The best water filters
Updated · Scores from third-party lab reports · How we score
The best water filter in our ranking is Culligan Aquasential Smart RO Drinking Water Filtration System (98/100), followed by Aquasana SmartFlow Reverse Osmosis (97/100), Kohler Aquifer RO Water Filtration System (97/100) and AO Smith High-Efficiency Reverse Osmosis (97/100). We ranked 463 filters on how many contaminant categories they remove, by how much, and whether that is backed by certifications or independent lab tests.
Reverse osmosis systems dominate the top because they remove the widest range of contaminants, including PFAS, fluoride and heavy metals. If you cannot install one, a certified pitcher is the best budget pick.
Top 30 ranked
- #1
98Culligan Aquasential Smart RO Drinking Water Filtration System
Culligan
Water filter · Reverse Osmosis, Sediment, Activated Carbon · Certified: NSF · Lab tested
Strong: verified contaminant removal, lab data indexed, certified by a recognized body.
- #2
97Aquasana SmartFlow Reverse Osmosis
Aquasana
Sink filter · Activated Carbon, Reverse Osmosis, Remineralization · Certified: NSF · Lab tested
Strong: verified contaminant removal, lab data indexed, certified by a recognized body.
- #3
97Kohler Aquifer RO Water Filtration System
Kohler
Water filter · VOC Carbon Filter, Sediment, Reverse Osmosis · Certified: NSF · Lab tested
Strong: verified contaminant removal, lab data indexed, certified by a recognized body.
- #4
97AO Smith High-Efficiency Reverse Osmosis
AO Smith
Sink filter · Reverse Osmosis, Activated Carbon, Catalytic carbon · Certified: WQA · Lab tested
Strong: verified contaminant removal, lab data indexed, certified by a recognized body.
- #5
96ProOne Pitcher G2.0 Filter
ProOne
Water filter · Coconut Shell Activated Carbon, Bacteriostatic Silver · Certified: IAPMO · Lab tested
Strong: verified contaminant removal, lab data indexed, certified by a recognized body.
- #6
95ProOne 3 Big+ G2.0 Filter
ProOne
Water filter · Bacteriostatic Silver, Coconut Shell Activated Carbon · Certified: IAPMO · Lab tested
Strong: verified contaminant removal, lab data indexed, certified by a recognized body.
- #7
94Filterbaby Pro Titanium Shower Filter
Filterbaby
Shower filter · Activated Carbon · Certified: IAPMO · Lab tested
Weak: heavy metals, microplastics, nanoplastics.
- #8
94Epic Pure Pitcher
Epic Pure
Water filter · Sub-micron · Certified: IAPMO · Lab tested
Strong: verified contaminant removal, lab data indexed, certified by a recognized body.
- #9
94Epic Pure Dispenser
Epic Pure
Water filter · Sub-micron · Certified: IAPMO · Lab tested
Strong: verified contaminant removal, lab data indexed, certified by a recognized body.
- #10
94AquaTru Under Sink filter
Aqua Tru
Water filter · Reverse Osmosis, Sediment, VOC Carbon Filter · Certified: IAPMO · Lab tested
Strong: verified contaminant removal, lab data indexed, certified by a recognized body.
- #11
94Waterdrop G3 Tankless RO System with UV Sterilizing Light - Waterdrop G3P600/ G3P800
waterdrop
Water filter · Reverse Osmosis, Activated Carbon, UV-C · Certified: SGS, NSF · Lab tested
Strong: verified contaminant removal, lab data indexed, certified by a recognized body.
- #12
94Multipure Aqualuxe Countertop Water Filter
Multipure
Water filter · Reverse Osmosis, Activated Carbon, Sub-micron · Certified: NSF · Lab tested
Strong: verified contaminant removal, lab data indexed, certified by a recognized body.
- #13
93AquaTru Carafe
Aqua Tru
Water filter · Reverse Osmosis, VOC Carbon Filter, Activated Carbon · Certified: IAPMO · Lab tested
Strong: verified contaminant removal, lab data indexed, certified by a recognized body.
- #14
93Delta Faucet Clarifi Tankless Under Sink 6-Stage Reverse Osmosis System
Delta Faucet
Water filter · Reverse Osmosis, Sediment, Activated Carbon · Certified: NSF, IAPMO · Lab tested
Strong: verified contaminant removal, lab data indexed, certified by a recognized body.
