Best Countertop Water Filters in 2024 | Compared & Reviewed

There are tons of benefits if you drink filtered water regularly. It improves cardiovascular health, regulates body temperature, and, most importantly, eliminates waste from the body. So this is one of the good habits you should insert into your daily routine, and if safe and clean water is directly available from the kitchen faucet, it becomes easier to follow that habit.

One solution for drinking clean water is countertop water filters. They just don’t remove the harmful contaminants from the water but also add important minerals, making it more healthy.

Countertop filters are water purifiers that sit on the top of the counter and supply clean water through the faucet. These systems are lightweight, compact, and easy to install. Moreover, they are much more affordable compared to whole-house filters.

We have compiled a list of the best countertop water filters, and we are certain that your search will end here.

Best Countertop Water Filters

1. Home Master TMJRF2 Countertop Water Filtration System

Home Master, formerly known as Tap Master, is the best portable countertop water filter so far. It is efficient, compact, and easy to carry anywhere.

It is lightweight as it weighs only 4.25 pounds and is easy to assemble. Just hook into the faucet, and turn on the water, Voila! The water you receive will be contaminant free.

Something you need to keep in mind is that it works only on male faucets means the aerator has threads on the outer side instead of the inner side. If this is not the case, you need a converter, and it comes in the box, which is just great.

The model has the ability to remove 93% of fluoride and arsenic. It can remove 98% of VOC, chlorine, and other harmful sediments from the water. Another ability is it can also remove the foul odor and make water tasty. This filter system is ideal for RV, camping, and any outdoor trips.

They are one of the few manufacturers that use coconut shells in the countertop water filtration system. For less than a hundred dollars, this is a great deal. The product is durable and can last for years or even a decade if used with utmost care.

The product works best on water pH <7.5 with a water pressure of 20-90 PSI and water temperature of 40 to 100°F. The filter cartridge needs to be changed every 3 months or 500 gallons, whichever is first. The filter system comes with 3 years limited warranty.

2. iSpring CKC1C Counter Top Drinking Water Filtration System

iSpring, located in Atlanta Georgia, is innovating water solutions for the last 2 decades. iSpring CKC1C is a portable countertop water filtration system that weighs less than 4 pounds. Because of its lightweight design and portability, you can carry it anywhere with you.

iSpring CKC1C comes in various transparent colors for you to choose from according to your kitchen interior. The transparent body lets you inspect the filter, so you can know when to change the filter.

The best part is that it is not only for the kitchen, but you can use it anywhere inside the house. In fact, it is ideal for RV, boat and camping as well.

The 10-inch long Carbon Block Filter removes sediment, dirt, sand, chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, chlorine, bad odor, and anything above 5 microns in size. To remove material less than 5 microns, you need an RO system.

The system gives you the flexibility to use the filter of your choice of any brand as long as it is 10 inches long. The system is tested by third parties to meet NSF standards. You can strongly rely on the system without any worry.

Another point you may like about this product is that it comes with a one-year warranty and a money-back guarantee that is common among its peers, but lifetime technical support makes it worth every penny.

3. Waterdrop G2 Reverse Osmosis Water Filtration System

Waterdrop G2 is a good-looking water filter, and it has a small and sleek design, so it easily fits under the sink or on the countertop. Even though it is smaller in size, it can supply healthy water at a rate of 400 Gallons per Day.

The LCD ring shows real-time status by changing colors. Unlike other RO systems that waste 3-4 gallons of water to produce 1 gallon of pure water, the G2 model has a ratio of 1:1 drain water, which means it wastes very less water than standard RO systems. It only takes around 10-12 seconds to fill the glass of water.

This high-quality system removes around 1000 contaminants, including fluoride. Although the company claims to remove 1000 contaminants from water, it only has NSF certification no.58 for 94% TDS rejection.

The G2 RO has 2 filters CF and MRO. The CF layer is made of a coconut shell-activated carbon block filter, and the MRO filter removes the micro substances.

The filtration system lets you know when you need to change the filters, but it is advisable to change the CF cartridge every year and MRO every 2-3 years.

Installation takes less than an hour, and the instruction manual’s in-depth information is easy to understand. You will need a drill for the hole to install a second faucet and one hole in the drainpipe connection.

The CF filter has a year warranty, and MRO has 2 years warranty.

4. Express Water EZRO5 Countertop RO Water Filtration System

Express Water EZRO5 serves pure water at the rate of 4 Gallons per Hour. The 4-stage water filter includes a Sediment Filter, Granular carbon filter, Reverse Osmosis Membrane, and Post activated carbon filter.

