Understanding your options at a glance.
Installs where water enters your home, filtering every tap, shower, and appliance.
See best whole house filters →
Installs under your kitchen sink with a dedicated faucet or inline connection.
Sits on your counter, connects to faucet or is self-contained.
Portable pitchers with built-in filters. Fill, wait, pour.
Attaches directly to your faucet. Switch between filtered and unfiltered.
Reduces chlorine in shower water. Helps with dry skin and hair.
Most common type. Uses activated carbon to remove chlorine, taste, odor, and some chemicals through adsorption.
Removes: Chlorine, VOCs, some pesticides, bad taste/odor
Doesn't remove: Fluoride, dissolved minerals, bacteria
Forces water through a membrane that blocks almost everything. Most thorough filtration.
Removes: 99% of contaminants including TDS, fluoride, heavy metals
Tradeoffs: Wastes water, removes minerals, slower flow
Uses ultraviolet light to kill bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Disinfects but doesn't filter.
Best for: Well water, bacterial contamination
Limitation: Must be combined with other filtration
Not filters—they remove hardness minerals (calcium, magnesium) using ion exchange.
Best for: Hard water areas, protecting plumbing and appliances
Softener vs filter comparison →
| Type | Chlorine | Lead | Fluoride | Bacteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carbon | ✓ | Some | ✗ | ✗ |
| RO | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| UV | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Softener | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |