Whole house water filtration systems provide treatment of H2O, directly at a home’s main water line. These point-of-entry water filters provide fresh, contaminant-free water to appliances and fixtures in your home. We’ve researched and reviewed eight top-rated whole house water filters, as well as one to avoid.
✅ 1. Springwell Whole House Water Filter System Learn More
✅ 2. Aquasana EQ-1000 Learn More
✅ 3. iSpring WGB32B Learn More
✅ 4. Pelican Whole House Filter and Water Softener Learn More
✅ 5. Apex Whole House Water Filter Learn More
✅ 6. 3M Aqua-Pure Learn More
✅ 7. Home Master Whole House Learn More
✅ 8. Express Water Whole House Water Filter Learn More
Reviews of the 8 Best Whole House Water Filters, Plus 1 to Avoid
1. Springwell Whole House Water Filter System
Springwell Whole House Water Filter System Review: Best Whole House Water Filter for City Water
Commonly, many cities’ municipal water systems contain harmful contaminants. SpringWell CF-1 whole house water filter system easily removes what you don’t want in your water with the best whole house water filter for city water. Count on a SpringWell to remove up to 99.6% of all contaminants.
What’s the secret? SpringWell’s unique catalytic coconut shell carbon provides superior water filtering. Plus, certified KDF media, high-purity copper-zinc granules, target the most harmful contaminants like chlorine, chloramine pesticides, herbicides, and more.
Easy installation and low maintenance guarantee fresh, pure water flowing to every room in the house, apartment, or office in minutes.
SpringWell offers three select models to choose from: the largest can handle up to 7 bathrooms. Boasting an impressive 20 gallons per minute (GPM), SpringWell crushes the competitors’ flow rate by 13 GPM.
This review is for the SpringWell CF-1 model, which measures 9” wide and stands 48” high (52” with head) and guarantees 1,000,000 gallons over 10 years of fresh filtered water before the recommended media filtering system needs to be changed.
Warranty: Manufacturer’s Lifetime Warranty against defects on all covered items.
To watch the Springwell Whole House Water Filter System Review on YouTube, click here.
Pros:
- 4-stage proprietary vertical up-flow media filtering system: flex bed, KDF bed, coconut shell carbon, 5-sediment filtration
- Impressive 20 GPM per minute – even in the largest homes
- Designed specifically to combat contaminants in city municipal water systems
Cons:
- Have knowledge of plumbing system installation or hire a plumber
- Considerable space limitations regarding installation (tank height)
- High-cost investment
2. Aquasana EQ-1000
Aquasana EQ-1000 Review: Best Whole House Water Filter for Bacteria Removal
Aquasana knows a thing or two about clean, great-tasting water. The Aquasana EQ-1000 is rated as the best whole house water filter for bacteria removal, and that means the Aqausana can remove 97% of chlorine and other harmful contaminants like lead, mercury, herbicides, pesticides, VOCs, and more.
Aquasana equates to high-performance with carbon & KDF filtration media designed to eliminate as much contaminant as possible while retaining the healthy minerals in your water.
If you’re shopping for a cost-efficient, long-lasting whole house water filter that will cost you less than $0.01 a gallon – equal to 1 million gallons over 10 years – then the Aquasana is the perfect water filter for your home.
The EQ-1000 weighs 50.9 pounds and measures 9 x 46 x 44 inches.
Warranty: 10-year limited warranty.
To watch the Aquasana EQ-1000 Review on YouTube, click here.
Pros:
- No draining or backflushing required
- Includes premier installation kit and components
- Easy-to-replace pre and post filters (every 3 months)
Cons:
- Expensive filtration system with unimpressive results
- Costly, unexpected, and excessive filter changes
- Reported difficulties with customer service returning calls
3. iSpring WGB32B
iSpring WGB32B Review: Best Whole House Water Filter for Lead Removal
Your family and household appliances will fare a lot better with an iSpring WGB32B whole house water filter. Best-in-class for lead removal, the iSpring leaves the smelly, bad-tasting water away from your faucets and out of the pipes! Expect 99% chlorine removal and 95% of everything else, including sediment, rust, pesticides, herbicides, and industrial solvents. Don’t worry – VOCs and various other contaminants filter out too!
