Do you have a sensitive nose? Does it pick up even the slightest scent of chlorine or metal? One could say it’s a gift. Others would say it’s a curse. Why? Because as you probably already know, you can always smell when your tap water is contaminated. Well, guess what? The best solution for you is a good whole house water filter.
If you’ve been watching the news lately or even following social media trends, you’ve probably heard about the poor quality of water. It’s full of contaminants and pollutant that would give a health-conscious person a mini-heart attack. That’s why whole house water filters are becoming so popular. They can effectively get rid of these contaminants, giving you the water purity you need and deserve.
Who needs a Whole House Water Filter?
Practically anyone can benefit from a good whole house water filter. That being said, there are some people who can benefit more than others. It really comes down to your water supply and what it contains.
⦁ People with contaminated water supplies: Although it might not be visible to the naked eye, there are all kinds of unwanted substances in our water supplies. These contaminants include:
⦁ Microbial pathogens: Some water supplies contain harmful, disease-causing microorganisms like viruses, bacteria, and parasites.
⦁ Organics: There are several types of organic substances in our water. One common example is trihalomethanes, which are byproducts that are formed from the combination of chlorine with organic matter.
⦁ Inorganics: This includes toxic elements like arsenic, barium, chromium, lead, and mercury.
⦁ Scales: These are caused by calcium and magnesium buildups.
⦁ Radioactive elements: These can result from the decay of uranium in soils and rocks.
⦁ If your water supply is cloudy, chlorinated, or tastes or smells weird
All of these are indicators that you need a whole house water filter.
Best Selling Whole House Water Filters
How to Choose the Best Whole House Water Filter – Things to Consider
Choosing the right whole house water filter isn’t easy. There are so many models to choose from, you might feel a bit overwhelmed. Don’t be. All you have to do is go through a few key factors when choosing your filter. Here’s what you should consider before buying your whole house water filter:
1. Type of Filter
First and foremost, you have to consider the type of filter you want to buy. There are several kinds to choose from but it ultimately comes down to what you want to remove from your water supply. Different contaminants require different types of filters.
A great idea would be to talk to a professional and find out just what kind of contaminants are in your water. For example, if your main water line is provided by a municipal service, you might need to filter some contaminants like chlorine, minerals, sediments, and chemicals.
On the other hand, if your house’s water supply comes from a private well, you might have to deal with other contaminants like hard minerals, iron, and sediment. Keep in mind that the number of contaminants can be just as important as the type. They can range from mild all the way to toxic.
2. Flow rate of your appliances
Flow rate basically measures the amount of water that can flow through your house appliances such as dishwashers, hot water heaters, toilet, and shower. It’s measured in gallons/minute. When picking out your whole house water filter, it’s important to consider the specifications of your house appliances and water dispensers.
For example, most showers have an average flow rate of 2.5-5 gallons per minute (gpm). Dishwashers and toilets are somewhere around 5gpm and 3gpm, respectively.
You have to make sure that the water filter you choose can accommodate these flow rates. If it provides a flow rate that is lower than what your appliances demand, you might end up with interrupted water flow and low water pressure. This is even more likely to happen at times of peak use.
Always think about the number of people in your household, the number of appliances, and the flow rate requirements of each. A professional can help you calculate the right flow rate you need before choosing your filter.
3. Filter Size
Generally speaking, the bigger the filter, the better. Why? Because a larger filter provides you with a larger water supply and a longer service interval.
Besides the general size of the filter, you also need to check the filter’s port size. It affects the gallons per minute and the water pressure flowing into your house supply.
4. The Lifespan of Your Whole House Water Filter
This one’s pretty obvious. You want something that’ll last, right? You don’t want to keep replacing your filter every couple of months. Well, you should know that the lifespan of your filter depends on the quality and quantity of sediment in your water. That being said, you should still look for a whole house water filter with a decent lifespan.
5. NSF-Certification
One could argue that this is the most important factor to consider. Regardless of what type of filter you choose, how big it is, and how long it lasts before replacement, always favor models that are NSF-certified.
This ensures that your filter has been tested and approved by the authorities. Look for a seal that indicates whether or not the filter is NSF-certified.
