Written by: Alexandra Uta // Last Updated:
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The problem with water fluoridation is that, once added to our water supplies, there’s no way of controlling who ingests how much fluoride. This can be a serious problem especially for the majority of kids that already exceed the recommendation for daily fluoride intake by nutrition alone.
As a growing part of the population wants to opt out of water fluoridation, the demand for filter systems that can remove fluoride from water increases.
If you too are serious about going fluoride-free check our buying guide below. It features the best water filters to remove fluoride among other helpful stuff.
On This Page You Will…
Filters | Details | |
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![]() Best for Ease of Use: Clearly Filtered Pitcher | Get 15% Off! Use Code: |
Price: $ Type: Pitcher Fluoride Reduction: 99.5% NSF: 42, 53, 244, 401, P473 Read Review: Click Alexa’s Video Review: Click |
![]() Best for RO Water Purification Removing Fluoride: AquaTru | Get 15% Off! Use Code: |
Price: $$ Type: Reverse Osmosis System Fluoride Reduction: 93.5% NSF: 42, 53, 58, 401, P473 Read Review: Click Alexa’s Video Review: Click |
![]() Best for Under the Sink: Clearly Filtered 3-Stage | Get 15% Off! Use Code: |
Price: $$ Type: Under Sink Filtration System Fluoride Reduction: 90.7% NSF: 42, 53, 401 Read Review: Click Alexa’s Video Review: Click |
![]() Best for Whole House: Crystal Quest Fluoride Filter | Get 5% Off! Use Code: |
Price: $$$ Type: Whole House Filtration System Fluoride Reduction: 90-95% NSF: – Read Review: Click |
![]() Best for Showering: Propur ProMax |
Price: $ Type: Shower Fluoride Reduction: 48.2% NSF: 42, 53, P231, P473 Read Review: Click | |
![]() Best for On the Go: Clearly Filtered Filter Water Bottle | Get 15% Off! Use Code: |
Price: $ Type: Bottle Fluoride Reduction: 99.5% NSF: 42, 53, 401 Read Review: Click Alexa’s Video Review: Click |
![]() Best for Countertop/Gravity Filtration: Big Berkey |
Price: $$ Type: Gravity Filter (Countertop System) Fluoride Reduction: 97% NSF: 42, 53 Read Review: Click | |
![]() Best for Inline & Refrigerator Use: CF Universal | Get 15% Off! Use Code: |
Price: $ Type: Inline/Fridge Fluoride Reduction: 90.7% NSF: 42, 53, 401 Read Review: Click |
Review Order
In our opinion, by far the best fluoride water filter in the pitcher category in 2023 is the Clearly Filtered. It removes more water contaminants than any other water filter pitcher and is thus for people who have clean drinking water at the top of their priority list. Fluoride reduction: 99.5% – simply outstanding. 5 stars!
![]() Clearly Filtered Pitcher | |
Price: | $ |
Type: | Water Filter Pitcher |
F¯ Red.: | 99.5% |
NSF: | 42, 53, 244, 401, P473 |
Warranty: | Lifetime |
Our Rating
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Pros
Cons
Best for
The Clearly Filtered is best for people who want a fluoride water filter pitcher that’s easy to use, extremely effective, and affordable.
→ Full Clearly Filtered Review Here
A study conducted by the University of Nebraska in 2008 showed that even small point-of-use reverse osmosis systems are very well capable of removing fluoride from tap water – some systems are certified to take out more than 90%.
In our opinion, the number one reverse osmosis fluoride water filtration system in 2023 is the AquaTru. Certifications according to NSF standards 42, 53, 58, and 401, and NSF protocol P473 guarantee the removal of dozens of hazardous contaminants that you don’t want in your drinking water (fluoride reduction rate: 93.5%).
The highlight, however, is that the AquaTru countertop RO system doesn’t require a permanent installation. You just place it on your countertop, plug in the power cable, and you’re good to go – it’s super convenient and ideal for renters. The cherry on top is that maintenance couldn’t be easier and the system is affordable, as well. 4.5 stars!
![]() AquaTru Reverse Osmosis System | |
Price: | $$ |
Type: | RO System |
F¯ Red.: | 93.5% |
NSF: | 42, 53, 58, 401, P473 |
Warranty: | 1 Year |
Our Rating
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Pros
Cons
Best for
The AquaTru is best for people who want a reverse osmosis system for fluoride removal, one that is compact, installation-free, super effective, and fast.
