Best 2 and 3-Stage Whole House Water Filters | 2023 Reviews
Written by: Gene Fitzgerald // Last Updated:
Please note: This page may contain affiliate links. If you buy a product or service through such a link we earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Learn more about our product review process or check our FTC affiliate disclosure.
Cartridge-based whole house water filters come with 1 or multiple filtration stages.
2 and 3-stage systems are perfect to thoroughly clean all water entering your home before distribution so that you don’t have to worry about water contamination when you’re cooking or drinking, showering or bathing, brushing teeth, doing laundry, etc.
Taste and odor of your water will improve, too. And some systems might even target water hardness.
The only problem: There are so many 2-stage and 3-stage whole house water filters to choose from. And, of course, you don’t want to waste your money buying the wrong one. So which one is ideal for your needs? Here is our collection of the best 2-stage and 3-stage whole house water filters currently available on the market.
1. Best for Tap Water with Chlorine/Chloramine: Evo E-1000 2-Stage Whole House Water Filtration System
In our opinion, the overall best 2-stage whole house water filter in 2023 is the Evo Water Systems E-1000. It’s ideal for filtration of water with chemicals including chlorine and chloramine, pesticides, VOCs, PFAS – you name it!
Evo Water Systems E-1000 2-Stage Whole House Water Filter
The 2-stage whole house filter uses both a 5-micron sediment filter and a catalytic activated carbon block filter to remove a wide arrange of contaminant particles.
First, the 5-micron pleated sediment filter eliminates dirt, clay, sand, and other debris. This not only protects the later carbon stage from clogging but also extends the life of your household appliances.
Next, the catalytic activated coconut shell carbon block filter removes or reduces chlorine/chloramine – which can give your water an off taste and odor. It will also target pesticides, herbicides, VOCs, industrial solvents, THMs, HHAs, so-called “forever chemicals” (PFAS), and many more common contaminants.
The system features an impressive 15-gallon per minute flow rate – enough to accommodate large homes with up to 6 bathrooms.
Installing this 2-stage whole house water filter is a breeze.
Both the sediment and carbon filter must be replaced every 12 months, so overall there isn’t much maintenance required. Swapping filter cartridges takes just 10 minutes and doesn’t require any special tools except a filter wrench.
The replacement filters are standard-sized (20” x 4.5”) – so you could purchase off-brand filters as replacements if you wish.
Both filter replacements cost $145 annually – or roughly $125 if you sign up for autoship.
6-month satisfaction guarantee or your money back.
Limited lifetime warranty on the entire system.
Quick shipping and excellent customer support.
Cons
No built-in bypass comes with the kit.
Best for
The Evo-1000 is best for anyone looking for a cartridge-based 2-stage whole house filter system for municipal water with chlorine or chloramine.
A 5-micron pleated sediment filter removes large particles like silt, sand, clay, and rust. This crucial first stage protects both the later filter stages as well as your household appliances from dirt.
Next, a catalytic activated carbon block is used to eliminate chlorine and chloramine in addition to a wide range of other contaminants like VOCs, pesticides, PFAS, and HAAs. This creates ultra-clean tap water without any foul taste or odor.
Lastly, Evo’s eSoft saltless water conditioning cartridge neutralizes hard water scaling using a process called Template Assisted Crystallization (TAC). This process is salt-free and will eliminate future scale buildup and also reduce existing limescale over time.
This stage is virtually maintenance-free and doesn’t require regeneration.
The system flow rate is 15 gallons per minute – which is enough to provide water for up to 6 bathrooms.
Installation is simple, with only two plumbing connection hookups required.
Low maintenance. Only annual filter replacements of the first two stages are required.
The yearly filter change cost is just $145 – or around $125 if you sign up for autoship.
120-day money-back satisfaction guarantee.
Limited lifetime warranty on the entire system.
Quick shipping and top-notch customer service.
Cons
Doesn’t include a bypass valve.
Water can’t contain iron or hydrogen sulfide for the system to operate.
The maximum allowable water hardness level is 75 gpg.
Best for
The system is best for anyone looking for a whole house water filter and softener combination for municipal water.
3. Best for Lead: SpringWell CWH-3 Whole House Cartridge System
SpringWell’s CWH-3 Whole House Cartridge System has 3 filter stages. One is used to remove lead. The other filter stages eliminate chlorine, chloramine, disinfection byproducts, PFAS, pesticides, bad taste and odor, and other stuff commonly found in tap water.
The first stage is a 5-micron sediment pre-filter with a core filled with water conditioning filter media. It traps particulate matter – think sand, silt, and other dirt – while reducing hard water scaling + existing buildup in appliances and pipes.
