Where to Buy a Whole House Water Filter? All Options at a Glance!
Written by: Tommy Stricklin // Last Updated: Jun 13, 2023
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This post was created in collaboration with SpringWell Water. We thank the author Tommy Stricklin who is Springwell’s chief water specialist for the time and effort he put into this. Over to Tommy!
Whole house water filters are a saving grace for many households – especially in communities with frequent water quality issues. These unique devices work by filtering all the water entering your home to ensure you have clean, healthy, filtered water flowing through every faucet, showerhead, and water-using appliance. But as whole house water filters get dramatically more popular in the U.S., the number of choices for where you can buy one has exploded. And if you’re like most people, you probably have no idea where to start, let alone choose between the multitude of options available.
Luckily, we’ve tracked down the different places you can shop for a whole house water filter if you’re in the market to pick one up. We’ll also discuss the pros and cons of each option, so you can decide which one will likely provide the best customer service and bang for your buck. And because we want to ensure you’re consuming the freshest, most high-quality H2O available, we’ll reveal the #1 whole house water filter on the market. Let’s go!
Contents
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Key Takeaways
There are 4 places to buy a whole house water filter:
- Online marketplace – If you don’t have a specific whole house water filter in mind, large platforms like Amazon offer a wide selection of products at competitive prices. Plus, you can study customer ratings for evaluation.
- Brand/manufacturer online store – Ideal if you have decided on a product already and want the best price and customer service.
- Local water expert – They will offer expert opinions on your ideal product based on the local water conditions.
- Hardware store – Great if you don’t want to wait for delivery.
Where to Buy a Whole House Water Filter
Your goal when buying a whole house water filter is to find a model that meets your needs and fits within your budget. When purchasing a new or second-hand whole house filter, you can shop from online retail stores, various manufacturers, big box stores, or local water treatment experts. But make sure to create a checklist of the features you would like the system to have and the tasks you expect it to execute. A list will help you look only at models that meet your needs and keep you within your budget.
Here are a few sources to explore when buying a whole house water filter:
1. Buying Online from a Reputable Retail Store or Marketplace
Online retail stores or marketplaces are an excellent place to start looking if you don’t have a specific manufacturer or model in mind yet. Reputable online retail marketplaces like Amazon offer models from different brands, usually at competitive prices, and support retailers of all sizes. Online marketplaces typically sell whole house filters from some of the most trusted brands in water filtration, such as Springwell, Culligan, and Aquasana.
In most cases, these online retailers offer advanced search tools on their websites to make it easier to find whole house filters by brand, price range, or specifications. If you want to see all the whole house filters available with a particular set of features and technologies, a search filter is one of the most beneficial online tools to use.
Fast, reliable (and sometimes free) shipping, discounted prices, easy payment options, special bundle offers, and customer ratings also make buying from a retailer or marketplace an excellent choice for obtaining a whole house water filtration system. While ratings and reviews aren’t always the most trustworthy, reading them is a simple and effective way to get a better idea of the product you’re buying. You can also compare ratings between your top whole house filter picks or compare them side by side before making a purchasing decision. Besides, it’s pretty common to find sales on whole house water filters that could cost more when buying directly from an individual retailer or manufacturer.
Furthermore, whole house filters sold by some retailers or marketplaces like Amazon and eBay typically have a limited warranty specified by the marketplace. Usually, you can return or exchange a whole house filter within 30 days. However, you may have to pay a restocking fee.
Pros
- Wide selection of whole house water filters from many different brands
- Competitive prices
- Buyer protection (most common with reputable marketplaces like Amazon and eBay)
- Good search function
- Independent customer product reviews
- Fast, reliable, and sometimes free, shipping
- Excellent customer service, notably from reputable brands
- Reasonable return policy (sometimes up to 90 days), depending on the retailer or marketplace
Cons
- Possibly fake, unreliable customer reviews
- Lots of counterfeit, low-quality products
- It can be challenging to claim warranties and guarantees
- Seller support is often lackluster
- You may not receive the exact product you ordered, possibly fake ones
- You may be charged a restocking fee upon return
- Minimal warranty
2. Buying Online Directly from a Brand/Manufacturer
Gone are the days when brands and manufacturers had to rely solely on retailers and wholesalers to move their products to the consumer. Thanks to the internet, consumers (like yourself) can now shop directly from their favorite brands and manufacturers. And there are several incredible benefits to doing so.
First off, the manufacturer is the expert. They are the ones who go through every stage of the design and production process, and thus, they know all the fine details and features of a particular filter system. As such, they’re able to provide specialized advice for any customer who wants to make a purchase. Furthermore, manufacturer-direct buying lets you cut out the middleman (the retailer or wholesaler). Usually, the “middle person” buys the product at a relatively low price from the manufacturer and adds their margin when reselling it. However, you can avoid the extra costs by purchasing directly from the manufacturer.
