Written by: Gene Fitzgerald // Last Updated:
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A faucet water filter gives you access to clean water right at your kitchen sink. Installation is a breeze without the need for tools and advanced plumbing skills, and you’re not even required to make any permanent changes to your plumbing system which is perfect for renters.
What’s more, faucet mount filters are really convenient to use and, compared to other water treatment systems, they are surprisingly affordable – a real alternative for people on a tight budget that want to protect the health of their family without spending a fortune.
But how do you find the best faucet water filter for your home or business? Don’t worry, this buyer’s guide will help you make the right choice!
On This Page You Will…
Model | Details | |
---|---|---|
Best Faucet Water Filter with Most Contaminants Removed (Style 1): PUR PFM400H |
Price: $$$ Filter Life: 100 Gallons Flow Rate: 0.52 gpm NSF: 42, 53, 401 Annually: ~$50-100 Read Review: Click | |
Most Contaminants Removed (Style 2): PUR FM-3333B |
Price: $$ Filter Life: 100 Gallons Flow Rate: 0.52 gpm NSF: 42, 53, 401 Annually: ~$50-100 Read Review: Click | |
![]() Most Durable: Waterdrop WD-FC-06 (Stainless Steel) |
Price: $$ Filter Life: 320 Gallons Flow Rate: 0.5 gpm NSF: 42 Annually: ~$15-50 Read Review: Click | |
![]() Best Alkaline Faucet Water Filter: pH Purify |
Price: $$ Filter Life: 6 Months Flow Rate: ? NSF: – Annually: ~$30-50 Read Review: Click | |
Review Order
In our opinion, the best faucet water filter in 2023 is the PUR Advanced PFM400H. Or, in case you prefer a vertical model, the PUR FM-3333B. Using the same filter cartridges, they are completely identical in terms of filtration performance and NSF-certified against standards 42, 53, and 401 for the removal of over 70 water contaminants – more than any other faucet water filter on the market!
While Standard 42 is only for the reduction of chlorine taste and odor as well as larger particulates, Standard 53 is for contaminants with health effects (lead, VOCs, asbestos, etc.) and Standard 401 for emerging chemicals (e.g. BPA).
In other words, PUR’s faucet filters are your best chance if you want safe and great tasting water right from the kitchen faucet.
PUR Advanced Faucet Water Filter | |
Price: | $$$ |
Filtration Capacity: | 100 gal |
Flow Rate: | 0.52 gpm |
NSF Certified: | 42, 53, 401 |
Annual Cost: | ~$50-100 |
Our Rating
|
PUR FM-3333B Faucet Water Filter System | |
Price: | $$ |
Filtration Capacity: | 100 gal |
Flow Rate: | 0.52 gpm |
NSF Certified: | 42, 53, 401 |
Annual Cost: | ~$50-100 |
Our Rating
|
Pros
Cons
Best for
PUR’s faucet water filters are best for people who want the safest drinking water possible with most contaminants removed.
Next on our list are two faucet water filters by Waterdrop, namely the WD-FC-01 and the WD-FC-06.
The former is pretty standard in terms of design and filter process. It’s a plastic unit that applies activated carbon filtration certified to remove chlorine. The reason why we recommend it is the affordable price which is hard to beat.
The Waterdrop WD-FC-06 on the other hand is made from stainless steel for durability, plus it combines an activated carbon filter block for somewhat more effective filtration with mineralization media for balanced water pH and better taste.
![]() Waterdrop WD-FC-01 Water Faucet Filter | |
Price: | $ |
Filtration Capacity: | 320 gal |
Flow Rate: | 0.5 gpm |
NSF Certified: | 42 |
Annual Cost: | ~$15-50 |
Our Rating
|
![]() Waterdrop WD-FC-06 Water Faucet Filter | |
Price: | $$ |
Filtration Capacity: | 320 gal |
Flow Rate: | 0.5 gpm |
NSF Certified: | 42 |
Annual Cost: | ~$15-50 |
Our Rating
|
Pros
Cons
Best for
The Waterdrop WD-FC-06 is best for people looking for a highly durable stainless steel faucet filter.
In our opinion, the best sink water filter producing alkaline water in 2023 is the pH Purify by Invigorated Water.