→ Check Detailed AquaTru Water Filter Review Here
Our go-to under sink fluoride water filter in 2023 is the Clearly Filtered 3-Stage system. Apart from removing 90.7% sodium fluoride, it takes care of 230+ other water contaminants. And this is not just a claim. It has been tested by independent EPA-approved laboratories according to NSF standards.
Simply put, you won’t find an under sink water filtration system that outperforms the Clearly Filtered 3-Stage in terms of overall contaminant removal. 5 stars!
![]() Clearly Filtered 3-Stage Under-the-Sink System | |
Price: | $$ |
Type: | Under Sink Filter System |
F¯ Red.: | 90.7% |
NSF: | 42, 53, 401 |
Warranty: | Lifetime |
Our Rating
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Pros
Cons
Best for
The Clearly Filtered 3-Stage is best for people who want an under sink fluoride filter that’s compact, easy to install and use, and very effective.
→ Detailed Clearly Filtered 3-Stage System Review Here
For whole house applications, the best fluoride water filter in 2023 is the Crystal Quest. Fluoride reduction: 90-95% when used as intended. The high quality system comes in 2 different sizes. The smaller version is for homes with up to 3 bathrooms. The larger system is for 4+ bathrooms.
Both come with a programmable head valve which allows for automatic backwashing to increase the life of the fluoride filter media to as much as 1 million gallons! In other words, you don’t have to worry about replacing the media for several years. The long filter life is also what makes the Crystal Quest fluoride whole home water system a worthwhile investment. The initial price tag seems high but it’s all the more affordable in the long run, especially compared to cartridge-based systems. 4.5 stars.
![]() Crystal Quest Whole House Filtration System | |
Price: | $$$ |
Type: | Whole House Filtration System |
F¯ Red.: | 90-95% |
NSF: | – |
Warranty: | 1 Year |
Our Rating
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Gallery
Pros
Cons
Best for
The Crystal Quest is best for people who want a highly effective POE filter system for fluoride removal.
For smaller homes with 1 or 2 bathrooms, the Crystal Quest Big Blue system might provide a high-enough flow rate to meet your water demand even at times of peak consumption.
The max water flow rate is 4-6 gallons per minute. So you can’t really use more than 2, maybe 3 water outlets at the same time without experiencing a drop in water pressure or unfiltered water leaching through.
As for the filtration itself, the filtering media is identical to what the larger Crystal Quest water filtration system uses: Bone char + bacteriostatic copper-zinc additive. Fluoride reduction: 90-95%.
The Crystal Quest Big Blue is a lot more affordable upfront, but it’s more costly to maintain on a yearly basis. You’ll probably have to replace the filter cartridge at least once a year. As of 12th January, 2023, one cartridge costs $239.00 which is about twice as much as you’d have to spend for the other Crystal Quest system.
Is there even such a thing as a shower (head) water filter which removes fluoride? Unfortunately, there isn’t – at least not really. Yes, there are companies that list fluoride-reducing shower water filters, but they’re just not very effective. The best unit we could find is the ProPur ProMax. Reduction rate: Around 48.2%.
Well, better than nothing but we recommend installing a whole house fluoride water filter instead, if you have the budget. A point-of-entry system will treat all the water entering your home which, of course, also includes your shower water. Simply put, the filtration is much more thorough. For example, the Crystal Quest water filter reviewed above eliminates 90-95% fluoride.
In case you want to stick with the Propur ProMax, here’s our review:
![]() Propur ProMax Fluoride Shower Filter | |
Price: | $ |
Type: | Shower Filter |
F¯ Red.: | 48.2% |
NSF: | 42, 53, P231, P473 |
Warranty: | 1 Year |
Our Rating
|
Pros
Cons
Best for
The Propur ProMax is best for people looking for a fluoride shower filter that’s easy to install and maintain, long-lasting, and quite effective.
→ Full Propur ProMax Filter Review Here
In our opinion, the top fluoride filter bottle in 2023 is sold by Clearly Filtered. In fact, the company sells 3. There’s an insulated stainless steel filtered water bottle, a filter bottle made from Tritan plastic, and one made from glass.
