5 Best Countertop Water Filters

5 Best Countertop Water Filters

By Dan DeBaun

Introduction

If you are wanting to provide your family with great tasting drinking water of optimal quality, a countertop water filter offers a great alternative to costly bottled water. A good quality countertop water filtration system is able to remove a wide range of harmful contaminants such as lead, PFAS, pesticides and other toxins that can be detrimental to your heath, as well as common contaminants, such as chlorine, that give water a foul taste and/or odor. In this article we review five top countertop systems to help you choose the best countertop water filter for your needs.

Tips for Selecting the Best Countertop Water Filter

Things to consider before buying a countertop water filter

Before you start shopping for a countertop filter it is vitally important that you know exactly what contaminants are in your water so that you purchase a system that is capable of removing those pollutants. If you receive your water from a water utility, you can usually find this information in their annual water quality reports, which is available to all consumers. You can also find this information on the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) website. If you get your drinking water from a private well or you suspect your plumbing may be causing water quality issues, the best way of finding out what is in your water is to get a sample tested by an EPA-certified laboratory. For more info on where to find the water quality report for your city and how to interpret the results, click here.

Types of countertop water filters

There are several different types of countertop water filters available on the market. Popular options include manually-filled, gravity-fed water filter pitchers and filter dispensers consisting of an upper and lower chamber, and countertop systems that are connected to the sink faucet. Gravity fed countertop filter systems tend to filter water at a slower rate, but do a thorough job without needing electricity or plumbing. This makes them extremely versatile and portable, offering the perfect solution for home use as well as for supplying safe water during emergencies, or when living off-grid, camping or traveling to remote locations. Faucet mounted countertop filters tend to deliver water instantly rather than storing it in a chamber for later use.

What are the advantages/benefits of counter top water filters?

Top-end countertop water filters employ cutting-edge technology to remove microscopic contaminants from drinking water without having to install any plumbing underneath your sink. This makes them a cost-effective, yet efficient option for most home users who are looking for a simple solution to their water quality issues.

What are the disadvantages of countertop filtration systems

  • They take up space on the counter — While most countertop water filters have a relatively small footprint and don't take up much space considering the service they offer, they do still take up some real estate on your kitchen counter. The larger the system, generally speaking, the larger the footprint. If countertop space is an issue for you, you may want to consider a compact countertop filter with a smaller footprint that is still capable of removing a wide range of common drinking water contaminants efficiently.
  • Slow filtration rate — Most countertop water filters tend to filter water at a slower rate compared to systems where water is forced through the filter under pressure. Consequently, filtered water may not be provided instantly and therefore some planning may be required to ensure you always have a supply of clean water available.
  • Does not filter all the water entering the home — Countertop filters only provide clean water at a single point of use. Countertop filters that are connected to a faucet cannot be moved around the home, whereas gravity-fed chamber type units can be moved from room to room or even outside.
  • Not as efficient as other water filtration systems — Cheaper countertop water filters like Brita and Pur tend to be less efficient than reverse osmosis under-sink filtration systems. But you get what you pay for, and that been said, some top-end countertop water filters are extremely efficient at removing >99.99% of common drinking water contaminants.

How to choose a countertop water filter

  • Storage capacity, water output and filtering efficiency — An important factor is choosing a countertop system is determining how many people you need to provide clean water for. Larger families will require a larger system than a single person or couple could comfortably get by with.
  • Design type — As mentioned earlier, there are several different types of countertop water filtration systems on the market. Your choice will ultimately be narrowed down to the products that are available in the design type you prefer, as well as your budget (more on that below). If you are wanting an ultra-portable water filter, a gravity-fed system would be a better option than a countertop system that connects to a faucet, for example.
  • Affordability — Countertop filters come in a wide range of price brackets starting from relatively cheap pitcher water filters that can be picked up for around $30 to bigger, high quality filtration systems costing around $300 or more. No matter what your budget, you can find a good choice of options available within that price range. But when taking affordability into account, be sure to look at filter replacement intervals and costs. A cheap filter system may end up being far more costly to run in the long term compared to a more expensive system with lower maintenance (filter replacement) costs.
  • Durability — Are you wanting a cheap, lightweight filter or would you prefer to pay more for a durable filtration system that will continue to provide you and your family with clean water for years to come.
  • Warranty — Check what warranty, if any, the manufacturer offers in terms of manufacturing or workmanship defects. A manufacturer that believes in the quality of its product will typically offer some form of workmanship guarantee against defects. Cheaper products are usually cheaper for a reason, and manufacturers most likely will not replace defective units.

