Best Faucet Water Filter in 2025? We (Lab-)Tested 9 Systems!

Faucet Water Filters

• Culligan FM-15A

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Paraphrased Video Script

Introduction

Hey and welcome to another big water filter comparison video, this time featuring faucet water filters. So today we are reviewing 9 of the most popular and most effective faucet water filters which, as usual, includes professional and independent lab testing that we conducted to learn more about each system’s real-life contaminant reduction capabilities – so let’s go!

Tested Filters

Okay, first I want to introduce our 9 faucet water filters.

• For starters, we have the Brita Basic aka Brita Elite.
• And the Brita Complete also called the Brita Elite Advanced.
• Next comes the PUR PLUS Vertical Faucet System,
• And the PUR PLUS Horizontal Faucet System.
• Then we have the ZeroWater ExtemeLife,
• The Culligan FM-15A,
• And the Waterdrop FC-01.
• Second to last is the Filterbaby Skincare Water Filter 2.0 – now this one is actually NOT designed to be a drinking water filter but since it is highly popular we thought we’d still do a lab analysis and see what it can remove.
• And finally we have the Crystal Quest Faucet Mount Filter.

So these are our 9 faucet water filters for today, and by the way, they only fit standard-sized faucets. And the same goes for any faucet filter we know – so they won’t fit sprayer, pull-out, designer, or any other faucet type that isn’t standard-sized.

Testing Process

Alright, so how did we actually test and rank our 9 faucet filters?
As usual, we wanted to find out how effective they are at reducing undesirable impurities and contaminants from water under real-life conditions. And so we conducted our own lab testing, meaning we took a sample of our raw tap water and a filtered water sample provided by each faucet filter.

We sent those samples to a professional and independent lab for analysis and compared the lab reports as they came back. This allowed us to calculate reduction rates for all the different impurities and contaminants present in our water supply.

And of course, we followed a strict protocol taking each water sample. In a nutshell:

1. First, we installed and primed one faucet filter after the other following the provided instructions to the T.
2. We then emptied all faucet filters so there was no “old” water remaining inside of them.
3. At this point, all faucet filters were in perfect condition and ready for sampling. But we still had to mark our faucet so that we could take each filtered water sample at the same flow rate for better comparability. Why not simply open the faucet all the way? I’ll get to that in a minute.
4. We first took the unfiltered water sample directly from our kitchen faucet.
5. And then, one after the other, we installed each faucet filter one more time, set the lever to filtered, opened the kitchen faucet, and took the filtered water sample without any containers in between. We also made sure not to waste any water during this procedure which, again, was for better comparability between the different samples.

I should also point out that we only sampled 1 of our 2 Brita faucet filters because they use the same filter element and so they should achieve very similar filtration results.
And the same goes for the PUR PLUS vertical and the PUR PLUS horizontal faucet system – same filter element.

Speed Test

Okay so the next test we performed was a speed test. Now in case you’ve never used one before, a faucet filter can reduce water flow considerably depending on the model. In fact, although, for this test, we opened our kitchen faucet all the way which would usually mean a flow rate of around 3.1 gallons per minute or a little less than 2 seconds to dispense 12 ounces of water – mind you this was with the aerator removed – with our faucet filters attached, the flow rate was reduced to as little as .7 gallons per minute for the slowest model, meaning it took around 8 seconds to dispense 12 ounces of filtered water, so 4 times longer. Most of the other faucet systems required between 7.5 and 5 seconds. Only the Waterdrop FC-01 and the Crystal Quest stood out dispensing 12 ounces of filtered water within 3 seconds.

Now, many people would probably say that 3 seconds is better than 8, because it’s faster, but we would disagree. That’s because, with a few exceptions, contact time between water and filter media is crucial for filtration effectiveness. In other words, a higher faucet filter flow rate could mean less effective filtration, while a slower faucet filter flow rate could mean more effective filtration – until you reach a point of diminishing return.