Different materials yes, but all apply the same filter cartridge to remove more or less the same contaminants the Clearly Filtered pitcher removes (reviewed above). Thus, you can expect very thorough drinking water filtration – the most thorough in the realm of filter bottles as far as we know. Fluoride reduction rate: 99.5%. People couldn’t be happier about their purchase and would buy again. 5 stars!
![]() Clearly Filtered Insulated Stainless Steel Filter Bottle | |
Price: | $ |
Type of Filter: | Water Bottle |
F¯ Red.: | 99.5% |
NSF: | 42, 53, 401 |
Warranty: | Lifetime |
Our Rating
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Pros
Cons
Best for
The Clearly Filtered bottle is best for people who want a portable fluoride water filter for on the go.
→ Clearly Filtered Water Bottle Fully Reviewed
Berkey systems are popular gravity water filters, especially in the SHTF community. As portable countertop units, they’re easy to install, easy to use, low in maintenance, and very effective at removing a whole arsenal of contaminants to provide high-quality water. Long-term fluoride reduction: 97% when used with optional PF-2 fluoride water filters.
By the way, there’s no difference between the various Berkey models except for their size which determines filtration speed and water holding capacity. Other than that, they work with the same filter elements and thus achieve the same level of water purity. Our personal favorite is the Big Berkey system. It’s perfect for small families with up 4 people but is not too bulky for most kitchens and to be moved around. 4.5 stars!
![]() Big Berkey Countertop Water Filtration System | |
Price: | $$ |
Type: | Gravity-Fed Filter System |
F¯ Red.: | 97% |
NSF: | 42, 53 |
Warranty: | Lifetime |
Our Rating
|
Pros
Cons
Best for
The Big Berkey is best for people who want a gravity system capable of filtering fluoride that’s highly effective and ideal for regular use and prepping.
→ Full Review of Big Berkey Water Filter
In our opinion, the number one inline/fridge water filter that removes fluoride in 2023 is the Clearly Filtered Universal. It’s the only unit we could find that’s actually tested for fluoride. And it’s very effective, too, and works flawlessly. Average sodium fluoride reduction: 90.7%!
Prop tip: As an inline water filter, the Clearly Filtered Universal is compatible with all appliances including refrigerators. When you install it, you’ll no longer need to use the filter that comes with your fridge. Depending on your fridge model, you might be able to bypass it or take it out.
![]() Clearly Filtered Inline and Refrigerator Water Filter | |
Price: | $ |
Type of Water Filter: | Inline/Fridge |
F¯ Red.: | 90.7% |
NSF: | 42, 53, 401 |
Warranty: | Lifetime |
Our Rating
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Pros
Cons
Best for
The Clearly Filtered Universal is best for people who want a refrigerator water filter capable of filtering fluoride that’s universally-compatible, easy to hook up, and highly effective.
There’re different versions of the Megahome Water Distiller but they’re identical in the inside: All material the water touches is either 304 stainless steel or glass. This prevents harmful chemicals and other substances from recontaminating the pure water. Many people say it’s a great purchase, everything works exactly as advertised, and the drinking water tastes very pure. 5 stars!
Megahome Water Distiller | |
Price: | $ |
Type of Water Filter: | Water Distiller |
F¯ Red.: | Up to 99% |
NSF: | – |
Warranty: | 1 Year |
Our Rating
|
Pros
Cons
Best for
The Megahome is best for people who want a highly effective water distiller to eliminate fluoride.
As far as we know, faucet-mount filters won’t help you get fluoride out of your water.
Eliminating chlorine from water is way easier than getting rid of fluoride. The products listed on this page are all capable of removing the former.
By the way, you can find the best chlorine water filters here.
