|
Type |
Pros |
Cons |
|
Pitcher |
Low upfront cost; no installation needed. |
Does not remove all contaminants; filters must be changed every couple of months and will increase the yearly cost of the filter system; filtration is slow. |
|
Faucet/On the Counter |
Relatively inexpensive; can switch between filtered and unfiltered water; easy to install; ideal for drinking and cooking water. |
Faucet mounted may not fit on all faucets; decreases flow rate; filters are changed every couple of months.
On the counter may require some installation and can take up space; can sometimes be expensive. |
|
Under-sink |
Filter system is out of sight; infrequent filter changes; ideal for drinking and cooking water. |
Requires installation; can sometimes be expensive; takes up cabinet space. |
|
Whole House |
Whole house kept clean from one system; various processes available; if system uses filters they are changed every couple of years. |
Professionally installed; very expensive. |
|
Reverse Osmosis |
Removes most unwanted contaminants. |
5-step process; filters replaced frequently; very expensive; wastes a lot of water. |
|
Distillation |
Removes heavy metals, fluorides and bacteria. |
Not energy efficient; takes up a lot of space; very expensive. |
|
Ultraviolet (UV) |
Does not use heat or chemicals to remove contaminants. |
Any color in water will prevent UV from working; sometimes filtration is necessary prior to UV; has a low effectiveness for removing chemicals. |