Is a countertop water filter the right choice for me?

If you are wanting all the water that enters your home filtered, a countertop water filtration system may not be the best solution for you. However, if you are wanting an affordable, top quality water filter that is simple to operate, and for the most part requires very little maintenance, a countertop water filter checks all the boxes. If you live off-grid or like to travel to far flung places, then a gravity fed filter dispenser type countertop system is definitely a good choice for you, as no matter where you are in the world, it could provide you and your family with safe drinking water without having to be plumbed in or connected to a power source.

Top 5 Countertop Water Filter Systems

Best gravity fed countertop water filter dispenser

The Big Berkey Gravity-Fed Water Filter is our top pick of the gravity fed chamber type filter dispenser countertop systems. The Big Berkey consists of an upper and lower chamber that comes fitted standard with a set of 2 Black Berkey purification elements that are capable of purifying up to 3.5 gallons of water per hour. The Black Berkey filters have been tested and certified by independent laboratories to remove a wide range of common drinking water contaminants, including bacterial and viral pathogens, disinfectant chemicals such as chlorine, lead and other heavy metals, pesticides, PFOA, pharmaceuticals, organic and inorganic compounds, VOCs, etc to standards that exceed EPA 7 ANSI/NSF 53 protocols. 

Pros

  • Additional Black Berkey filter cartridges can be added to the upper chamber to increase the rate of flow to 7 gallons per hour
  • Can also remove fluoride and arsenic by adding PF-2 fluoride/arsenic filter elements to the lower chamber.
  • Black Berkey elements have a long lifespan and a set of 2 filters will purify 6000 gallons of water before they will need to be replaced, making this countertop water filter a very economical option when factoring in maintenance costs.
  • The large storage capacity (2.1 gallons) of the filter dispenser unit make it suitable for an average family of up to 4 people. Berkey offers a full range of sizes to cater for smaller and larger families, and/or those with smaller/larger budgets.
  • Aesthetic polished stainless steel unit will look good on any kitchen counter.
  • As a gravity fed system that doesn't require power or plumbing, it is fully portable and can provide clean safe water in any situation no matter where you are in the world.
  • Comes with a 6 months manufacturers warranty against material and workmanship defects, and a 2-year pro-rata warranty on the Black Berkey filter cartridges.
  • The manufacturer also offers an extended lifetime warranty on the stainless chambers and hardware when the berkey water filter unit is purchased from a BigBerkeyWaterFilters.com.

Cons

  • Manually filled
  • Relatively slow rate of filtration with 2 Black Berkey filters installed - but this can be sped up by increasing the number of Black Berkey filter elements in the upper chamber to 4.

Best compact countertop water filter — Travel Berkey

The Travel Berkey is a smaller version of the Big Berkey (reviewed above) and comes with all the same benefits but with a smaller footprint.

Pros

  • Takes up minimal space on kitchen countertop
  • Being a compact, lightweight gravity fed system, it is fully portable and can easily fit in a suitcase or trunk when traveling away from home. Just set up on a countertop wherever you are for clean safe drinking water on tap.
  • 1.5 gallon holding chamber can store purified water for a family of three.
  • A set of 2 PF-2 filter elements can be inserted into the lower chamber to remove fluoride and arsenic if needed.
  • Long filter lifespan equates to low maintenance and lower long-term costs.
  • Comes with manufacturers warranty and extended lifetime warranty when purchased from an authorized dealer.

