It’s always good to be sure about your tap water, and the best under sink water filter can make sure your tap water is always good. Here’s how to find the best. Nowadays, it’s simply a sensible idea to install the best under sink water filter you can buy to make sure you have clean tap water. While government and local water officials can give you all the assurances they can about the quality of the tap water, the fact of the matter is that you can’t always be sure. Accidents happen. So you may as well as think of under sink water filters as insurance.
Besides, these water filters are very affordable and they can make your tap water taste a lot better. While your initial investment can total several hundred dollars, you’ll save money in the long run compared to buying commercial water daily. The financial cost of getting sick due to bad water can be even more expensive. So it makes a lot of sense to get an under sink water filter. But which one should you get? To make it easier for you, here’s a list of good yet affordable under sink water filters you can choose from.
Top Under Sink Water Filter Reviews 2020
Home Master TMAFC-ERP Artesian Full Contact Undersink Reverse Osmosis System with Permeate Pump (Editor’s Choice)
Buying this package gives you a water purification unit that’s already fully assembled and which includes the RO (reverse osmosis) membrane and filters. You also get a storage tank, a ⅜-inch feed-water adapter with shutoff valve, a chrome RO faucet, a drains saddle, and the instructions.
This uses an extremely effective filtration system that’s better than many other systems. This is especially true with how it deals with chloramine. In addition, it has a “remineralization” system that adds tiny amounts of calcium and magnesium to the water to make the water cleaner and tastier.
Features:
- It uses catalytic carbon to remove stubborn chloramine and adds minerals for cleaner better-tasting water
- The modular filter design enables quick and efficient annual filter changes, reduces the buildup of microorganisms and biofilm, and can help to reduce leaks.
- Filter changes are now only needed once a year or every 2,000 gallons of water. Changing the filter is also very easy as you don’t even need wrenches.
- It uses a non-electric permeate pump that increases water production by 50% and reduces water waste by 80%.
- This gives very safe water that’s actually enjoyable to drink, and that’s not very common at all. So you get mineral water on tap, and the design eliminates various problems such as storage tank degradation that you may find in other water filter systems.
- It also offers a lot of conveniences, such as an easy install, very infrequent filter changes, and easy filter changes when it’s time. Its quality is easy enough to appreciate as it’s built in the US, and it comes with a 5-year warranty.
- You do have to pay for quality, as this is among the most expensive water filter systems on this list. You may also notice a bit of noise when it’s making water at first, but you’ll get used to it.
iSpring RCC7AK 6-Stage Superb Taste High Capacity Under Sink Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water Filter System with Alkaline Remineralization (Best Budget Pick)
If the Home Master TMAFC-ERP is a bit too rich for your taste, you can save more than a hundred bucks by opting for this model instead. It complies with various safety standards to ensure that it filters out up to 99.9% of all the harmful contaminants in your water. Most reverse osmosis systems use 5 stages to produce water that’s somewhat acidic. But here you get a 6th stage that restores the healthy minerals to get balanced alkalinity and get water that tastes better.
Your purchase gets you the machine head for all the 6 stages, pre-filter housings, a complete filter pack including the alkaline pH filter, a 3.2-gallon pressurized tank that can hold 2.5 gallons, a lead-free brushed nickel faucet, 4-color tubings, spare fittings, O-rings, the feed water adapter, a drain saddle, and a water detector.
Features:
- For the 1st stage, the housing is transparent so you can see for yourself how it’s removing the contaminants. The transparent housing also lets you know when it’s time to change the filter.
- It uses the GAC filter to trap the larger contaminants, and then the CTP carbon block filter tales care of the smaller contaminants.
- The system is designed for easier DIY installation to reduce the chances of leaks. There’s also live phone support if you need more help.
- It’s clear that this uses premium quality components you can rely on, and this can last for many years. Installation is also rather easy, especially with clear instructions, helpful online videos, and live phone support. There’s even no need for threading pipes as you only need to push the tubing into the connectors.
- While the installation is rather easy, it still will take some time. It’s very common to need a couple of hours until everything’s done, so if you lack the patience you may want to get a handyman to do the work instead.
- It’s very affordable, but to get the price down it uses plastic connectors. So you better be careful about the installation.
APEC Top Tier Alkaline Mineral pH+ 75 GPD 6-Stage Ultra Safe Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water Filter System (ESSENCE ROES-PH75)
This is actually quite affordable as well, yet it offers a very effective water filter system. It provides a 99% contaminant removal rate, and it also uses a mineral cartridge to add calcite to raise the pH. It’s completely US-made and you get free lifetime technical support.
Features:
- This employs 6 stages of filtration and adds a stage for remineralization.
- It uses food-grade calcium for pH enhancement.
- The purchase includes a dead-free designer faucet, FDA-certified food-grade tubing, and leak-free quick-connect fittings that don’t require water leak detectors.