The first stage removes the big particles like dust, dirt, and rust. And the second stage removes chlorine, VOC, pesticides, herbicides, odor, etc. In comparison, the third and fourth stage removes the lead, chromium, arsenic, TDS, fluoride, radium, virus, bacteria, and others.

This countertop filter system doesn’t require any drilling or the help of a plumber. It doesn’t require electricity as well; just plug and start drinking pure & odorless water. The 4 point installation is super easy and fits perfectly in the different types of faucets, and adapters come when you buy a unit.

The eye-catching design of the whole system looks totally different from competitors because it looks like a science experiment made by a high school student. It takes up lots of space due to its design.

Filters need to be changed every 6-8 months, but it only takes a few minutes. The filter works perfectly with a water pressure of 45-80 PSI and 40-85°F. It weighs only about 12 pounds, so it is easy to use anywhere in the house.

The Express Water EZRO5 comes with a year warranty.

5. Apex MR-1050 5 Stage Countertop Water Filter

Californian based Apex Water filter products are fully made in America, which ensures the quality and durability of the water filter.

Apex Countertop water filter has a 5 stage process, and it removes chlorine, chloramine, benzene, radon, sand, dirt, microorganisms, foul odor, and heavy metals like lead and mercury. The filter adds back calcium, magnesium, and potassium to increase the alkaline in the water.

The 5 layers of water purification are a MicroFlet pad, a 5 microns KDF layer, a Granular Activated Carbon Layer, a Calcite layer, and an Alkaline layer. If you want to remove the fluoride, then Apex MR 1050 is not for you because, despite its 5 layers, it does not counteract the fluoride.

It takes less than 10 minutes to assemble, and it weighs only 5 pounds. Further, the product’s dimensions are 10×4.5×4.5 inches, making it compatible to carry it anywhere you want.

The filter needs to be replaced every 750 gallons of filtered water. For a family of 4, the filter will last up to 7-8 months. Due to alkaline, the filters are more expensive than the normal filters.

You need to connect the system to the faucet via a hose, and it is ready to use. In case your faucet has inner threads, it comes with adapters to attach to the faucet. If that doesn’t fit, you can get adapters of different sizes from the manufacturer.

The filter complies with NSF standards and has a year-limited warranty and a 30-days money-back guarantee.

6. iFilters CNTP-1C Countertop Drinking Water Filter

This is another Californian-based water filter manufacturer on our list. It looks like California tops the list when it comes to filtering the water.

iFilters CNTP-1C has 0.5 microns that remove the materials other filtration systems can’t. This system has the ability to remove chlorine, cryptosporidium, herbicides, pesticides, dirt, sand, VOC, chlordane, MTBE, PCB, radon, asbestos, toxaphene, lead, and mercury; the list is long, but you got the idea how good this countertop filter is.

This filter has a lifespan of 750 gallons, so it lasts up to 7-8 months for a family of 4. According to the manufacturer, you can use the filter of other brands, but it may reduce the performance.

The water filtered from this filtration system is ideal for drinking, cooking, tea, coffee, washing food, and other uses. It weighs only 4 pounds, so it is easy to carry, and it is ideal for medium households and camping.

The countertop filtration system comes with one filter, housing wrench, faucet adapter, O-ring, and installation instructions. The entire product is made of FDA-approved materials, which ensures the quality of the product. It is backed by a year warranty.

7. Berkey BK4X2-BB Gravity-Fed Water Filter

Berkey is a well-known brand in countertop water filtration systems. This gravity filter is great for everyone who is looking to remove every contaminant but taste from the water.

Berkey BK4X2-BB can hold 2.25 gallons of water, which is enough for 4 people. The outer body of the countertop filter is made of high-quality 304 stainless steel.

The Berkey water filter has a lifespan of 3000 Gallons, so it can easily go for 2-3 years. When you purchase it, it comes with 2 filters at no additional cost, which is just awesome. It has a flow rate of 0.03 GPM and weighs only about 7.5 pounds.

When we discuss the capacity of the filter, the list is vast. The black filter removes 99.99% of pathogenic bacteria, reduces protozoa, and removes inorganic minerals, parasites, sediments, trihalomethanes, VOC, herbicides, pesticides, radon 222, and some heavy metals like lead, mercury, and nitrates. It also removes 99.99% of viruses from the water. If your water consists of fluoride, you can install the additional PF-2 fluoride and arsenic filters.