Cons

  • Manually filled
  • Takes about an hour to process 1 gallon (9.5 liters) of water with 2 Black Berkey filter elements installed.
  • Unlike the Big Berkey, additional filter elements cannot be added to the chamber to speed up the flow rate.

Best reverse osmosis countertop water filter

The APEC Water Systems RO-CTOP Portable Countertop Reverse Osmosis Water Filter System is an affordable, yet powerful reverse osmosis countertop system that can easily be connected to most standard faucets.

Pros

  • Installation-free, connects to faucet in a few minutes
  • Offers a degree of portability, just unscrew and connect to a faucet elsewhere
  • Fits most standard faucets
  • Top grade 4-Stage ultra-pure filtration system provides clean water that tastes better than bottled water
  • Flow switch to divert water away from RO filter when you just need water to wash dishes, etc.

Cons

  • No independent faucet
  • No storage tank to store water
  • Users report very slow rate of delivery (3 gallons per hour)
  • Large footprint takes up space on countertop
  • Strips beneficial minerals from the water
  • No warranty information available

Best maintenance-free countertop water filter

The Cleanwater4less Countertop Water Filtration System is one of the few maintenance-free countertop filters available, making it a potentially economical offering.

Pros

  • Easy installation, no plumbing required, attaches to faucet
  • No replacement filters required over its 7-year lifespan
  • Economical
  • Offers a degree of portability, just unscrew and connect to a faucet elsewhere
  • Fits most standard faucets
  • 5-stage granular activated carbon filter removes common drinking water contaminants such as chlorine, sediment, VOCs, and pollutants that give water a bad taste or odor
  • Flow valve to divert water away from filter when you just need water to wash dishes, etc.

Cons

  • No independent faucet
  • No storage tank to store water
  • No warranty other than a 30-day product returns guarantee
  • Some users report that the lifespan is much less than 7-years
  • Sealed housing, means the whole system must be thrown away should it stop working efficiently

Best countertop filter with removable pitcher

The Aquasana Clean Water Machine is a compact, yet powerful countertop unit that offers some handy features, including a removable pitcher.

Pros

  • Removable pitcher can be stored in the refrigerator
  • Claryum filtration technology removes harmful contaminants without stripping healthy minerals such as calcium, magnesium and potassium from water
  • BPA-free
  • No installation required, simply plug unit into an electrical socket
  • Choice of 2 colors (black or white)

Cons

  • Requires electricity to operate

Best of the Best

The above countertop water filters all have unique features which make them stand out from their competitors. However, the Big Berkey is our top pick and is in our opinion the best countertop water filter of them all. It has been independently certified to remove a wide range of harmful contaminants such as pathogenic microorganism, lead, pesticides, PFOA and other toxic chemicals and industrial pollutants. It does not require electricity to run, nor does it need to be connected to a faucet or be plumbed in. Consequently, it is fully portable and can be used in any room of the home, outdoors, or even taken on camping trips to ensure clean drinking water is available at all times. The Big Berkey is large enough to provide a source of safe drinking water for a family of four — larger families can upgrade to one of Berkey's larger offerings. It is an aesthetically pleasing design that will look good on any kitchen countertop without breaking the bank. Good looks combined with filtering efficiency, durability and low maintenance costs — all at an affordable price — makes the Big Berkey a great choice for the average family.

 

Dan DeBaun

Dan DeBaun

Dan DeBaun is the owner and operator of Big Berkey Water Filters. Prior to Berkey, Dan was an asset manager for a major telecommunications company. He graduated from Rutgers with an undergraduate degree in industrial engineering, followed by an MBA in finance from Rutgers as well. Dan enjoys biohacking, exercising, meditation, beach life, and spending time with family and friends.

~ The Owner of Big Berkey Water Filters

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