Review: Express Water WH300SCGS 3-Stage Whole House Water Filter
Written by: Gene Fitzgerald // Expert Fact-Checking: Buddhini Dolapihilla, MBSS // Last Updated: Aug 4, 2023
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The Express Water WH300SCGS Standard 3-Stage Whole House Water Filtration System is affordably priced and has multiple filter stages that provide cleaner water for drinking, showering, and other home uses.
The system offers some alluring perks; it has pressure gauges at each filtration stage that allow you to monitor your system’s performance and a flow rate of 15 gpm, which satisfies both small and large households. And there’s more!
Let’s see if the Express Water WH300SCGS has enough benefits to win you over.
Contents
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Express Water WH300SCGS 3-Stage Whole House Water Filter |
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| Price: | $ |
| Filter Media: | Sediment (5 Microns), GAC, Carbon Block |
| Filter Life: | 100,000 gal or 6-12 Months |
| Flow Rate: | 15 gpm |
| Annual Cost: | ~$110-220 |
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Overall Rating: 4.0/5.0 ⓘRating based on filtration performance, filter life, price and yearly cost, NSF testing/certification, customer support, product warranty, our testing/experience, user feedback, and other factors.
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Express Water WH300SCGS 3-Stage Whole House Water Filter – All Specs
- Model: Express Water WH300SCGS
- Annual Maintenance Cost: ~$110-220
- Filter Media/Process: 5-Micron Sediment, GAC, Carbon Block
- Filter Stages: 3
- Flow Rate: 15 gpm
- Filtering Capacity: 100,000 gal or 6-12 Months
- WxHxD: 23.5″x29.25″x8.5″
- Weight: 63 lb.
- Water Temperature: 40-100 °F
- Water Pressure: 45-80 psi
- Fitting: 1″ Female NPT
- Warranty: 1 Year
Express Water WH300SCGS – Key Features
The Express Water WH300SCGS features a 3-stage filtration system that includes a sediment filter, a granular activated carbon filter, and an activated carbon filter block. Here’s how the stages work:
- Stage 1: The sediment filter features four distinct layers that catch impurities down to 5 microns in size. The filter is made from polypropylene and removes dirt, rust, silt, sand, and other sediments. It prevents the other filter stages as well as your pipes and appliances from getting clogged.
- Stage 2: The granular activated carbon filter focuses on capturing chemical impurities including chlorine, VOCs, industrial solvents, and others that cause bad taste, odor, and cloudiness in water. Rated at 5 micron nominal, it also removes any remaining floating particles.
- Stage 3: The activated carbon block filter (5 microns) further removes VOCs, pharmaceuticals, turbidity, and chemicals that cause unnatural tastes and odors in water.
Another key feature of the Express Water WH300SCGS is its 15 gpm flow rate, which is high enough even for larger homes with up to 5-6 bathrooms.
Product warranty: 1 year.
Express Water Whole House Filter Pros
The first thing we noticed here is the cost. The Express Water WH300SCGS is much cheaper than many similar whole house water filtration systems.
Its 20×4.5 inch (big blue) standard-sized filter cartridges can also be replaced with off-brand models to save money. Or, if you like, you can use other cartridges from Express Water, like the one filled with KDF for heavy metals, microorganisms, and chlorine, or an iron filter cartridge. This gives you a lot of flexibility.
With the option to install with a mounting bracket or the standing stainless steel frame, changing filters is easier, and the system enjoys an added protective buffer.
The system also has pressure release buttons for each filter stage. This makes it much easier to unscrew the filter housings when replacing cartridges.
Another upside to this system is the see-through sediment filter stage. By merely looking at the housing, you can tell when the filter is due for a replacement (this eliminates the need to dismantle the unit).
What Contaminants Are Being Removed?
The Express Water whole house filter removes sediments and dirt down to 5 microns. It also removes chlorine, VOCs, pharmaceuticals, industrial solvents, pesticides, and chemicals responsible for bad taste and odor.
