How to Pick the Right Filter Type

Choosing a water filter starts with two questions: where do you want filtered water, and what's actually in your water? The answers point to one of a few main filter categories.

If you want filtered drinking water only

Pitcher filters are the cheapest entry point and work fine if you only need a few gallons per day for one or two people. Faucet-mount filters handle all the cold water from your kitchen tap automatically — better for households that cook with filtered water often. Under-sink carbon filters give you a dedicated tap with higher capacity and longer filter life than pitchers. Under-sink RO systems are the most thorough drinking water option, removing fluoride, PFAS, lead, and dissolved solids beyond what carbon can handle.

If you want filtered water everywhere

Whole-house systems install at your home's main water inlet and treat every tap, shower, and appliance. They're best for: households on city water with heavy chlorine treatment that affects skin and hair; well water households that need iron, sulfur, or sediment removal; and anyone wanting filtered water for cooking, drinking, AND showering without multiple point-of-use units. Note that whole-house carbon doesn't typically remove fluoride, dissolved solids, or PFAS — for those you'd add a point-of-use RO at the kitchen.

If your skin and hair feel "off"

Hard water (high mineral content) and chlorinated water are the two main culprits for skin and hair complaints. A water softener handles hardness; a shower filter or whole-house carbon handles chlorine. Many homes need both. Test your water first to know which problem you're solving.

Match the filter to the contaminant

Activated carbon: chlorine, chloramines, taste, odor, some VOCs. KDF media: heavy metals like lead, mercury, chromium. Reverse osmosis: dissolved solids, fluoride, arsenic, nitrates, PFAS, pharmaceuticals. Ion exchange softening: calcium and magnesium hardness. UV disinfection: bacteria and viruses. Sediment pre-filters: dirt, rust, sand. No single filter does everything — multi-stage systems combine technologies.