Did you know that municipal water or water sourced directly from wells and boreholes contain a lot of contaminants? Such water needs very thorough processing before it can be used at home. Here are some inline water filters you can use to treat you household tap water and make it safe for human consumption.
There’s no doubting the fact that city tap water contains some dissolved contaminants. It is even worse with water sourced directly from wells, rivers, and even ponds. One big challenge in using such water comes in laundry, washing utensils, and even bathing. First the water does not lather easily because it is hard. You may have to use a significantly high amount of soap before you can achieve sufficient lather for cleaning. Secondly, hard water stains cloths, utensils and is not even good for your skin and hair. Last but not least, hard water sourced directly from wells may be contaminated with heavy metals. Drinking or cooking with such water poses a serious health hazard not only to households but also to entire communities.
Using the best water filter, you will be able to soften your water and make it safe for use right there at home. In this review, we have rounded up some of the best inline water filters. The listing constitutes some of the latest brands and models that have been tested and proven to work effectively and efficiently. And they are very affordable too.
That said, let's head straight to our collection of the best inline filters. To start us off, here is a quick summary of all the inline water filters in our listing.
| Product name | Flow rate | Filter life span |
|---|---|---|
| Nahla Pure premium under sink water filter | 2.0 GPM | 10,000 gallons/ 3 years |
| GE Smartwater inline filter system | 1.2 GPM | 6 months |
| Inline Water Filter Kit for Ice Makers | 2.5 GPM | 15000 gallons |
| Watts Premier Inline water filter | 1.5 GPM | 6 months/ 20000 gallons |
| Camco TastePure water filter | 0.5 GPM | 3 months / 1000 gallons |
| EcoPure EPW2F premium Fact universal Filter | 2.0 GPM | 6 months |
| DuPont WFPF Universal Filtration system | 1.5 GPM | 3 years |
| Woder 10K-JG High capacity Inline water filter | 1.0 GPM | 10,000 gallons |
| Filtrete Advanced Under sink water filtration system | 2.0 GPM | 6 months |
| Culligan IC 1 EZ change Inline Filtration system | 1.6 GPM | 12 months / 3000 gallons |
What is an inline water filter?
This is basically an under-counter water filter that softens water by removing calcium, magnesium and other hardness causing ions. These water filters come in different types and varieties. The difference is largely based on the filtration technique and technology used. Details on the same are discusses right below.
Do you really need an inline water filter?
Inline water filters provide a very good way to rid your household water of most of the contaminants. If you value your family’s health and wellbeing, you need to ensure they use safe and purified water. You need a water filter faucet to help you with the same. So, yes, you really need this water filter.
Top 10 Best Inline Water Filters Detailed Reviews with Pros & Cons
Long Life Filter Cartridge
This is a high capacity pure water filter made of quality components for superior durability. The manufacturer indicates that it lasts 18X longer than your standard pitcher filter. Its cartridge filters are replaceable once every 3 years or after every 10,000 gallons of filtration. The compact design and small size of this under sink mounted filter system ensure it fits in very small spaces. So you’ll have some extra space for other appliances.
This best water filter easily connects to your standard ⅜” cold water line for a clean and refreshing water supply directly from your kitchen faucet. It is designed and engineered in the USA. So, if quality and performance is anything to go by, you can trust Nahla Pure Premium under sink water filter. And every purchase comes with a 100% money back guarantee.
Why We Like It:
- Every purchase comes with a 100% money back guarantee
- Designed and engineered with high quality components in the USA
- Easily connects to standard ⅜” cold water line for a clean and refreshing water directly from your faucet.
- It comes in a compact design that makes it ideal for small spaces under the sink
Why We Hate It:
- No warranty coverage
Affordably Priced
If you are looking for a good water filter system that can be easily attached to your existing water line, then I highly recommend GE Smartwater Inline Filter System. It uses a set of high-quality filter cartridges that are replaceable once every 6 months. This system does not just use standard filter. It particularly uses FQK1K filters.It is FDA and WQA approved for high-quality water filtration. So, you can buy this product with confidence trusting that it will deliver the best results. It removes 99.9% of contaminants like chlorine, asbestos, microbes, lead and many more. And it is fairly priced.