Purchasing a whole house water filter directly from a brand or manufacturer is also an excellent way to avoid the possible confusion of sifting through listings on Amazon or other online marketplace or online retail vendors. Not only that, buying factory-direct is one of the safer and more reliable ways to go, provided you’ve done the research and know exactly what you’re looking for.
Buying directly from the manufacturer also lets you customize the whole house system instead of purchasing a standardized model from a retail store or marketplace. Want a whole house system with a UV water purifier to destroy bacteria? Perhaps you want to add a water softener to help reduce hardness stains and clogging in your household? If you want to tweak different features to get your ideal setup, consider shopping from brands like Springwell. Springwell usually provides customers with many customizable options, like adding a sediment filter, a water softener, a UV water purifier, or all three. They also offer whole house systems designed specifically for city water or well water.
Another significant benefit of direct buying is reduced prices, given the absence of additional costs typically affixed to retail products for transport, warehouse handling, packaging, and retail display and marketing. Direct vendors also reduce costs by employing fewer staff members than retail outlets, as a huge staff is not needed to arrange merchandise or maintain retail space. On top of that, most manufacturers provide excellent warranties and money-back returns on their products. Some also include free shipping and flexible financing options for those who would love to enjoy the many benefits of a whole house system but can’t cover the total upfront cost.
Pros
- A broader selection of (exclusive) brand products
- Factory-direct prices (lowest possible)
- Special offers on products
- Better quality products than what’s offered in large marketplaces
- Improved transport and quality management
- More customization options
- Excellent expert customer support and purchase assistance; more accurate and helpful information/advice
- Financing options
- Extended warranty and satisfaction guarantee
- Compatible accessories/add-ons
- Easy to make warranty claims; direct line of communication
Cons
- Possibly fake customer reviews/feedback
- A limited selection of products
3. Buying Offline from a Local Hardware/Big Box Store
Local hardware and big box retail stores, like Lowes and Home Depot, are excellent places to shop for whole house water filters. Big box stores usually occupy an enormous amount of physical space and offer various products to their customers. And because they focus on large sales volumes, the profit margin for each product can be lowered, which results in very competitively priced goods.
Designed to be a one-stop shop for customers, big box stores can also offer great convenience and value. They also provide their most attractive discounts on big-ticket products, like whole house filters, undercutting specialty stores, and smaller retailers on price. So yes, you can often save a reasonable amount of money on products and other major purchases if you show at a big box retailer. But do keep in mind that these stores tend to attract large crowds at peak times, which can mean long checkout lines and mobbed parking lots.
Also, the customer interaction at big box stores can be different from your typical local shop or retailer. Some big box stores don’t emphasize customer service, as the few employees on the floor are kept busy stocking shelves. Plus, they may not be equipped to provide accurate and well-informed responses to any questions you have about whole house water filters.
Some shoppers prefer the expert assistance that specialty stores can offer. But if you know what you want to buy and do not need a lot of help from customer service, a big box store is probably the place for you to shop.
Pros
- Competitive prices
- You can get the complete package (filter plus installation and servicing)
Cons
- Possibly low-quality products
- No expert customer support
- May not have all the newest models in stock
- Possibly limited warranty and money-back guarantee
Further Reading:
4. Buying Offline from a Local Water Treatment Expert
Water treatment experts sometimes use their knowledge and expertise to gather a limited selection of top-notch water filter systems or develop their own to sell to potential customers. Usually, these (groups of) individuals possess expert knowledge about the regional water conditions, contamination issues, etc. As such, they can quickly evaluate your water filtration needs and provide you with valuable information and advice where necessary. Additionally, it’s often easy to get in touch with them for support.
Besides, many local water treatment experts offer the whole package. That means when you shop from them, you may get the filter, plus installation and servicing; no need to hire a professional to setup the system or do it yourself. However, a few possible downsides to shopping from a local water treatment expert are that they’re often expensive, they usually offer a limited selection, and their warranty and return policy may not be the best.
Pros
- Expert knowledge
- Usually knows about the regional water condition
- Simple to get in touch for support
- You can get the complete package (filter, plus installation and servicing)
Cons
- Often the most expensive
- Limited selection
Key Considerations When Shopping for a Whole House Water Filter
So, you’re ready to purchase a whole house water filter. You’ve read all the reviews, created a reasonable budget, found your perfect system (or something close), and informed your friends and family. Now, before you reach for your pocket book, you need to know several key things when shopping for your ideal system, as these factors can make or break your buying experience.