Our Selection Criteria for the Best Whole House Water Filter
Efficiency, performance, flow rate, and NSF-certification. Those are what you have to keep in mind when choosing a whole house water filter. And those are the exact criteria we look for. Taking these factors into consideration, here are the top 5 whole house water filters on the market:
Top 5 Whole House Water Filter Reviews
1. AQUASANA EQ-1000 – The Best Overall
Features
Whether you’re looking for a filter to get rid of all that extra chlorine or a filter that kills microorganisms, this filter’s your best choice.
First of all, it can process an incredible amount of water: 1 million gallons. Let’s say you’ve got 3 members in your household. That’ll give you an average use of maybe 100 gallons per day. That means this filter will last for at least 9 years!
One thing that might make you uncertain about this filter is that it’s not NSF-certified. So what is it doing on this list? Well, here’s the secret: this model has the exact same components and media as the Aquasana EQ600, which is NSF/ANSI certified.
It can remove more than 96.9% of chlorine in water! Most users instantly notice the difference in water taste and odor.
The main filter contains copper-zinc, minerals, and activated carbon. Collectively, they help eliminate chlorine, water-soluble heavy metals, pesticides, herbicides, bacteria, and algae.
One of the great things about this filter is that it comes with a salt-free softener or descaler. It helps reduce the buildup of scales and corrosion in your pipelines.
Another handy tool that comes with this filter is the UV light purifier. Sure, municipal water is subjected to all kinds of chemicals and filters to get rid of large particles and sediments, but it takes a UV light purifier to eliminate the extra-resistant microorganisms.
It can take care of about 99% of viruses and bacteria, including the infamous E.Coli.
Pros
⦁ Effective in removing chlorine, chemicals
⦁ Kills microorganisms
⦁ Minimizes scale build up
⦁ Long filter life (10 years)
⦁ Cost-effective in long-term
⦁ Comes with a UV light purifier and a salt-free softener
⦁ Powerful
⦁ Kills 99% of bacteria and viruses
Cons
⦁ Not certified to remove heavy metals
⦁ Costs more upfront
⦁ You might need a plumber’s help to install it
⦁ Hasn’t been NSF-certified yet
Our Verdict
If you’re looking for a top-notch filter that can take care of pathogens and chlorine in water, you won’t find a better choice than this one. Not mention its impressive lifespan which goes all the way up to a decade!
2. HOME MASTER HMF3SDGFEC – The Best Filter for Well Water
Features
Well water is kind of different. It doesn’t have that much chlorine. Instead, it’s full of iron, somewhere around 0.5-10 milligrams per liter. That means you need a filter that specializes in iron removal. If so, the Home Master is your best choice.
But here’s a question for you: is iron that harmful to your health? Not really. The problem with iron, however, is that it attracts certain iron-loving bacteria. These are the real danger. Not to mention that iron makes water taste and smell metallic and unpleasant.
The Home Master consists of 4 filtration layers that can eliminate sediments as small as 1 micron. If you’re having trouble picturing how small that is, you should know that a hair is somewhere around 75 microns!
Pros
⦁ Filters sediments as small as 1 micron in size
⦁ Gets rid of iron
⦁ Filters chemicals and improves taste and odor
⦁ Maintains pressure (15 gal/min)
⦁ Long filter life (1 year)
⦁ NSF listed manufacturer
⦁ Contains granular activated coconut shell carbon (GAC)
⦁ Can treat up to a total of 95,000 gallons of water
Cons
⦁ Doesn’t come with a UV light purifier
⦁ Tricky installation (no extra tools provided)
Our Verdict
If you’re looking for a good whole house filter that’ll clean up and purify well water, this is the perfect filter for you.
3. HOME MASTER HMF2SMGCC – The Best Filter for Removing Chlorine/Chloramines in Tap Water
Features
Nose can’t handle the smell of chlorine and chloramines? Taste buds complain with every sip? Then you definitely need the Home Master HMF2SMGCC.
Unlike the previous model by Home Master, which specifically removes iron, this model is specially designed to get rid of chlorine and chloramines. It’s made up of 2 filtration cartridges: a multi-gradient depth sediment filter and a KDF85 granular activated catalytic carbon.
The first can help remove particles as small as 1 micron in size. The second has the ability to remove about 99% of water-soluble lead, mercury, nickel, chromium, and other dissolved metals.
