5 Best Countertop Water Filters (Updated for 2025)

When it comes to the “Stuff of Life” that makes up 60% of our bodies, purity absolutely matters. Many of the contaminants of emerging concern listed by the EPA are “forever chemicals” – or chemicals that bioaccumulate in our bodies.

Unfortunately, it’s been nearly 20 years since the EPA has added any contaminants to the list of chemicals covered under the Safe Water Drinking Act, so only a fraction of the estimated 1000 chemicals of concern identified by a network of labs and researchers are monitored and/or regulated in any way. (1)

The good news is that countertop water filters are an affordable option for providing safe, clean water. They require little-to-no installation and, unlike older technologies that primarily focused on removing chlorine, can filter a wide range of harmful contaminants including fluoride. 

Of course, there are some downsides, too. We’ll dive into the details below, along with my top product recommendations.

Is a countertop filter right for you? ^

If you’re not sure what kind of filter you want yet – countertop, under sink, or whole house – here’s my in-depth guide to choosing the best water filter for your specific needs. The basic steps are:

• Find out what’s in your water
• Decide which type of filter you want. (Whole house, countertop, under sink, shower, etc.)
• Make sure the filter you’re considering removes the contaminants that are most concerning to you. (This will depend on which filtration materials are used. I’ve included this info below.)
• Check to see if the filter you’re considering has any independent certifications that verify the manufacturer’s claims. (I’ve included this info below.)
• Choose the best water filter for you based on your water quality, budget, and preferences. 

With that in mind, let’s take a look at the pros and cons of going with a countertop water filtration system. 

Advantages of Countertop Water Filters ^

1. Ease of Installation: These filters require little-to-no assembly or installation. Some don’t even need to be connected to the kitchen faucet, and you won’t need to drill a hole in the kitchen counter to use them. This is a huge plus if you’re renting and/or just don’t want to make permanent changes to your countertop area.

2. Portability: Because they’re not permanently installed, you can easily take most countertop filters with you on trips and/or when you move to new home.

3. Cost: Countertop filters are usually more affordable than under sink and whole house filtration options, making them a good option for families that want clean water on a budget.

Disadvantages of Countertop Water Filters ^

1. Takes Up Counter Space: As the name implies, these filters sit on the kitchen counter and take up space. This can be a downside if you prefer a clutter-free countertop or have a small space to work with, but there are small models that can work well in compact spaces. 

2. May Have To Be Manually Refilled: Some countertop filters hook directly into the faucet, while others are standalone reservoirs that have to be refilled by hand.

3. May Have A Small Reservoir: Some standalone reservoirs hold a relatively small amount of water. When you’ve used all the water, you’ll need to refill the reservoir and then wait until the water is filtered before you can use it again.

4. Filtered Water Is Only Available At Point-of-Use – Unlike whole house water filters which filter all the water that comes into the house, countertop filters only filter water for one area (usually the kitchen sink).

They do tend to filter out more contaminants than whole house systems, though, so even people that have whole-house filters often invest in a point-of-use filter for their drinking water

Best Countertop Pitcher: Clearly Filtered ^

Price: $90 (Save 10% with WELCOME10)

This is one of my top recommendations in terms of performance and price. Unlike most pitcher filters which barely do more than improve water taste by removing chlorine, Clearly Filtered says it performs as well or better than reverse osmosis systems  . . . all while keeping beneficial minerals intact. 

Big claims should come with verifiable data, and Clearly Filtered delivers on that front. All of their products have been independently tested and verified by EPA-accredited laboratories at levels exceeding NSF standards, and they post the results in the top right section of each product listing. 

Of all the filters mentioned on this page, Clearly Filtered has been shown via independent testing to remove the most contaminants: 365+ versus 200+ for ProOne and 83 for AquaTru. 

I personally bought a Clearly Filtered water pitcher to test at home, and I can say from experience that it delivers fresh, clean tasting water. We always take it on road trips so that we have access to clean water without buying single-use bottled water.

My kids will each be getting one of these when they leave for college.

Pros

• Independently tested and verified by EPA-accredited laboratories at levels exceeding NSF standards. 
• Certified to remove/reduce 365+ contaminants including all types of fluoride additives (sodium fluoride, fluorosilicate and fluorosilicic acid) up to 99.5%, heavy metals, haloacetic acids, microplastics, thorium and cesium, PFAS, pesticides, herbicides, phthalates, VOCs and some pharmaceutical drugs. A link to the full list can be found in the top right corner of the product page. 
• Built in the USA with medical-grade materials
• Lifetime guarantee on all filter systems
• Doesn’t remove beneficial minerals from water
• Gravity fed, so no electricity needed
• Doesn’t waste water like reverse osmosis systems
• Can be used in emergency situations.
• Offers subscription to have fresh filters delivered so you don’t have to remember to reorder
• No installation needed
• Filter lasts up to 100 gallons

