Life

Get Clean, Refreshing Water With These Countertop Filters That Don’t Take Up Much Space

Amazon

The quality of water coming out of your faucet varies greatly depending on where you live and where your water comes from, and it’s never a bad idea to consider filtering it. And while there are lots of water filters available on Amazon, the best countertop water filters will improve taste, efficiently remove common contaminants, and will easily attach to your kitchen faucet. Just as important, they won't take up a bunch of counter space.

All of the water filters below will improve the taste of water by eliminating substances like chlorine, but from there, you’ll want to consider which other contaminants you need to remove. If you’re not certain, you can most likely find the info on the EPA water quality report that’s included annually with your water bill. But if you don't have that handy, you can rest assured that each of these filters meets at least several of the standards put out by NSF International and American National Standards Institute (NSF/ANSI) for the most common contaminants, like heavy metals (including lead) and volatile organic compounds, both of which can have potential health consequences. Since things can get confusing fast, here's a quick cheat sheet of some NSF/ANSI standards, and what they address:

With all that in mind, these are the best countertop water filters to make your water taste fresh and significantly reduce contaminants.

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1

The Overall Best

For a filter that blends into your kitchen decor, the Brondell Cypress water filter system is a great choice. The sleek and compact filter attaches easily to most faucets with the included adapters and features a three-stage filtration system for super thorough purification. This option is tested and certified by the Water Quality Association for NSF/ANSI standards 42, 53, and 372, which means you're covered for taste, odor, lead content, and some contaminants that may pose health consequences like volatile organic compounds.

Boasting a slim profile, the filter features a push-button that makes dispensing easy. However, the three filters (composite, nanotrap, carbon) are sold separately and need to be replaced every six to 12 months.

According to fans: “This was very easy to install and set up. I live in an apartment so I needed something that would install easily without destroying the countertop but provide me with quality drinking water. This certainly did exactly what I wanted it to without being bulky or taking up a lot of room (which is limited in my kitchen)."

2

A Powerful Filter That Also Adds Healthy Minerals

More affordable than the top pick, the Apex alkaline countertop water filter is not third-party NSF/ANSI-certified, but the manufacturer states that all materials comply with NSF/ANSI standards to improve taste and remove many contaminants that may harm your health, including radon, mercury, and pesticides. Plus, the filter adds electrolyte-rich minerals to your water, like calcium, potassium, and magnesium.

It installs easily on most standard faucets and filters up to 750 gallons of water before needing a replacement filter, which means you're good for about 10 months. All necessary installation hardware is included, and you can choose from seven colors, including clear, black, and chrome.

According to fans: “Setting this unit up took under 10 minutes. The water flow was fast enough to fill a glass of water in under 10 seconds. When I poured a glass of this water and a glass of normal tap for my boyfriend to blind taste test, all he did was sniff both cups and instantly said “this is the filtered one. I can tell”. He was right!”

3

A Wallet-Friendly Option That Doesn’t Require Filter Replacements

This AmazonBasics filtration system doesn’t filter as many contaminants as the other options on the list, but it’s the most affordable pick and doesn’t require any filter replacements. It’s tested and certified by the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials to meet NSF/ANSI standards 42 and 53, so it improves taste and odor, while removing some health contaminants like VOCs. It attaches easily to the faucet, and it’s the only option on the list that includes a diverter valve, so you can use non-filtered water for things like boiling water.

The filter has an impressive lifespan, with reviewers saying it lasts about three to five years before needing to be replaced.

According to fans: “Water tastes amazing! Took all the gross out of my water and the flavor...you’d never know it was funky to begin with! Saving me so much on bottled water AND it’s actually good water after having it tested so I give it a big thumbs up."

4

A Slim Dispenser That Holds 18 Cups Of Water

The Brita countertop water filter dispenser is a good choice if you're not looking to install a filtration system to your faucet. The Longlast filter it comes with is certified by the Water Quality Association to remove all kinds of contaminants like lead, mercury, cadmium, and asbestos, and when used with a standard Brita filter, it's NSF/ANSI-certified for standards 42 and 53 to improve taste and remove common health contaminants.

The slim, BPA-free dispenser holds over a gallon of water (18 cups), and the Longlast filter it comes with lasts through 120 gallons of water — about six months. The Longlast filter refills are more expensive, but last longer and filter more contaminants than the standard NSF/ANSI-certified filters, which will filter up to 40 gallons of water and last for about two months. And if you're prone to forgetting, it's only option on the list with an indicator light to let you know when the filter needs to be changed.

According to fans: “It barely takes up space, fits perfectly on the counter or fridge, and the water TASTES SO GOOD.”