The product is designed in such a way that it takes a few seconds to pass from the filter, thus spending more time with filters results in more mineral removal. The system is easy to assemble and takes less than 30 minutes to fully assemble. The dimensions of the product are Lx Wx H 8.5x 8.5x 19.25 inches.

Berkey has run multiple lab tests and has conducted extreme tests to remove lead and other contaminants. The manufacturer offers 6 month’s warranty on material and workmanship from the date of purchase. The purification elements have a 2 years prorated warranty calculated in 6 months intervals.

What is a Countertop Water Filter?

A countertop water filter is a filtration system that removes most of the contaminants and odor except for taste from the water, and the only difference is that it sits on the countertop. They are portable in size. You can keep it anywhere in the house, at the office, in an RV, camping site, on the boat, etc.

They work on a mission of providing clean and healthy water whenever someone opens the tap. Some countertop filters even come with a storage container to store filtered water.

Some small, portable countertop water filters don’t require electricity or any special tool to install. They get connected to the faucet, and when you turn on the knob, the water will pass through the filters before falling into the glass.

When you invest in a water filter, you will save lots of money on bottled water.

Types of Countertop Filters

There are various types of countertop filters available in the market. As you have made up your mind to purchase a nice countertop filter for your family, now it’s time to decide which type is most suitable for you.

Filter Dispenser

The water filter dispenser is the cheapest and simplest among other types of countertop filters. You don’t require electricity, a hose to connect with a faucet, or any external help from a plumber to set up the water filter dispenser.

The filters are located in the middle of the dispenser, and you have to pour the water into the upper chamber of the dispenser. Then water will pass through these filters and will go into the lower chamber as purified water.

You can use it anywhere, plus filters are easy to change even if some are washable, so you can reuse them. The water cooler dispenser is used by very less people because of a few reasons. It takes a couple of hours to purify the water, so it increases the wait time. They are limited to the storage space for purified water. The bigger the dispenser, the harder it is to maintain it.

No doubt, they can be carried anywhere, and you can also store freshwater but size matters. If you are OK with a small size and slow process, then definitely we wave the green flag for this choice.

Faucet connected filter

This is probably the best countertop filter invented so far. They are cheap, quick, and eliminate more contaminants than the dispenser filter.

Installing a faucet-connected filter is easy, and some come pre-installed. You need to hook the hose in the faucet, and your water filter is ready to use. Make sure your faucet has a male thread or outer thread. If it has inner threads, you need to use the converter, and many manufacturers include various types of converters when you purchase the filtration system.

They are lightweight and portable in design, so you can carry them anywhere with you. They are compatible with RV, boat, camping, etc. Due to their compact design, they don’t take much space, so they can be fit near the sink where space is less. There are plenty of designs available in different colors, so you choose whichever you like.

Depending upon your water condition, you may need more than 1 type of filter like activating carbon and KDF layer. This comes with dual filters as well or more if you need them under one system.

The faucet-connected filters are more versatile and provide instant contaminant-free water to you and your family.

Water Distillers

Water Distillers are similar to faucet filters, but they are known for providing the purest form of water. They are expensive as well. What this filter does is convert the water into vapor. When water turns into vapor, it eliminates the bacteria and other contaminants because they can’t turn into the gaseous form. They turn vapor again into water and give you the purest form of water.

This system is highly capable of removing the impurities like salt and dissolved solids where other filters fail. Some premium water distillers make water pass through a carbon filter before it reaches the glass. The reason behind this is some contaminants can turn into gas and again in the water, so to remove them, filters are installed at a later stage.

The only drawback is that it needs constant electricity, and it takes time to purify the water. It can easily remove arsenic and fluoride from the water. On the other hand, to remove the arsenic and fluoride using a faucet-connected filter, you need to install an additional filter.

Reverse Osmosis Water Filter

The RO filter is the most common filter system among U.S. houses. However, they are expensive but produce 99.9% purest water. It can remove harmful contaminants like fluoride, arsenic, and other heavy metals like lead and mercury without the need for additional filters like other filtration systems need.

The RO system is more efficient than other types, but it wastes more water and has the slowest flow rate. It wastes 4 gallons of water to produce 1 gallon of water. Ironically, they waste less water compared to other water-using appliances.

RO systems generally consist of more than 2 filters and tend to take a lot of space. They are highly recommended for a house that has high lead present in the water or other heavy metals.

Some faucet-connected filters also come with in-built RO that tends to waste less water than this RO water filter system, but they are more expensive than this one.