Cons

• Has to be manually be refilled (But it’s easy since it’s a pitcher)
• Only holds 80 oz, which is 10 cups (They do have two other options that can hook right into your water line, though – a fridge filter that removes 232+ contaminants and an under-sink water filter  that doesn’t require you to drill into the counter for installation.)
• No filter change indicator on pitcher (needs to be replaced every 100 gallons)

Filtration Technology Used

Clearly Filtered’s activated carbon filters have a unique structure which forces water to pass through the filtration media at different angles: 

twisting and turning on its journey from top to bottom, instead of just passing straight down. This gives water a longer contact time with the media, which allows for a more thorough removal of impurities. Affinity Filtration is more advanced than a typical activated carbon filter as it removes the likes of fluoride and chromium-6, which are commonly found in water and difficult to filter out.”

At the same time, it keeps healthy minerals such as magnesium, potassium, and calcium in. 

Where To Buy

Clearly Filtered Website (Save 10% with WELCOME10)

Best Reverse Osmosis System: AquaTru Classic ^

Price: My recommended model, the Classic, is $449 (Save up to $150 here)

AquaTru is a countertop reverse osmosis filter that is independent lab certified to remove 83 contaminants, including lead, chlorine, radium, microplastics, nitrates, PFOA and PFOS (two types of PFAS), all types of fluoride additives (sodium fluoride, fluorosilicate and fluorosilicic acid) up to 90%, and more. 

Important Note: The Classic Version can be customized to be wifi enabled (which I personally wouldn’t choose), and you can also opt for a special filter to create alkaline water. While I’m a big fan of mineral-rich water, I aim for water that is more pH neutral than alkaline.

My reasoning is that alkaline water can neutralize stomach acidity, which is a vital part of healthy digestion. Stomach acid, also known as hydrochloric acid, plays a vital role in breaking down proteins and other nutrients absorption.

It also stimulates the release of an enzyme called pepsin. which converts proteins into the amino acids we need to make neurotransmitters, structural proteins like collagen, hormones, immune system compounds and more.

Also, stomach acid creates and inhospitable environment for pathogens, making it a first line of defense against anything contaminated that we ingest.

So, now that I’ve covered why I recommend The Classic without the optional additions, here are its pros and cons:

Pros

• No installation
• Long-lasting filters that can purify 600-1200 gallons
• Digital display tells you when it’s time to change filters
• Easy to add minerals directly into the clean water reservoir
• Wastes less water than most RO systems (For every gallon, about 3/4 becomes filtered water and 1/4 is wastewater)
• Certified by IAPMO Research & Testing to NSF/ANSI standards 42, 53, 58, 401, and P473. Each number refers to testing for a different group of contaminants including heavy metals, Cryptosporidium, VOCs, fluoride and more. Total of 83 contaminants removed/reduced.

Cons

• Reservoir only holds about 3 quarts (96 ounces)
• Wastes some water (all reverse osmosis systems do)
• Has to be manually refilled
• Wastewater has to be discarded when the reservoir is refilled
• Designed for municipal water, not recommended for well water
• Removes beneficial minerals from water, so you’ll want to add them back in
• Takes up counter space
• Requires electricity

Filtration Technology Used

AquaTru’s 4-stage filtration process uses a pre-filter to remove large particles like sediment and rust, followed by an activated carbon filter to remove chlorine. 

After that it runs through a reverse osmosis filter (or membrane) to remove contaminants like lead, arsenic, chromium-6 uranium, nitrates and more, followed by one last pass through an activated coconut carbon block filter to remove compounds like rocket fuel, prescription drug residue, and PFAS. 

Where To Buy

AquaTru Website

Best Compact Reverse Osmosis System: AquaTru Carafe ^

Price: $349 (Save up to $100 here)

This is a compact version of the filter above. It comes with a glass pitcher that holds 64 ounces instead of 96 ounces.

The AquaTru Carafe has been independently tested by IAPMO to NSF standards for removal of the same contaminants as AquaTru’s other purifiers. Seventy-eight contaminants have already passed testing and five contaminants are still undergoing testing. IAPMO certification is still pending on this model. 

Pros

• No installation
• Long-lasting filters that can purify 600-1200 gallons
• Digital display tells you when it’s time to change filters
• Easy to add minerals directly into the pitcher

Cons

• Pitcher only holds 64 ounces
• Wastes water (all reverse osmosis systems do)
• Has to be manually refilled
• Designed for municipal water, not recommended for well water
• Removes beneficial minerals from water, so you’ll want to add them back in
• Takes up some counter space
• Requires electricity

Filtration Technology Used

AquaTru’s 4-stage filtration process uses a pre-filter to remove large particles like sediment and rust, followed by an activated carbon filter to remove chlorine. 