1. Return Policy/Money-Back Guarantee
When shopping for a whole house water filter, it’s crucial to watch out for the seller’s return policy. It helps if you’re allowed to take it home and test it out for a bit to see how it performs. If it doesn’t live up to your expectations, you should be able to return it for a full refund or replace it with a new one in a reasonable amount of time with little to no expense on your part.
2. Customer Service
Do you have any questions or concerns about a specific whole house filter you’re interested in? Perhaps you want to know the difference between two or more different models before making your purchase. The seller you choose to buy from should offer quality customer support options, with helpful support reps to handle your inquiry. If there’s no one available to address even your simplest question or concern effectively, you’ll likely end up stuck with an urgent system problem at home if you still decide to shop from that seller.
3. User Experience
When it comes to fast-growing technologies like whole house water filtration, online sellers must offer an easy way for customers to quickly sort through the noise and find the system that’s right for them. That means equipping their websites with search tools that allow customers to sort by different metrics, such as price, brand, review rating, etc. Some online retailers even let you go as far as to sort by filter life, the number of stages, contaminants filtered, filtration method, and others. This advanced search filter is a must-have feature in the whole house water filter buying process for the more knowledgeable and savvy customer.
4. Shipping Options
When it comes to shipping, ask whether it’s through UPS, USPS, FedEx, DHL, or otherwise. Amazon is a standout in this category as some whole house filters can be found on their Prime service and will arrive from their fleet vans in as quickly as two hours or less. Some sellers won’t offer alternate shipping methods if one provider does not deliver to your specific area, so keep that in mind as you explore the different sellers.
5. Shipping Insurance
Water filters can be fragile and expensive, so you want to ensure all the stores you consider offer some level of insurance you can purchase during checkout. The last thing you want to open your package to is a damaged unit with no option for recourse.
6. Price
In recent years, companies like Amazon have started to narrow the gap between sellers who can offer absolute bottom dollar prices for whole house water filters and other pieces of technology. While it’s always ideal to find the best deals, make sure to watch for tradeoffs, like limited or no warranty, “used” or “refurbished” condition instead of new, no money-back guarantee, etc.
Check Out SpringWell!
BOS has rated the Springwell CF1 their #1 whole house filter among all the systems they’ve reviewed, which we feel really honored by.
What makes the system stand out from a manufacturer’s perspective? Its impeccable design and filtering capacity are a cut above the rest. It also produces some of the safest and highest-quality water possible, especially for homes on city water.
The CF1 uses a combination of first-grade filter materials and technologies to target and eliminate up to 99.6% of harmful contaminants in water. Once you start using the Springwell system, you’ll realize the difference in your water quality almost immediately or over time.
- Your drinking water will taste and smell better;
- Your baths and showers will be much healthier;
- Your hair and skin will feel softer and cleaner;
- Your plumbing and appliances will last longer, and
- The value of your home will likely increase.
Get 5% Off! Use Code: BOS5OFF
Of course, there are many other benefits that you’ll discover once you get your hands on this powerful whole house system – not to mention the CF4 and CF+ variants for larger dwellings. Springwell also offers other American-made water filtration systems at competitive prices. Plus, we back up all our unique and innovative units with an industry-leading six months money-back satisfaction guarantee and a lifetime warranty on all parts. We also offer free shipping, factory-direct savings up to 50%, and affordable financing options.
If you have any questions or want to learn more about Springwell and our unique whole house water filtration systems, check out our website at www.springwellwater.com or talk to one of our super-friendly and expert customer service reps at 800-589-5592.
Where to Buy a Whole House Water Filter: Our Verdict
Now that you know where to buy a whole house water filter, it’s time to reach for your pocket book and make it happen. Just keep the pros and cons of each shopping option in mind to ensure you get the best deal and customer service possible.
In our opinion, buying factory-direct from companies like Springwell delivers many valuable benefits, some of which improve the quality of the product you purchase and find the one that meets your specific needs. Many people choose to purchase their whole house systems using this option to cut costs or because they can’t find desirable products elsewhere. Although retailers may provide convenient service and support, they rarely match the prices, customer service, user experience, and quality products of factory-direct stores.
If you have any questions about where to buy a whole house water filter please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below!
About the Author Tommy Stricklin
Information provided on BOS is for educational purposes only. The products and services we review may not be right for your individual circumstances.
We adhere to strict editorial guidelines. Rest assured, the opinions expressed have not been provided, reviewed, or otherwise endorsed by our partners – they are unbiased, independent, and the author’s alone. Our licensed experts fact-check all content for accuracy. It is accurate as of the date posted and to the best of our knowledge.