Why We Like It:
- Comes with high-quality filters that are replaceable once every 6 months
- It is compatible with refrigerators without inbuilt filtration systems.
- Easily attaches to your existing ice water line for refreshing and tasty beverages
- Premium filters eliminate chlorine, cysts, bacteria, viruses, lead, mercury, and other contaminants
- NSF/ANSI approved water filter faucet
Why We Hate It:
- No product warranty
Comprehensive Warranty
If you want to enjoy some great tasting water and ice, then you’ve got to choose an ideal high-performance inlinewater filter that doubles as an ice maker. This water softener and ice maker is NSF certified for compliance with NSF/ANSI standard 42 for taste and odor reduction. The installation process is very simple and direct. It comes with an installation kit with all the necessary installation accessories. Some of these include a shutoff valve, two ¼” quick connect water line adapters, and 15ft. ¼” NSF water line. It uses one of the best under sink water filters with a service lifespan of 1500 gallons. What’s more, this product comes with a lifetime warranty and customer tech support.
Why We Like It:
- Lifetime product warranty and customer tech support
- Replaceable filters have a service lifespan of 1500 gallons
- Comes with an installation kit complete with a mounting bracket and screws, instructions, graphics, two ¼” quick connect water line adapters, a shutoff valve, etc. for a fast and easy installation process.
- ANSI/NSF standard 42 approved for taste and chlorine odor reduction.
Why We Hate It:
- Not identified
Best Filtration Capacity
Commercial coffee makers and campers can now enjoy making better-tasting beverages thanks to the all-new Watts premier under counter water filter. This water softener uses Kinetic Degradation Fluxion (KDF) technique to deliver high-quality refreshing and sweet tasting water. The 10” KDF inline filters include ¼” brass connectors for easy replacement and installation. It easily connects to existing plumbing for a clean water supply for home or commercial use. It is durable and requires very little maintenance maybe one every 6 months. Its filter cartridge has a 20000-gallon capacity and is also WQA certified for bacteriostatic properties. You want to protect your household from infections, then consider buying and installing Watta Premier Inline water filter.
Why We Like It:
- The filters are replaceable once every 6 months or after every 20000 gallons of filtration.
- NSF and WQA certified filters for extended filtration performance.
- It is compatible with all ¼” water supply lines
- Comes with an installation kit with all the necessary accessories for a fast and efficient installation process.
- Maintenance free filters that are replaceable once every 6 months.
Why We Hate It:
- No product warranty
Best Filtration and Flow Rate
This is a high capacity water filter that does a good job filtering out iron. It supports a relatively high flow rate. That is to say it does not cause a reduction in your normal tap water pressure. To support its high capacity and flow rate, this water filter comes with a wide body. It uses long-lasting granular activated carbon filters that are very durable and efficient. Enjoy safe and clean drinking water from a USA-engineered and CSA certified pure water filter. It uses a set of built-in filters to remove all microbes, chlorine odor, iron, lead, mercury, and sediments. It uses a proprietary GAC and KDF filtration technology to purify your household water. What’s more, Camco TastePure water filter comes with flexible hose protector to prevent hose crimping and straining. This helps maintain steady filtration and flow rate.
Why We Like It:
- Flexible hose protector eliminates hose crimping and straining for faster filtration and flow rate.
- Compatible with any standard water hose
- Uses GAC and KDF filtration technology to eliminate most of the water contaminants for a better tasting drinking water.
- Built-in Granular Activated carbon 1st stage filters remove chlorine, carbon, and other common contaminants.
