What Is the Best Under-Sink Water Filter?
For drinking water that’s clean and tastes better than bottled water, an under-sink water filter should be at the top of your shopping list. Compared to other filters (like countertop and pitcher filters), they remove more contaminants from your water supply. Though under-sink filters require a few extra steps to set up, they'll result in free-flowing water that’s safe and delicious to drink.
In addition to conducting our own research, we spoke to Zachary Rice, president of water filter company Multipure, and Mark Gillece, founder and general manager at Mark Allen PHC, for additional expert insight on what you need to look for when choosing an under-sink water filter for your home.
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It’s NSF-certified and can remove 78 contaminants from your drinking water.
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Installation requires you to drill a hole in your sink or counter.
This model from Aquasana features a three-stage filtration system, which includes a pre-sediment filter that rids your water of sediment, silt, and rust, and two carbon filters that reduce pesticides and chemicals (commonly found in well water) and asbestos, chlorine, and mercury. Specifically, it removes 97% of chlorine and chloramine; 99% of microplastics, cysts, lead, and volatile organic chemicals (VOCs); and 95% of mercury, while selectively retaining beneficial minerals your body needs, including calcium and magnesium.
Depending on how much water you drink, the filter should last about six months or 800 gallons—whichever comes first. On top of that, the zero-waste filter system ensures that you get to keep all the water coming through the reverse osmosis design.
When it comes to installation, you don’t have to disconnect water lines or hoses. However, you will need to drill a half-inch-diameter hole in your sink or countertop to accommodate the tubing and the metal faucet, which is included with the filter.
Filter Type: Carbon | Filter Capacity: 800 gallons | Certifications: NSF/ANSI 42, 53, 401 + P473 certified
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It has a 16,000-gallon water capacity.
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You can only connect it to cold water lines.
The Waterdrop WD-15UA wowed us with its long two-year lifespan and 16,000-gallon water capacity. Its advanced filter membrane prevents particles larger than 0.5 micrometers from going through to your water. As an NSF/ANSI 42-certified water filter, the Waterdrop meets the highest water filtration standards and ensures that contaminants like sediment, heavy metals, and chlorine will not show up in your drinking water while effectively retaining healthy minerals that your body needs.
The product itself also comes with double rubber baskets (most filters only have one) to ensure a tightly sealed water valve and prevent leaking. In addition to connecting it to your regular kitchen faucet, you can also hook it up to your fridge to make filtered ice cubes, or to your bathroom sink. Its compact size makes it a good choice for RV use, as well.
Although this particular model produces 16,000 gallons of filtered water, Waterdrop also carries an 8,000-gallon and 24,000-gallon capacity in the same line (WD-10UA and WD-17UA, respectively). We really like that the filter refill is less than half the price of the filter itself, so it isn’t expensive to replace. It’s worth noting, though, that you can only connect this water filter to cold water lines.
Filter Type: Carbon | Filter Capacity: 16,000 gallons | Certifications: NSF/ANSI 42
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