Now this is interesting to note for 2 reasons:

• As a user, you can actively influence the quality of your filtered water provided by your faucet filter by not opening your faucet to the max.
• And secondly, most if not all faucet filters are rated or recommended to be used at a specific flow rate. To give you one example, the manual for the Waterdrop FC-01 says .5 gallons per minute. So even though the system could achieve a flow rate of more than 1.8 gallons per minute in our speed test, Waterdrop actually recommends to use the system at a much slower speed. Why? Our best guess is so that there’ll be enough contact time between water and filter media! And this applies to all faucet filters that were part of this test. They’re all rated at around .5 to .6 gpm. And the Crystal Quest Faucet Mount Water Filter is even recommended to be used at .3 gallon per minute or less. So if you’re using a faucet filter right now, maybe take a look at the manual to check if you’re doing it right.

This is also why we would recommend using a faucet water filter in combination with a large glass carafe or something like that. Because if you’re using the filter as recommended, it will usually take around 10 to 12 seconds to fill a large glass. Plus, with several faucet filters you are supposed to let the water flush for up to 10 seconds before each use. And so in our opinion, flushing your faucet filter first and then having to wait another 10 seconds or so every time you’re thirsty can become quite annoying. And so we recommend to fill a large container with filtered water for later use. What this also allows you to do is reduce your flow rate even further, meaning opening your faucet just a bit, which allows for even longer contact time.

And this is kind of what we did taking our water samples: We used a reduced flow rate of .3 gpm because, again, this is what Crystal Quest recommends for their faucet filter and it’s the lowest flow rate out of all 9 models, and so we had to stick to that since we wanted to test all faucet filters under the same conditions in order to achieve the highest comparability.

NSF Certifications

Okay, we also checked each faucet water filter for official NSF certifications for contaminant reduction. NSF certification means a water filter has been tested against one or more NSF standards. These standards provide standardized testing procedures, for example to find out how good a water filter is at reducing lead. Now, standardized testing is important, because it allows us to compare different water filters to one another. And most importantly: During NSF certification, a water filter is tested for contaminant reduction for its ENTIRE filter life, not just the beginning! And needless to say, NSF certifications for faucet filters also list a specific flow rate.

Also, NSF certifications can be awarded by the NSF, WQA, and IAPMO – all 3 organizations are ANSI-accredited to do that. And NSF, WQA, and IAPMO are independent from the applying water filter company and so their results are 100% reliable!

We also checked each faucet filter for additional NSF testing. So here, companies essentially claim that they had their water filter tested against one or more NSF standards but not officially by the NSF, WQA, or IAPMO. So this can be valuable data but it needs to be taken with a grain of salt. And the same goes for any other test data a company might provide.

Next we checked each filtration process, so the different filter stages and media used, etc.
Last for filtration effectiveness we did a taste and odor test of the filtered water.

Usability & Other Factors

Then came usability, where we mimicked normal everyday use. So as mentioned before, we installed and primed each faucet filter following the product manual, and we used and maintained each system just like you would do as a regular consumer.

Initial price tag and long-term expenses for replacement filters also played a role in our evaluation process, although when it comes to faucet water filters, costs are usually quite manageable.

And finally we have all the other factors like:

• overall quality
• filter life
• product warranties
• third-party customer complaints
• and any additional features like filter life indicators.

Based on all of these factors we have 2 or rather 3 faucet water filter recommendations for you that I want to discuss now. Still, you can check our full analysis of all 9 faucet water filters in this Google Sheet which, as usual, includes all lab reports, so everything is fully transparent and you can make your own comparison if you like. I’ll add the link to the Google Sheet in the video description. The sheet also contains all our products links and a few discount codes. I’ll also add our links for the top faucet filters in the video description. So remember to check these if you want to make a purchase and maybe save a few bucks while supporting our work.
And, of course, another way to support our work is if you like this video and subscribe to our channel – this would be highly appreciated!

Product Recommendations

Okay, time for our product recommendations!
So in our opinion the best faucet water filter based on filtration effectiveness is the PUR PLUS Vertical Faucet System and the PUR PLUS Horizontal Faucet System which uses the same filter element.

Here is how they performed in our lab testing: But please keep in mind that such before vs after lab comparison is not an exact science, and you won’t get 100% accurate results for several reasons such as unequal contaminant distribution and interferences. And we could only test for the reduction of contaminants that are actually present in our water. Anyway, checking our lab results, we can immediately tell that filtration is not as effective as with some of the other filter types we’ve tested, first and foremost our RO systems. And yet we were quite surprised by the decent results. Chlorine, all 4 disinfection byproducts, copper, barium, zinc, nitrate, and uranium were all removed to 100%. Strontium was partially removed, and at 62% this was the highest reduction rate among all 9 faucet filters. Boron, lithium, and fluoride weren’t removed at all really. But none of the other faucet filters performed better and so all in all, the PUR PLUS filter element could achieve the best filtration results.