- #15
93Brondell Capella Reverse Osmosis Under Sink Water Filtration System
Brondell
Water filter · Reverse Osmosis, Sediment, VOC Carbon Filter · Certified: NSF, WQA · Lab tested
Strong: verified contaminant removal, lab data indexed, certified by a recognized body.
- #16
92Clearly Filtered Pitcher
ClearlyFiltered
Water filter · Activated Carbon, Microfiltration · Certified: IAPMO
Strong: lab data indexed, certified by a recognized body, filter technology disclosed.
- #17
92Aquasana Claryum 3-Stage Max Flow
Aquasana
Water filter · Sediment, Catalytic carbon, Activated Carbon · Certified: NSF · Lab tested
Strong: lab data indexed, certified by a recognized body, filter technology disclosed.
- #18
91AquaTru Classic
Aqua Tru
Water filter · Sediment, Reverse Osmosis, VOC Carbon Filter · Certified: IAPMO · Lab tested
Strong: lab data indexed, certified by a recognized body, filter technology disclosed.
- #19
91Epic Nano Pitcher
Epic Pure
Water filter · Sub-micron · Certified: IAPMO · Lab tested
Strong: lab data indexed, certified by a recognized body, filter technology disclosed.
- #20
91Epic Smart Shield
Epic Water Filters
Sink filter · Activated Carbon · Certified: NSF, IAPMO · Lab tested
Strong: lab data indexed, certified by a recognized body, filter technology disclosed.
- #21
91Epic Pure XP Pitcher
Epic Water Filters
Water filter · Activated Carbon, Electrokinetic Nanofiber, Nanofiltration · Certified: NSF · Lab tested
Strong: lab data indexed, certified by a recognized body, filter technology disclosed.
- #22
90Berkey Water Bottle Filter
Berkey
Water bottle filter · Microfiltration, Activated Carbon, Ion-Exchange Resin · Certified: NSF · Lab tested
Strong: lab data indexed, certified by a recognized body, filter technology disclosed.
- #23
90eSpring Water Purifier
Espring
Water filter · VOC Carbon Filter, UV-C · Certified: NSF · Lab tested
Strong: lab data indexed, certified by a recognized body, filter technology disclosed.
- #24
89PHILIPS Countertop Reverse Osmosis
Philips
Water filter · Reverse Osmosis · Certified: NSF · Lab tested
Strong: lab data indexed, certified by a recognized body, filter technology disclosed.
- #25
89Clearly 3-Stage Water Filter System Under Sink
ClearlyFiltered
Water filter · Sediment, Coconut Shell Activated Carbon · Certified: IAPMO
Strong: lab data indexed, certified by a recognized body, filter technology disclosed.
- #26
89Brondell Circle Reverse Osmosis Under Counter Water Filtration System
Brondell
Water filter · Reverse Osmosis, Sediment, VOC Carbon Filter · Certified: NSF, WQA · Lab tested
Strong: lab data indexed, certified by a recognized body, filter technology disclosed.
- #27
89eSpring UV-C LED Above the Counter Unit with Diverter
Espring
Water filter · Activated Carbon, UV-C · Certified: NSF, WQA · Lab tested
Strong: lab data indexed, certified by a recognized body, filter technology disclosed.
- #28
88AquaBliss HD Multi-Stage Shower Filter (SF500)
AquaBliss
Shower filter · SF500, Calcium Sulfite, Activated Carbon · Lab tested
Strong: chemical disinfectants. Weak: nanoplastics, microbiologicals, fluoride.
- #29
88Boroux legacy Water Filter System
Boroux
Water filter · Activated Carbon · Certified: IAPMO · Lab tested
Strong: lab data indexed, certified by a recognized body, filter technology disclosed.
- #30
88Tappwater BottlePro
Tappwater
Water bottle filter · Activated Carbon, Polypropylene (PP), Microfiltration · Certified: NSF · Lab tested
Strong: lab data indexed, certified by a recognized body, filter technology disclosed.
Showing the top 30 of 463. See the full filter leaderboard with filters for packaging, source and lab testing.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best water filter?
Culligan Aquasential Smart RO Drinking Water Filtration System (98/100) ranks #1 in our data for verified contaminant removal.
Do water filters remove PFAS?
Reverse osmosis and high-quality activated carbon filters can remove most PFAS. Look for NSF/ANSI 53 or 58 certification for PFOA/PFOS reduction.
Is filtered tap water better than bottled water?
A good filter on tap water can match or beat most bottled water for contaminants, without the plastic packaging and at a fraction of the cost.