After that it runs through a reverse osmosis filter (or membrane) to remove contaminants like lead, arsenic, chromium-6 uranium, nitrates and more, followed by one last pass through an activated coconut carbon block filter to remove compounds like rocket fuel, prescription drug residue, and PFAS. 

Where To Buy

AquaTru Website

Gravity Water Filters ^

Gravity-fed water filters are exactly what they sound like they would be – you pour water into the top of a reservoir, then the water is filtered as gravity pulls it down through the filtration media. 

It runs without any electricity – which can be helpful during power outages or emergency situations – and it’s available in several sizes that generally hold somewhere between 1.5 and 6 gallons of water. 

The most popular manufacturer of this type of system stopped selling its filters in 2024 after a long controversy and a lawsuit with the EPA.

So, what happened to Berkey? ^

Berkey was one of the most popular water filters among naturally-minded families for many years. In 2023, the Environmental Protection Agency issued a stop order against the company because it was making claims that classified it’s filters as a pesticide (which it was not registered for).

They warned Berkey in 2022, but Berkey continued to make claims while refusing to take the steps needed to correct the situation. After Berkey discontinued sales, a new company – Boroux – started selling what appears to be the exact same system. According to the company, the formulation of the filters is the same, but the claims made are different.

While it may seem at first that this is just an issue of proper labeling or possibly excessive regulation, I stopped recommending Berkey filters years ago due to other concerns that extend to the new company.

I’ll explain them below, and then I’ll share a couple of alternative filter options that fit the Berkey system.

Filtration Technology Used

Berkey used – and now Boroux presumably uses – two types of filtration media (aka materials): activated carbon that contains proprietary material and aluminum oxide (also called activated alumina). 

Although they made some pretty big claims about how their filters exceed NSF (National Sanitation Foundation) standards, there are criticisms of how they conducted their performance tests. For example, to meet NSF-53 standards they would have needed to run 6,000 gallons of water through the filter and then test the water, but one of the labs only used two liters of water before testing.

They also said their aluminum oxide filters removed up to 97% of fluoride and 99.9% of arsenic. At least some forms of aluminum oxide filtration use ion exchange, which basically means that you’re replacing whatever contaminant was in your water with aluminum oxide. (2) Some manufacturers say that the form of aluminum oxide is relatively safe, but others disagree. More on that below.

Fluoride Removal Problems

There are many reports from people (like this one) who have compared their tap water with Berkey-filtered water and found that: 

• The amount of fluoride removed was much lower than expected
• The fluoride filters may actually leach aluminum into the water

Several years ago I personally mailed samples of my tap water and Berkey-filtered water to 3M for analysis. They don’t offer that particular test anymore (it was actually marketed as a way to know if your water had enough fluoride), but according to the results the Berkey reduced the fluoride in my water from .76 PPM to .58 PPM. That’s only about a 24% reduction. 

Although I updated my review with that info, we moved soon after that test to a house that did not have fluoridated water so I didn’t look into it more.

Unfortunately, it seems that the problem may not just be that the aluminum oxide filters don’t filter all forms of fluoride equally well. Lab results posted by Water Filter Guru showed that the activated alumina filters only removed 50% of fluoride while significantly increasing aluminum levels. 

About a year later, he posted the results of follow up testing which showed only a slight increase in aluminum and full removal of fluoride. However, the test created some additional questions/considerations for me:

• It was conducted after 100 gallons had been run through the system just in case there is a “wash out” period of time where the filters are more prone to leaching. I think the manufacturer mentioned a wash out period of around 10 gallons so we know it exists, but we don’t know if it’s closer to 10 gallons or 100.
• The initial findings are likely due to a design flaw. Water Filter Guru theorizes that it might be too easy to install them incorrectly, causing leaching. Other experts have pointed to the fact that the activated alumina actually sits in the purified water tank, which they say could be causing the leaching issue.

Alternative Gravity Filter Brands ^

Several brands make filters that are compatible with the Berkey system, but most aren’t independently tested for performance. With that said, here are a couple I think are worth considering:

British Berkefeld by Doulton ^

Price Range: Varies based on size, but $35-320

If you’re thinking, “Hey, Berkey sounds a lot like Berkefeld,” you’re absolutely correct. In 1835, Queen Victoria asked John Doulton’s to figure out a way to filter water in order to reduce cholera and typhoid transmission. He did, and founded Berkefeld.

Berkey started out as a United States distributor of the British Berkefeld filter, but they eventually stopped using Berkefeld’s ceramic filters and instead developed their own.

