter With Most Effective Filtration #1 Overall + Faucet Filter With Most Effective Filtration Sara’s Favorite Faucet Filter Based on Simple Look, Spray Patterns & Filter Light Best for More Demanding City Water Supplies
 
Improving Overall Water Quality, Taste, and Odor		 Fluoride Reduction Best for Standard City Water and Easy Installation
 
Improving Overall Water Quality, Taste, and Odor
Comment More Affordable Than AquaTru Classic But With Slightly Weaker Filtration Results Restocking Issues With Black Berkey Filter Elements Not Affordable for Most People Not Recommended for Higher Levels of Disinfection Byproducts Some Taste Remaining in Filtered Water Not Designed to Be a Drinking Water Filter! Primarily Removes Chlorine/Chloramine, DBPs, Forever Chemicals, Pesticides and Other Organics, Certain Metals Incl. Lead, and Sediments USWS Bodyguard/USWS Bodyguard Plus or Another Carbon-Based Whole House Filter Is Recommended for Pre-Treatment Primarily Removes Chlorine/Chloramine, DBPs, Forever Chemicals, Pesticides and Other Organics, Certain Metals Incl. Lead, and Sediments
Buy Here Deal 1 ($100 Off!): aquatruwater.com aquatruwater.com ($100 Off!) aquasana.com Amazon waterdropfilter.com bigberkeywaterfilters.com Amazon bluevua.com nuaquasystems.com apecwater.com Amazon waterdropfilter.com waterdropfilter.com frizzlife.com crystalquest.com simpurelife.com Amazon waterdropfilter.com Amazon santevia.com waterdropfilter.com waterdropfilter.com Amazon Amazon Amazon Amazon cloudwaterfilters.com waterdropfilter.com waterdropfilter.com Filter System: epicwaterfilters.com aquasana.com uswatersystems.com Amazon apecwater.com simpurelife.com Amazon Amazon Amazon frizzlife.com Amazon clearlyfiltered.com waterdropfilter.com Without Faucet: frizzlife.com Amazon aquasana.com clearlyfiltered.com waterdropfilter.com Amazon Amazon costco.com target.com Amazon drinkaquagear.com Amazon epicwaterfilters.com Currently Not Available Amazon Amazon Amazon Amazon Amazon Amazon waterdropfilter.com filterbaby.com crystalquest.com uswatersystems.com uswatersystems.com springwellwater.com
OR OR OR
Deal 2 (Incl. Free 1-Year Filter Set + 15% Off!): waterandwellness.com Amazon Optional Dedicated Faucet Kit: epicwaterfilters.com With Faucet: frizzlife.com
Discount Code Discounts Already Applied When Using Our Links! $100 Discount Already Applied When Using Our Link! AQBOS50 – Up to 50% Off! ED04BOS – 3% Off on Top of Most Waterdrop Sales! BOS5 – 5% Off When You Buy From bigberkeywaterfilters.com! BOSWATER – 5% Off! WD10BOS – 10% Off! A1BOS – 3% Off on Top of Most Waterdrop Sales! BOSWB2410 – $120 Off! BOS5OFF – 5% Off! SPY7P – 20% Off! WD10BOS – 10% Off! bos_water – 10% Off! WD10BOS – 10% Off! WD10BOS – 10% Off! BOS200 – Additional $50 Off! G3P600BOS – 5% Off on Top of Most Waterdrop Sales! X12BOS – 5% Off on Top of Most Waterdrop Sales! BOSEpic – 20% Off! AQBOS50 – Up to 50% Off! BESTRO5 – 5% Off! bossimpure – 35% Off! BOSPD2410 – $120 Off! BOS10 – 10% Off! WD10BOS – 10% Off! BOSSK15 – 15% Off! AQBOS50 – Up to 50% Off! BOS10 – 10% Off! RCPT – 21% Off! BOSEpic – 20% Off! WD10BOS – 10% Off! BOS – $10 Off! BOS5OFF – 5% Off! BESTRO5 – 5% Off! BESTRO5 – 5% Off! BOS5OFF – 5% Off!
Score Overview
Filtration (Lab Results, NSF Certifications + Other Test Data, Taste & Odor Test) 4.97/5.00 4.49/5.00 4.22/5.00 4.31/5.00 3.45/5.00 3.98/5.00 3.41/5.00 4.50/5.00 4.25/5.00 4.50/5.00 2.83/5.00 4.50/5.00 4.50/5.00 4.18/5.00 2.83/5.00 3.40/5.00 1.29/5.00 1.48/5.00 3.58/5.00 2.54/5.00 1.81/5.00 2.23/5.00 2.29/5.00 2.92/5.00 3.13/5.00 2.10/5.00 4.50/5.00 4.50/5.00 4.50/5.00 4.50/5.00 5.00/5.00 4.50/5.00 4.50/5.00 4.42/5.00 4.40/5.00 4.44/5.00 5.00/5.00 4.64/5.00 4.14/5.00 4.46/5.00 4.28/5.00 2.08/5.00 2.18/5.00 2.98/5.00 0.00/5.00 4.16/5.00 2.52/5.00 3.61/5.00 4.22/5.00 3.80/5.00 2.97/5.00 3.03/5.00 3.17/5.00 3.73/5.00 3.51/5.00 0.67/5.00 3.99/5.00 3.99/5.00 3.39/5.00 3.39/5.00 2.32/5.00 2.44/5.00 1.91/5.00 0.93/5.00 1.15/5.00 5.00/5.00 5.00/5.00 4.75/5.00
Usability 5.00/5.00 5.00/5.00 4.50/5.00 4.50/5.00 5.00/5.00 4.00/5.00 4.00/5.00 5.00/5.00 4.50/5.00 4.50/5.00 3.00/5.00 4.00/5.00 4.00/5.00 4.00/5.00 3.00/5.00 4.00/5.00 3.50/5.00 4.50/5.00 3.00/5.00 2.50/5.00 4.50/5.00 4.50/5.00 4.50/5.00 4.50/5.00 4.50/5.00 4.50/5.00 5.00/5.00 5.00/5.00 5.00/5.00 4.75/5.00 3.50/5.00 4.50/5.00 4.00/5.00 4.50/5.00 4.50/5.00 4.75/5.00 4.50/5.00 4.50/5.00 4.00/5.00 3.00/5.00 4.75/5.00 5.00/5.00 4.75/5.00 4.75/5.00 3.50/5.00 4.00/5.00 5.00/5.00 4.00/5.00 4.00/5.00 4.00/5.00 5.00/5.00 4.50/5.00 4.00/5.00 4.00/5.00 4.50/5.00 2.00/5.00 4.00/5.00 4.50/5.00 4.00/5.00 3.50/5.00 4.00/5.00 4.00/5.00 5.00/5.00 4.00/5.00 5.00/5.00 5.00/5.00 5.00/5.00 5.00/5.00
Costs 4.16/5.00 4.08/5.00 4.43/5.00 2.00/5.00 5.00/5.00 4.40/5.00 4.94/5.00 3.62/5.00 4.65/5.00 4.29/5.00 4.32/5.00 4.45/5.00 4.58/5.00 4.22/5.00 3.37/5.00 4.23/5.00 3.92/5.00 5.00/5.00 4.03/5.00 3.13/5.00 4.93/5.00 4.16/5.00 3.81/5.00 4.52/5.00 3.70/5.00 5.00/5.00 4.82/5.00 4.73/5.00 3.95/5.00 4.87/5.00 3.32/5.00 4.58/5.00 4.75/5.00 4.90/5.00 4.28/5.00 4.61/5.00 3.91/5.00 3.38/5.00 4.79/5.00 4.43/5.00 1.34/5.00 4.28/5.00 5.00/5.00 4.99/5.00 4.04/5.00 3.27/5.00 4.28/5.00 3.72/5.00 1.56/5.00 5.00/5.00 5.00/5.00 4.68/5.00 4.00/5.00 4.06/5.00 4.50/5.00 2.99/5.00 5.00/5.00 5.00/5.00 4.64/5.00 4.64/5.00 3.43/5.00 3.84/5.00 3.64/5.00 2.17/5.00 3.33/5.00 4.00/5.00 4.00/5.00 3.75/5.00