Install the iSpring WGB32B at the source of your main water supply to treat all the water in your home.
It’s quality-first when you purchase the iSpring. Manufactured with high-capacity polypropylene sediment filters, this water filtering system can achieve filtration down to 5 microns.
The second and third stage filtration is third-party tested and includes a CTO Carbon Block filter made of high-quality coconut shell carbon.
The iSpring measures 24.25 x 7.75 x 27.75 inches and includes one whole house system, three filters, a handy DIY housing wrench, and an easy-to-read user manual.
It’s lightweight at 45 pounds and can be mounted under the counter with relative ease.
Warranty: Extended manufacturer warranty and lifetime tech support from U.S. local support team.
To watch the iSpring WGB32B Review on YouTube, click here.
Pros:
- DIY installation and maintenance
- 15 gallons per minute
- Maximum filtration efficiency and filter life
Cons:
- Connectors are not US standard
- Seals leak after several weeks of use
- System arrived with missing parts and filters
4. Pelican Whole House Filter and Water Softener
Pelican Whole House Filter and Water Softener Review: Best Whole House Water Filtration and Softener System
The Pelican Whole House Filter and Water Softener Alternative is the only combo water filtration system on the market that is certified to be 99.6% effective at softening your water, and removing hard-water scaling, and preventing future hard-water deposits.
Pelican whole house filter and water softener combos are always salt-free and guaranteed to filter 1.03 million gallons of water. This unit reportedly filters out 97% chlorine, chloramine, and other chemicals from your home’s water system at the source.
You can expect the Pelican whole house filter and water softener combo to provide no less than 9-16 GPM. There is no wastewater, no drainage required, and no electricity to run your Pelican water filter system. That means no extra monthly out-of-pocket costs to bring fresh, pure, healthy water running throughout your home.
The Pelican features a stylish polished solid stainless steel design and measures 49.5 H x 27” W x 18” L and weighs a mere 50 pounds.
Warranty: 90-day satisfaction guarantee, 5-year performance guarantee, and a limited lifetime warranty on tank and parts.
To watch the Pelican Whole House Filter and Water Softener Review on YouTube, click here.
Pros:
- Better than bottled water from every tap in your home
- Easy indoor/outdoor installation
- Built in NFC technology lets you operate and analyze the Pelican’s performance using a smartphone app
Cons:
- Pelican’s salt-free filtration system fell short of removing contaminants
- Technical support ignores calls for leaks and cracked housings
- Average life expectancy of this Pelican system is 6 months
5. Apex Whole House Water Filter
Apex Whole House Water Filter Review: Best Whole House Water Filter to Remove Fluoride and Chlorine
Known as the Heavy-Duty Big Blue, Apex whole house water filter is unique to high flow applications. The wide cartridges can filter enough water for a large house and apartments as they would for a busy office, restaurant, or medical environment!
The Apex Whole House Water Filter has a simple 20″ x 4.5″ footprint, which yields highly effective solutions. If you’re looking to supply your entire home with fresh, clean water and the best whole house water filter to remove fluoride and chlorine, there isn’t much further to look at than the Apex.
Certified in-house construction and high-quality coconut shell-activated carbon are two of Apex’s standout features. Get ready for the Apex whole house water filter to remove the stinky smells and flavors, including but not limited to fluoride, arsenic, chlorine, lead, mercury, and iron, to name a few.
Water passes through three stages of filtration to remove sediment, chlorine, iron, heavy metal contaminants, and sources of unpleasant odors and discoloration.
The “Big-Blue” Apex measures 30” L x 24” W x 12” H, is wall-mountable or ready to use, under the counter, and weighs only 59 pounds.
Warranty: No published manufacturer warranty. Guarantee of part replacement with proof of receipt of purchase.
