News

Oct 23, 2023

The 8 Best Faucet Water Filters of 2023

Enjoy fresh and clean water with our top faucet water filter picks for your home. Emily Estep is a plant biologist and journalist who has worked for a variety of online news and media outlets, writing

Enjoy fresh and clean water with our top faucet water filter picks for your home.

Emily Estep is a plant biologist and journalist who has worked for a variety of online news and media outlets, writing about and editing topics that range from film and beauty to science and the automobile industry. Her plant biology degree has a focus on sustainable agriculture, and she's an expert on growing your own food, environmental sciences, and all topics relating to houseplants.

Jump to a Section

We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more.

Better Homes and Gardens / Alli Waataja

Do you ever think about what's in your drinking water? Faucet water filters remove contaminants such as arsenic, chlorine, and lead from your water supply, so you can have a clean source of water for drinking and cooking. They are much cheaper than installing an entire filtration system, cut down on plastic waste because you don’t have to buy bottled water, and also improve the taste and odor of tap water in your home.

“If drinking water is essential for human life then it makes sense that we would want to consume high-quality water that has the most nutrients and fewest contaminants. Faucet water filters give you better quality drinking water with the convenience of simply turning the handle on your faucet,” says Constantin Geambasu, owner of Water Rehab.

Whether you’re looking for a heavy-duty filter designed for well water or a simple budget option, we found the best faucet water filters at every price point.

Amazon

Why You Should Get It: It removes around 60 contaminants including lead, chlorine, and asbestos.

Keep in Mind: It can only fit on standard-size faucets.

When you want to cut down on plastic waste and not resort to buying bottled water all the time, we recommend the Brita Faucet Mount Water Filter System. We made this our top option for the best faucet water filters because it removes 99 percent of the lead from your water, and is reasonably priced.

It also takes out around 60 other contaminants like asbestos, chlorine, benzene, and more from tap water. For additional protection, there is an extra sieve layer inside the filter to trap sediment and smaller contaminates.

One filter gives you about 100 gallons of filtered tap water. It has an indicator that lights up green when it's ready to use, orange when the filter is almost done, and red when it needs a new filter cartridge.

As long as you have a standard-size faucet, you’ll be able to use this water filter. But, if not, this is not the best faucet water filter, as you won’t be able to use it with spray faucets and pull-on faucets. The Brita is available in white and chrome finishes. Replacement filter cartridges are available in packs of two or three, starting at $25.

Price at the time of publish: $38

Product Details: Filter Type: Sedimentation | Weight: 0.84 pounds | Orientation: Vertical | Filter Life: Four months

Amazon

Why You Should Get It: It has an active carbon layer that filters out most contaminants.

Keep in Mind: There is no LED indicator light, so it’s hard to tell when the filter needs to be replaced.

If you’re looking to economize, this is the best water filter for the money. At low cost, you get an NSF-certified filter that can remove 94.2 percent of chlorine, lead, and other contaminants from tap water.

What’s nice about this filter is that it features an active carbon fiber layer that is 10 to 12 times more absorbent than a regular carbon filter. In addition, it can keep contaminants like pesticides, bacteria, and heavy metals from seeping into your water. It can also remove bad taste and odors from tap water.

Although it’s made to fit most standard-size faucets, it has six adaptors to ensure you get the fit you need. There is also a switch on the filter that lets you switch seamlessly between filtered and regular tap water. It has a strong water stream that flows quickly and can fill about 10 cups with filtered water per minute.

The system yields about 320 gallons of cleaner water. The one downside is that there is no LED indicator light, so you won’t be able to tell when the filter needs to be replaced or track how much water you’re using. Waterdrop replacement filters come in packs of three for $24.

Price at the time of publish: $19

Product Details: Filter Type: Activated Carbon | Weight: 1 pound | Orientation: Vertical | Filter Life: Three months

Amazon

Why You Should Get It: It’s made from stainless steel that stands up to high pressure without cracking.

Keep in Mind: The filter is heavy—you need a strong faucet to attach it to.

Activated carbon makes this one of the best faucet water filters to remove toxins like chlorine, sand, rust, and dirt from your water supply. It also prevents bacteria growth in your tap water.

The Engdenton filter features a high-quality stainless steel exterior that is able to withstand high water pressure without cracking or breaking. Plus, the body can swivel a full 360° in any direction. It filters up to 320 gallons of water.

It’s designed to fit most standard faucets, as long as it’s not a spray faucet or an irregularly shaped one. At 0.5 gpm (gallons per minute) the water filter can provide you with about 8 cups of filtered water per minute, so you won’t have to wait ages to fill your pitcher.