Next comes activated carbon to remove chlorine taste and odor, chloramine, HAAs, PFAS, pesticides, herbicides, etc.
Greatly improves how your water tastes and smells.
The VOC/lead filter cartridge uses submicron filtration for lead removal. VOCs and other organic compounds will be removes as well.
Flow rate is 20 gallons per minute which is plenty of water even for large homes.
There are 2 other system variations:
CWH-1 – combines 5-micron sediment filtration (stage 1) with carbon filter media (stage 2). Flow rate is 20 gpm.
CWH-2 – 5-micron sediment filter + salt-free water conditioning (stage 1) with activated carbon filtration (stage 2). Flow rate is 16 gpm.
Filter cartridges are rated at 12 months when used on water with up to 15 gpg hardness.
SpringWell gives you a 6-month risk-free satisfaction guarantee.
Lifetime warranty on filter housings and valves.
Cons
Maintaining the CWH-3 costs $350 per year. That’s the combined price for the replacement filters.
Best for
The SpringWell CWH-3 3-stage whole house water filter is best for tap water contaminated with lead.
The whole house filtration system is tailor-made for homes supplied with well water.
The first filter stage is a multigradient polypropylene sediment filter. It features a 25-micron surface, a 10-micron inner layer, a 5-micron inner layer, and a 1-micron core. This stage will remove silt, sand, and sediments to protect the later filter cartridges from clogging.
Next is a radial-flow iron reduction filter that reduces both ferrous and ferric iron in water up to 3 parts per million.
Keep in mind that the presence of hydrogen sulfide and manganese in your water will reduce the lifespan of your filter by 2x to 6x the normal rate.
The final stage is a granular activated carbon filter to remove chlorine, chemicals, and foul tastes and odors.
The system has a maximum flow rate of 15 gallons per minute – enough to supply water to 4 or more bathrooms.
Installation is straightforward with the included detailed instructions, steel mounting bracket and bolts, and filter housing wrench.
Maintenance is fairly low, the only thing required is biannual filter replacements.
2-year limited warranty.
Excellent customer service. You can send in a sample of your well water and receive expert recommendations on which water filters or whole house systems will work best for you.
Cons
No built-in bypass valve.
Replacement filter cartridges are on the expensive side.
Best for
The Home Master is the best option for people looking for a whole house cartridge-based well-water system for removing iron.
This whole house filter system is lab-tested to remove 85% of chromium 6 and 95% of arsenic 5 from your home’s water supply.
The 3-stage unit features a sediment pre-filter followed by two forms of carbon media designed to remove a wide range of water contaminants.
Stage 1: A 1-micron pleated polyester pre-filter eliminates silt, sand, rust, and other larger particles capable of clogging the later filter stages.
Stage 2: A sub-micron filter cartridges that uses a combination of powder activated carbon and Agion Silver. Chlorine, chemicals, lead, other heavy metals, as well as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and cysts will be removed at this point. The addition of Agion Silver to the filter extends its lifespan and prevents biofouling.
Stage 3: A radial flow carbon filter removes many of the remaining contaminants and gives the water a clean taste and polished finish.
The high flow rate of 15 gallons per minute (20 at peak) is enough to provide water for 4 to 6 bathrooms.
Kit includes a filter wrench, mounting bracket, and screws.
Installation is straightforward and can be completed yourself if you have basic DIY plumbing skills.
Replacing filter cartridges is simple.
Cons
Only for city water.
The filter cartridge replacements are on the expensive side – costing between approx. $300 and $650 depending on your usage level and water quality.
Best for
The USWS Purely EZ is an ideal 3-stage whole house filter system capable of chromium 6 and arsenic 5 water filtration.
Double or triple-stage big blue whole house water filter.
The 2-stage system uses a fluoride removal water filter cartridge followed by a filter stage using a mixed-media bed.
Fluoride filter: Eagle activated charcoal media aka bone char targets fluoride, lead, and arsenic in water. Adsorption plus chemical reactions provide for effective filtration that can be used over a wide water pH range. Added KDF prevents bacterial growth inside the filter.
Mixed-media bed: The so-called SMART whole house filter cartridge combines GAC (removes organic contaminants, bad taste, and smell) with anion exchange resin (filters metals, hardness), and two types of KDF (reduces heavy metals and chlorine). Ceramic and tourmaline balls increase water pH.
If you choose the 3-stage filter system you get an additional 5-micron carbon block cartridge for reducing volatile organic compounds, pesticides, industrial solvents, etc.
You can pick an optional stand for stability.