Buying Guide for Counter Top Filters

As you are determined to purchase the countertop filtration system for you and your family. You need to keep certain points in your mind while selecting the filtration system. Things to consider before purchasing a filtration system are.

Water Test

Without knowing the symptoms, the doctor can’t treat you. Just like that, without knowing the water’s contaminant, the selection of the filtration system is not possible.

Contact the local water supplier and ask them to send you a water report. Another way is to test yourself by using the test kits that are easily available in the market and online or test through a lab and what the EPA suggests.

As you have reports select the filter that can kill that harmful contaminant in water before it reaches the glass.

Type of filtration system

Now you know what you need to get rid of from the water, you can select which type of filtration system you want. There are various types of filtration systems available in the market: filter dispensers, faucet-connected filter, water distiller, and Reverse Osmosis filters.

Filter dispensers are the cheapest among all, whereas the RO filter is expensive. Water distillers provide the purest water, followed by the RO system.

Faucet-connected filters supply instant pure water, whereas dispensers and water distillers take a couple of hours in the filtration process.

Every type of filtration system has its pros and cons, and to make your selection easy, we have explained all types in detail in types of countertop filters.

Size

The size of the filtration system is proportionate to how much water it can filter and how much space it will need. Size also depends on how many filters are required.

There are numerous types of filter systems available in the market in terms of size, design, color, etc. You can find a filter that fits with your kitchen decor.

The space near the countersink is limited, so you need to select the size that will perfectly fit in that area. We suggest measuring before making a decision, and this includes the space for additional filters as well.

Contaminants

Not every filter can remove all types of harmful contaminants present in the water. You may need more than 1 type of filter to remove all the contaminants. Let’s say your water contains chlorine, herbicides, pesticides, and VOC; then you will need a black carbon filter. Including those contaminants, if your water also contains heavy metals like mercury, lead, and fluoride, then you will need an additional filter for this as well.

You need to evaluate how many contaminants you need to remove and how many filters will be required.

Filtration LifeSpan and Speed

The life span of the filter is important because filters are not cheap, and if you need to change it every 2-3 months, you are losing money. The life span of Berkey filters is 3000 gallons, and it can easily last for 2-3 years for a family of 4. On the other hand, some filters have a lifespan of 750 gallons, so they need to be changed every 6-8 months.

The speed of the filtration process depends on the number of filters and the contaminant present in the water. Many filters quickly serve purified water, but they are expensive. So, if you have a budget, then go for it.

Certifications

So, now you know the contaminant and the type of filter you need, it’s time to check for the certifications. Look for NSF or WQA. For example, if the particular model is certified with standard 42, then it can effectively remove lead from the water. So check for the standard certification you need to remove the present contaminant.

Although it is not necessary to purchase the model with certification, there are many filters from big brands available in the market that do not have a certification but meet the standards. Obtaining certification is very expensive, and the manufacturer passes that cost onto the product which makes the filtration system expensive.

Warranty

The filtration system has a very short warranty period, but it works perfectly well for years, and with proper care, it can provide pure water for almost a decade. The warranty falls between 1-3 years. Don’t forget to read the warranty document because the warranty periods are different for different parts. Some manufacturers also give a 30-days money-back guarantee scheme.

Alkaline Water

Drinking Alkaline water is beneficial for your health. It improves the digestive system, and the immune system keeps skin healthy, makes you look young, reduces weight, and is cancer-resistant.

There are filters available in the market that convert water into alkaline water. They use a special cartridge to make this happen, so make sure you have space for an extra cartridge.

What are the Pros & Cons of Countertop Water Filter?

Countertop water filters offer many advantages and disadvantages, and we have discussed some of them here.

Advantages of Countertop Filter

Affordable

Countertop water filters are available at an affordable price compared to under-sink water filters and whole-house filters. Despite their lower price, these filters offer the best performance. It offers quality water filtration and clean and better-tasting water.

Ease of Installation

The installation process of the water filter system is like taking a walk in a park. It is so simple that you won’t even need a plumber to do it for you, and it can be done in a maximum of 20 minutes. It may even take less time if you properly follow the instructions from the manual.

The installation process will require you to connect the hose from a unit to the faucet, and you are all set.

After that, you will need to make sure that all the cartridges are in the right place, and it will start supplying clean drinking water.

Compact in Size

With their slim and slender design, they can fit in most small spaces on the counter. They need to be placed on the top of the counter in the kitchen, which means they will be visible to everyone, and it may ruin the view of your kitchen.

To eliminate that problem, many manufacturers started developing countertop units that look modern and have an aesthetic and eye-pleasing design with availability in different colors to match the theme of your kitchen so that it looks good.

