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Dec 23, 2023

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These top-rated water filters can keep clean water on tap in your home When you shop through retailer links on our site, we may earn affiliate commissions. 100% of the fees we collect are used to

These top-rated water filters can keep clean water on tap in your home

When you shop through retailer links on our site, we may earn affiliate commissions. 100% of the fees we collect are used to support our nonprofit mission. Learn more.

Under-sink water filters can deliver cleaner, better-tasting drinking water the old-fashioned way: from a spout.

They’re more effective at removing lead, chlorine, and other contaminants than popular refrigerator filters and water filter pitchers. Plus, “under-sink water filters are inherently more convenient than pitchers, with higher filter capacity,” says Richard Handel, the CR project leader who oversees our water filter lab. “There’s no need to pour water into a pitcher and wait. You just flip the lever and the filtered water flows.”

You can buy under-sink water filters at major retailers and independent dealers. Of course, they do require installation and space under the sink, meaning “there’s a higher initial cost compared with water filter pitchers,” Handel says.

Under-sink reverse osmosis water filters are recommended if your water-quality report reveals a wide range of contaminants or bacteria. Publicly available each July, this Consumer Confidence Report reveals contaminants detected in your tap water compared with the Environmental Protection Agency’s drinking water standards. If you rent an apartment, ask your landlord or local water company for a copy.

For lead, chlorine, and other contaminants, standard under-sink filters that meet NSF/ANSI certification should do the trick. (NSF International and the American National Standards Institute develop water filtration standards.)

All under-sink water filters in CR’s ratings are certified to the NSF standard for removing lead and chlorine. To test flavor and odor reduction, CR spikes a “control water” sample with common taints that smell or taste like metal, compost, damp soil, a sewage treatment plant, or a swimming pool. Then trained water testers filter it and examine how well the filter removes those taints compared with pure spring water. We measure flow rate by the time it takes to filter 1 gallon of water. Clogging reflects if and how the filter’s flow rate slows over the course of the cartridge’s lifespan.

For more information on the different types of water filters out there, check out our water filter buying guide. CR members can read on for ratings and reviews of the three best under-sink water filters from CR’s tests. Members can also dive into our complete water filter ratings for more options.

Keith Flamer

Keith Flamer has been a multimedia content creator at Consumer Reports since 2021, covering laundry, cleaning, small appliances, and home trends. Fascinated by interior design, architecture, technology, and all things mechanical, he translates CR’s testing engineers’ work into content that helps readers live better, smarter lives. Prior to CR, Keith covered luxury accessories and real estate, most recently at Forbes, with a focus on residential homes, interior design, home security, and pop culture trends.