Water Filters

Please note: This page is still a work in progress. Additional content and details will be added shortly – stay tuned!

Why Trust Us?

You might be wondering, “Why should I trust these recommendations?” Fair question! Here’s the scoop:

We actually get our hands dirty. For this guide, 68 water filters (and counting!) have been tested by us in the real world – and yes, that includes lab work. To ensure comparable results, we adhere to standardized testing and rating procedures. With one exception, testing was divided across 3 different tap water supplies, with each product category assigned to one of them. Likewise, each category was tested by a single team member – Sara, Adam, or Mike – to maintain consistency. What’s more, with years of experience and a ton of research under our belts, we’ve honed our methods again and again to achieve the most accurate results possible. Plus, we know how to differentiate between crucial product criteria such as NSF certifications and unnecessary bells and whistles.

Last but not least, we’re 100% open about the fact that we participate in various affiliate programs run by the water treatment companies themselves or large marketplaces like amazon.com. This helps us purchase the products/services we test, fund our expensive lab testing, and pay for video production cost while keeping our content free. That said, our ratings aren’t tied to who pays the highest commission. We follow strict, standardized protocols, never accept payments for positive write-ups, and all opinions are 100% ours. We even publish our complete lab reports so you can dig in and draw your own conclusions.

About the Author(s)

Sara

Sara has been a lifelong home-improvement fan (she’s been hooked on This Old House since she was five) and taught herself any project she didn’t already know by watching YouTube tutorials. She is also an award-winning filmmaker. Armed with this skillset, Sara installs, primes, samples, uses, and maintains nearly every point-of-use water treatment systems we test – then brings her results to life on camera for our YouTube channel.

Adam

Adam has always loved testing and reviewing the latest products. He began his BOS Water journey doing simple pitchers and has since expanded his expertise to installing and evaluating advanced point-of-entry systems. Cultivating a small business in the filmmaking industry, Adam is also in front of the camera sharing his findings on the BOS Water YouTube channel.

Mike

Mike is a former team member who made his mark by contributing to our first big water filter pitcher comparison video and reviewing a couple POE water treatment systems. Beyond the world of water solutions, Mike is a full-time blogger and YouTuber alongside his wife, Ashley. Together, they’ve transformed their passions into a creative space called Joyfully Growing, where they share DIY tutorials and simple home improvement tips to help others love the homes they’re in.

Raoul

Raoul has a background in mechanical engineering and has been writing about home water treatment since 2015. He designs our product review processes, analyzes the results, and ties everything together. As editor-in-chief, he tries hard to keep the whole operation running smoothly behind the scenes.

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