The Express Water WH300SCGS – learn more on Amazon.com
Installation
Installing this water filter takes several more steps because there’s no built-in bypass valve, so you have to install a bypass manually if you want one. The installation steps are outlined further below.
Please consider these instructions as a general guideline. Always make sure to check and follow your user manual before getting started.
Tools needed for this installation:
- Towel
- Medium crescent wrench
- Monkey wrench
- Teflon tape
- Pipe cutter
- Plumber’s silicone grease
- Depending on your plumbing setup, you may need: Torch power drill or soldering iron
Parts needed for this installation:
- Shut-off valves (your setup determines if you need them)
- Pipe converter (1″ to ¾” or other)
- Pipe hangers
- Additional piping
- Pressure protection or reducer valve
Note that this is not a complete list of tools and parts. Your home setup could demand additional components and slight differences from the installation steps we provide.
- Start by closing the main water supply valve.
- Drain all remaining water by opening any faucets close to the installation location.
- Measure the length of pipe section you’ll have to take out at your install location (ensure there’s enough space for the system, any adapters, shut-off and bypass valves, and any other fittings you might need).
- Cut the line and remove the section. Sand off any jagged edges.
- Mount the system to a wall or stand it on its frame on the floor. If you’re mounting, make sure your wall is strong enough to support the system’s weight when it’s full of water.
- Attach the required pipes, valves, and fittings to each side of the system.
- Slowly turn the main water supply valve back on once the connections are complete.
- Allow the system to fill up completely.
- Turn on a cold water faucet to flush the system.
- Check for any leaks.
Note: The flushed water will appear darkish in color due to the loose carbon particles that are flushed out of the system. It could also appear cloudy because of air bubbles that are forced out of the system and pipes. This is completely normal and only temporary. Keep running the water until it clears up, and then let it run for 5 more minutes. Wait 30 more minutes (without running the water), then run the cold water for an additional 10 minutes. Your system is now ready for use!
The Package (Parts)
- Mounting bracket with filter heads and stainless steel frame
- FLTWH2045S1 sediment filter cartridge with housing
- FLTWH2045G granular activated carbon filter cartridge with housing
- FLTWH2045C1 activated carbon block filter cartridge with housing
Maintenance
Depending on your water usage and quality, filter cartridges must be replaced every 100,000 gallons or 6-12 months, which amounts to $110-220 in annual maintenance costs (it could also be more, based on how often you replace your filters).Remember to check the pressure gauges for guidance.
The filters in this system are pretty easy to change because of the pressure release buttons at each filter stage.
Here are step-by-step instructions for changing the filters:
- Turn off the system’s water supply and drain any remaining water.
- Press and hold each pressure button and then unscrew the filter housings (use filter wrench).
- Take out the old filter cartridges and put them away.
- Next, drain any water that remains in the housings.
- Clean each housing by scrubbing its inside and the top manifold with a gallon of warm water mixed with 1 tablespoon of household bleach. Do NOT directly add bleach to your system.
- Rinse properly.
- Apply silicone on any O-rings.
- Lubricate the threads of the filter housings, too.
- Put the new filters into their respective housing (each must be facing the right direction with O-rings facing upwards).
- Reinstall the filter housings.
- Tighten the housings with your hand, and give them a slight additional turn with your filter housing wrench (be careful not to overtighten).
- Turn on the water supply to the system.
- Flush your new filters.
Manual
Here is a link to the official manual:
NSF and Other Certifications
There are no NSF certifications for this product.
Earlier Product Versions
There are no earlier product versions for this product to our knowledge.
Express Water Whole House Water Filter Cons
One downside with the Express Water WH300SCGS is its lack of NSF certifications for contaminant reduction. Without these certifications, there’s no way to 100% trust that the system removes all the contaminants it claims to eliminate.
It also shouldn’t be used to filter heavily contaminated water, so it’ll be ineffective for people with really poor water quality.
Another thing we noticed is that the filters are advertised to last 6 to 12 months, but some users complained that their filters only lasted a few months (or weeks). We suspect that these users used the filters on heavily contaminated water that easily overwhelmed them, but there’s no way to say for sure.