It uses 8 different stages of filtration to not only remove heavy metals, sediment, sand, dust, rust, bad tastes and odors, fluoride, chlorine and chloramine, and limescale. It also improves your water’s pH level and mineral content, and increases its oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) which the company associates with better hydration and higher energy levels among other things.
![]() Invigorated Water pH Purify Faucet & Tap Water Filter | |
Price: | $$ |
Filtration Capacity: | 6 Months |
Flow Rate: | ? |
NSF Certified: | – |
Annual Cost: | ~$30-50 |
Our Rating
|
Pros
Cons
Best for
The pH Purify is best for people who are into alkaline water.
We decided to include Crystal Quest’s faucet mount water filter system in our guide for two reasons:
So, how does it perform?
![]() Crystal Quest Faucet Mount Water Filter System | |
Price: | $$ |
Filtration Capacity: | 2,000 gal |
Flow Rate: | 0.3 gpm |
NSF Certified: | – |
Annual Cost: | ~$20-40 |
Our Rating
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Gallery
Pros
Cons
Best for
The Crystal Quest is the best choice for low maintenance needs, thanks to its outstanding filter life of 2,000 gallons.
The Brita Basic is the bestselling faucet water filter on Amazon at the time of writing (or rather updating) this guide. The Brita Complete comes in second spot.
What we like about them are the certifications against NSF standards 42, 53, and 401, which substantiate the removal of chlorine taste and odor, contaminants with health effects, and so-called emerging compounds.
All in all, the filtration process is solid with good contaminant reduction rates, both faucet filters are simple to set up, and even easier to use.
By the way, the only difference between the Brita Basic and the Brita Complete are the number of spray options – the Brita Basic water filtration system has 2 settings, the Complete has 3.
Brita Basic Water Filter Faucet System | |
Price: | $ |
Filtration Capacity: | 100 gal |
Flow Rate: | 0.58 gpm |
NSF Certified: | 42, 53, 401 |
Annual Cost: | ~$50-100 |
Our Rating
|
Brita Complete Water Filter Faucet System | |
Price: | $ |
Filtration Capacity: | 100 gal |
Flow Rate: | 0.58 gpm |
NSF Certified: | 42, 53, 401 |
Annual Cost: | ~$50-100 |
Our Rating
|
Pros
Cons
Best for
The Brita Basic is the best budget faucet water filter.
The CuZn Bath Ball is for people who want a quick, easy, and inexpensive solution to fill their bathtub with kinda filtered water. And indeed, most customers are seeing an overall improvement in the health of their hair and skin.
CuZn Bath Ball Faucet Filter | |
Price: | $$ |
Filtration Capacity: | 1 Year |
Flow Rate: | ? |
NSF Certified: | – |
Annual Cost: | ~$30-70 |
Our Rating
|
Pros
Cons
Best for
The CuZn is ideal for people who are into bath balls.
We love that the Engdenton faucet water filter is made from quality stainless steel rather than flimsy plastic. It greatly increases durability and makes it stand out from the competition which is probably the reason why it’s so popular.
Considering that the filtration is very basic we would recommend this product to anyone who is mainly concerned about bad tasting water, though.
Engdenton Stainless-Steel Faucet Filter | |
Price: | $$ |
Filtration Capacity: | 320 gal |
Flow Rate: | 0.5 gpm |
NSF Certified: | – |
Annual Cost: | ~$25-50 |
Our Rating
|
Pros
Cons
Best for
The Engdenton faucet filter is best for people who want a combination of durable stainless steel and long filter life.
Last but not least, let’s take a look at how well Culligan does on the faucet water filter market:
The Culligan FM-15A and FM-25 faucet mount systems provide H2O that tastes better than plain tap water. That’s for sure. They are easy to use, they blend in nicely with other fixtures, and they are very effective at filtering out lead.
The Culligan FM-15A comes in white which looks a little cheap (just being honest).
Its older brother, the FM-25 model, has a nice chrome finish that blends much better with other kitchen appliances and costs only a little bit more – this update is definitely worth the extra money!
Apart from looks, what’s the big difference between the Culligan FM-15A and the FM-25? Simply put, there is none.
