There’s no question you’ll need to use water filters if you live in an area where quality water is not always assured.  If there are especially sensitive members of your family, you’ll also find that water filters will significantly reduce problems with allergies.  A good water filter system to consider is an under sink water filter.  It purifies water without causing space or design concerns.

What are under sink water filters?

Under sink water filters are essentially water purification filters except that they are installed under the sink, where they cannot be seen.  They are usually connected to the cold water supply line.  They are as efficient as countertop and point-of-use filtration units but they provide homeowners the option to save kitchen space.

There are several excellent brands of under sink water filters.  Let’s compare a few:

Kenmore

Kenmore is a trusted brand in water purification.  Its most attractive feature is that for its low price (water filters cost around $50), it is capable of performing as well as other more expensive brands. 

Its under sink filtration system is capable of removing lead, chloroform and other contaminants.  It can also remove off-tastes in the water.  Its efficient filtering doesn’t affect its flow rate and it doesn’t require frequent filter replacement because it doesn’t get clogged too easily.

Omni

Omni’s CBF3, an under sink water filter, uses carbon blocks to adsorb unwanted elements such as lead, pesticides, herbicides, VOCs, Cryptosporidium cysts and Giardia.  It is also capable of eliminating any odors or off-tastes that may be present in the water. 

Regular use will require filter change at least thrice a year.  Omni is a bit expensive, with prices starting at around $115 but it’s highly efficient. 

Everpure

Everpure is a very popular brand in the food service industry, which means you’ll often find its under sink water filters in restaurants, cafeterias and bars.  Their home water filtration system also boasts of the same advanced technology. 

What sets Everpure under sink water filters apart is its capability to filter contaminants up to about 0.5 microns.  Excellent design means you get the largest surface area for filtering and can rely on it to perform consistently.

Aquasana

Aquasana under sink water filters hold the distinction of being the filtration system to be rated as the ‘Best Buy’ by Consumers Digest for five years in a row, starting in 2003.  The system uses a patented dual-filter device that delivers ultra-reliable filtering at very reasonable cost.  According to press releases, you only pay around 9 cents for every gallon.

Aquasana under sink water filters have very impressive filtering capabilities.  They remove chlorine (99%), lead (99%), cysts (99%), VOCs (99%), Benzene (98%) and THMs (99.99%), among others.  The set retails at around $180, with replacement filters costing around $48. 

Multi-pure

Multi-pure’s under sink water filters are some of the best, most efficient and durable systems currently available today.  The system uses a solid block of carbon to filter contaminants and reduce their presence in drinking water.  While effective for removing harmful organisms, the carbon block will not eliminate trace minerals that are essential to health. 

Its under sink water filters can remove turbidity and off-tastes in the water and is also efficient for eliminating lead (99%), mercury (96%), VOCs (99%), Cryptosporidium and Giardia (99.95%) and asbestos (99%).

Choosing under sink water filters

The most important thing to consider about under sink water filters is their capacity to filter unwanted substances and organisms in the water.  Always check manufacturer’s specifications or the unit’s Performance Data Sheet to determine which filter offers the best option.  Look for low-micron filtration to ensure that tiny bacteria, viruses and other organisms cannot pass through.  It’s also important to consider the kind of organic materials and chemicals that the filtration system can eliminate to yield purified and clean drinking water.

Make sure that your under sink water filter comes with a warranty.  It will require professional installation, however but that’s usually a given in order to qualify for the warranty in case of defect or damage.

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This entry was posted on Friday, July 18th, 2008 at 2:41 pm and is filed under Water Purification. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.