Reviewed: Propur Water Filters – Are They Worth the Money?
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Founded in 2011, PropurUSA is a small company based in Michigan. The business started offering just gravity water filter systems, but soon included other filter types in its product range.
Today, Propur sells whole house, countertop, under sink and shower filters, and many more.
Why choose Propur for your home water filtration needs and not any of the other companies or brands out there?
Thoroughly tested – Most importantly, Propur water filter systems have been tested according to NSF standards. In fact, there is a whole arsenal of lab reports to be found on propurusa.com. We have reviewed them all and can say with confidence that this is not only some of the most thorough testing we have ever seen, the achieved contaminant reduction rates are also outstanding. The only drawback is that except for NSF Standard 42, no certifications have been awarded so far.
Warranty – All products are backed by limited warranties of varying lengths, from 90 days to lifetime.
DIY ready – Setting up the 4 Propur systems listed above is a matter of minutes and can be done by the average Joe – no need to call a plumbing professional and spend any money.
Easy to maintain – Apart from occasional cleaning and filter replacements here and there, Propur systems don’t require maintenance.
We will be covering all other product-specific benefits in each individual review.
Just about any water source (tap, lake, stream, river, pond, rain)
Single person to large families
Making water ready for drinking
In a Nutshell:
Let’s start our Propur water filter reviews with the easy-to-use gravity systems that provide drinking water of exceptional purity. Thereby, it doesn’t matter whether you draw water from a well, a nearby lake or use plain tap water, says Propur.
There are 5 different sizes for you to choose from (small to large):
Scout – ideal for one person on the go
Traveler – can hold about 3 times the amount of water that goes into the Scout
Nomad – combines good portability with higher flow rates
Big (most popular) – perfect size for a whole family and not too bulky for most kitchens
King – for very high water consumption (can be expanded to 4 filters)
While the Propur Scout cannot store more than 55 ounces, the Propur King can hold almost 4 gallons. Also, the larger the system, the more filter elements it can host for higher filtration speed.
Bigger systems also apply larger filter cartridges which also increases the amount of water that can be processed in a given period of time (.18 gallons per hour for the smallest cartridge versus .9 gallons for the largest).
That being said, the underlying filtration technology remains the same: All gravity systems work with ProOne® G2.0 ceramic filter elements.
By the way, ProOne G2.0 filters not only come in different sizes (5”, 7” and 9”), there is also a regular and a SLIMLINE version for each size. They can be used interchangeably and will remove the same contaminants. However, the SLIMLINE line was specifically designed for emergency cases. The regular version is better suited for daily use due to the longer lifespan.
Why the different sizes? Because larger cartridges last longer thanks to their larger surface area.
What are the contaminants that will be eliminated? There are way too many to list them all on this page, but the most important ones include VOCs (>95.0%), TTHMs (99.0% on average), aluminum (98.0%), arsenic(III) and arsenic(V) (99.7%), lead (99.9+%), sodium fluoride (97.5%), pesticides, semivolatile contaminants (97.0+%), chlorine and chloramines (99.9+%), nitrites & nitrates, herbicides, pharmaceuticals and PFOA & PFOS (99.9+%).
In addition, some bacteria, cryptosporidium, giardia and various parasites are removed to 99.999+% as well as Poliovirus 1 and the Rotavirus (tested only for the first 50 gallons of use).
All in all, testing requirements for NSF standards 42, 53 and P231 were met. Testing according to NSF Standard 401 for emerging contaminants has shown a reduction of BPA (99.9+%), estrone (86.5%) and linuron (99.9+%) among a couple of others.
Seems pretty solid…
No, seriously, the testing results are some of the best we have ever seen – and certainly for gravity-fed filtration systems. Enough said.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Work with just about any water source (tap, lake, stream, river, pond, rain)
5 different sizes to choose from
Very, very thorough filtration for clean water without the need for add-on filters
Ceramic is silver-infused to prevent bacterial growth
Magnesium + potassium are retained adding to the daily nutritional intake
Good filtration capacities
Optional upgrades
Tested against NSF Standard 42, 53, 401 & Protocol P231
Easy to set up
Portable
Low in maintenance
Quick and easy filter replacements
304 stainless steel containers (polished or brushed finish) + spigot for longevity
Steel components backed by limited lifetime warranty (except for Propur Scout)
Cons
Filtration is slow
Some customers reported unpleasant or funny water taste
Rust spots may develop on containers or lid
A handful of users struggled with a leaking spigot
Need to lift the upper container to check water level in the bottom storage tank
Received no actual certifications except for NSF Standard 42
Just about any water source (tap, lake, stream, river, pond, rain)
1-2 people
Making water ready for drinking
In a Nutshell:
Just like Propur gravity systems, Propur’s fruit infused water filter pitcher uses a ProOne ceramic filter element, too. But this time it’s the ProOne M G2.0 – the only real difference being that the element is smaller to fit inside the pitcher.