Culligan FM-15A Faucet Water Filter | |
Price: | $ |
Filtration Capacity: | 200 Gallons of Water |
Flow Rate: | 0.5 gpm |
NSF Certified: | 42, 53 |
Annual Cost: | ~$45-90 |
Our Rating
|
Culligan FM-25 Faucet Water Filter | |
Price: | $$ |
Filtration Capacity: | 200 Gallons of Water |
Flow Rate: | 0.5 gpm |
NSF Certified: | 42, 53 |
Annual Cost: | ~$60-120 |
Our Rating
|
Pros
Cons
Best for
Culligan faucet filter units are best for NSF-certified chlorine removal.
→ Read Our Full Culligan FM-15A & FM-25 Review Here
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Faucet Water Filters | Price | Capacity | GPM | NSF | Annually | Additional Info |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PUR Advanced Faucet Filter | $$$ | 100 Gallons | 0.52 | 42, 53, 401 | ~$50-100 | The PUR Advanced Faucet Filter is Easy to Install, Boosts Water Quality, Don’t Use with Hot Water |
PUR FM-3333B Faucet Water Filter | $$ | 100 Gallons | 0.52 | 42, 53, 401 | ~$50-100 | Drinking Water Filter is One of the Best and NSF-Certified to Reduce Lead, Mercury, Organic Compounds and More |
Waterdrop WD-FC-01 Faucet Mounted Filter | $ | 320 Gallons | 0.5 | 42 | ~$15-50 | Ideal for Tap Water Filtration on a Budget, Sink Filter is Certified to Reduce Lead, Mercury, and More |
Waterdrop WD-FC-06 Faucet Water Filter | $$ | 320 Gallons | 0.5 | 42 | ~$15-50 | Lasts 320 Gallons of Water Before Filter Change is Needed |
Invigorated Water pH Purify Faucet & Tap Water Filter | $$ | 6 Months | ? | – | ~$30-50 | 6 Months of Filtered Water Before Filter Change is Needed |
Crystal Quest Faucet Mount Water Filter System | $$ | 2,000 Gallons | 0.3 | – | ~$20-40 | Water Flows Through 6 Filter Stages, Removes Contaminants Including Lead, Mercury, Chromium, Organic Compounds, Lasts 2,000 Gallons of Water Till Filter Change, Might Reduce Water Pressure |
Brita Basic Faucet Water Filtration System | $ | 100 Gallons | 0.58 | 42, 53, 401 | ~$50-100 | Filter is Certified to Reduce Dozens of Contaminants Including Lead for 100 Gallons of Water |
Brita Complete Water Filter Faucet System | $ | 100 Gallons | 0.58 | 42, 53, 401 | ~$50-100 | It’s Easy to Install a Sink Faucet Water Filter of This Type (No Hot Water) |
CuZn Bath Ball Water Filtration System | $$ | 1 Year | ? | – | ~$30-70 | Long Lasting Filter (1 Year of Filtered Water), No Hot Water |
Engdenton Stainless-Steel Faucet Water Filter | $$ | 320 Gallons | 0.5 | – | ~$25-50 | No Hot Water, Mainly to Improve the Taste of Water, Change the Filter After 320 gal |
Culligan FM-15A Faucet Mounted Filter | $ | 200 Gallons | 0.5 | 42, 53 | ~$45-90 | Filter is Certified to Reduce Contaminants Including Those with Health Effects, Replace the Filter Every 200 Gallons |
Culligan FM-25 Faucet Mounted Filter | $$ | 200 Gallons | 0.5 | 42, 53 | ~$60-120 | Solid Tap Filter to Improve the Taste of Water, Not for Hot Water, Change the Filter Every 200 gal |
The following are things worth considering before you go out and buy a faucet mounted water filter for your sink. These are also the very same criteria we focused on when picking our top products for this guide.
In theory, the best water filter faucet you can buy is one customized to the contaminants present in your water. So your first step should be to figure out your water quality.
You can do this by either conducting a test or by reviewing your municipality’s free annual Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) if you are on tap water.
In case you receive water from a well, or you are worried about contaminants dissolving into your water supply along the way from the treatment facility to your place, we definitely recommend you test a direct sample of the water in your home.
Once you know about all the pollutants you are facing, look out for faucet water filters that are NSF-certified to remove all or at least the majority of them. NSF certifications are the best guarantee for effective contaminant reduction.
That being said, many faucet water filters on the market will only improve how your water tastes and smells. But, there are also those that do a great job at filtering out lead and other heavy metals and all kinds of chemicals. You can find models from both categories in the review section above.