It is easy to install, use, and maintain this whole house water filter.
Filters last 12-24 months.
1-year warranty.
Cons
4 to 6 gpm flow rate is barely enough for 1-2 people.
The replacement filters aren’t cheap. Depending on your water quality and usage you probably need to invest at least $300 per year.
Best for
This Crystal Quest 2 or 3-stage whole house water filter is best for small apartments on fluoridated tap water.
7. Best for Sediment: Custom 2 or 3-Stage Home Master Whole House Filter System
This customizable system allows you to meet whatever sediment filtration specifications you have in mind by choosing from several different filter cartridges.
You can choose either a one, two, or three filtration stages depending on what you’re looking for.
The following filter cartridges are available as options:
30-micron reusable pleated polyester filter. Reduces dirt, silt, and sand particles. Can be washed and reused 6 times before it needs replacement.
5-micron reusable pleated polyester filter. Reduces dirt, silt, and sand. Can be washed and reused 6 times before needing replacement.
1-micron reusable pleated polyester filter. Reduces sediment as well as cysts. Washable and reusable up to 6 times.
Multi-gradient polyester sediment filter. 4 layers – 25, 10, 5, and 1 micron. Removes dirt, sand, silt, and turbidity.
2-micron absolute nano-fiber pleated sediment filter. Will remove 99.9% of viruses, bacteria, cryptosporidium, giardia, turbidity, silt, clay, and rust. Some reduction of fluoride and ionic metals at lower flow rates.
The flow rate is an impressive 20 gallons per minute, depending on the specific cartridges you use.
Low maintenance and easy installation.
The specific filtration capacities and filter lifespans will differ depending on the filter or filters chosen. Replacement filter costs are reasonably priced.
2-year manufacturer warranty.
Cons
Doesn’t have a built-in bypass valve.
Best for
Custom Home Master whole house filter systems are the best option for customizable step-down sediment filtration.
Crystal Quest Big Blue 2 or 3-Stage Whole House Water Filter
$$
Bone Char + Mixed Media Bed
4-6 gpm
$300+
12-24 Months
Custom Home Master System (2 or 3 Stages)
$
Sediment Filters
Up to 20 gpm
~$100-300
Up to 12 Months
Buying Guide: How We Picked the Best 2 and 3-Stage Whole House Water Filtration Systems + What You Need to Consider
When shopping for a 2 or 3-stage whole house water filter, there are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind. The following are criteria you’ll want to consider closely before making a purchase. These are also the very same criteria we focused on when picking our top products for this guide.
Testing for Water Contaminants
Perhaps the most important first step before choosing any water filtration system is getting your water professionally tested for contaminants. This will give you a precise analysis of what’s in your water – so you can tailor your filter purchase to deal with it. Getting your water professionally tested by a certified lab will run you up to a couple of hundred dollars.
If you find that too much, you could use a DIY testing kit, but know that these lack precision and are limited to fewer analytes.
If your water is municipally supplied, then you could also use publicly available websites like the EPA’s safewater or EWG’s Tap Water Database to give you a more basic idea of the contaminants in your water. (If you are on private well water, then the only option is to do your own testing.)
Types of Cartridge-Based Whole House Water Filters
As you may have noticed from the above list, cartridge-based whole house water filters come in a variety of types depending on which contaminants you wish to remove. Let’s take a look at some of these in more detail.
Chlorine/Chloramine
Chlorine and chloramine are commonly used chemicals in water disinfection. They are used to kill harmful microbes in water but give it a poor taste and odor as a side effect.
Activated carbon filters excel at removing chlorine and chloramine from water. Chloramine in particular is difficult to remove, though.
Water Hardness
Water hardness refers to water with a high level of hard water minerals like magnesium and calcium.
Hard water is not harmful in itself, but it does lead to scale buildup in your home’s plumbing and home appliances. It can also give water an off–taste that some people dislike.
Water hardness is difficult to remove using a water filter, but there are certain models that alter the characteristics of hard water minerals in order to prevent scaling.
Lead
Lead is a common contaminant in older homes with lead plumbing or service lines. Fortunately, harmful lead can be reduced in water using submicron filtration.
Iron
Iron is generally not a major concern when present in drinking water, but excessive levels can harbor bacteria and give water a metallic taste and smell. Well-sourced water can be particularly susceptible to this.
Filters for removing iron must be able to handle both forms of iron found in water: ferrous and ferric.
Sediment
Sediment present in your home’s water can be an issue as it will clog up valves and fixtures, and can damage appliances and water heaters.
For feed water with high levels of sediment, you’ll want to look for a sediment filter.
