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Filtration Technology
Top 10 Best Under-Sink Water Filters
8 min read
- 01 | What’s Under the Hood of the Best Under-Sink Water Filters?
- 02 | 10 Best Under-Sink Water Filters of 2021
- 03 | Home Master HydroPerfection RO System with UV
- 04 | iSpring RCCTAK 6-Stage Drinking Water System
- 05 | Brondell H20+ Circle 4-Stage RO Water System
- 06 | Viqua Copper Series VT1-DWS UV Water System
- 07 | Neo-Pure RO-4300RX-DLX Alkaline RO System
- 08 | Home Master TMAFC-ERP Reverse Osmosis Filter
- 09 | Neo-Pure TL3-A502 Ultrafiltration System
- 10 | APEC Water Systems ROES-PH75 RO Water System
- 11 | Waterdrop WD-G3-W Under Sink RO System
- 12 | CuZn UC-200 Under Counter Water Filter
If you’re looking for the best under-sink water filters for your home, you’ve come to the right place.
These are the ten of the top under-sink water systems of 2021.
But before we dive headfirst into the product reviews, here’s a quick overview of the tech behind under-sink systems...
The different stages of the best under-sink water filters:
- Sediment filters improve discoloration and remove large particles, debris and rust
- Carbon (charcoal) filters improve the taste and smell of your water and remove disinfectants like chlorine and chloramine. They also remove volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and heavy metals.
- Copper and zinc alloy media (KDF-55 & KDF-85) kill bacteria and remove further toxins
- Ion exchange resins remove “hard” minerals, like calcium and magnesium, and soften the water
- Ultrafiltration (UF) membranes remove microorganisms and dangerous contaminants like arsenic and nuclear waste.
- Reverse osmosis (RO) membranes remove microorganisms and dangerous contaminants like arsenic and nuclear waste.
- Ultraviolet (UV) filters kill pathogenic microorganisms like bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites.
- Remineralization filters alkalize, balance pH, and add healthy electrolytes back into your water.
- Polishing filters remove any contaminants that may have snuck through. They typically incorporate a final carbon filter.
The best under-sink water systems incorporate up to six of these filtration methods.
Now that you have a basic understanding of filtration technology, let’s compare the ten best under-sink water filters of 2021...
Finding the best under-sink water filters for you depends mainly on the types of contaminants in your water.
In general, RO systems can handle just about anything you throw at ‘em.
Other systems, like ultraviolet (UV), ultrafiltration (UF), and carbon-based systems have their perks too.
Each filter on this list has been given a general price range:
- LOW (under $300)
- MID-RANGE (300-$450)
- HIGH ($450+)
For a more accurate price, you’ll have to click the product link at the top of each section.
And don’t worry if you’re on a budget...
Plenty of low-cost filters made the list, and some go for as low as $200 or less.
Let’s dig in!
Home Master HydroPerfection is ideal for highly-toxic water and private wells.
Cost: High
5 Stages of filtration:
- Sediment pre-filter
- Catalytic carbon pre-filter with KDF-85 process media
- Reverse osmosis (RO) composite membrane
- Ultraviolet (UV) filter
- Remineralization post-filter
It’s pretty rare to see RO team up with UV treatment because they both kill bacteria, but the Home Master isn’t your ordinary water system.
No matter how toxic, tainted or discolored your water is, the Home Master can handle it.
Unlike public water supplies, private wells don’t get treated with disinfectants, and this leaves them more susceptible to bacteria, viruses and parasites.
Luckily, the Home Master kills microorganisms three separate ways: with UV, RO and KDF-85.
KDF-85 media also easily removes iron and sulfur, another common problem with private wells.
Last but not least, the Home Master alkalizes your water and balances pH.
Most RO systems are known for producing a lot of wastewater, but the Home Master uses a permeate pump to reduce wastewater by up to 80%.
Pound-for-pound, the Home Master is one of the best under-sink water filters on the market.
iSpring RCCTAK is ideal for families who want pristine RO water at an affordable price.
Cost: Low
6 Stages of Filtration:
- Sediment pre-filter
- Loose carbon filter to trap large contaminants
- Carbon block filter to catch small contaminants
- RO membrane
- Polishing carbon filter
- Final remineralization stage
Like most RO systems, the iSpring traps 98% of lead and 99% of over 1,000+ dangerous pollutants, including chlorine, fluoride, hormones, bacteria, viruses and arsenic.
And just like the Home Master, the iSpring uses a permeate pump to reduce wastewater.
However, there are a couple key differences:
- The iSpring does not have UV treatment, although it does still remove up to 99% of microorganisms through reverse osmosis.
- The iSpring does not have KDF-85 media to remove iron and sulfur. However, it does still remove heavy metals through carbon filtration and reverse osmosis.
Overall, the iSpring holds its own against more expensive RO systems for half the price.
Brondell H20+ is the epitome of a sleek, compact under-sink system.
It’s perfect for people who don’t want the eyesore of exposed hosing but still want pristine reverse osmosis drinking water.
Cost: Mid-range
4 Stages of Filration:
- Sediment pre-filter
- Carbon pre-filter
- RO membrane
- Carbon block post-filter
The Brondell H20+ removes all of the same heavy metals and dangerous contaminants as other RO systems, including pesticides, arsenic and nuclear waste.
The pH scale indicates how acidic your water is. 0 stands for extremely acidic, 7 is neutral, and 14 is alkaline (basic). Early research shows that drinking alkaline water may be healthier for you by balancing acidic body chemistry.
But unlike the Home Master, it does not include remineralization or a UV filter.
Aside from that, the Brondell H20+ purifies water with the best of ‘em.