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Filter | Price | Type | Fluoride Removal | NSF/ANSI | Warranty | Additional Info |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Clearly Filtered Fluoride Water Filter Pitcher | $ | Pitcher | 99.5% | 42, 53, 244, 401, P473 | Life | Provides Exceptionally High Filtered Water Quality |
AquaTru | $$ | RO | 93.5% | 42, 53, 58, 401, P473 | 1 Year | 4 Filter Stages, Provides Exceptionally High Filtered Water Quality |
Clearly Filtered 3-Stage Filtration System | $$ | Under Sink Filter | 90.7% | 42, 53, 401 | Life | One of the Best Water Filtration Systems, Filters Water On-Demand, Not Ideal for Well Water Source, Filters Remove 230+ Contaminants like Harmful Chemicals |
Crystal Quest Whole House | $$$ | POE | 90-95% | – | 1 Year | Produces Clean Water for Drinking, 3-Stage Water Filtration |
Propur ProMax | $ | Shower Filter | 48.2% | 42, 53, P231, P473 | 1 Year | |
Clearly Filtered Filtering Water Bottle | $ | Filter Bottle | 99.5% | 42, 53, 401 | Lifetime | Filter Removes 220+ Contaminants, Produces Clean Water for Drinking |
Big Berkey Gravity Filter | $$ | Gravity Filter | 97% | 42, 53 | Lifetime | Gravity-Fed, Long-Lasting Filters, Also for Well Water Source |
Inline/Refrigerator Water Filter | $ | Inline/Fridge | 90.7% | 42, 53, 401 | Life | Filter Removes Fluoride and Other Contaminants, Single-Stage Water Filtration |
Megahome Countertop Fluoride Water Distiller | $ | Water Distiller | Up to 99% | – | 1 Year | For Pure Water, 1 Gallon Distilled Water in 5½ Hours |
The following are things worth considering before you go out and buy a fluoride water filter. These are also the very same criteria we focused on when picking our top products for this guide.
Reverse osmosis systems can be tested and certified according to NSF Standard 58 for fluoride reduction. NSF International is a not-for-profit organization which develops industry standards. So when comparing different RO systems make sure to check their performance data sheets.
You might also find reduction rates for non-RO water filters which is great. Just know that any performed testing cannot be standardized because there currently doesn’t exist a standard.
5 methods of water purification have proven to be effective at fluoride removal: Reverse osmosis, ion exchange, distillation, and treatment with activated alumina or bone char media.
So, removing fluoride from the water we use isn’t as much about the type of filter, for example under sink vs. countertop, than it is about the specific purification process applied.
Still, there’re certain filter types that appear to be more popular and effective than others when it comes to fluoride filtration. They are:
We don’t know of any faucet water filtration system that removes fluoride sufficiently.
The same goes for shower filters. The most promising model is the Propur ProMax which hardly removes half of the fluoride in your water as testing has shown.
You should know your water source and the contaminants it contains. Remember: Fluoride is only one part of the equation. What if you’re also dealing with poisonous lead or carcinogenic PFOA?
Bottom line: Check your free water quality report or have your water thoroughly tested so that you can choose your ideal filtration system accordingly. Simple test kits are widely available, however, in our opinion it’s always best to go with a professional lab. These guys can test one or more direct samples of your water for hundreds of different chemicals, organics, heavy metals, etc.
Bottle, gravity, countertop, and pitcher filters as well as water distillers are installation-free which saves you quite some time and possibly money.
Under sink and whole house water filters do require proper installation. If you’re not a DIY type of guy you should calculate with a few hundred extra dollars for the install.
A filtration system’s initial price tag is one thing. To this you have to add recurring expenses for filter replacements.
Thus, you want to double-check how long a filter element lasts and how much a new one costs. This saves you from unpleasant surprises down the road.
More on Fluoride Filters
Fluoride or rather a fluoridated compound is deliberately added to municipal water supplies in the United States in order to reduce tooth decay – think cavity prevention. And there’s nothing wrong with that per se. After all, tap water fluoridation can reduce cavities in children.
However, efficacy in adults is less clear. This is probably why most European countries, which have experienced substantial declines in tooth decay themselves, find no benefit to water fluoridation compared with topical use in toothpaste.
This is backed by recent studies suggesting that tap water fluoridation in industrialized nations may be unnecessary due to the widely adopted use of topical fluorides.
The problem with water fluoridation is that, once added to a water supply, there’s no way of controlling who ingests how much fluoride – not a good starting point when you consider that the majority of children already exceed the daily recommended fluoride intake by nutrition alone.
What’s more, drinking water is not the only fluoride source. Fluoridated toothpaste, salt and milk, cookware, medications, and processed food also add to our daily intake. An oversupply can lead to serious health problems.
By the way, only half of the fluoride your body absorbs is stored. The rest is flushed out via urine.
99% of the fluoride stored in our body ends up in our teeth and bones. This is why high fluoride consumption over a whole lifetime can lead to joint stiffness and joint paint (skeletal fluorosis) as well as dental fluorosis.