Fluoride
Fluoride is typically added to water by municipal water utilities. It can be removed using a variety of filtration methods such as bone char.
Arsenic/Chromium
Arsenic and chromium can be removed using activated carbon blocks and ion exchange systems among others.
NSF Testing/Certifications
The NSF is an organization that defines independent testing and certification standards for a variety of consumer products.
2 and 3-stage whole house water filtration systems with NSF certifications are fairly rare, but if you do come across one, you can be confident that you’re getting exactly what the manufacturer is claiming.
NSF standard 42 tests for chlorine removal.
NSF standard 53 can cover all kinds of potentially harmful water pollutants.
Water Flow Rates
Water flow rates are a measure of how much flow capacity a whole house filter system can provide. Flow rate is typically measured in gallons per minute (gpm), but manufacturers will also typically provide the number of bathrooms that the system can provide for.
For a large household, you’ll generally want at least 10 to 15 gpm, which is enough to accommodate 4 to 6 bathrooms.
Keep in mind that cartridge-based systems with 2 or more stages tend to have lower flow rates than larger tank-based systems.
Filter Capacity
This is a measure of how long the filter cartridges will last. Tank-based systems will have longer lifespans than cartridge-based systems but also cost more. This means you’ll end up paying more up front for a tank-based system, but in the long run, cartridge systems will usually cost more due to the more frequent filter changes required.
System Installation
When it comes to installation, most 2 or 3-stage whole home filter systems are easy enough to install yourself provided you have basic DIY skills. Manufacturers also tend to include the necessary bypass valves and fixtures needed for installation.
Another plus of cartridge-based systems is that they don’t require as much space for installation as tank-based systems.
Maintenance
Maintenance for multi-stage whole house filters is generally minimal. All that’s needed is changing the cartridges on time according to the manufacturer’s recommendations – generally every 6 to 12 months.
What Is a 2-Stage (3-Stage) Whole House Water Filter?
A 2 or 3-stage whole house water filter is any system with 2 or 3 stages that filters water for your entire home.
These systems are also sometimes referred to as point-of-entry water filters. Contrast that with point-of-use systems which are generally installed under a kitchen sink and only filter water going to a single faucet.
How Does a Multi-Stage POE Water Filter System Work?
Multi-stage point-of-entry water filter systems differ in terms of the individual filter stages they utilize but they mostly follow the same basic design. They’re plumbed into your home’s main water supply, so they treat all of the water coming into your home and provide filtered water at every water outlet in the home including the kitchen, bathrooms, appliances, and possibly outside as well.
Cartridge systems typically – but not always – feature a preliminary sediment filter designed to remove sand, silt, and other large particles. They also frequently feature some type of activated carbon filter (either granular or catalytic) to remove chemicals and a wide array of other contaminants.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What’s better, 2 or 3-stage whole house water filter?
This depends on the specific 2 or 3-stage water filter in question, and can’t be answered without further detail. What can be said, however, is that 3-stage filters will generally remove a wider array of contaminants than 2-stage filters will. They also tend to cost more to purchase and maintain and generally will have a lower flow rate.
Where should I install a multi-stage whole house water filter?
As whole house water filters are designed to filter the entire home’s water supply, they need to be installed at the main water line where water is plumbed into the home.
How long does a stage-based whole house filter system last?
Whole house cartridge-based filter systems can last 10+ years if properly maintained with applicable filter changes. Carbon filters will often last between 12 and 18 months, other filter types between 6 and 12 months, and sediment filters – particularly pleated filters – can be washed and reused many times before needing replacement.
The exact filter replacement frequency will depend on how much you use the filter, your feed water quality, and the specific filter in question.
How much does a two-stage whole house water filter cost?
There is a range of costs when it comes to stage-based whole house water filters, anywhere from $200 on the low end to $400-$800 on the higher end.
How much does a three-stage whole house water filter cost?
Once again, the costs will vary depending on the filter quality and stages selected. A cheaper 3-stage filter can be purchased for $300 to $500, whereas a typical system will run you $750+.
I hope this guide has helped you find the best 2-stage whole house water filter respectively the best 3-stage whole house water filter. Questions? Ask away!
And keep in mind: We’ll add new 2 and 3-stage whole house water filter reviews occasionally. So come back for more!
About the Author Gene Fitzgerald
Gene Fitzgerald has been with BOS since the very beginning. She is head of content creation and has fully immersed herself into the home water treatment industry only to become an expert herself. Outside of BOS, Gene loves reading books on philosophy & social issues, making music, and hiking.
Learn more about Gene and the rest of the BOS Team.