Plus, the efficient design doesn’t use any pumps or electricity and there’s very little water wastage.
Viqua VT1-DWS is perfect for people who want to remove sediment, microorganisms and heavy metals, but aren’t worried about more dangerous contaminants like nuclear waste.
Cost: Mid-range
3 Stages of Filtration:
- Sediment pre-filter
- Carbon pre-filter
- Ultraviolet (UV) purification
Viqua’s sediment filter and carbon filter improves the taste, smell, and color of the water while removing large particles, chlorine and heavy metals.
Finally, the UV-spectrum light zaps bacteria, viruses and parasites to smithereens.
If all you need is a simple solution to disinfect your water, remove chlorine and heavy metals, and improve taste, then the Viqua VT1-DWS is a match made in water-filter heaven.
Neo-Pure RO-4300RX-DLX Alkaline RO System is another excellent option for families who want an affordable way to remove 99.9% of all contaminants and enjoy perfectly balanced alkaline water.
Cost: Mid-range
6 Stages of Filtration:
- Sediment pre-fitler
- Carbon pre-filter
- Ultra-fine TFM reverse osmosis (RO) membrane
- Extended-contact carbon filter
- Ionized filter to balance pH
- Polishing filter to remove any lingering contaminants
Like the other RO systems on this list, the Neo-Pure 4300RX uses a permeate pump to reduce wastewater.
Pharmacies across the country use Neo-Pure to reconstitute their antibiotics behind the counter, and the Neo-Pure 4300RX delivers the same pharmaceutical-grade water right to your tap.
Home Master TMAFC-ERP is the more affordable younger sister of the Home Master HydroPerfection featured earlier in this article.
Cost: Mid-range
4 Stages of Filtration:
- Sediment pre-filter
- Catalytic carbon pre-filter
- RO composite membrane
- Artesian post-filter for remineralization
Unlike its older brother, the Home Master TMAFC-ERP does not have an ultraviolet (UV) filter to kill extra bacteria, or KDF-85 media to remove iron.
However, it does still remove most pathogenic microorganisms through reverse osmosis.
When it’s all said and done, the Home Master TMAFC-ERP is an outstanding RO system for the price.
Neo-Pure TL3 Ultrafiltration System is perfect for people who want to remove dangerous contaminants without affecting the mineral content of the water.
It’s also more environmentally-friendly than most RO systems.
Cost: Low
4 Stages of Filtration:
- Sediment pre-filter
- Carbon pre-filter
- Ultrafiltration (UF) membrane
- Polishing filter
Compared to RO systems, the Neo-Pure TL3 Ultrafiltration System produces less wastewater, requires less water pressure, and consumes less energy.
It uses standard water pressure to remove all of the same contaminants as RO systems, including lead, bacteria, chlorine, metallic trace elements (MTEs) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
However, it does not remove “hard” minerals or alkalize the water.
Ultrafiltration is one of the best alternatives to RO systems when it comes to removing dangerous pollutants, and Neo-Pure is a stellar brand.
APEC ROES-PH75 is an excellent high-capcacity RO system at an affordable price.
Cost: Low
6 Stages of Filtration:
- Sediment pre-filter
- Large-pore carbon pre-filter
- Fine-pore carbon pre-filter
- High rejection RO membrane
- Activated carbon post-filter
- Remineralization stage
Many RO systems remineralize their water with low-quality calcium, but APEC sets itself apart by using premium food-grade calcium.
APEC is also a high-volume work horse that produces up to 90 gallons of water a day---that’s one of the highest outputs of any RO systems on the list!
However it’s not quite as much as our next high-volume filter...
Waterdrop WD-G3-W is one of the best under-sink water filters for big families who need to produce a large volume of drinking water every day. It is also an RO system!
It also features a super-sleek design similar to the Brondell H2O+ listed above.
Cost: High
5 Stages of Filtration:
- Cotton sediment pre-filter
- Carbon prefilter
- 2nd cotton sediment pre-filter
- Three-layer RO membrane
- Carbon block post-filter
Thanks to an ingenious, tank-less design, the Waterdrop can process a colossal 400 gallons of water per day!
And like other RO systems, the Waterdrop removes 99% of dangerous contaminants.
However, it does not remove hard minerals or remineralize your water.
But if high-volume RO water and a compact design are your two biggest selling points, then the Waterdrop is pretty hard to beat.
CuZn UC-200 is a streamlined, carbon-based filter that’s incredibly easy to install and maintain.
If you want to improve the taste and color of your water, but aren’t too worried about hard minerals or dangerous contaminants, then the CuZn is an excellent option.
Cost: Low
3 Stages of Filtration:
- Micro-sediment filter
- Activated coconut shell carbon filter
- KDF-55 process media
The sediment filter removes large particles, the carbon filter eliminates chlorine odor, and the KDF-55 media controls scale, bacteria and algae, as well as remove heavy metals like lead and mercury.
Unlike many RO filters, the CuZn does not add healthy minerals and does not target hard-to-trap pollutants like arsenic and nuclear waste.
However, the CuZn is a great way to protect against basic contaminants and improve the taste of your drinking water.
A new breed of intelligent RO systems is putting a high-tech twist on water filtration.
Cloud Water Filters are equipped with built-in software that monitors the quality of your water 24/7.
Check for mineral content and toxins through an app on your phone---the second that anything nasty pops up in your local water supply, you’ll be the first to know.
And unlike other companies, we don’t just sell you a filter and send you off into the watery wilderness…
We provide white-glove installation to make sure that your water system is correctly installed and working properly.
When it comes time to replace a filter, Cloud’s software automatically ships one right to your door.
With Cloud, you’ll never have to worry about water quality again.
Click here to join the waitlist!