Just as important as a water filter’s capability to remove certain contaminants is its faucet compatibility.
Generally speaking, faucet mount filter systems are incompatible with these faucet types:
Obviously, there are exceptions to this, but if your kitchen faucet or bathroom tap falls in one of these categories you want to double check that it’s compatible with a water filter before you spend any money.
The vast majority of standard faucets should be fine and there is always the option to use an adapter. In fact, most sellers include a couple of adapters with their models.
Standard faucet mounted filter models are usually plastic. The problem here is that they tend to be not very durable. Hair line cracks may develop as time goes by which can lead to water spilling from the wrong places.
The only safe way to avoid this is by using a filter made from stainless steel. We’ve included a couple units from this category in our review section on top. Of course, stainless steel rather than plastic materials and components add to the price.
The standard flow rate for a faucet water filter is 0.5 gpm which is plenty of water even for family use. In situations of very high demand it makes sense to work with pitchers or carafes to have something to fall back on.
In case a water filter faucet applies more thorough filtration, flow rate might be reduced to around .3 gallons per minute. This feels much slower, and it is, but keep in mind that the water flow is reduced for a reason: The longer the contact time between water and filter media, the more contaminants will be removed. In other words, slow rate can be a good thing.
As mentioned above, any faucet filter is only compatible with a standard-sized faucet. But if you have one of these, installation is a piece of cake and barely takes 2 minutes. Add another 5 minutes for priming the filter media initially and you’re good to go.
Some manufacturers recommend using a few extra layers of Teflon tape to create a good seal, which isn’t overly complicated.
All in all, there isn’t much to say here. The only issue is when a filter-faucet connection is too loose and the unit doesn’t stay on. Unfortunately, there isn’t much you can do here. Just make sure that you don’t overtighten and threads do avoid damaging of the filter or your faucet.
If you look at the reviews above, you’ll find faucet filters with capacities ranging from as little as 100 gallons all the way up to 2,000 gallons. We get it, 2,000 gallons sounds a lot better than 100, but there are a few things you need to consider:
Some people pay more attention to this than others. Sure, a faucet mounted filter usually stays on for weeks or even months on end. So, if you care about style, make sure to not choose a product that’s ugly.
A tap filter doesn’t remove minerals from water to begin with. This is why, in this context, we see mineralization as a nice additional feature but not a must. We wouldn’t focus too much on it.
A money-back guarantee from the seller and 1 to 2 years manufacturer warranty is the optimum. They can save you from a lot of trouble and provide peace of mind.
More on Faucet Water Filters
Simply put, a faucet water filter is a water filter that’s installed or mounted to a kitchen faucet or any other compatible tap.
Most systems provide basic filtration meaning that they can make water ready for drinking if the feed water doesn’t contain too many stubborn contaminants in the first place.
Once installed, water flows from the faucet into the filter when you open the tap.
The filter contains a filter compartment with a filter cartridge inside. The water has to pass through the cartridge to leave the system hopefully all nice and clean.
In the filter cartridge is one or more types of filter media, for example granular activated carbon, KDF, or ion exchange resin. Depending on the filter media, different water contaminants can be targeted.
For the removal of sediments and other suspended solids, ceramic, polypropylene (PP), and filter pads are best suited. Carbon filter blocks are another option.
All 4 types work by size exclusion: If a certain particle is too large to pass through the filter’s pores, it will get rejected or trapped.
Activated carbon in granular or block form is also predestined for the removal of chlorine and other water disinfectants, their byproducts, and most chemicals. The primary removal mechanism is adsorption in which contaminants get trapped in the carbon’s surface pores. This explains why all activated carbon will deplete its contaminant removal capacities sooner or later (when all surface pores are filled).
Ion exchange filter media works much like the ion exchange resin in water softeners. Contaminants get removed or rendered harmless through ion exchange.
KDF stands for Kinetic Degradation Fluxion and is a blend of copper-zinc granules that reduce contaminants in water using redox (oxidation/reduction) reactions.
KDF filtration is suited for the reduction of heavy metals, chlorine, and hydrogen sulfide.
What are some of the benefits associated with faucet water filters?
Without a doubt, the number one benefit of using a water filter on a kitchen or bathroom faucet is that you get access to filtered water that’s healthier than plain tap water and sometimes even healthier than bottled water.