The manufacturers say it has ten times the filtration ability of other filters. Just be aware that the filter is quite heavy, so you need to make sure that your faucet is sturdy enough to hold it. Compatible replacement filters are available for $14 per filter.

Price at the time of publish: $100

Product Details: Filter Type: Activated Carbon | Weight: 1.55 pounds | Orientation: Vertical | Filter Life: Six months

Amazon

Why You Should Get It: This water filter improves the taste of tap water through the use of natural minerals.

Keep in Mind: If the filter light dies, you have to buy a new filter head.

The Pur Water Filtration System is the best water faucet filter to purify well water. It’s a comprehensive filtration system that reduces up to 70 different contaminants in the water—including lead and mercury.

It’s also NSF-certified and has been tested to meet safety standards. If you hate the taste of your tap water, this pick takes the extra step of filtering the water with natural minerals for a cleaner taste. Like with other models, you can turn the filtered water on and off using a lever on the filter’s body.

One filter will last for around 100 gallons of use. A built-in filter light indicates when the filter needs to be replaced. Keep in mind that, as with other options, it can only fit certain faucets, and you won’t be able to use it if your faucet is extra wide or has a spray handle. Also, when the filter light battery dies, you have to buy a brand-new filter system.

Other than these minor caveats, it’s still one of the best faucet water filters on the market. It’s available in stainless steel and white. You can pick up a two-pack of replacement filters for about $25.

Price at the time of publish: $43

Product Details: Filter Type: Ion Exchange | Weight: 1 pound | Orientation: Vertical | Filter Life: Three months

Amazon

Why You Should Get It: It uses carbon block filtration technology to significantly reduce toxins.

Keep in Mind: You have to replace the filter every two months.

This Culligan filter tackles hard water issues, leaving you with pure-tasting water. It uses a carbon block filtration method to reduce harmful chemicals like chlorine, lindane, lead, asinine and other particles from the water. It also can remove bad taste or odor.

Keep in mind that its filter life is shorter than other filters on this list. Typically, you’ll need to replace it every two months, compared to about every four to six months for other models, which is more common—but it depends on how much water you use.

It comes with two aerator adaptors that should be able to fit most standard faucets. Mounting it on the faucet is easy and requires no tools to install. To switch from unfiltered to filtered water, all you have to do is pull the diverter valve to get fresh water for drinking and cooking.

Even though the body is plastic, the attachment and diverter valve are made of metal, so it doesn't feel cheap. Unfortunately, it lacks a filter light, so it’s not the best faucet water filter when it comes to replacing cartridges (which you can get for $20). But you do get a sticker to place on the device to remind you to change it.

Price at the time of publish: $34

Product Details: Filter Type: Carbon Block, Sedimentation | Weight: 14.4 ounces | Orientation: Horizontal | Filter Life: Two months

Amazon

Why You Should Get It: It reduces lead in water by up to 98 percent for fresh-tasting and healthy tap.

Keep in Mind: It works better for lead than other contaminants.

If you’re looking for clear, clean water for drinking and cooking, the Zero Water Extreme Life Faucet Mount filtration system is the best faucet water filter for the task. This filter is WQA-certified and has been tested to reduce lead by 98 percent.

It also removes nasty chemicals like chlorine, particles, and other contaminants that make water taste bad, though it’s mostly used for lead. You can get about 400 gallons of filtered water out of it.

It also stands out because it features a compact horizontal design that’s much sleeker than other options. Not to mention there are filter lights that warn you when the cartridge needs to be replaced. Replacement filters are on the pricey side, costing you $18 for one.

This Zero Water filter is movable, so you can swing it to the left or right even when it's fixed on the tap. We appreciate that installation is easy, and can be attached to your faucet in minutes. While you’re able to attach it to most faucets, it doesn't work with fixtures with spray handles or drop-down designs.

Price at the time of publish: $43

Product Details: Filter Type: Carbon Fiber | Weight 0.74 pounds | Orientation: Horizontal | Filter Life: Six months

Amazon

Why You Should Get It: It filters 8000 gallons of water before you need to replace it.

Keep in Mind: It’s one of the bigger options on the market.

If you want to remove all traces of chlorine from your water, consider this faucet filtration system from Waterdrop. Besides filtering chlorine and other chemicals from tap water, it lasts for up to 8000 gallons before you need to replace it. This makes it the best faucet water filter for anyone who prefers to replace their filter once a year as opposed to every few months.