Berkefeld filters are NSF certified for 42, 53, 372 and 401 codes:

• NSF/ANSI 42 – Aesthetic Effects
• NSF/ANSI 53 – Health Effects
• NSF/ANSI/CAN 372 – Lead Content
• NSF/ANSI/CAN 401 – Emerging Compounds / Incidental Contaminants

Pros:

• NSF certified for more contaminants than any other gravity filter. My other recommendation, ProOne, is only NSF 42 certified for (Aesthetic Effects).
• Tested far beyond industry standards. Berkefeld filters are tested to twice their marketed lifespan. For example, a filter marketed for 400 gallons will be rigorously tested for 800 gallons. With this kind of rigorous testing in place, consumers can be confident that the filters are maintaining performance until it’s time to replace them.
• Can hold 1.5-3 gallons of water depending on which size you choose
• Long-lasting filters
• Relatively affordable
• Can be used in emergency situations (because it doesn’t require electricity to work)

Cons:

• As far as I can tell, the filters designed to remove fluoride contain activated alumina. This presents two things to consider:
  • Is there potential for leaching? The filters are positioned upright in the dirty water chamber, which according to some sources addresses the risk of activated alumina leaching into the clean water. The filter uses an encapsulated fast flow carbon block that is said to remove any media that is still in the water before it flows into the clean water chamber.
  • What is the efficacy with all types of fluoride? Their testing indicates a removal rate of up to 99% of fluoride, but the type of fluoride is not specified. When certain conditions are right (for example, water pH and a slow flow rate), activated alumina can filter sodium fluoride very well. However, it doesn’t seem to work well when it comes to removing fluorosilicic acid, which is now widely added to municipal water. I’m still looking into this and will update when I know more.
• Berkefeld filters remove a wide range of contaminants including up to 99.9% of bacteria, PFAS “forever” chemicals, microplastics, pesticides, herbicides, lead and pharmaceuticals, but I couldn’t find a full list to use a comparison with other products.
• Takes up counter space
• Has to be manually refilled
• Won’t produce immediate clean water (filtration takes awhile)
• Standing water is vulnerable to bacterial and fungal growth, so the unit needs to be cleaned regularly.

Overall, I think this is a strong option, but I would personally conduct a water test to make sure that the filtration media is working well with the pH of my water to remove fluoride without adding anything in.

Filtration Technology Used

Berkefeld uses a ceramic outer microfilter, granular activated carbon and heavy metal removal media (which some sources say is aluminum oxide, though I haven’t yet been able to confirm that).

Where To Buy

You can buy British Berkenfeld stainless steel gravity filters here, and replacement filters here.

ProOne (Formerly ProPur) ^

Price Range: Varies based on size, but $167-229

ProOne makes gravity-fed filters with a variety of capacities, and their fluoride filter is built right into their main filter so you don’t need to buy anything extra. Also, they don’t use aluminum oxide (activated alumina) to filter fluoride. 

Pros:

• ProOne has been found by an independent lab to meet NSF/ANSI standard 42 (Aesthetic Effects)
• Independent lab testing has also found the filters remove/reduce 200+ contaminants including 1,4 dioxane, microcystin, emerging contaminants, PFOAS (GenX), TTHM’s, bacteria, lead, parasites and more. They also remove/reduce two forms of fluoride – sodium fluoride and fluorosilicic acid – but not sodium fluorosilicate. Fortunately, according to the CDC sodium fluorosilicate is typically only used in small water systems, which is pretty much the opposite of large water purification facilities. (4) 
• Can hold 2.25-3 gallons of water depending on which size you choose
• Long-lasting filters
• Relatively affordable
• Can be used in emergency situations (because it doesn’t require electricity to work)

Cons:

• Takes up counter space
• Has to be manually refilled
• Won’t produce immediate clean water (filtration takes awhile)
• Standing water is vulnerable to bacterial and fungal growth, so the unit needs to be cleaned regularly. With that in mind, I like that it comes with a “Gravity Gripper” design that makes it easy to lift the upper container and visually inspect/clean the lower container where the filtered water sits.

Filtration Technology Used

ProOne uses a silver-infused outer ceramic shell to help prevent the growth of bacteria and a proprietary carbon-based granular filtration media inside the core. Their fluoride removal material is included in the main filter, so you don’t have to buy extra filters. 

Where To Buy

Their gravity filters are available here and replacement filters are available here, here, and here.

More About Water Filtration ^

Here’s how to find out what contaminants are in your water, and here’s my in-depth guide to choosing the best filter for your specific needs.

Do you have a question about countertop water filter systems?

Please let me know in the comments below!

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1. Network of reference laboratories, research centres and related organisations for monitoring of emerging environmental substances (NORMAN) Emerging substances

2. Duan, Ying (2014) Fluoride adsorption properties of three modified forms of activated alumina in drinking water

3. Shivaprasad, Parimala (2018) Synthesis of nano alumina for defluoridation of drinking water

4. CDC. Types of Fluoride Additives