To watch the Apex Whole House Water Filter Review on YouTube, click here.
Pros:
- Includes three proprietary, foolproof color-coded filter chambers
- GAC filtration provides a simple, yet highly effective filtration solutions
- Recommended for residential and commercial use
Cons:
- Reduces water flow and pressure
- Company fails to keep replacement part promises
- Media can harden inside filter chambers without a constant water flow
6. 3M Aqua-Pure
3M Aqua-Pure Review: Best Cheap Whole House Water Filter
Cheap is not the word that comes to mind when you think of the 3M company. Purchasing the 3M Aqua-Pure whole house water filter will provide an affordable solution to the dilemma of water filtration. This unit brings pure great-tasting water to every faucet in your home and protects your home’s pipes from sediment build-up.
You’ll also discover a price tag attached to this fantastic whole house water filter that can be considered relatively “cheap”.
3M’s innovative Sanitary Quick Change (SQC) design is an industry first. This application lets you quickly change out the filter cartridges without touching or compromising the filter media. And you don’t need a wrench to change 3M filters either.
Rigorously tested and verified in the 3M manufacturing laboratory, the filters are designed to be replaced annually after 100,000 gallons of use.
The 3M Aqua-Pure measures 20.06″ L x 4.06″ W x 4.06″ H inches, weighs a fraction of its competitors at a mere 6 pounds, and can filter approximately 20 GPM, even with a high flow rate!
Warranty: Limited 1-year from the date of purchase. Filter reminder sign-up option at registration.
To watch the 3M Aqua-Pure Review on YouTube, click here.
Pros:
- Extends the life of water-using appliances
- Carbon block technology reduces up to 85% chlorine taste
- Easier, cleaner cartridge change-out and no need for a filter wrench
Cons:
- Noticeable drop in water pressure after about one month of use
- Filter changes needed around every 1-2 months
- Only compatible with city municipal water systems
7. Home Master Whole House
Home Master Whole House Review: Best Whole House Water Filter for Well Water
If your home relies on well water, there is a good chance that undesirable amounts of iron, manganese, and sulfur are present in your water or through the plumbing. Home Master recommends always having your well water analyzed before buying a whole house water filter for well water.
The Home Master Whole House Filter arrives fully assembled, takes the installation guesswork out of the equation, and gets the freshwater flowing. The unique extra-large, three-stage whole house filters treat sediment, turbidity (how clear the water is), iron, manganese – that awful sulfur smell – pesticides, herbicides, and plenty of other chemicals.
The Home Master water filter for well water is the best in its class for a straightforward reason: this unit delivers clean, clear water to every faucet and bath in your home without drawing down water pressure. Maintaining high water pressure is a key concern of home dwellers living on well water.
Water pressure never falls short because the large housings accommodate the larger filters. If you want less frequent service, if you may want to save you time and money, and the inconvenience of wondering when to change the filters, and count on the reliable Home Master water filter for well water.
Filtering your home’s well water is as easy as 1-2-3. Filter 1 is a multi-gradient media filter. Filter 2 is a unique radial flow filter designed to reduce high levels of iron/magnesium. Filter 3, the coconut shell carbon filter, purifies. That all adds up to 100,000 gallons of fresh, pure filtered well water annually.
Warranty: Limited 2-year warranty with recreation and from the date of purchase.
To watch the Home Master Whole House Review on YouTube, click here.
Pros:
- Compatible with well and city municipal water systems
- Large 1” water ports can handle massive water flow at 15 GPM
- Oversized filters improve flow rate capacity and reduce maintenance costs
Cons:
- Difficult DIY installation
- Requires full panel well water analysis
- Costly filter replacement
8. Express Water Whole House Water Filter
Express Water Whole House Water Filter Review: Best Whole House Water Filtration System for Well Water on a Budget
The Express Water Whole House Water Filter objective is two-fold: reduce harmful impurities, and filter 0.25 gallons of pure, fresh, clean water per second into each water connection in your home.