Consuming no or less chlorine, heavy metals, chemicals like VOCs, and other contaminants is a great reason to buy a product in our opinion.
Reduced chlorine taste and odor and overall contamination also makes drinking water much better tasting. And who would mind not having the feeling of drinking straight out of a swimming pool when trying to enjoy a cold glass of water in the summer?
Producing your own drinking water at home saves you from buying bottled water on a regular basis. This is not only cost-effective (we’ll get to that in a bit), it also lowers the amount of plastic waste you produce considerably. You see, you not only protect your own health, you also protect the environment.
Compared to other types of home water filters, faucet filtration systems are incredibly easy to install. Often, the whole process takes less than 2 minutes and the installation is non-permanent, meaning it can be easily removed at all times.
We’ve done the math and proved what everyone already knows: Purchasing a water filter to produce your own filtered drinking water is much more affordable than buying bottled water over and over and over again. Plus, it saves you from the heavy lifting part.
With faucet water filtration systems, you can switch from filtered to unfiltered water using the small lever at the bottom. This saves filter capacity by using regular tap water in situations like filling a watering can or a cleaning bucket.
A faucet water filter system is highly compact in order to not block access to the kitchen sink. Compactness also ensures portability and easily handling of a unit.
Let’s be honest for a second: Can you think of any way to get access to clean, safe, and delicious drinking water that’s more convenient than simply using a tap water filter?
Although simple and pretty much self-explanatory, we wanted to provide step-by-step instructions for faucet water filter installation as reference.
Remember: Only standard-type and standard-sized faucets are compatible.
With that in mind, here’s how the process goes:
First of all, you need to remove the aerator from the faucet you want to connect your filter system to.
The aerator unscrews clockwise. You also need to remove any rubber washers. If the aerator is stuck and you cannot remove it by hand, try using a towel to get a better grip.
Before continuing with step 2, clean off any rust or limescale buildup.
Whether or not you need to use an adapter depends on two factors:
To attach an adapter, twist it counterclockwise. Tightening by hand should be enough. But you need to make sure that it’s leveled. Also, forcing the fit or using tools like pliers may cause cross-threading or other damage.
Lastly, place the washer into the other end of the adapter.
Step 3 is attaching the filter system. Here, you need to twist the mounting collar onto the faucet. Again, ensure that it’s leveled and don’t over-tighten.
All set? Then you can add the filter cartridge into the intended filter compartment.
You can do so by first removing the filter cap. Then insert the cartridge into the filter cup making sure it faces in the right direction. Sometimes you need to push a little until it clicks (support bottom of filter with one hand).
Side note: You might need to start or reset the filter indicator manually.
The last step is all about priming the filter media. All you need to do is flush the filter with water for about 5 minutes. How? Turn on the faucet and set the lever into the filtered water position.
You might see tiny carbon fiber or other particles coming out of the filter. This is normal.
There are certain maintenance steps you need to follow if you want to ensure that your new faucet water filters keeps working as intended. These involve:
Changing the filter element on a faucet water filtration system is about as simple as connecting a unit.
We highly recommend all users to always change their filter cartridges according to schedule – regardless of the type of water filter they’re using and regardless of their water quality.
Otherwise, you might be relying on a filter element that has already exceeded its filtration capacity and cannot remove anymore contaminants and that’s a potential breeding ground for all kinds of microorganisms including bacteria, fungi, and algae.
Long story short: If a water filter is rated at let’s say 100 gallons, use it for 100 gallons of water but not longer.
You either need to track or estimate your gallon usage manually, or you can rely on the filter change indicator if you have one – these things also work on estimates, though.
Apart from that, there are a few signs that indicate that a filter replacement may be due. Those include:
If you recognize any of these signs you should immediately check and potentially replace any involved filter elements.
Changing the filter cartridge is also the best time to give the different filter components a quick swipe. You might even want to consider setting up a mild dishwashing solution, but rinse thoroughly afterwards!
Filter cleaning becomes particularly important with older filtration systems that have been in use for a couple of years. It’s the best measure to control the growth of harmful microorganisms.
I hope this list of the best faucet water filters on the market was helpful. Questions about choosing a faucet/tap filter? Ask away!
And keep in mind: We’ll add new faucet water filter reviews occasionally. So come back for more!