Best Water Purifiers - Choose in 2 Easy Steps

It goes without saying that using a home water purifier is the safest, most economical way to have clean, delicious drinking water in your home. However, with so many different water filter models and makers available, it can be hard to find which product will be best for you. Here are two easy steps to choosing the best water purifier for you and your family.


1. Find your volume: the recommended amount of drinking water for the average adult is 8 glasses per day, or about one half gallon. Some people will drink well over this, but most of us drink far less! In either case, this should be your target amount.

Based on the number of people living in your home, find out how much drinking water your household will consume per day. An easy way to estimate this is to average 4 gallons per person per week (this gives you a cushion for guests as well as those really thirsty days). Apply this number to step 2.

2. Choosing Your Purifier: Based on your weekly consumption, here are my recommendations:

4-8 Gallons/week: Refrigerator Pitcher. For low volume use, a water filter pitcher in your refrigerator will ensure that you have cold, refreshing water available to you without adding any hardware to your kitchen.

Most pitcher models hold 4-5 quarts, so you will only need to refill the container once a day or every other day. Also, these purifiers are relatively cheap, with many good models in the $20-$40 price range.

8-15 Gallons/week: Faucet Attachment Filter: Although they may be deemed unsightly, faucet attachment filters offer a very economical option for households with several people. The main advantage of the faucet attachment over the refrigerator pitcher is filter lifespan.

Most faucet attachment purifiers can filter around 100 gallons of drinking water before needing a filter replacement, while most refrigerator pitchers need a filter replaced every 40-50 gallons. These purifiers are only slightly more expensive than the pitcher models, usually in the $30-$70 range.

More Than 15 Gallons/week: Under-Sink or Reverse-Osmosis System. For households that will be going through a lot of drinking water every week, a larger water filter system is the best option. Although these purifier systems are in a completely different price range compared to the pitcher and faucet options, the more expensive system will pay for itself in volume over time.

Remember, these are only recommendations. As long as your water purifier removes chlorine and harmful bacteria, it is ultimately a matter of preference. The best water purifier is the one that gets used, so don't buy something that you don't want.

Congratulations, you are on your way to having clean, affordable drinking water available to you and your family!