If you’ve got sub-par water, under-sink filtration systems are the best option to clean it up. While whole-house systems can only remove sediment and basic contaminants, the best under-sink water filters can remove absolutely everything from your water. They don’t get in your way like faucet-mounted systems, and they’re much less likely to leak.
In this guide, we’ll introduce you to the best under-sink water filters on the market. We’ve rounded up all our favorite systems below, and provided helpful insights to make it easier for you to choose your ideal setup.
Read on to see which filtration system is the best choice for you!
Best Under-Sink Water Filter Reviews
1. Filtrete Advanced Under-Sink Quick-Change Water Filtration System
This Filtrete system is our recommendation to buyers on a budget. It’s a simple, straightforward, and effective under-sink solution for water filtration. We think it’s by far the best option for $50 or less.
Pros:
It does all the basics. The Advanced filter option (which we’re recommending) removes microbial cysts, chlorine taste and odor, plus all that sediment content that mucks up your water supply.
The filters last a long time, even if they aren’t quite as mighty as advertised. You can easily get several months out of one. Plus, there’s only one to replace each time. More expensive systems like those featured below have several which all need to be replaced regularly.
They’re also NSF-certified, which isn’t true of many options at this price. That means they’ll actually do what they say. You’d think you’d be able to expect that, but most systems for under $50 have negligible credentials as far as actually cleaning water
The components are very well-made for the price. You won’t have to worry about leaks with this set. We’re also pleased to report that it’s super easy to install.
It’s very affordable. So are the replacement cartridges!
It’s designed to work with your existing faucet, and it’ll work for as much water as you need it to.
It’s compact enough to be used in a bathroom as well as in the kitchen. That could be a good choice for folks who often end up grabbing a glass of water from the bathroom sink in the night, since bathroom piping is rarely as well-maintained as the kitchen supply. If you drink from that tap, you should filter it just as well as you do the kitchen outlet.
Cons:
This is a very basic filtration setup. It doesn’t do anything fancy, and there are many more thorough options. We suggest it for buyers on a budget who just want to clean up their city water without spending a fortune. If you have serious water quality concerns or are simply looking to do the best possible job, choose a multi-stage system like the ones featured below.
In particular, this one doesn’t do anything about lead. If you’re concerned about lead in your water, it’s a good idea to see whether your home water lines need to be replaced. See our buying guide for more suggestions. However, if you want your under-sink filtration system to deal with any lead content, you can also choose a multi-stage system like the models below.
Or, choose the “Maximum” version of the Filtrete (available through the same listing). That one does a pretty thorough job, removing 99.3% of lead content. It isn’t quite as good as a multi-stage model, but for the price it’s hard to beat.
The filters don’t last nearly as long as claimed. You should probably replace them at least twice per 6-month interval. Having said that, you’ll still end up with lower costs than you would with a multi-stage system such as the models below. The Filtrete is priced on par with others of its type, too.
2. Brondell H2O+ Coral UC300 Three-Stage Under-Counter Water Filtration System With LED Faucet
This Brondell system is our recommendation to most buyers. It’s thorough, comes with stellar certifications, and includes its own faucet. That’s not an annoyance, either, like some other included faucet components. The Brondell fixture is extremely well-made, plus it includes an indicator light which lets you know when it’s time to change your filters.
Short of getting an expensive, inefficient RO setup, we think this is the best thing you can do for your water. Plus, unlike RO, you can use the Brondell system for all your tap water–not just for drinking.
Pros:
It’s much more thorough than the Filtrete. The Brondell has a 3-stage system which removes a whole lot more than the Filtrete’s single one. It’s up to the WQA Gold Seal standards, removing lead, chloramine, cysts, mercury, MTBE, turbidity, chlorine, asbestos and even VOCs.
That covers the vast majority of contaminants, including harmful chemicals as well as heavy metals and sediments.
Despite the fact that it’s a multi-stage system, it takes up very little space under your sink. You can easily fit it along one side, leaving you plenty of room for a trash can, cleaning supplies, or whatever else you use that space for.
It’s not terribly pricey for a multi-stage system with WQA certification. It’s still much less expensive than an RO model like the iSpring below.
The filters are designed to last for an entire year. Unless you have absolutely filthy water, they will! They’re rated for 600 gallons.
We love the included faucet. Unlike practically anything else for the price, it’s all metal. You can install it separately, if you just want to use this for drinking water, or replace your current kitchen faucet. Or, if you love your current faucet and don’t have space for an extra one, no worries! It’s easy to connect this setup to your current fixture.
What’s also superb about the faucet is the fact that it comes with an integrated LED indicator light. This turns red when it’s time to replace the filters. Unlike competing models, it’s not simply run on a timer. It actually measures flow rate, so you know exactly when the gallon threshold has been reached
Everything’s very easy to install, with twist-connect components. Filters are also super easy to replace–you just twist the cartridges into place.