The Express system reduces or removes over 52 different impurities from your home’s water using a three-stage filtration system. Less chlorine, rust, for example, means living a healthier lifestyle with the freshest, purest water.
Express Water systems are out-of-the-box ready-to-install with standard 1” inch connections. Super-easily replaceable filter cartridges are guaranteed to keep your system up and running efficiently, and that saves you money.
Every Express Water whole house water filter system is constructed using a solid stainless-steel frame for lasting durability. Color-coded filter chambers include carbon block, granular activated carbon, and sediment filtration filters with a reliable pressure gauge on each chamber.
Need assistance? The company’s on-demand support department is at the ready with experts to answer all your questions and troubleshoot any installation or filtration questions.
The Express Water measures 23.5” L x 8.5” W x 30” W and weighs 62 pounds.
Warranty: 1-year warranty.
To watch the Express Water Whole House Water Filter Review on YouTube, click here.
Pros:
- Made with high quality 100% food-grade materials
- high flow design can supply up to 0.25 gallons per second
- Solid steel mounting frame, plus 3 individual pressure gauges
Cons:
- Noticeable leakage after a few months in service
- Cut the home’s water pressure in half
- Requires a by-pass to avoid potential manufacturer defect
Avoid – Filtersmart Whole House Water Filter
Filtersmart Whole House Water Filter Review
While Filtersmart Whole House Water Filter boasts “healthier options” – softer skin and hair, fresh drinkable spring-like water, and absolutely no waste – upon closer inspection, this whole house water filter is more of a low-quality copycat.
Why? For starters, Filtersmart’s natural NSF-certified dual filtration system only filters your home’s water using Jacobi brand acid-washed, high-purity, high-activity, granular-activated carbon manufactured by steam activation to clean and purify. Impressive, yes! Enough filtering power? Hardly.
To effectively remove high levels of sediment and dangerous impurities, whole house water filtration systems should use a minimum of three to a maximum of five levels of different filtration media. Sadly, Filtersmart uses one.
Filtersmart’s singular filtration system guarantees removal of chlorine, volatile organic compounds, synthetic organic compounds, pesticides, herbicides, and industrial solvents while keeping the essential healthy, natural minerals in the water.
One easy, convenient filtration media is excellent for quick filter changes and essential maintenance. However, for overall performance and efficacy, Filtersmart doesn’t quite hit the mark.
Warranty: Lifetime warranty on tank and valves.
To watch the Filtersmart Whole House Water Filter Review on YouTube, click here.
Pros:
- No water waste or extra energy costs
- 5 year or 1,000,000 gallon guarantee
- Easy installation, designed to work with basic plumbing fixtures
Cons:
- Non-returnable
- Increased Lime deposits = increased cleaning time
- Thin “skin” stainless steel tank construction causes leaks and corrosion
*Whole House Water Filters Review on YouTube*
2021 Buyers Guide to the Best Whole House Water Filters
If you haven’t considered a whole house water filter system before, it might seem like overkill, when compared to a single outlet drinking options such as a water ionizer for your kitchen. But when you factor in the improved quality of the water you drink as well as shower and bathe in, it’s well worth the investment.
Why filter all your water? Water you wash with, and water you clean with has a substantial amount of chlorine. For the best whole house water filter system, consider the water flow rate, cost over the course of its lifespan, and that you’re choosing the right type of filter for you.
3 Main Points to Consider:
- Lifespan and Cost: Unfortunately, many filters, including the best whole house water filter system, is an investment that keeps requiring money. You must replace filters, and in some cases, you might need to schedule maintenance. The worst-case scenario is that your water filter system breaks, and you replace it. The initial cost of purchasing the best whole house water filter system for you is only the beginning. To calculate what the true cost of the system is taken into consideration the price of the replacement filters and how often they need changing. Replacement filters are a hidden cost of many water filters. Figure it this way, if you purchase a whole house water filter system for $100 and then spend $125 a year you are better off with a $200 system that requires a new filter every two years.