- Best water filter system with a high flow rate
Why We Hate It:
- Not identified
Best NSF/ANSI Certified Water Filter
EcoPure EPW2F Universal filter is one of a few inline water softeners using the patented flow and capture filtration technology. This ensures better filtration and high flow rate no matter the water source. It is NSF certified to reduce chlorine odor besides eliminating sediments and other contaminants. It uses high-efficiency filters that are replaceable once every 6 months. This is quite unlike most standard carbon filters that require frequent replacements. The installation process is very quick and easy. There’s a user manual with all the necessary installation instructions. Its replacement carbon filters are compatible with most EcoPure models EPW2VC, EPW2, as well as most standard capacity inline pure water filters.
Why We Like It:
- Uses universal fit replacement filter that is compatible with most standard capacity whole home filtration systems besides EcoPure EPW2VC and EPW2 models.
- The carbon filters are replaceable once every 6 months.
- It uses durable carbon filters with less than 1-micron pores for effective elimination of most of the dissolved contaminants and sediments.
- NSF certified whole house carbon filters reduce chlorine taste and odor together with other contaminants.
- Patented flow and capture technology (FACT) facilitates fast flow and filtration rates.
Why We Hate It:
- No product warranty
Best Compact Inline Water Filter
DuPont WFPF Universal Filtration system features a 1500-gallon filtration capacity and uses 500 series Poly Block cartridge filters that eliminates most of the contaminants. The filters are replaceable once every 6 months. This is basically a standard water filtration system that uses ¾” inlets and outlets for guaranteed high flow rate. It improves clarity and taste of water from your faucet by removing most of the contaminants. All the parts and components have a 3-year limited warranty. You’ll also enjoy a lifetime tech support.
Why We Like It:
- Comes with a 3-year limited warranty
- Improves water clarity, taste, and freshness
- Reduces scaling in your plumbing fixtures
- Uses durable 500 series Poly Block cartridge filters to soften and remove most of the contaminants from your water.
- Capable of filtering up to 15,000 gallons of water for home or office use.
Why We Hate It:
- Not identified
Quick Installation Inline Water Filter
Woder inline water filter easily connects to existing ¼” plastic flex tubing and flexible copper tubing used in standard water supply lines, refrigerators and ice makers. So, it does not have connector hoses. The ¼” JG is also compatible with the ⅛” PEX tubing as the OD, though it does not fit braided hoses. With this inline filter, you will be able to get pure and healthy drinking water on-demand. This will save you a few bucks, otherwise spent on plastic water bottles. It uses carbon filters capable of removing lead, mercury, glyphosate, chlorine, among other contaminants. The long-life filters are best used with municipal treated cold water and not well water. It uses a patented advanced reverse osmosis technology to remove 99.9% of all the contaminants. It is independently tested and certified by ANSI for quality filtration performance. You can, therefore, shop with confidence knowing that you have the very best water filter system.
Why We Like It:
- Tested and certified by ANSI and other independent laboratories for quality filtration performance
- Used advanced selective filtration technology that includes reverse osmosis to remove most of the water contaminants.
- The durable filters are replaceable once every 3 years or after every 10,000 gallons
- Saves you some bucks by reducing the need for plastic water bottles
- Removes all lead, mercury, chlorine, chromium 6 among other contaminants
- Easy installation process. There’s an accompanying video with all the installation instructions.
Why We Hate It:
- No product warranty
Best Lead and Mercury Filtration
This water filter eliminates contaminants based on 3M Testing. Filtrete Advanced under sink water filtration system easily connects to your kitchen or bathroom faucet. The installation process is very simple. There’s a user manual to help you with the same. It is important to note that this water filter maintains full water flow pressure on your faucet. It is NSF certified for standard 53 and 42. The Maximum advanced and standard under sink replacement filters are interchangeable once every 6 months. This pure water filter eliminates lead, mercury, microbial cysts, chlorine taste and odor among other contaminants. If you want to eliminate 99.9% of all lead from your household water, it is recommended that you upgrade to the Maximum Under sink Filter.