- This is a very effective system that you can get for a very affordable price. The installation shouldn’t be all that difficult, as you can just follow the demonstration videos online.
- You need to register for the warranty, and it’s only for 2 years. It also expels 3 gallons of water for every gallon of clean water it produces.
Home Master TMHP HydroPerfection Undersink Reverse Osmosis Water Filter System
As this is another Home Master water filter system, you better get your budget ready. In fact, it’s the most expensive system on our list. Still, you can’t say you’re not getting your money’s worth. The HydroPerfection model is perhaps one of the most effective water filters around because it spares no technology to get you the clean water you want. It even uses UV technology to fight microorganisms and viruses without having to use dangerous chemicals.
Features:
- It has advanced filtration technology that includes remineralization and UV.
- The filter design makes for a much more effective filter that only requires annual filter changes.
- Changing the filters doesn’t need wrenches.
- The larger fittings result in twice the usual water flow rate.
- The permeate pump increases water production by 50% and reduces water waste by 80%.
- There’s no doubt that this is a very advanced system, yet you don’t need a plumber to install it. You can do it yourself, or a regular handyman can do the job. It is extremely efficient, and you get water that’s both tasty and safe. It can even work with well water.
- Of course, such an advanced system will come with a hefty price tag. You have to pay for quality.
CuZn UC-200 Under Counter Water Filter – 50K Ultra High Capacity
This is also made in the US, and it’s remarkably affordable. It’s also designed to work well for 5 years (that’s the warranty period) or 50,000 gallons. To lower the price, the filtration stage uses just 3 stages.
Features:
- This connects directly to the cold water line, but you’ll need an adjustable wrench.
- The installation needs only 5 minutes and there’s virtually no maintenance needed.
- This uses a bacteriostatic filtration system instead of carbon-only filters. This particular system is not susceptible to mold or bacteria growth.
- It’s affordable and extremely easy to install, which makes this your no-fuss option. The tech support is also first rate, and you’ll get a free install kit if you have non-standard plumbing.
- It’s not quite as advanced as the other systems. It doesn’t really help with TDS (total dissolved solids) and it doesn’t work with private well water.
How to Install an Undersink Filter
One of the main features of a good under sink water filter is that it’s easy to install. While particular models will have their own installation requirements, the basic steps are all the same.
- Start by gathering the tools and materials you’ll need. You need the under-sink water filter kit, along with some Teflon tape. You should also have a screwdriver, a basin wrench, and adjustable wrenches.
- Now turn off the cold water at the shutoff water valve under the sink.
- Disconnect the water line from the shutoff valve. This means you need to loosen the nut with the basin wrench and remove the tubing from the valve fitting.
- Place the water filter unit on the cabinet wall near the cold water line. Mark the location through the holes in the mounting bracket. Drive screws through the marks about halfway through. Just make sure there’s enough clearance space under the filter to let you remove the canister and change the cartridges more easily.
- Now it’s time to make the plumbing connections. If your kit has plastic tubing, think about replacing them with flexible stainless steel supply flex lines. You will have to thread the brass fittings into each side of the filter cap, with some Teflon tape for a more reliable seal. Use the adjustable wrench to tighten the fittings, though take care not to over-tighten. Thread one flex line onto the “in” fitting and another onto the one marked “out”.
- Once assembled, hang the filter unit on the wall then tighten the mounting screws to secure the unit. Connect the flex line from the “in” fitting to the shutoff valve.
- Connect the flex line from the “out” fitting to the threaded faucet stem. Make sure the plumbing connections are all snug, and then gradually turn the water supply back on.
Why You Should Install an Under Sink Water Filter
There are plenty of good reasons why you’d want to put in an under sink water filter in your home. The most important reason is that this filters out dangerous compounds from your tap water. These can include sediment, chlorine, heavy metals, fluoride, arsenic, nitrates, nitrites, limescale, bacteria, and other microorganisms.
In addition, these water filters tend to have activated carbon that can remove unpleasant smells and tastes from the water. This makes the water more enjoyable to drink. In fact, the water becomes better when it comes to cooking, washing, and cleaning.
Clean water doesn’t have to be expensive at all. Buying commercial water is much more expensive in the long run, and they’re certainly not cost-efficient if you’re going to use the water for washing and cleaning. Even the best under sink water filter won’t cost as much as commercial water in the long run.
It’s true that you’ll need to replace the filter cartridges every now and then, but it’s not annoyingly frequent. You only have to do this every few thousand gallons of water or so. Replacing the filters is actually easy, and you can say the same thing about installing the under sink water filters.
Putting the water filter under the sink also offers certain benefits. You don’t need it to look good, because it’s under the sink and basically it’s out of sight. You also save up space from your kitchen countertops and sinks.
Conclusion
Our list offers a wide range of prices so that even if you have a modest budget you can still enjoy safe tap water for drinking. With the more advanced systems, you get clean and tasty water with easy installation. They may cost a bit more, but they beat having to buy commercial water every day!
