A whole house water filter is the first line of defense for the health of your family because it will ensure clean and safe water entering your home before being distributed to various outlets such as faucets and showers. A whole house water filter is also known as ‘point-of-entry (PoE) filtration system, therefore, you need to put your money in a quality product if you don’t want to see or consume harmful contaminants present in the water. With a whole house filter system installed in your house, you can rest assured of the quality of water pouring down from different outlets. There will be no sign of metal content, chlorine or other harmful elements in the water.
Now, the only daunting task left for you is to pick the right whole house filter system that can efficiently clean the water at the entry point of your house. To make your life easier, I have shortlisted five whole house water filters, which I’ve reviewed as well. Therefore, the only thing left for you to do is pick one of the five best whole house water filter consumer reports and get it installed in your house.
Reviews Of 5 Best Whole House Water Filters
1. Home Master HMF2SMGCC Whole House 2-Stage Water Filter
This is a high-performance unit, which will ensure the removal of unwanted particles larger than 1 micron from the water source. The finesse in removing such small particles from the water comes from the fact that this water filter employs four gradient density filter. The use of such a top quality filter system will also bring a huge change in the taste and clarity of the water.
The efficiency of this water filter is second to none because it can easily stop most chemicals and sediments from sneaking into the water, which includes chlorine, chloramines, heavy metals, and other dangerous elements. With a high filtering capacity of the catalytic carbon filter used in this whole house water filter, i.e., 95,000 gallons, you can expect it to provide you with filtered water for more than a year, but that can change depending upon your consumption as well.
As far as installation of the unit is concerned, that is a DIY process, courtesy of the detailed and easy-to-understand instructions manual, which comes along with the product. The company is offering a 2-year warranty on the product, which in my opinion signifies a lot about the manufacturer’s class and reputation. This machine has one drawback, i.e., poor water flow. The filter has a maximum output of 10 gallons of water per minute, which might be less for some households.
2. iSpring WGB22B 2-Stage Whole House Water Filter
iSpring is a renowned name when it comes to water filters, as the company has been making the best reverse osmosis systems for the past many years. However, what makes this particular water filter so special? Well, that’s what I’m going to shed light on. Starting with the flow of water in this water filter, which is better than the previously reviewed product. The water flow rate is 15 GPM, thanks to 1-inch port provided in the water filter system. With the ability to remove a range of harmful elements such as iron, carbon, lead, manganese and other contaminants found in the water, this water filter ranks higher on my list of the best whole house water filter systems. A 5-micron polypropylene sediment filter is included in the stage-I filter that removes the dirt and other minute particles from the water.
The Stage-II filter incorporates a coconut shell carbon filter removing contaminants larger than 5 microns, which include all the common contaminants such as, chlorine, chloramines and other harmful chemicals. The foul odor and taste will also be removed from the water. The motive behind having two filter stages is to make sure that the water coming out of the faucet is clean and safe. When it comes to installing this water filter, then you can easily do it yourself, as an instruction manual is provided along with the product.
3. Home Master HMF2SDGC Whole House 2-Stage Water Filter
This water filter has all the credentials to make it to your house. Whether you look at the massive filter housings of this filter or the inclusion of 1-inch port for better water flow, everything in this water filter is added to ensure that you get clean and safe water. The water flow rate of this water filter is 15 GPM, which can be further stretched to 20 GPM. When it comes to the filtration stages, then it has got two.
Firstly, the water passes through a dual gradient density filter having 1-micron spores, which will remove the tiniest particles from the water. Then, there is a coconut shell carbon filter having a capacity of 100,000-gallon, which will easily last for more than a year. The water entering this water filtration system will be passed through 25, 10, 5 and 1 micron-sized filters, thus ensuring safe and clean water.
The Home Master HMF2SDGC whole house filter is also designed to remove chlorine, pesticides, herbicides, and sediment from the water. This is a versatile unit, so if you are using a water softener or a UV sanitizer of another company, then you can use this water filter with it without any issue. The only problem with this water filter that I’ve figured out is the absence of shut off valves and pressure release. If the company provides these two, then this water filter could have been at the top of my list.