- Water Flow Rate: The water flow rate is an important aspect to consider. Unlike water filter systems that affect one output such as your sink or drinking water, the water flow rate for a whole house system can affect your water pressure at every water point. The water flow rate is measured in the unit of gallons per minute. Usually ranging from 5 to 25 gallons per minute you should consider both the size of your home and how much water you use daily to determine what a decent water flow rate is for your home. Even a small house with many people using water constantly can affect your water pressure to meet water demands. But, not every house needs a flow rate of 25 gallons per minute. Most family households in a moderate to large sized home do well with a flow rate of 20 or more GPM. The most standard range of GPM for family households is 15 – 20. If you’re in a small home or have low water needs, 6 GPM should do fine without a severe loss in water pressure.
- Types of Filters: There are two types of filters to choose between when it comes to finding the best whole house water filter system. The first is a carbon tank system. They are known for their long lifespan and low maintenance. Every few years they could need replacing or maintenance. Additionally, chlorine specifically is targeted with the carbon filtration system. The second type of filter is a cartridge system. Usually filters for a whole house system last for about 6 months and some claim to last for long. These systems can be customized to target specific issues such as taste, odor, or contaminants. This ability to customize the filter media through means that you need a bit of knowledge on which media to use.If you’re using well water, this is probably your best option.
Final Thoughts on Buying a Whole House Water Filter
One of the essential natural resources constantly flowing around our precious planet is water. We count on that water for many things. And it is expected to be free of toxins and bacteria.
A healthy lifestyle demands access to clean, pure water. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), currently, 89% of American households operate using hard water with an excessive presence of calcium and magnesium.
If your H2O is of the hard water variety, a whole house water filter system aims to end the nuisance of mineral buildup on your dishes, glassware, clothing, and plumbing fixtures, especially if you’re noticing increased poor soap and detergent performance. And if you’re worried about what is lurking in the well of the city municipal water supply, a whole house filtration system can contribute to healthier water flowing through your home.
For these reasons, installing an affordable whole house water filtration system makes perfect sense.
Internet search trends regarding total dissolved solids (TDS), meaning anything present in water other than pure H20 molecules, increased by 500% in recent years.
This trend was most noticeable in the Southwest, with homeowners in Arizona, Nevada, California, New Mexico, and Colorado discovering how to determine the particular TDS in local water systems and which whole house water filtration system works to combat them from entering the home’s water supply.
Whether your home relies on well water or a city municipal water supply, it is imperative to have the water analyzed before purchasing a whole house water filtration system.
DIY kits may look easy to install, but not every home’s plumbing or water inlet source is the same. To avoid purchasing a water filtration system that is too small potentially lowers the water pressure, and triggers unexpected installation costs, get an estimate regarding installation.
Taking these tips into consideration will save you time and money and help you determine which whole house water filtration system is the best to get the healthiest, purest water flowing into your home!
✅ 1. Springwell Whole House Water Filter System Learn More
✅ 2. Aquasana EQ-1000 Learn More
✅ 3. iSpring WGB32B Learn More
✅ 4. Pelican Whole House Filter and Water Softener Learn More
✅ 5. Apex Whole House Water Filter Learn More
✅ 6. 3M Aqua-Pure Learn More
✅ 7. Home Master Whole House Learn More
✅ 8. Express Water Whole House Water Filter Learn More
*Freshnss Values Transparency and Integrity*
Additional Water Filter Reviews
RO Systems for Well Water
Reverse Osmosis Systems
Water Ionizers
Portable Water Filters
Backpacking Water Filters
Faucet Water Filters
Water Distillers
Ultraviolet Water Purifiers
Durastill Water Distillers
Under Sink Water Filters
Countertop Water Filters
Refrigerator Water Filters
Water Filter Pitchers
Stainless Steel Water Filters
Water Purification Tablets
Whole House Water Filters for Well Water
Emergency Water Filters
Inline Water Filters
Iron Removal Systems for Well Water
Contents