The pitcher can store roughly 0.9 gallons (3.5 liters), 0.4 gallons (1.55 liters) of that being reserved for the filtered water. In other words, it does not get too heavy to lift and pour, while providing enough water for a small family.
Again, Propur says that almost any water source is fine, including tap, lake, stream, river, pond and rain water.
FYI: Most other filter pitchers are only recommended for tap water.
What’s more, the pitcher is simple to set up, fits most standard refrigerators and is warranted for 90 days (limited).
How good is the filtration? Really good, or really thorough we should say, as there are some speed problems (learn more in the Cons section ). For specific contaminant reduction rates check the review above. All in all, some of the best test results we have ever seen!
Pros & Cons
Pros
Work with just about any water source (tap, lake, stream, river, pond, rain)
Very, very thorough filtration for clean water without the need for add-on filters
Ceramic is silver-infused to prevent bacterial growth
Ideal to infuse your water with fruits or vegetables
Magnesium + potassium are retained adding to the daily nutritional intake
Filtration capacity higher than with most competitor filters
Tested against NSF Standard 42, 53, 401 & Protocol P231
Pitcher is BPA + PVC-free
Fits most standard refrigerators
Quick & easy to set up
Low in maintenance
Quick and easy filter replacements
Warranty covered for 90 days
Cons
Very slow filtration
Difficult to pour water without unfiltered water leaking
Some customers reported an unpleasant aftertaste in the filtered water
The Propur ProMax is NSF tested to filter dozens upon dozens of contaminants – VOCs, aluminum, arsenic, chromium, lead, sodium fluoride, pesticides, chloramines and free chlorine among them – that might be lurking in your shower water to protect your skin and hair from potential harm. Chances are that the filtered water will also smell much better than what you’re normally used to for a more refreshing shower experience.
Having checked the actual lab report, we saw some of the most thorough testing ever performed on a shower filter. Not all results indicate perfect contaminant reduction rates (far from it), but at least you can easily tell if the ProMax is the right shower filter for your water. Above that, the filtration is much better compared to many other models on the market.
Rated at 2 gallons per minute, the unit provides good water flow and even better pressure.
And as with most shower units, installation shouldn’t take more than a couple of minutes. Maintenance is equally simple.
Did we mention that you can choose between 4 different finishes? White, chrome, antique bronze, and brushed nickel. They all come with a massaging head (5 spray settings) and, in addition to that, the chrome version is also available with a handheld wand.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Protects your skin and hair from harmful impurities
Solid filtration for a shower filter
Tested against NSF Standard 42 and 53 to reduce 200+ contaminants
Comes in 4 different finishes to match your bathroom decor
Massaging head with 5 spray settings adds to the comfort
4. Propur PMC-3000 Countertop Water Filtration System
Best For:
Chlorinated water
Standard kitchen faucets
Water for drinking and cooking
In a Nutshell:
Last but not least, the Propur PMC-3000 countertop system. This is another Propur filter that removes more than 200 different contaminants to not only improve water aesthetics, but also to make your water safe and ready for drinking.
(NSF Standard 42 and Standard 53 testing requirements were met.)
The unit fits most standard faucets and installs within minutes – no tools required. An optional adapter for other faucet types is provided by the company.
On top of that, a diverter valve allows you to easily switch between filtered and unfiltered water which will increase filter lifespan.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Great customer feedback
Makes water safe and ready for drinking
Tested against NSF Standard 42 + 53
Diverter valve allows switching between filtered and unfiltered water for an increased filter lifespan
BPA & BPS-free plastic
Installs within minutes without the need for tools (optional adapter available)
If you have any questions about Propur systems please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below!
And remember to revisit this page from time to time, as we are going to add new Propur water filter reviews occasionally.
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.
Leave a Comment:
Hem says
last year
What are the minerals retained if one uses the propur king ??
Hey Susan,
I’d say one of the main differences is that the gravity models also take care of some microorganisms. Still, both provide high-quality filtration and have been tested quite thoroughly.
