4 Best Faucet Water Filters 2023

Faucet-mounted water filters eliminate many more contaminants than pitcher filters do, last longer between replacements, and give you filtered water from the sink on demand. After months of in-home testing, we’ve concluded that the Pur Advanced Faucet Filtration System is the one we’d choose for our own kitchens. It removes a wider array of contaminants than its competitors from Brita do, and it looks better, too.

In an unusual turn for Wirecutter, we tested only one other model for this guide, the Brita Complete Faucet Filtration System. That’s because Pur and Brita offer the only faucet-mounted filters we’ve found that are certified by the American National Standards Institute and NSF International and are widely available in North America.

Our top Picks

Last update on 2023-05-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

1- Pur Advanced Faucet Filtration System

Last update on 2023-05-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

The Pur Advanced Faucet Filtration System is our pick for faucet-mounted filters. It is ANSI/NSF certified to reduce, below EPA limits, 71 contaminants including lead, mercury, multiple pesticides and industrial chemicals, and a dozen so-called emerging compounds of EPA concern in drinking water, among them pharmaceuticals, BPA, and estrone, a form of the human hormone estrogen. That’s notably better than its competitor from Brita, which has 56 certifications, none of them for emerging compounds.

We found the Pur Advanced easy to install, drip-free, and durable under heavy use, and we preferred its sleek design to that of the Brita, which is utilitarian and visually bulky. Lastly, in addition to filtering the 71 certified contaminants, the Pur continued to improve the taste and smell of our Catskills tester’s sulfurous well water for several weeks after the whole-house carbon-block filter that he normally uses to control the issue stopped doing its job. That was a pleasant surprise, since sulfur compounds are not among the Pur filter’s certifications, and removing them from water is not something this sort of filter is expected to be capable of.

The complete list of contaminants the Pur faucet filters are ANSI/NSF certified for, found in the owner manual (PDF), include many that may already be on your mind: the toxic metals lead and mercury; multiple volatile organic compounds (VOCs); multiple pesticides, including 2,4-D; and 12 “emerging compounds” that are increasingly showing up in the water supply, including the plastic additive BPA, the insect repellent DEET, and the widely used flame retardants TCPP and TCEP. The filters are rated for three months or 100 gallons, and the housing contains a flowmeter so you’ll know exactly when they reach their 100-gallon limit; a small LED on the housing turns from green to yellow (time’s almost up) to red (time to replace).

Installing the Pur Advanced is simple—but again, no faucet filter works on faucets with integrated pull-out sprayers. On standard, no-sprayer faucets, you just unscrew the aerator (where the water flows out of the faucet) and screw in the correct adapter. Pur supplies several adapters to match the various sizes and threading patterns of most aerators. (Our tester had no trouble installing his test model on a fairly old faucet.) Then you simply screw the filter housing into place on the adapter.

To use the Pur Advanced faucet filter (and any other), you flip a toggle on the housing to direct the water through the filter and out a separate dispenser, and you flip it back the other way to send regular, unfiltered water out of the faucet. That’s a practical design for a couple of reasons. For one, the filtered-water flow (0.52 gallon per minute) is lower than the normal faucet flow (typically around 2 gpm), so when you need a lot of water fast—filling a pot, say, or doing the dishes—it’s helpful to have the option to use the faucet itself. Second, because hot water can damage many water filters—anything over 100 degrees Fahrenheit in the Pur filters’ case—you need to be able to bypass the filter when you want hot water out of the tap. Of course, this also means you have to be mindful when you want to toggle to the filtration setting: If you’ve just been drawing hot water from your faucet, switch the tap to cold for a few seconds first to clear the pipes.

2- Pur Basic Faucet Replacement Filter

Last update on 2023-05-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

The Pur Advanced model that we tested is available in three finishes: shiny chrome, brushed metallic gray, and a tropical blue called seaglass. Each Advanced model comes with a MineralClear filter. The otherwise physically identical Classic model comes in black or white (and includes the Basic filter, which has the same ANSI/NSF certifications). Our tester installed a chrome-finish Advanced and liked its “almost deco” design, though he was quick to point out that other finishes, such as the metallic gray version we photographed for this review, don’t achieve that same effect.

All of Pur’s faucet mounts fit both the Basic and MineralClear filters; the latter contains a calcium carbonate (limestone) filter that is meant to add a pleasant, mineral-y, spring-water flavor back to the filtered water. Our tester did not notice the effect, but flavor addition is not as gimmicky as it may sound—in fact, it’s a common practice for filter makers to add such flavor enhancers to reverse-osmosis filters, which remove virtually all minerals from the water that passes through them, rendering it flavorless and flat.

3- Pur Plus Faucet Mount Water Filtration System

Last update on 2023-05-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

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 all Pur faucet filters for $24.

Price at the time of publish: $43

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

4- Culligan FM-15A Advanced Faucet Mount Filter

Last update on 2023-05-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

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

What to Know About Faucet Water Filters Before Shopping

Filter Type

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.”

Filter Life

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.”

Materials

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.

Conclusion

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.