WATER FILTERS FOR PURE WATER
Information on Water Filter Types For Your Home
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Filter Types
The cheapest way to filter your water is with a Pitcher Filter. These filters are great if you just want to keep a pitcher of filtered water in your refrigerator for drinking or cooking purposes. The pitchers come in several sizes. The filter is held in the top of the pitcher, and water is poured in to the top. It filters through to the container portion of the pitcher, leaving impurities in the filter.Faucet-mounted filters are attached to the faucet of a single sink so that all the water from this faucet is filtered. Many models come with a diverter so that you aren't wearing out your filter by running water for dishes, washing hands, etc.
Under Sink Filters are mounted under a single sink and usually come with a separate tap for your filtered water. These filters are larger than the filters for the previous two types, and usually last longer.
Whole House Filters are installed at the water source of your house, so that every faucet serves filtered water. These are much more expensive, and are generally used if your water quality is very poor and you want to filter water for all purposes, not just drinking and cooking.
Who Makes Them, How Much Do They Cost and Other Details?
- Pitcher Filter
Pur Pitcher filters get the best rating from most of the review sites we checked, because their filter can remove more impurities than the other top models. Pur's 9-cup pitcher sells for around $30, with each filter costing about $9. The filters will purify up to 40 gallons of water--approximately 2 months worth. Brita is another well-known manufacturer of water filters, and they are best known for their pitcher style as well. Their pitcher costs between $15 and $50 depending on size. Filters run about $9 on up, and also last about as long as the Pur filters. - Faucet-Mounted Filters
If you are considering a faucet filter, Pur also makes the Ultimate 3-Stage Horizontal filter, which costs about $40. Filters cost about $15 each, and will filter from 60 to 100 gallons of water before needing replacement. There is also a bypass feature to switch from filter to tap water for washing hands, dishes, etc. The Pur Plus undersink type of water filter sells for around $90, claims that it is easy to install, and the filter lasts for about 6 months. Brita also makes a faucet-mounted filter which sells for around $40.
- Under Sink Filters
Previously concentrating on commercial waterfilters, Everpure now produces filters for home use, too. Price ranges from about $325 to $585, depending on the filter system you choose. Even the lowest priced units will still filter the most common contaminants. Their filter cartridges last about a year, depending on your water quality. Check their web site for more information. Their products are generally carried only at plumbing supply dealers, but a convenient locator on their web site will point you to dealers in your area. Omni makes a number of under sink filters, with prices ranging from about $40 all the way to $400. The $40 model filters chlorine and odors, the higher priced models will filter out more bacteria and other elements, and there are more features as well. Check their web site for more information. Pur also makes an undersink filter. The model we found on their web site sells for about $90. - Whole House Filters
Keep in mind that generally speaking, users of whole house filters have some major problems with their water supply, so they are looking at using filtered water for more than just drinking or cooking. Two of the top-rated makers of whole house filters are Culligan and Doulton. The need for a whole house system for you will greatly depend on the impurities in your water supply. These filters deal with more than just water with a "funny" taste. Web sites for both of these makers include a survey about your water quality. Before looking into a whole house water filter, do more local research as to the quality of your water and what bacteria and other problems are present.Summary
There are four main types of water filtering systems, including simple pitchers which filter odors and bacteria from your water, all the way to a system which will purify every drop of water from every faucet in your home. What you should use will depend on your water quality. Water pitchers and faucet filters are relatively inexpensive, but before spending your money on a system for your water supply, know what it will take to make your drinking water good-tasting and safe, too.