Water Filters: Understanding Your Options and Making an Informed Decision

As Dan Toole, Consumer Reports' water filter expert, explains, "water filters are not the most glamorous product, but they can give you better-tasting water and maybe even protect your family from harmful contaminants." With so many options available, it's essential to understand what types of water filters exist, their pros and cons, and how to choose the right one for your needs.

Who Needs a Water Filter?

If your water is discolored, has an odor, or contains known contaminants, you need a filter. According to Dan, "the first step in choosing a water filter is to determine if you need one." If you're unsure about the quality of your tap water, you can have it analyzed at least once a year. You can also check your monthly water bill and review your company's Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) for information on basic contaminants found in your water. Additionally, visiting the EPA's website and taking a sample of your water to a state-certified lab will provide you with accurate information on what contaminants are present in your water.

Testing Water Filters in the Lab

In the Consumer Reports' lab, Dan and Chris Regan use a large rig to connect various filters and test their effectiveness. The process involves flowing water spiked with lead and other contaminants through each filter, taking samples, and analyzing them to determine how well they remove those contaminants. This rigorous testing allows for a comprehensive understanding of each filter's performance.

Five Basic Options for Water Filters

There are several types of water filters available, each with its pros and cons. Let's explore the five basic options starting with a pitcher or carafe:

* Pitcher or Carafe: These filters are easy to use, inexpensive, but limited in their capacity. They can only produce about two or three gallons of water per day.

* Faucet-Mounted Filter: This type connects directly to your faucet and allows for on-the-fly filtration. However, it may not adapt to every faucet, and its effectiveness is dependent on the flow rate of your faucet.

When choosing a faucet-mounted filter, consider the volume you'll need. If your household consumes a lot of filtered water daily, upgrading to a countertop model might be necessary. While countertop models are easy to install and allow for significant contaminant removal, they may not fit every faucet, and clutter can still be an issue if you don't have enough counter space.

For households with limited counter space, under-sink filters offer a solution. These models filter large volumes of water while keeping installation out of sight. However, installations are slightly more involved, and professional assistance might be necessary.

Advanced Water Filters: Reverse Osmosis Systems

If you need a more comprehensive filtration system, consider reverse osmosis (RO) systems. These systems involve a large storage tank, tubing, filters, and even faucet installations. While they provide excellent contaminant removal, they are more involved and require professional installation and maintenance.

Key Considerations for Choosing the Right Water Filter

When selecting a water filter, there are several factors to consider:

* Filter Life: Many models have limited capacities, so it's essential to factor in replacement costs.

* Maintenance: Some filters may require more frequent cleaning or replacement than others.

* Contaminant Removal: Consider what contaminants you want the filter to remove from your water.

In conclusion, choosing the right water filter for your needs requires careful consideration of various factors. By understanding the different types of filters available, their pros and cons, and how to choose the right one, you can make an informed decision that will provide you with clean, safe drinking water.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enwater filters they're not the most glamorous product but they could give you better tasting water and maybe even protect your family from harmful contaminants I'm dan to clerical with Consumer Reports and I'm here with Chris Regan who tests water filters and he's going to help you figure out which one is right for you so Chris tell us who needs to think about getting a water filter well Dan if your water is discolored if there's an odor to it or if you happen to know that there are contaminants in your water you need a filter and how do we go about testing these filters in our lab we have a large rig where we connect up all these filters we then flow water spiked with lead and other contaminants through it we take samples through each filter hasn't analyzed and determined how well they remove those contaminants I say and we have several different options here what are the pros and cons of each one five basic options starting with a pitcher or carafe okay it's easy to use inexpensive but it is limited it can only produce about two or three gallons of water per day stepping up from here you have a faucet mounted filter okay connects right up to your faucet you can turn it on and off as needed it will reduce the flow coming through your faucet and it might not adapt to every faucet out there okay it sounds like volume is a big consideration here what if you're a household that goes through a lot of filtered water a day if you need more water step up to a countertop model again very easy to install connects right up to your faucet allows for a lot of removal of contaminants but again just like the faucet mount model it might not match up with every faucet out there okay and I guess clutter is is still an issue with this up of course if you don't have a lot of counter space look for an under sink model we'll still filter a large volume of water remove a lot of contaminants and we'll be out of sight installations a little bit more involved and you might need a professional to help you out okay if you need something even above this we have reverse osmosis systems a little bit more involved you have a large storage tank a lot of tubing a lot of filters even a faucet installation is definitely for professionals and they even have maintenance programs with them okay so this is obviously a serious commitment how do I know if I need to resort to this kind of an investment no matter where you get you water from you want to have it analyzed at least once a year okay if you get a monthly water bill take a look at your company's CCR consumer confidence report that will outline the basic contaminants found in your water go on to the EPA's website take a sample of your water to a state certified lab have them analyze it and you'll know exactly what you need to remove great that's great advice now filter life if that's another issue is it not of course it is a lot of these models have a limited number of either gallons or time some even have indicators it might flash when it's time to change out that filter you want to pay attention to that you don't want to let the filter get too dirty because it could wind up dumping more contaminants back into your water okay well there you have it everything you wanted to know about water filters thanks for watchingwater filters they're not the most glamorous product but they could give you better tasting water and maybe even protect your family from harmful contaminants I'm dan to clerical with Consumer Reports and I'm here with Chris Regan who tests water filters and he's going to help you figure out which one is right for you so Chris tell us who needs to think about getting a water filter well Dan if your water is discolored if there's an odor to it or if you happen to know that there are contaminants in your water you need a filter and how do we go about testing these filters in our lab we have a large rig where we connect up all these filters we then flow water spiked with lead and other contaminants through it we take samples through each filter hasn't analyzed and determined how well they remove those contaminants I say and we have several different options here what are the pros and cons of each one five basic options starting with a pitcher or carafe okay it's easy to use inexpensive but it is limited it can only produce about two or three gallons of water per day stepping up from here you have a faucet mounted filter okay connects right up to your faucet you can turn it on and off as needed it will reduce the flow coming through your faucet and it might not adapt to every faucet out there okay it sounds like volume is a big consideration here what if you're a household that goes through a lot of filtered water a day if you need more water step up to a countertop model again very easy to install connects right up to your faucet allows for a lot of removal of contaminants but again just like the faucet mount model it might not match up with every faucet out there okay and I guess clutter is is still an issue with this up of course if you don't have a lot of counter space look for an under sink model we'll still filter a large volume of water remove a lot of contaminants and we'll be out of sight installations a little bit more involved and you might need a professional to help you out okay if you need something even above this we have reverse osmosis systems a little bit more involved you have a large storage tank a lot of tubing a lot of filters even a faucet installation is definitely for professionals and they even have maintenance programs with them okay so this is obviously a serious commitment how do I know if I need to resort to this kind of an investment no matter where you get you water from you want to have it analyzed at least once a year okay if you get a monthly water bill take a look at your company's CCR consumer confidence report that will outline the basic contaminants found in your water go on to the EPA's website take a sample of your water to a state certified lab have them analyze it and you'll know exactly what you need to remove great that's great advice now filter life if that's another issue is it not of course it is a lot of these models have a limited number of either gallons or time some even have indicators it might flash when it's time to change out that filter you want to pay attention to that you don't want to let the filter get too dirty because it could wind up dumping more contaminants back into your water okay well there you have it everything you wanted to know about water filters thanks for watching\n"