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by Editors of Consumer Reports
Consumer Reports tests six different types of filtering systems and 27 models ranging in price from $17 to $900. Several models have been discontinued, but often similar models are still available. Ratings… are based, in part, on how well each model removes lead, chloroform (as an indicator of ability to remove other organic compounds as well) and bad tastes -- using a cabbage-water solution as a test. However, the overall ratings seem to emphasize tests of flow rate and clogging rather than filtering effectiveness.
by Editors of Good Housekeeping
This Good Housekeeping review tests water filters for 13 contaminants (11 more than the Consumer Reports tests), but only covers faucet-mount and pitcher water filters. The Good Housekeeping review also… emphasizes water safety, even if it means replacing filters more often. Each water filter is also tested for taste and flow rate. Among faucet-mounted water filters, the PUR model is slower than the Culligan and both brands produce the same taste results; the PUR filter is more effective in filtering out contaminants. Similar results are found comparing PUR and Brita pitcher water filters. Though not mentioned in this video, the Clear2O water-filter pitcher wins a Good Housekeeping Best Buy award in Dec. 2007.
by Michael Convery
This review reports the results of comparison tests of 14 point-of-use water filters that could be installed to filter household water. Each filter is tested to find out how well it filters out… perfluorochemicals (PFCs), the chemicals used to make Teflon and Gore-Tex, which have polluted the groundwater around at least one manufacturing plant. Eleven of the water filters pass enough lab tests to be field tested. The Culligan RC-EZ-4 is the activated carbon model that ranks first in the lab tests, along with five reverse-osmosis water filters, but all 11 prove adequate. This brief article includes links to the full report that includes the model names and more details, including the fact that some reverse-osmosis filters produce much less waste water than others.
by Kristina Matisic and Anna Wallner
The online version of this Canadian TV show recommends four water filters based on both lab tests and taste tests. Both tap water and bottled water are run through the filters, then sent to a lab for… analysis. All the filters prove capable of removing metals and even some coliform bacteria, so the actual recommendations are based on informal taste tests by a group of people. Not all the testers agree on the best-tasting water, but the PUR Ultimate filter (available in pitcher, dispenser or faucet mount) gets the most votes.
by Editors of The Green Guide
by Editors at ConsumerGuide.com
A number of faucet-mount and pitcher water filters are listed here, but only three have received single-product reviews. All three are picked as Best Buys, though one gets lower ratings than the other two.… Each single-product review includes ratings for value, performance, ease of use and features. Comments on installation and ease of use indicate at least some hands-on testing, but no testing procedure is documented.
by Editors of Consumer
The Brita Marella water-filter pitcher is the only model tested here (compared in blind taste tests with regular tap water). This model isn't available in the United States, but the site also compares the… pros and cons of several types of filters, including uncommon ones such as ceramic and distiller systems. It's interesting to see that there's a tradeoff between flow rate and effectiveness for water filters that use charcoal.
by "Sassy Sally"
This anonymous reviewer, known only as "Sassy Sally," enlists her boyfriend to help her conduct a blind taste test, comparing tap water, bottled water and water filtered through the PUR. They both like the… filtered water, but the author notes that the filter leaks, and quite a few readers comment that they've had the same experience. An Aug. 2007 review at this site compares the taste of water filtered through a PUR pitcher with that of a Brita pitcher, finding that the PUR produces water that tastes better. Editors used a PUR Flavor Options pitcher but left out the flavor packet, noting that it contains preservatives and sucralose.
by Editors of ApartmentTherapy.com
Editors of ApartmentTherapy.com choose the Brita Faucet Mount Water Filter as a Best Product, based on experience over the years with a competing PUR model as well as various pitcher water filters. The… recommendation is based on convenience and cost. Editors find faucet-mount water filters more convenient than pitcher models, and the Brita model gets in the way less than the PUR and has a better bypass switch for times when unfiltered water is OK. In their experience, too, Brita filters last longer.
by Justin Thomas
by Contributors to Amazon.com
by Contributors to Lowes.com
Only a few of the water filters sold at Lowe's have been rated by enough owners to make their average ratings carry much weight. Note that owners rarely have any way to test actual effectiveness of water… filters, so ratings are based more on flow rate and ease of use. Two Whirlpool models get higher average ratings than most PUR and Brita faucet-mounted water filters. Owners rate each water filter on five factors and then average the five to get an overall score.
by Contributors to Sears.com
We didn't find any water filters listed here that get anything but mixed reviews from owners. The under-sink water filters that get high ratings elsewhere earn complaints here about fragile plastic that can… break and flood the house. Two reverse-osmosis water filters also get mixed reviews, with complaints about noise, operating faults and breakage. Nor do countertop distiller and whole-house water filters fare any better. Even the top-rated Kenmore Elite 38501 is reported to break and flood.
by Andrea Cox
by Contributors to Target.com
by Contributors to HomeDepot.com
by Contributors to Drugstore.com
by Contributors to Buzzillions.com
by Phil Lempert
Citing consumer groups' ratings and Internet surveys, Phil Lempert recommends the PUR pitcher and PUR 3-Stage Faucet Mount, giving the pros and cons of each. The Brita pitcher is recommended as a close… second to the PUR brand. The under-sink filter he recommends, the Kenmore 38460, is no longer available. It seems obvious that this article is based on the Consumer Reports review, but this is not acknowledged.
by Editors of WaterFilterComparisons.com
We're skeptical of the information reported here, since some (but not all) of the top-rated water filters are by Aquasana, a brand owned by the site's owner and editor. The comparison chart includes only… models that have been certified by the independent NSF or UL labs or the California Department of Health, but not all such models are covered. It's interesting to see that some lesser-known brands (Aquasana, Culligan, Rhino and Wellness) are certified to filter the most contaminants. Also, the most effective water filter depends on the specific contaminants you need to remove. Similar charts compare whole-house water filters and shower filters; editors quote a Rutgers University study that concludes that as many contaminants are absorbed through the skin while bathing as are absorbed in drinking water.
by Editors and contributors
by Editors of Best Water
by Sean Paajanen
This article is more a buyer's guide than a review, briefly describing four types of water filters. Paajanen, About.com's guide to coffee and tea, recommends two to three models of each type, but only the… enthusiastic review of the Black & Decker Clear2O pitcher water filter, which filters the water faster using faucet pressure, gives any evidence of hands-on testing. (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)
by Vickilynn Haycraft
by Umbra Fisk
For consumers who try to avoid plastics, a ceramic filter may be the answer, concludes Grist environmental advisor Umbra Fisk. Ceramic filters coated with colloidal silver can filter out bacteria and… viruses that most filters can't handle, and similar systems have been used for years to filter contaminated water in countries with poor infrastructure. Ceramic filters are also environmentally-friendly.
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This is our assessment of the review’s relevance, clarity of testing and thoroughness.
Read more about our Ratings Criteria by clicking the link at the top of the page.
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PUR FM-9400 3 Stage Horizontal Faucet Mount with Filter Chrome
 from Amazon.com New: $34.95 In Stock.
Average Customer Review:   |
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Culligan US-EZ-4 EZ-Change Level-4 Under-Sink Drinking Water System
from Amazon.com New: $70.80 In Stock.
Average Customer Review: |
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Shower Filter Vitamin C 100% Organic By Vitashower
from Amazon.com New: $38.20 In Stock.
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