Cons:
This one can be fairly expensive, at $150+. That’s great value for what it includes, but just be aware that it’s not as budget-friendly as a system like the Filtrete.
The 3-stage Brondell system does an excellent job on the vast majority of contaminants. However, it’s not the absolute last word in filtration. If you want to remove absolutely everything, including fluoride, pharmaceuticals, and other tenacious contaminants, consider a reverse osmosis system like the one we’ve recommended below. For the vast majority of buyers, the Brondell is plenty.
3. ISpring RCC7AK 6-Stage Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water Filter System
This iSpring system is the ultimate in under-sink water filtration. We suggest it to buyers who want the absolute best results, no matter the cost. It’s quite expensive, and you’ll have to pay quite a lot for replacement filters, but we think it’s the best under-sink water filter on the market these days. Just be sure you understand what you’re getting into!
Pros:
It’s the most thorough under-sink option we recommend. This one has 6 different stages, removing everything from sediment to viruses. It’s the best you can get for home water filtration.
We also like that the iSpring addresses a concern we’ve had with many other RO setups. Since reverse osmosis removes absolutely everything from your water, you end up missing out on minerals that are typically included. This one’s final stage actually remineralizes your drinking water, so you don’t have to worry about that. The results are balanced, whereas typical 5-stage models produce acidic water that’s not so great for you (or great-tasting).
The first stage, which takes care of sediment and bears the brunt of the filtration effort, features transparent housing. That’s super helpful, since you can judge visually when the filter needs to be replaced. 6 months is the recommended interval, but if you have particularly bad water you may need to change filters more regularly. This is a great way to be sure you’re doing the right thing.
It’s efficient, for an RO system. It wastes just 2 gallons per gallon cleaned. That probably seems like a lot, but it’s considerably better than other options for around the same price.
As with the Brondell, the iSpring’s filters all last for 6 months.
Considering how much it does, the price tag isn’t absurd.
It’s actually WQA-certified. You’d think that’d be a given on a premium RO system, but we’ve actually found that shockingly few of these setups make the grade. When you’re spending this much money, you ought to be able to have a guarantee your system will work. That’s a big reason we recommend the iSpring over the competition.
It includes an all-metal faucet that’s both well-made and good-looking.
We always like having peace of mind when we make a big investment, and that’s just what you get with the iSpring. It’s covered by a 1-year satisfaction guarantee, plus a 3-year warranty and lifetime technical support.
Cons:
It’s very expensive. Sadly, that’s true of any decent RO setup.
RO is slow. It takes a while for water to be filtered, which is why this one includes a holding tank. This isn’t something that’s practical to use for doing dishes or other general kitchen tasks. It’s meant just for drinking water and for when you need water to cook with.
This one, like the rest of the models we recommend, doesn’t remove any organisms. If you’re on well water you may want to invest in one of the iSpring models that includes a UV treatment phase. If you’re on municipal water, don’t worry about this! The chlorine in the water coming into your home will knock out any harmful bacteria. Once you’ve used RO to remove that chlorine, you’re good as gold!
Conclusion
Which of these water filters should you install under your sink?
If you’re looking for basic filtration on a budget, the Filtrete is the obvious choice. It’s one of the only setups under $50 that actually does the job well and covers all the basics.
The Brondell is the best choice for most buyers. It’s a good balance of comprehensiveness and value. This is as much as most folks need, while being affordable enough for just about everybody.
If you’re looking for the absolute best results and understand the limitations of reverse osmosis, choose the iSpring. It’s expensive and less convenient than our other recommendations, but it does a superb job removing absolutely everything (while still producing a balanced drinking water).
Buying Guide
Here are a few things to consider as you’re comparing your options:
Budget
Before you start deciding on any specific models, be sure to think about your budget. How much can you afford to spend on your new system? Remember that water filtration involves ongoing costs, too. Check the prices of replacement filters, and see how often you’ll need to purchase them. That’ll help you get a sense of how expensive your system will be to operate, as well as the up-front costs.
Filtration Features
There are a whole range of different water filtration systems you can install under your sink. Some simply remove sediment and basic contaminants, while others provide clinical-grade drinking water with absolutely all contaminants removed. Make sure you know what you want/need from your new setup. If you’re simply trying to make city water more appetizing, you don’t need anything fancy. If you’re dealing with lead concerns or something serious, make sure you invest in a good multi-stage system that’s designed and certified to deal with that specific problem.
Your Space
Last but not least, remember to check how much space you’ve actually got under your sink! All our recommendations are relatively space-efficient, but some are more compact than others. Make sure you take some measurements, and check the dimensions of any model you consider.
What’s Next
We hope you’ve found our guide to the best under-sink water filters helpful. You can find out more about any of the models we’ve recommended here by clicking on the links in our reviews. That’s the best way to check current prices, see all the relevant specs, and so forth.