Why We Like It:
- Maintains full water flow on your kitchen or office faucet
- NSF certified standard 52 and 42 for reduction of chlorine and other contaminants.
- Quick and easy installation process. There’s a user manual with all the necessary installation instructions.
- Its maximum advanced and standard under sink replacement filters are replaceable once every 6 months.
Why We Hate It:
- No product warranty
Fast Resin Regeneration Efficiency
Culligan IC 1 EZ comes with a set of easy-change filters that eliminate most of the water contaminants. It uses RC-EZ-1 filter cartridges to reduce the amounts of class III particulates and chlorine for a clean and tasty drinking water. The included RC-EZ-1 filter cartridge used is tested and certified to comply with NSF/ANSI standard 42. The filters are replaceable once every 12 months or after filtering 3,000 gallons of water.
Why We Like It:
- The RC-EZ-1 replacement cartridge filter is compatible with RC-EZ-3 and RC-EZ-4.
- The included RC-EZ-1 filter cartridge are replaceable once every 12 months or after filtering 3000 gallons of water.
- NSF/ANSI certified for compliance with standard 42 for chlorine reduction.
- Easy installation process.
Why We Hate It:
- No product warranty
What to consider when shopping for an inline water filter?
There are a number of important aspects to consider when shopping for an inline filter. Some of these are general while others are specific to particular filters. Among other things, here are some of the things you need to check out when shopping for an ideal water filter faucet.
a) Resin capacity
If you are looking for saltwater filters, then consideration about its resin capacity is very important. This determines the amount of water filtered and the efficiency of filtration. So basically, the resin is what undertakes the filtration process.
b) Size and design
The size and design of the water filter are very important. It determines the amount of space the unit will require during installation. If you are tight on space, you may want to go with the more compact varieties. If you have no problem with space then you can choose on any, large or small.
c) Bypass valve
Once in a while, you won’t require soft water. For instance, when you want to fill up your swimming pool or washing your truck. Such are the times when you want to use raw untreated tap water. There’s no better way to do that than with a bypass valve. It allows you to bypass your inline water filter and get to use the municipal water like it is. You don’t have to waste your precious soft water on cleaning your truck, washing pavements, etc.
d) Regeneration settings
Metered inline filters regenerate resin after a specified time interval or after a particular capacity of water is filtered. In a timed water softener, the resin regeneration process occurs automatically after a few days. This is often dependent on estimation of the amount of water used within a given period of time.
Types of inline water filters
Depending on their mechanism of action, there are different types of water filter faucets. The most common ones are:
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Salt-based inline pure water filters
These are arguably the most common type of inline water filters around. They use ion exchange water filtration technique to purifier your drinking water. As the name suggests, these filters use salt in the form of brine to decontaminate your water.
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Salt-free pure water filters
Salt free pure water filters do not have a brine tank. So they use alternative techniques to filter water. It is worth noting that reverse osmosis water filters do not remove water hardness causing ions like calcium, magnesium, etc. They also connect very easily to your household plumbing
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Dual tank inline water filters
This is a heavy duty water filtration system that is ideally suited for use in households with large water consumption rates. The dual tank under sink water filters feature 2 large iron tanks and a brine tank. They are fitted with resin filter cartridges that usually regenerate every once in a while. During regeneration process, there’s a slight interruption in the purification of water. With the dual tank inline water filter, regeneration occurs in either tank at different times. This ensures a constant supply of pure water on demand.
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Magnetic water descalers
These are the least common type of water filter faucets. As the name suggests, these filters essentially use magnetic field effects to remove metal ions from your household water. Water from magnetic water descalers often mimics soft water. As such, it lathers easily with soap. For drinking and cooking, however, it is not the best.
Conclusion
That’s it for our detailed review of the best brands of inline water filters. Be sure to compare the various products and also check the provided Amazon links for the best price deals.