The remaining 1% ends up in soft tissue such us our brain and pineal gland. Calcification of the pineal gland as a consequence of long-term fluoride oversupply can result in sleep disorders, fatigue, and depressions. (Source)
Fluoride interferes with the functioning of the thyroid gland. It decreases the concentration of T3 and T4 thyroid hormones while increasing TSH levels. Thus, one possible result of prolonged exposure to fluoride is hypothyroidism where the entire function of the thyroid gland is suppressed.
Fluoride intoxication usually only occurs under sustained consumption of large amounts of soluble fluoride salts. Historically, most cases have followed accidental ingestion of sodium fluoride based pesticides. Today, most cases of fluoride toxicity are due to the ingestion of dental fluoride products.
The lethal dose for adults is estimated at 32 to 64 mg elemental fluoride per kilogram body weight.
What can you do to reduce your overall fluoride exposure?
The level of fluoride dissolved in tap water as currently recommended by the American Dental Association for optimal dental health is 0.7 ppm. The ADA further says that, even at higher concentrations, the effectively measured fluoride amount in a US water supply doesn’t exceed 1 ppm. In comparison, non-fluoridated water usually contains less than 0.3 ppm, although concentrations in groundwater can be higher.
Taking this into consideration, it’s seems fair to ask if any water filtration system is actually capable of removing or reducing such a small amount of fluoride, or if the salt simply slips through the grid of even the most rigorous filtration processes to later end up in our water glasses anyway.
To answer the question, the Water Quality Association lists four treatment methods as suited for the removal of fluoride from tap water:
Although not on the list, bone char is another water filter media with high fluoride adsorptive capacities. Produced by charring mainly cattle and pig bones, the porous, granular material consists of tricalcium phosphate, calcium carbonate, and carbon. Tricalcium phosphate is what removes the fluoride.
Fluoride water filters use reverse osmosis, strong base anion exchange, activated alumina adsorption, or distillation for effective fluoride removal.
The filter can be in the form of a reverse osmosis system, a water filter pitcher, a whole house water filter, an under sink or countertop filtration system, a water filter bottle, a shower filter, an inline water filter, or a water distiller.
The most important advantage of using a fluoride filter is that your drinking water will be much healthier – and taste much better.
RO filter systems apply a multi-stage filtration process to remove more than 90% fluoride from drinking water. They key filter element is the semipermeable reverse osmosis membrane at the heart of each system. It does the bulk of the contaminant removal.
A water filter pitcher is ideal for drinking water filtration. Sophisticated models use a combination of different filter media to remove many different contaminants including fluoride.
Whole house fluoride water filters are rare. That’s because effective fluoride filtration at scale is extremely difficult. The Crystal Quest which is our favorite system uses a large mineral tank filled with bone char to achieve 90-95% reduction.
Just like reverse osmosis systems, regular under sink water filters use multiple filter stages to reduce fluoride in your drinking water.
Believe it or not, we found one water filter bottle based on Affinity filtration technology that removes 99.0-99.9% fluoride. The water gets filtered as you suck it through the straw.
Gravity and countertop water filters are the pendant to under sink fluoride filter systems. They use one or more stages of filtration in order to provide healthy and clean drinking water.
We are still waiting for shower water filters that remove fluoride effectively. So far only the Propur ProMax looks relatively promising, achieving around 50 percent reduction.
Regular refrigerator water filters don’t remove fluoride. However, there is one inline water filter that does. It uses a single filter cartridge based on ion exchange.
As mentioned earlier, water distillation provides a very effective way of removing fluoride from the water we use. Basically, they heat the water in a boiling chamber until everything has evaporated. All contaminants are left being.
A fluoride filter will help you get access to fluoride-free drinking water.
A filtration system will not only filter fluoride, it’s probably also effective against many other types of water impurities. As a result, your water will likely be a lot healthier.
Filtered water also tastes much better.
Unless you are thinking about getting a whole house filtration system, fluoride filter costs are manageable.
Most fluoride filters are easy to install, use, and service.
Most water filters are not NSF tested or certified for fluoride removal. That’s why it’s so important to check for specific fluoride reduction rates.
Questions? Ask away!
And come back to this page from time to time as we’re going to continue our hunt for the best fluoride water filter.