The 7 Best Whole-House Water Filters of 2024

Table Of Content

• Best Overall Whole House Water Filter System: Express Water Whole House Water Filtration System
• The Ultimate Whole House Water Filter Buyer’s Guide
• Summary of the 7 Best Whole House Water Filter Systems of 2023
• What’s the best water filtration system for city water?
• Flow Rate
• Pentair Water Solutions Water Filter & Pelican Water Softener Alternative Combo System Model #PSE1800-P

Whole-house water filters connect to the main waterline in your home, usually before the line connects to your water heater. In some cases, you can even connect your outdoor water systems, including your irrigation and sprinklers, to a whole-house filter, though this may be more difficult and more expensive. Whole-house water filters can last from 3 months to a year before needing a new cartridge. The length of time depends on the specific product, water condition, and the water usage in the home.

Best Overall Whole House Water Filter System: Express Water Whole House Water Filtration System

This means that every time you open a faucet, filtered water will come out of it. Actually, filtered water will be delivered to your shower, washing machine, and even your toilet. The catalytic carbon filter used by this system has a water filtering capacity of 95,000 gallons, so it should provide filtered water for a year or more, depending on your consumption. The Sediment Filter removes sand, rust, and dirt, while the KDF and the ACB eliminate different chemical elements that are damaging to the water. The estimated time for the filter to have clean water for the whole house is 30 minutes.

The Ultimate Whole House Water Filter Buyer’s Guide

To deal with these contaminants, you will need to use a special filter, usually one using air injection oxidation (AIO). Poorly constructed or aging wells can also let in bacteria, viruses, nitrates, and more. While the best solution is to fix your well, you may also need to install a UV purifier or a reverse osmosis system. There’s a lot of chemistry and biology going on, and manufacturers often like to use jargon and buzzwords to make their products sound advanced and superior.

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Summary of the 7 Best Whole House Water Filter Systems of 2023

If you have limited DIY experience, it might be best to call a plumber can help you install the system. Depending on the vendor, you may receive a filter system with missing or damaged parts and upside-down delivery of the cylinders. The SoftPro Water Systems Upflow Carbon Filter also boasts a seven to 10-year lifespan and easy-to-change filter media. The Express Water Whole House Filtration System is typically priced at $450. Money may earn a commission when you click on the products and services below.

Pro Aqua ELITE Whole House Water Filter

The first is air induction oxidation (AIO), which works by spraying water over an air pocket to allow sulfur, iron, and manganese to become solid particles that can then be filtered out. The other is greensand, which has a similar effect and also traps the solid particles in its bed. It’s true that it doesn’t tackle other stuff, such as hard water, microbes, or fluoride, and doesn’t work on well water. This is likely not an issue for the vast majority of you, but it’s also backed by a lifetime warranty that no other product on the market offers. It’s not uncommon to have hard city water, especially if you live in the western half of the US. Buying this combo unit means you don’t have to mix and match with other manufacturers to build a water treatment system that solves all your water quality issues, and you can also save a little money.

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The filter also does a pretty good job at diminishing the scale in the water. Unlike other water filters that ensure a good flow rate of 15 gallons per minute, this model actually goes the extra mile and delivers one of 20 gallons of filtered water per minute. This is a huge water flow, so you shouldn’t experience a drop in water pressure even if you use more faucets at the same time. The water flow rate of a whole-house water filtration system determines the maximum amount of water that can pass through the filter in a given period. A whole-house water filter needs to have a water flow rate high enough to adequately supply large appliances, like showers and dishwashers, which average a flow rate of about 5 GPM.

On top of that, it reduces water’s hardness to make sure that it gives you a healthy-looking hair and skin, and leaves fewer stains on your dishes. Different whole house water filters will produce a different amount of filtered water each minute. Since all the water entering your home will be filtered, this will be the same amount of water reaching your faucets, showers, appliances, and toilets. Smaller households might manage using a water filter capable of producing only 10 gallons of water per minute, but larger ones surely won’t. If you know your household usually consumes large volumes of water at the same time (in the morning before going to school or work, or before going to sleep) you should buy a unit capable of producing a better water flow. Older homes with outdated plumbing, like lead pipes and fittings, or homes that use well water can benefit from using a whole-house water filter.

iFilters Whole-House 2-Stage Sediment

Others, however, like the Aquasana Whole House Well Water Filter System, can cost a couple thousand dollars. This filter has an exterior made of stainless steel, so it resists rust and corrosion, prolonging the life of your filter. The UV lamp has an indicator that lets you know the lamp should be replaced 30 days before, and if you forget to do so, there is also an indicator that comes on when it needs to be changed.