Efficient

Most of countertop water filters have a compact and small design, but that doesn’t mean their performance is compromised. A good countertop water filter will be able to remove most of the contaminants from the water like debris, pesticides, herbicides, heavy metals, and chlorine.

They offer water of the best quality, and many of the units possess NSF International or WQA certificates for the quality of the water they filter.

You won’t have to worry about their capability to filter the water because they are good at what they do.

Low Maintenance

The maintenance needed for the water filter will be very less, and you will just need to replace the cartridges at certain intervals of time. And the duration to replace those filters will mainly depend on the water quality and how much water is used daily. Generally, many of the cartridges can purify the water for a minimum period of 6 months.

Many of the units come with some kind of indicator to give you an idea about when you need to change the cartridge. To take the cartridges which need to be replaced, you won’t have to open half of the system, and it will be a convenient process to remove them.

Remineralization Options

Countertop systems are so efficient that, along with all the contaminants, they will also remove the minerals from the water, which you might want to keep in because they are healthy for your body. Besides, if these minerals are in the water, they will give the water a pleasant alkaline test.

In many of the filters, they provide the remineralization stage, which adds back the minerals into the water that were removed in the filtration stage. This will restore the healthiness and the taste of the water.

Disadvantages of Countertop Filter

Slow Rate of Filtration

The countertop water filters produce the water at a very slow rate because they don’t utilize the pump to force the water through a filter. It may take several minutes to produce a purified glass of drinking water.

Single Point Use

Countertop water filters are not designed to filter the water for the whole house, and you will get the purified water only at the one faucet where it is installed. To get the filtered water for the whole house, you will need to install the whole house filter.

Not Much Efficient

The countertop water filters are not so efficient; they can’t remove the dissolved solids from the water as the RO systems do. Some of the under-sink systems can remove 99.9% of contaminants from the water.

How to install Countertop Water Filter?

The installation process of the countertop water filter is very simple, and it only takes a few minutes to assemble and start receiving filtered water.

First, you need to attach the hose to the aerator of the faucet. If the aerator has a female thread, then you need to use the converter to connect. Nowadays, the manufacturer gives a converter of different sizes when you purchase the unit.

After the pipe gets attached to the faucet and system, the water starts flowing through the filters. The most common filter is the black carbon filter which removes sediment, dirt, sand, chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, chlorine, bad odor, etc. The water you get is pure and clean.

There are other filters available to remove certain kinds of harmful substances, depending on your water conditions. To remove the fluoride and arsenic, you will need another filter apart from the black carbon filter.

Like other water filters, you don’t need to wait for pure water, just open the tap and start receiving the pure filtered water. The flow rate is highly influenced by the number of filters and how old the filtration system is.

The lifespan of the filters is 6-8 months, and you need to change after that, and it takes only a few minutes.

FAQs

Q. Which are Some Contaminants that a Countertop System can Remove?

Countertop filters can remove most of the contaminants from the water and make it clean and pure to drink. It generally removes chemicals from the water like pesticides, herbicides, and chlorine. They can also remove heavy metals, arsenic, fluoride, and microorganisms from the water.

Q. Is It True that Replacement Filters only From the Unit’s Manufacturer Will Work in The Unit?

No, that’s not true, not always. You will find the list of the most compatible filter systems in the description of the product. Most of the replacement filters are made to fit on any of the countertop filter systems. The best thing would be to contact the seller and find out if any other filters will give the same quality water or not before making a purchase.

But the reason to buy the replacement filter from your manufacturer could be the offered discount on replacements because you are an existing customer.

Q. Does a Countertop Water Filters Store Water Before Supplying?

No, they don’t come with a tank to store the water. They filter the water in real-time. Whenever the water from the tap is demanded, the water from the inlet passes through the filter, gets cleaned, and is available at the faucet, ready to drink. That is the main reason why countertop filters are slow in producing filtered drinking water.

Q. Are Countertop Water Filters Better Than Bottled Water?

Yes, they are. Because when you buy a countertop filter, it will require some initial investment, which will be followed by the cost of the replacement filters. If you compare this with the cost of bottled drinking water, then these countertop filters are much more cost-effective than bottled water.

Besides, drinking bottled water will increase the plastic quantity on the planet, and they are the main reason behind most of the plastic waste every year. But as far as the filters are concerned, they will give you clean drinking water with a great taste without use and generation of plastic.

Another benefit is that the water used in the filters will be BPA free which won’t be the case with bottled water.