Countertop Filters fit directly onto your kitchen counter and attach right onto your faucet. A great option for easy-to-use filtered water with little installation and no plumber required!
Not sure if you need Countertop or Under-the-Sink? Check out our comparison of the the two here: Countertop vs. Under the Sink... Which One is Right for Me?
Countertop water filters sit on your kitchen counter and attach right onto your faucet, as a great option for easy-to-use filtered water with minimal installation required. These systems offer supreme flexibility for people living in apartments, condos, rental properties and anywhere else where whole-home filtration systems aren’t feasible. Best of all, they provide the same level of filtration as whole-home and under-sink options, making them a perfect alternative.
Not sure if you need a countertop or under-the-sink point-of-use system? Check out our comparison of the two here: Countertop vs. Under-the-Sink: Which One is Right for Me?
Whether you live in an area with municipal water or draw your potable water from an on-site well, there’s a good chance your home will benefit from a countertop water filter. Regardless of where it comes from, tap water contains unwanted chemicals and compounds that should be removed prior to drinking.
Municipal water contains fluoride, chlorine and, in many cities, high levels of lead. Likewise, unfiltered well water can contain everything from arsenic to pesticides that have contaminated the local groundwater. Well water especially must be treated for biological contaminants such as parasites, cysts and bacteria, using a microbial filter cartridge to mitigate the risk of organic contaminants. Other chemicals and compounds are equally as dangerous and detrimental to our health, which makes countertop water filters a must-have installation in your home wherever possible.
Thankfully, countertop filters are very straightforward. They’re made of a diverter valve attached to the faucet of your sink, which redirects water away from your faucet to the filter to be cleaned, before sending it back to the faucet through a separate opening. The unit contains replaceable filter cartridges and you can continue to use your sink normally—the only difference is that your potable water will now be filtered!
Modern countertop faucet water filters are very efficient thanks to their ability to block and eliminate numerous water pollutants. Today’s models are proven to reduce or eliminate more than 70 different pollutants at the point of use—everything from chlorine, to noble gasses, to 55+ VOCs and more. This is extremely valuable for individuals who live in areas with known levels of water pollutants like pesticides, chlorine or industrial solvents due to runoff.
The effectiveness of tap water filters also extends to their efficiency. Unlike other filtration systems, they don’t produce wastewater, which lowers the total cost of ownership and improves environmental friendliness—all without sacrificing the effectiveness of the filter or the clean water results. Countertop filters are more cost-effective than bottled water, more convenient than filtration pitchers, and more affordable than whole-house systems.
Choosing the Right Filter
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to water filtration. Different types of filters are suited for filtering different types of pathogens out of water. For example, some filters target volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as herbicides, industrial solvents or pesticides. Other filters target organic and inorganic compounds such as lead, chlorine, and fluoride. There are also microbial filters used to combat the presence of organic contaminants such as parasites, bacteria and cysts.
Depending on the concerns you have for your water, be sure to understand the different filter types available to you. And remember, some Aquaspace® filtration systems use multiple filters to achieve superior water quality in spite of many different types of contaminants.
The frequency by which you should change your water filter depends on the type of unit and the filter media it uses. Different filtration systems rely on different filter media, including activated carbon, alkaline shells and even coconut shells. That said, filters on countertop water filtration systems are a little different from those on other filters.
For example, some are rated to clean a specific number of gallons before they need to be replaced—sometimes thousands of gallons. Most countertop water filters need a new unit every three to 12 months, depending on the efficiency of the filter, manufacturer and water quality.
It’s also important to consider filters for commercial vs. home filtration systems. High-use commercial filters generally need to be replaced when they exceed a gallon quota. Residential filters tend to need replacing after a certain age is exceeded. This is because a residential filter won’t usually consume enough water before the age of the filter starts to affect its effectiveness, whereas commercial systems process a much higher amount of water and will meet the gallon milestone before the age milestone.
In some cases, you can even see that your filter needs to be replaced just by looking at the media! That said, the best way to figure out when to change your countertop water filter is to check the specifications. All Aquaspace® countertop water filter systems come with information about when you change filters and how to recognize the need for a new filter.
Because countertop water filter units are hooked up at the point of use—rather than attached to the cold water supply—there’s a potential to run both hot and cold water through the filtration system. But this doesn’t mean you should.
As a general rule of thumb, it’s not a good idea to run hot water through your countertop water filter. Heat is not good for the tubing, and the hotter the water is, the more damage it’s going to do. Most filtration system tubing is made from Linear Low Density Polyethylene (LLDPE) material, which can crack or warp under heated, pressurized water. You should never run hot water above 120 degrees through any system.
For countertop tap water filters, convenience, efficiency and longevity are the features worth looking for. Aquaspace® has several options that are ideal for countertop point-of-use filtration.
The AQUARIUS™ TRIPLE with Fluoride-Heavy Metal & Microbial Reduction utilizes an Aquaspace® Compound Cartridge, which removes a wide range of organic and inorganic compounds present in both municipal and well water systems—including chlorine, VOCs, herbicides and pesticides, industrial solvents, pharmaceutical chemicals, and bad tastes, odors, and colors.
The AQUARIUS™ TRIPLE with Fluoride-Heavy Metal & Microbial Reduction & Hydrating Magnets is also an appealing filtration countertop device. It has a dual-hose diversion valve that brings the treated water back to a faucet, as well as an elongated shaft that makes mounting easier at a distance, for better maneuverability when installing it.
These options, along with other Aquaspace® countertop filtration systems, ensures you’re getting the most effective point-of-use filtration possible and the cleanest, healthiest water from your tap.