What we didn’t like was that the filtered water still had some taste to it. But yet again this was the case for all our faucet filters. So the taste wasn’t bad but it also wasn’t as clean as with our RO systems. At least the filtered water didn’t have any odor left.

When it comes to NSF certifications, both PUR PLUS faucet filters have the highest number of contaminants covered. We counted 70 different substances across 3 NSF standards: 42, 53, and 401. However, aside from lead, mercury, and asbestos, we have mostly organic compounds like VOCs and PFOA “slash” PFOS, which we consider less important because easier to remove. So it’s nice to have NSF certifications for these chemicals, but other chemicals would have been much more important like chromium 6. But again, it’s the same for all our faucet filters and PUR was still the best in this category. By the way, filter media used include activated carbon and ion exchange resin which is good. We also have a mineral core that is supposed to improve water taste, but we didn’t really notice this.

PUR PLUS Usability

As for usability; installing and priming both PUR faucet filters was straightforward:

1. First, you remove the filter housing, place the filter cartridge inside the faucet system, and screw the housing back on.
2. Then you remove your faucet’s aerator including washer.
3. Next, for the PUR PLUS Vertical Faucet System, there are 4 faucet adapters included and you use the one that fits your faucet. Then you click the base into the adapter mount.
4. As for the PUR PLUS Horizontal Faucet System, you might not need an adapter, so try installing without first. In case you do need an adapter, there are 3 included.
5. Finally, to prime the filter element, turn the switch and flush for five minutes.

Now you can start using your PUR faucet filter which is also straightforward. We like that you can switch between filtered and unfiltered water, but this is pretty standard. What we don’t like is that the plastic switch of the PUR PLUS Vertical felt lower in quality and could be prone to breaking if handled too forcefully. The rest of the system feels quite sturdy. The same goes for the PUR PLUS Horizontal, although this one feels rather large compared to the other faucet filters and might get in the way of things like washing dishes.

In our speed test, the PUR PLUS Vertical could dispense 12 ounces of filtered water within approximately 6 and a half seconds. The PUR PLUS Horizontal required 7 and a half seconds. This equals a flow rate of about .8 to .87 gallons per minute. But remember that both systems are only rated and NSF-certified for .52 gpm and you should stick to that or go even slower in order to achieve the best filtration results.

And also, you shouldn’t filter hot water – PUR says never go above 100 °F or you might damage your filter. But again this applies to all faucet filters we tested.

How about filter replacements? Easy and self-explanatory. You simply unscrew the filter housing, take out the old filter, place a new one in, screw the housing back on, and flush for 5 minutes. Also, a filter light will tell you when to replace which is every 100 gallons or 3 months on average. However, we assume that the light is based on a simple timer that counts down from 90 days, so it might not be very accurate depending on how you’re using your filter.

PUR PLUS Costs

And this brings me to costs. So right now and at around 20 to 35 dollars – depending on where you buy – both PUR faucet water filters are super affordable upfront. And for yearly filter replacements, we estimate around $50, so also really affordable. And by the way, this estimate is based on an annual water consumption of 500 gallons.

Anything else? Yes! For both PUR faucet filter models, you can choose from various colors and you are covered by a 2-year limited warranty. As for third-party customer complaints, we read about issues with leaking, slow flow, and malfunctioning filter life indicators. The latter might have to do with the fact that the filter light runs on a non-replaceable battery which will eventually stop working. Another complaint was that none of the included faucet adapters would fit. But PUR says to contact them and they’ll provide more adapters for free.

PUR PLUS Summary

Alright, and that’s it. So in summary, the PUR PLUS Vertical and the PUR PLUS Horizontal are our #1 choice for faucet water filters based on the most effective filtration.