Some users also complained of leaks around the system and a sharp drop in their home water pressure.
On top of this, there is no bypass valve included and the filter only has a 1 year warranty.
Express Water WH300SCGS Review: Our Verdict + Best for
All in all, the Express Water WH300SCGS Standard 3-Stage Whole House Water Filtration System works best for city water with low to moderate levels of chlorine and other aesthetic water issues.
It doesn’t do much for metal contamination for example, so avoid using it on a more heavily contaminated water supply – think most well water. Generally, the filter greatly improves water taste and odor, and removes many organic chemicals, but that’s about it.
Our Rating in Detail:
- Filtration Performance: 4.0/5.0
- Filter Capacity (Life): 4.0/5.0
- Purchase Price: 4.5/5.0
- Annual Cost: 4.0/5.0
- Overall: 4.0/5.0
Comparison to Other Whole House Water Filters
We’ll be comparing the Express Water 3-stage whole house water filter to the SpringWell CF and the Kind E-1000.
SpringWell CF |
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| Price: | $$$ |
| Filter Media: | 5-Micron Sediment, Catalytic Carbon, KDF |
| Filter Life: | 1,000,000 gal or 6 Years |
| Flow Rate: | 9-20 gpm |
| Annual Cost: | ~$40 |
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Overall Rating: 5.0/5.0 ⓘRating based on filtration performance, filter life, price and yearly cost, NSF testing/certification, customer support, product warranty, our testing/experience, user feedback, and other factors.
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Kind E-1000 |
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| Price: | $$ |
| Filter Media: | 5-Micron Sediment, Catalytic Carbon Block |
| Filter Life: | 12 Months |
| Flow Rate: | 15 gpm |
| Annual Cost: | ~$145 |
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Overall Rating: 4.5/5.0 ⓘRating based on filtration performance, filter life, price and yearly cost, NSF testing/certification, customer support, product warranty, our testing/experience, user feedback, and other factors.
Get 5% Off! Use Code: |
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Express Water WH300SCGS |
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| Price: | $ |
| Filter Media: | Sediment (5 Microns), GAC, Carbon Block |
| Filter Life: | 100,000 gal or 6-12 Months |
| Flow Rate: | 15 gpm |
| Annual Cost: | ~$110-220 |
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Overall Rating: 4.0/5.0 ⓘRating based on filtration performance, filter life, price and yearly cost, NSF testing/certification, customer support, product warranty, our testing/experience, user feedback, and other factors.
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To start with, the Springwell CF (full review available here) is a tank-based filter system that uses catalytic carbon and KDF media to remove a broad range of contaminants from water, like chlorine, pesticides, chloramine, PFAS, and disinfection byproducts. It works for heavily contaminated waters, improving both its safety and aesthetic appeal. It also features a sediment pre-filter for extra filtration. The system costs $1,000 to $1,750 (depending on the system size). And since it doesn’t require cartridge replacements, annual costs only amount to $40.
Next is the Kind E-1000 (full review here), a more budget-priced 2-stage whole house water filter. It uses a 5-micron sediment filter and a catalytic carbon filter block to remove an impressive range of contaminants, including chlorine, chloramine, herbicides, pesticides, VOCs, and industrial solvents. It costs more than twice the initial purchase price of the Express Water, and replacement filters cost about $145 yearly.
We’re picking both SpringWell CF and Kind E-1000 over the Express Water. We find these two systems preferable because they both use catalytic carbon, which is more powerful than the regular activated carbon used in the Express Water filter. Naturally, this means they remove more contamination.
Plus, the two systems offer a lifetime warranty (limited) and a money-back guarantee in case you’re unhappy with your purchase! Express Water only offers a 1 year warranty.
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This completes our review of the Express Water 3-Stage Whole House Water Filter. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below!
About the Author Gene Fitzgerald
Information provided on BOS is for educational purposes only. The products and services we review may not be right for your individual circumstances.
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