Pros
⦁ Affordable
⦁ NSF certified components
⦁ Easy to install
⦁ Treats chlorine, chloramines, and other contaminants
⦁ Stable flow
⦁ Long filter life (1 year)
⦁ 10 gallons of clean water per minute
⦁ Average of 95,000 gallons per lifetime
⦁ Removes small particles (1 micron in size)
Cons
⦁ Can be an expensive choice if your water has only chlorine and not chloramines.
Our Verdict
This model by Home Master is a great choice if you want to get rid of that annoying chlorine and chloramines odor. It’ll give you the water purity you want and need.
4. 3M AQUA-PURE AP904 – The Easy-to-Install Filter
Features
This filter is strong, durable, and extremely simple. However, don’t confuse simplicity with poor quality. This whole house water filter is at the top of its game. It can remove dirt, dust, and sediments as low as 5 microns in size. It also has a carbon filter for removing chlorine.
The great thing about its simplicity is that it doesn’t take a genius or a plumber to install. Anyone can do it. Replacing the filter is also super easy. It only takes 2 minutes and you don’t need any tools.
The company also offers a comprehensive instruction video if you feel like looking at it before installing the filter.
Pros
⦁ Effective in reducing chlorine & sediments
⦁ Improves water taste and smell
⦁ Affordable
⦁ Easy installation and replacement (doesn’t require tools)
⦁ High flow rate: 20 gallons (75.7 liters) per minute
⦁ Can process up to 100,000 gallons of water
⦁ Video tutorial is available
Cons
⦁ If the water has a large number of sediments, you’ll need to add pre-filters
Our Verdict
If you want a filter that is super easy to install and even easier to replace, this is your best bet.
5. DUPONT WFHD1300B – The Most Budget-Friendly
Features
This whole house water filter is last, but definitely not least. The Dupont is small, lightweight, and highly efficient. It’s also NSF-certified. You’d expect something with these qualities to be expensive, right? Well, guess what? The Dupont is extremely budget-friendly.
The Dupont is perfect for those dealing with municipal water. All it takes is one 10-micron carbon-wrapped filter and a single cartridge to get clean, pure water.
The main problem with this filter is its lifespan. If you decide to use it without pre or post-filters, it should last around 2-3 months, assuming you’re a family of 3. That’s because the one-pack can process about 15,000 gallons of water.
If your household contains only 1 or 2 people, then this filter can last for an even longer period than that. You might need to replace it only twice a year.
Pros
⦁ Simple and very easy to install
⦁ Great, affordable price
⦁ NSF/ANSI 42-certified
⦁ Compatible with other filters
⦁ 3-year warranty
⦁ Amazing price
Cons
⦁ This filter has a short lifespan (2-4 month only)
Our Verdict
If your budget’s a bit tight, but you still want a decent, reliable filter, the Dupont is your best choice.
The Best Overall among the 5 Best Whole House Water Filters
The best whole house water filter would have to be the AQUASANA EQ-1000. Its sophisticated filtration systems and its incredible lifespan make it the premium choice on this list.
Best Whole House Water Filters – Frequently Asked Questions
My tap water looks milky or cloudy, why is that happening?
This isn’t a very common problem but it can still happen when you first install a new cartridge. Don’t worry, that cloudy appearance is harmless. It’s just compressed air. Still, you’d rather get rid of it, right? All you have to do is flush the cartridge for 3-4 minutes. Sometimes you might need to flush it for a longer period of time if your water pressure is low.
Do I need a water softener?
This depends on how much calcium and magnesium are in your water. These are the main causes of scaling and require a softener or descaler. Calcium and magnesium levels can be easily determined with a number of tests.
When should I change the cartridge?
Most whole house water filters have an indicator that lets you know when it’s time to change the cartridge. That being said, there are still a few things you should take note of like reductions in flow rate and changes in the taste of water.
When flow rate becomes slower, it’s most likely due to an excess of sediment deposit. That’s when it’s time to change the sediment filter. When the taste of water becomes strange, this might mean the carbon filter has lost its efficiency and needs a replacement.
Final Verdict
Water is arguably the most important thing in our lives. We need it to clean, shower, drink, and even cook. To that end, purity is absolutely vital. A good whole house water filter can keep your water clean and safe.
Just make sure you pick a good filter. This guide should definitely help you pick the right one that suits your needs. And remember, water is life and clean water means health.