When it comes to a healthy lifestyle (or just life), drinking water is paramount. While many US citizens have access to faucets, the number of seals found in some tap waters can make it nearly undrinkable. Luckily, we have water filters and filtration systems.
Although water filters are sold under different brands, not all are the same. To bring you the purest water possible and products that actually work, The Post interviewed water treatment expert, “Water Leading Specialist” Brian Campbell, founder of WaterFilterGuru.com.
We asked him for all the details on choosing the best water filter pitcher, how to test your water quality, the health benefits of filtered water, and more before delving into his top five picks for the best water filter pitchers.
Buyers should consider the following when choosing a water filter for their home, Campbell said: testing and certification, filter life (capacity) and replacement cost, filtration rate, filtered water capacity, BPA-free plastic, and warranty.
“A good water filter is capable of removing contaminants present in the filtered water source,” Campbell told the Post. “Not all water contains the same contaminants, and not all water filtration technologies remove the same contaminants.”
“It’s always a good idea to test your water quality first to get a better idea of what you’re dealing with. From there, use the test results data to identify water filters that will reduce existing contaminants.”
Depending on how much you’re willing to spend, there are several ways to test your water at home to see what contaminants you’re dealing with.
“All municipal water providers are required by law to publish an annual report on the quality of the water they supply to their customers. While this is a good starting point, the reports are limited in that they only provide information at the time of sampling. taken from a processing plant, Campbell said.
“They won’t show if the water has been re-contaminated on its way to your home. The most infamous examples are lead pollution from aging infrastructure or pipes,” explains Campbell. “If your water comes from a private well, you cannot use CCR. You can use this EPA tool to find your local CCR.”
“Do-it-yourself test kits or test strips, widely available online and at your local hardware store or big box store, will indicate the presence of a selected group (typically 10-20) of the most common contaminants in city water,” said Campbell. The downside is that these toolkits are neither comprehensive nor definitive. They do not give you a complete picture of all possible contaminants. They don’t tell you the exact concentration of the pollutant.”
“Lab testing is the only way to get a complete picture of water quality. You get a report of what contaminants are present and at what concentrations,” Campbell told the Post. “This is the only test that can provide the precise data needed to determine if appropriate treatment is needed – if available.”
Campbell recommends Simple Lab’s Tap Score, calling it “arguably the best lab test product available.”
“Independent certification from NSF International or the Water Quality Association (WQA) is the best indicator that a filter meets the manufacturer’s requirements,” he says.
“The throughput of a filter is the amount of water that can pass through it before it becomes saturated with contaminants and needs to be replaced,” Campbell said. As mentioned earlier, “It is important to understand what you will be removing from the water in order to determine how often you need to change the filter.”
“For water with a higher concentration of contaminants, the filter reaches its capacity sooner than for less polluted water,” said Campbell.
“Typically, canister water filters hold 40-100 gallons and last 2 to 4 months. This will help you determine the annual filter replacement costs associated with maintaining your system.”
“The filter canister relies on gravity to draw water from the top reservoir and through the filter,” explains Campbell. “You can expect the entire filtration process to take [up to] 20 minutes, depending on the age of the filter element and contaminant load.”
“Filter jugs come in a variety of sizes, but generally you can assume they will provide enough filtered water for one person,” says Campbell. “You can also find larger capacity dispensers that use the same filtration technology as their smaller jugs.”
“It probably goes without saying, but it’s important to make sure the pitcher doesn’t leach chemicals into the filtered water! Most modern appliances are BPA-free, but it’s worth checking to be safe,” Campbell notes.
The manufacturer’s warranty is a strong indication of their confidence in their product, says Campbell. Look for those that offer at least a six-month warranty – the best pitcher filters offer a lifetime warranty that will replace the entire unit if it breaks! ”
“Clean filtered water bottles have been tested to NSF standards 42, 53, 244, 401 and 473 to remove up to 365 contaminants,” says Campbell. “This includes stubborn contaminants like fluoride, lead, arsenic, bacteria, etc. It has a good 100 gallon filter life (depending on the source of the water being filtered).”
Plus, this jug comes with a lifetime warranty, so if it ever breaks, the company will replace it for free!
“This dispenser has more filtered water than a jug and is capable of removing fluoride as well as 199 other contaminants commonly found in tap water,” says Campbell, who particularly likes this option because it fits most refrigerators perfectly.
“The polyurethane pitcher is officially NSF certified to NSF 42, 53, and 401 standards. Although the filter does not last as long as some others (only 40 gallons), this pitcher is a good budget option for removing lead and other 19 city waters. pollutants,” Campbell said.
Campbell recommends the Propur pitcher for those who don’t want to change cartridges often.
“With a huge 225 gallon filter capacity, you don’t have to worry about how often you need to change the filter,” he says. “The ProOne jar is effective at reducing contaminants [and] is capable of removing over 200 types of impurities.”
“The pH Restore Pitcher will remove aesthetic contaminants, improve the taste and smell of water, while raising the pH level by 2.0,” says Campbell. “Alkaline water [will] taste better and may provide additional health benefits.”
Post time: Dec-21-2022