As big as it is, it’s not a permanent fixture, so it’s a good option for apartments and RVs. It features a five-stage filtration system that removes toxins such as chlorine, colloid, as well as sediment. At the same time, it adds minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium to your drinking water. Adding additional quantities of minerals to your tap can improve the taste and provide health benefits.

On the one hand, it’s nice that it’s made from stainless steel, but it has a reputation for breaking under pressure. At 1.6 gpm (gallons per minute), the Waterdrop filter has a strong and steady water flow once the filter is switched on.

Replacing these filters can be tricky, as there's no filter light on it. You might have to rely on your taste buds to tell when it’s time to swap out the filter. When it's time to swap out the filter, pick up a replacement for $32.

Price at the time of publish: $100

Product Details: Filter Type: 5-Stage Filtration | Weight: 5.08 pounds | Orientation: Vertical | Filter Life: One year

The Home Depot

Why You Should Get It: It helps to remove odorous, foul-tasting sulfur from your tap water.

Keep in Mind: The plastic exterior won't last as long as stainless steel options.

Though sulfur makes your water smell and taste bad, you can fix that by using faucet water filters with activated carbon fibers. We recommend the mist Activated Carbon Fiber Filtration System as the best faucet water filter to remove sulfur from tap water.

While it may not be as effective as an under-the-sink filter, it could be your best bet to remove sulfur from your water—as long as it’s not an overpowering amount. This system has a capacity of 320 gallons before it needs to be replaced.

The plastic exterior of the product is made from food-grade material and is certified lead-free and BPA-free, making it a pretty eco-friendly option, though plastic doesn't last as long as stainless steel. Additionally, it’s NSF-certified and significantly reduces the presence of heavy metals, chlorine, sediments, rust, and other impurities.

Each filter includes six adaptors, plus various nuts and bolts to put it together. There is also a manual to help install it and an accessories bag for storage. Filter replacements come in packs of three for $35.

Price at the time of publish: $30

Product Details: Filter Type: Activated Carbon | Weight: 1 pound | Orientation: Vertical | Filter Life: Three months

We recommend the Brita Faucet Mount Water Filtration System because it removes 99 percent of the lead from your water, and lasts about four months before you need a new filter cartridge. For a budget-friendly option, the Waterdrop Faucet Mount Water Filtration System will filter out most contaminants.

For kitchen faucet filters, the most common filter type you’ll see are activated carbon and regular carbon filters which remove toxins like asbestos, lead, and chlorine. There are also sediment mesh filters that remove particles like dirt and dust from tap water.

You might see manufacturers refer to filtration effectiveness in “stages.” “Systems that use two stages get rid of only sediment and chlorine,” says Constantin Geambasu, owner of Water Rehab. “A five-stage filter will give you cleaner water than a two-stage filter, but both are better than having no filter at all.”

“Ultimately, where you live and the type of water coming into the home will influence your water filter type. If your water is provided by a water utility or your municipality, or if all that fits your budget is a faucet filter, you should be ok,” Gillece advises. “But if you get your water from a well, you might need something more sophisticated.”

Faucet filters last from a few months up to a year depending on the type of filter and how much water you use. You can usually find your filter’s lifespan on the package or in the user manual. “In general, your filters should be changed every six months, or at most, a year,” says Gillece. “When their time is up, you’ll probably start noticing a change in the taste of the water.”

If you’re looking for durability, your best bet is a faucet water filter made from stainless steel. However, they can be pricey. Plastic is also a common material for faucet water filters. It’s cheaper than stainless steel, but it won’t last as long—you’ll have to replace plastic filters more often.

“Yes, water faucet filters and other home water filtration systems work really well. Most importantly, they can remove 99.1% of lead, says Mark Gillece, general manager at Mark Allen Plumbing & Heating. “Households–especially those with kids–would benefit by having some type of water filter in place at home.”

Out of all the water filters out there, reverse osmosis is typically seen as the most effective. The reason for this is that they filter water by pushing contaminants through a very fine semi-permeable membrane. This allows them to remove sediments and harmful chemicals like lead, arsenic, and fluoride.

“Absolutely for a number of reasons,” Gillece says. “While water quality may be the same when compared to some well-known, big brands, such as Aquafina—water faucet filters will fill way more glasses than a person might want to pay for in plastic bottles, gallon jugs, or even water coolers.” He adds, “Plus, all those plastic bottles—that’s really not good for the environment.”

Nor'Adila Hepburn is a freelance writer who specializes in writing in-depth buying guides for Better Homes & Gardens. To find the best faucet water filters, she consulted with Constantin Geambasu, owner of Water Rehab, and Mark Gillece, general manager at Mark Allen Plumbing & Heating.