1. Lab results weren’t perfect but the best among our 9 faucet filters.
2. Taste of the filtered water was fine but not as clean as from of our RO systems.
3. We have the highest count of NSF certified contaminants but mainly for easier-to-remove organics.
4. Usability is good, but for the PUR PLUS Vertical, the lever to switch between unfiltered and filtered water didn’t feel as sturdy. The PUR PLUS Horizontal on the other hand felt rather large.
5. Based on third-party customer complaints there have been issues with malfunctioning units but at least short and long-term costs are super affordable.

Brita Complete

Alright, and this brings me to our third and final faucet filter recommendation, and that is the Brita Complete also known as the Brita Elite Advanced which is my personal favorite based on its simple looks and spray patterns.

So most importantly, the Brita Complete achieved similar but slightly weaker filtration results in our lab testing compared to the PUR PLUS. We saw 100% reduction of chlorine, disinfection byproducts, copper, barium, and nitrate. Strontium was 60%, boron 20%, and fluoride and lithium 0%. So up to this point everything was pretty much the same as with the PUR PLUS. But we also no reduction in uranium, whereas the PUR PLUS removed 100%. Now to be fair, uranium levels in the feed water were extremely low but still. We also saw no reduction in zinc, but zinc is only an aesthetic impurity so not a big deal.

And yet again, taste of the filtered water was fine but not as clean as from our RO systems. No odor.

We also have several NSF certifications: Standards 42, 53, and 401. We counted 64 different substances but again mainly less important organics. Filter media are an activated carbon block, non-woven material, and possibly other.

Brita Usability

Usability? Installation and filter priming is easy:

1. First remove your faucet aerator and washer.
2. Determine if you need to use one of the 3 adapters. You can also contact Brita for more adapters if neither fits.
3. Then attach the faucet filter system to your faucet and hand-tighten the mounting collar.
4. Finally, carefully install the filter cartridge and flush for 5 minutes before first use.

The cool thing when using the Brita Complete is that you can switch between filtered and unfiltered water with 2 spray patterns for the unfiltered water. What we don’t like is that the entire system feels rather light and as though parts like the switch could break if handled too forcefully.

In our speed test, we could dispense 12 ounces of freshly filtered water within 7.5 seconds which equals 0.87 gallons per minute, but the system is only rated at .58 gallons per minute, so don’t forget!

Also remember to not use any water above 100 °F if you don’t want to damage your filter.

Replacing filters is simple: Just press the filter cartridge release button and pull the cartridge up to remove. Insert a new one and flush for 5 minutes.

How often to replace? Every 100 gallons or 4 months on average. A filter light will let you know although it might not be very accurate because it’s a simple timer.

Brita Costs

Costs? Around $30 to $35 upfront depending on where you buy and at the time of shooting this video. And we estimate around $70 in yearly filter replacement cost based on 500 gallons annual consumption. So all in all highly affordable!

Any other pros or cons that I haven’t mentioned yet? Again, I liked the simple looks and there’s a 1-year limited warranty. What we don’t like is that there’s a notable amount of negative customer feedback on brita.com. And we also checked Amazon and other marketplaces and read about issues with leaking and water spraying out of places where it’s not supposed to. There have also been systems falling off faucets, tastes issues, filtered and unfiltered water flowing at the same time, and broken filter indicator lights. At first, we assumed that said lights would mostly fail due to the non-replaceable battery, but then the light on our unit failed, too, after only 3 weeks of use – so not great but also not a deal breaker because, again, these lights aren’t super accurate anyway.

Brita Summary

Alright, so in summary, the Brita Complete:

• Achieved slightly weaker filtration results than the PUR PLUS.
• Taste of the filtered water was fine but not perfectly clean.
• We have several NSF certifications but mainly for easier-to-remove organics.
• Usability is good – I liked the extra spray pattern for the unfiltered water, but we are worried about the system not being as sturdy, and our filter light failed after 3 weeks.
• This was also confirmed by third-party customer complaints.
• Good news is, short and long-term costs are highly affordable.

Outro

Great! Remember that you can check our full analysis of all 9 faucet water filters including lab reports in our Google sheet. Also check the sheet and the description box for our links and discount codes in case you want to make a purchase. We also have several other big water filter comparison videos here on our channel. And please consider subscribing and hit the like button if you want more content like this. Also feel free to ask questions in the comments below, or share your own experience with these or other faucet water filters. You can also let us know which water filters you would like us to review next. See you soon!