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About This Guide
We’ve lab-tested 68 water filters comparing unfiltered and filtered tap water samples to determine real-life contaminant reduction capabilities. Unfortunately, there’s no lead in tap water supply, so we couldn’t test for its reduction. However, we checked each water filter for NSF certifications, and we also checked each company’s own lead test data if available. This allowed us to compile a list of the most effective lead water filters. But how to tell which lead filters are truly the best? Simple – we did a full analysis!
- Hands-on experience: We set up, used, and maintained each water filter.
- More testing: We performed taste & odor, filtration/dispensing speed, wastewater, and other tests.
- All other product aspects: We considered initial + long-term costs, warranties, additional features, frequent customer complaints, etc.
Based on this analysis, we selected 13 top-performing systems – a curated mix representing all major filter types – to be included in this guide.
Our Top 13 Lead Water Filter Picks
| Lead Water Filter | AquaTru Classic | AquaTru Carafe | Epic Smart Shield | Cloud RO | Waterdrop X12 | Aquasana Clean Water Machine | ZeroWater 32-Cup Ready-Read Dispenser | Waterdrop ED04 | Aquasana SmartFlow | ZeroWater 10-Cup Ready-Pour | Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher | PUR PLUS Horizontal Faucet System | Big Berkey | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Type | Countertop RO | Countertop RO | Regular Under Sink (Optional Faucet Kit) | Tank-Based Under Sink RO | Tankless Under Sink RO | Regular Countertop | Regular Countertop | Regular Countertop | Tank-Based Under Sink RO | Pitcher | Pitcher | Faucet-Mount | Gravity Filter | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FINAL RATING | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Final Rating | 4.81/5.00 | 4.51/5.00 | 4.60/5.00 | 4.66/5.00 | 4.49/5.00 | 4.32/5.00 | 3.89/5.00 | 4.07/5.00 | 4.11/5.00 | 3.64/5.00 | 3.95/5.00 | 4.29/5.00 | 4.07/5.00 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Verdict (Best For) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lead Reduction % Claimed By Company | 99.1% | 99.2% | 99.3-99.4% | 99.32-99.9% | 99.87% | 99.6-99.7% | 95.9-99.7% | 99.6% | 99.0-99.8% | 95.9-99.7% | 99.34% | 98.7-99.7% | 99.9% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lead Reduction Backed By NSF/ANSI Certification? | Yes, Standard 58 | Yes, Standard 58 | Yes, Standard 53 | No | No | Yes, Standard 53 | Yes, Standard 53 | Yes, Standard 53 | Yes, Standard 53 | Yes, Standard 53 | No | Yes, Standard 53 | No | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Comment | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Buy Here | Deal 1 ($100 Off!): aquatruwater.com | aquatruwater.com ($100 Off!) | Filter System: epicwaterfilters.com | cloudwaterfilters.com | waterdropfilter.com | aquasana.com | Amazon | waterdropfilter.com | aquasana.com | Amazon | clearlyfiltered.com | Amazon | bigberkeywaterfilters.com | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| OR | OR | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deal 2 (Incl. Free 1-Year Filter Set + 15% Off!): waterandwellness.com | Optional Dedicated Faucet Kit: epicwaterfilters.com | Amazon | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Discount Code | Discounts Already Applied When Using Our Links! | $100 Discount Already Applied When Using Our Link! | BOSEpic – 20% Off! |
BOS200 – Additional $50 Off! |
X12BOS – 5% Off on Top of Most Waterdrop Sales! |
AQBOS50 – Up to 50% Off! |
ED04BOS – 3% Off on Top of Most Waterdrop Sales! |
AQBOS50 – Up to 50% Off! |
BOS10 – 10% Off! |
BOS5 – 5% Off When You Buy From bigberkeywaterfilters.com! |
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| Lead Water Filter | AquaTru Classic | AquaTru Carafe | Epic Smart Shield | Cloud RO | Waterdrop X12 | Aquasana Clean Water Machine | ZeroWater 32-Cup Ready-Read Dispenser | Waterdrop ED04 | Aquasana SmartFlow | ZeroWater 10-Cup Ready-Pour | Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher | PUR PLUS Horizontal Faucet System | Big Berkey | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Type | Countertop RO | Countertop RO | Regular Under Sink (Optional Faucet Kit) | Tank-Based Under Sink RO | Tankless Under Sink RO | Regular Countertop | Regular Countertop | Regular Countertop | Tank-Based Under Sink RO | Pitcher | Pitcher | Faucet-Mount | Gravity Filter | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lab Reports (Please ignore results for bacteria as we didn’t sample in a sterile environment.) | Filtered Water Report | Filtered Water Report | Filtered Water Report | Filtered Water Report | Filtered Water Report | Filtered Water Report | Filtered Water Report | Filtered Water Report | Filtered Water Report | Filtered Water Report | Filtered Water Report, Unfiltered Water Report for 1st Round of Testing (Priming Issue) | Filtered Water Report | Filtered Water Report | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Unfiltered Water Report | Unfiltered Water Report | Unfiltered Water Report | Unfiltered Water Report | Unfiltered Water Report | Unfiltered Water Report | Unfiltered Water Report | Unfiltered Water Report | Unfiltered Water Report | Unfiltered Water Report | Filtered Water Report #1, Filtered Water Report #2, Unfiltered Water Report for 2nd Round of Testing | Unfiltered Water Report | Unfiltered Water Report | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Comment | Testing Is for Black Berkey Elements + Optional PF-2 Fluoride Filters | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Reduction Rates for Lead | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Potentially Harmful | Aesthetic Issues | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Metals | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lead | ✖ | Not Tested (There’s No Lead in Our Water Supply) | Not Tested (There’s No Lead in Our Water Supply) | Not Tested (There’s No Lead in Our Water Supply) | Not Tested (There’s No Lead in Our Water Supply) | Not Tested (There’s No Lead in Our Water Supply) | Not Tested (There’s No Lead in Our Water Supply) | Not Tested (There’s No Lead in Our Water Supply) | Not Tested (There’s No Lead in Our Water Supply) | Not Tested (There’s No Lead in Our Water Supply) | Not Tested (There’s No Lead in Our Water Supply) | Not Tested (There’s No Lead in Our Water Supply) | Not Tested (There’s No Lead in Our Water Supply) | Not Tested (There’s No Lead in Our Water Supply) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Explanation: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Full Removal | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Considerable Reduction | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Concentration More Than Double of Unfiltered Water Sample | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Potential Leaching Reached or Exceeded the Strictest Public Health Guideline We Could Find | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lead Water Filters
- AquaTru Classic
- AquaTru Carafe
- Epic Smart Shield
- Aquasana Clean Water Machine
- ZeroWater 32-Cup Ready-Read Dispenser
- Waterdrop ED04
- ZeroWater 10-Cup Ready-Pour
- Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher
- Big Berkey
Please note: This page is still a work in progress. Additional content and details will be added shortly – stay tuned!
About the Author(s)
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 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 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 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.