Pentair Water Solutions Water Filter & Pelican Water Softener Alternative Combo System Model #PSE1800-P

Although a filter could serve a family of four for a year, it is good that you replace it every six months for optimal performance. You could install shutoff valves at the beginning and end of the system, so you don’t have to drain all the water in the house to replace filters. The good thing is that with this filter you won’t experience a noticeable drop in pressure. First the filter connects to the main waterline, and the water is pre-filtered of sediment, dirt, rust and other large particles. Due to the high costs, these systems aren’t very popular and can be difficult to find without going directly to a supplier.

This is why we pour over every detail in a product’s warranty during our review process and give high priority to honest, up-front companies who stand by their products. Reverse osmosis systems, which use a membrane to separate any impurities, are great for removing heavy metals (including lead) from water because there are multiple stages of cleaning used. First, the water is pre-filtered to remove sediments and chlorine, and may even go through another carbon filtration.

This does not mean that all whole house water filters can fix a hard water problem, but some, like the Aquasure Whole House Filtration, our pick for the best for calcium, have a water softening setting built in. We love that this is an eco-friendly option, as it takes about the same power to operate as a low-wattage light bulb. Other filters may put your water through a carbon filter or sediment filter to remove contaminants, but UV filters use light to eliminate microorganisms, viruses, fungi, and bacteria. It is National Sanitation Foundation certified, which means it was independently tested and for guaranteed water disinfection. It’s important to note that every city’s water supply is different, which is why you should test your water to determine which contaminants will need to be removed. Thankfully, the Pro Aqua Elite Whole House Filter removes many of those contaminants, including lead, chlorine, copper, and iron, making it the best whole house water filter for the job.

Opinions are our own, but compensation and in-depth research determine where and how they appear. This filter also plays a key role in keeping the next filters functional for a longer period of time. Without this filter, the other filters would need more frequent changes. We prepared a short buying guide explaining how these systems work, what they’re good for, and what you should look for in a model before buying one. The water then passes through an ultraviolet system that kills any bacteria or viruses that might still be in the water, and the water is directed to appliances or the water heater.

The Aquasure Whole House Filtration System has multiple steps, including a final, under the sink reverse osmosis filter, which work together to remove Chlorine, bacteria, and sediment. It also has a reverse osmosis under-sink system, which removes up to 99% of contaminants. Additionally, there is a sediment granulated active carbon (or GAC) pre-filter. This means this system not only guarantees softer water, it also filters out sediment and debris and reduces chlorine, copper, fluoride, and iron. The water softener system also eliminates iron and magnesium from your water supply.

You can perform the test yourself, and water test kits can check for everything from hardness and pH to heavy metals and bacteria. However, the reason isn’t often because the plumbing is more complex, but correctly setting up the filtration requires additional system knowledge. It’s important to know what’s in your water that you want to filter out. After that, filter systems can remove chemicals, volatile organic compounds, scale, minerals and metals. How much a filter system removes can vary greatly between manufacturers and the type of filters yours includes. Multi-stage, whole home, complete purification systems can cost between $1,000 and $4,000 or more to purchase and have professionally installed.

You will have to purchase connections, fittings and additional piping to connect your unit to your water line. Depending on the vendor, the Aquasana Rhino can run anywhere from $1,100 to $1,600 — making it more expensive than the average filter. Upgrades such as the Salt-Free Water Conditioner and UV filter cost around an additional $1,400 each. Aquasana provides customization options to address any concerns you may have.

The filter has a great filtering capacity and it should remove most of the contaminants from your water for a long time. Some households use this volume of water in a year, while others do it in two. Additionally, the 7-stage filtration guarantees purified water without heavy metals, sediment, and pesticides. The drinking water from every tap at your home will be softer and fresher.