4. Watts WH-LD Premier Whole House Water Filter System
This is another highly popular whole house water filter that I’m reviewing today. There are several highlighting points in this water filter, but the one that stands out according to me is the stainless steel inserts with which the water filter is equipped. Those inserts ensure a quick and leak-free installation. Moreover, the steel inserts are more durable than plastic inserts as they don’t crack over time. The water filter is NSF tested and certified, which testifies the quality and reliability of the product. With the ability to remove even the tiniest of the particles from the water, this water filter guarantees you of clean and odorless water to drink or do household tasks. The only drawback I’ve found of this water filter is the absence of a fixing bracket, so if you were looking to use it during the installation, then you will have to buy it separately.
5. DuPont WFPF13003B Universal Whole House Water Filter
Install this water filtration system to improve the quality of water coming to your house. An affordable, reliable and long-lasting option, this water filter serves all the purposes for which you would like to install a whole house water filter. To attain the best results, it is suggested to use 15, 5 and 1-micron carbon filter respectively. Using these filters will make sure that all the impurities present in the water are removed comprehensively.
This water filter has a slower water flow rate, i.e., 5GPM, as the normal rate in the water filter systems is 15 GPM. Despite having a less flow rate, there is not going to be any reduction in the water pressure coming to your house. The water filter sports a 10-inch micron filter that has only one job to do i.e., get rid of the impurities present in the water such as, chlorine, rust, heavy metals, rust, foul odor, and taste.
As far as installation of this water filter is concerned, you can easily do it on your own, or you can take help of a plumber just in case, you have no idea how to install the water filter. You can use this water filter with UV purifiers and water softeners as well. Now, talking about the bad things of the product, then it has got only one, i.e., the plastic threads, which may leak easily if you don’t handle them properly.
What Is A Whole House Filter?
From the name itself, it is getting pretty much cleared that a ‘whole house water filter’ is a system that will filter the water entering your house. Therefore, whenever you open a faucet, let it be in the kitchen or bathroom, the water that comes out of it is going to be free of harmful elements. Moreover, it will not have a foul taste or odor, so you can use that water for all your household tasks.
What To Look For When Selecting A Whole House Water Filter?
There are two things in particular that you need to look for when choosing a whole house water filter, which are;
- Water Flow: With the majority of water filters having a water flow rate of 15GPM, so you must look for the same. Some water filters may have 5GPM or 10 GPM flow rate, which for some families might be OK whereas for others would be less. So, you need to analyze this all by yourself as to whether a water filter with 15GPM flow rate would do the job nicely for you or can you settle for a water filter with a lesser flow rate as well.
- Filters: Water filtration systems have added different filters at different stages with each filter stage blocking a different set of contaminants. You should invest in a water filter system that is proficient in removing contaminants already present in the water coming to your house. If the water coming in your area is contaminated with heavy metals, then you will have to find a water filtration system having a copper-zinc mineral filter. However, if the water contains bacterial contamination, then you will need a UV filter.
What Type Of Whole House Water Filter Do You Need?
This totally depends on the water consumption of your family. The range and specifications of a filter system change with the water consumption of your family. Consider the following points for better selection:
- Filter Longevity: Always put your money in a water filter system that needs minimum maintenance. One thing that is attached to water filtration systems is the change of filters after a certain period. If you are currently using a 100,000-gallon filter, then it will run for a lesser period compared to a 1,000,000-gallon filter. But, it all depends upon the water consumption of your house.
- Consumption: When looking for a water filter system, you need to pay attention to your household’s water consumption because if you buy an entry-level filtration system, but you have high water consumption, then you will have to change the filter every month. The exact opposite situation is also not good where your water consumption is less and you invest in a highly expensive filtration system. You need to find a whole house water filter that perfectly fits the water consumption of your house.
- Microns: You need to choose the water filtration system with the right micron rating, which you can only do if you have tested the water coming into your house. The best water filtration systems available on the market have the ability to block anything larger than 0.35 microns, but those water filters are quite expensive. Therefore, you need to test your water and if there aren’t any contaminants close to 0.35 microns in size, then there is no need to buy such a water filter. You can then invest in a whole house water filter having the capability of removing contaminants larger than 1 micron.
Wrap Up
A whole house water filter is a perfect machine to clean your water in a comprehensive manner at the entry point before it goes into the numerous water outlets in your house. As you might have noticed by now that there is a vast number of whole house water filters available on the market, it is not an easy task to choose the right one. However, to assist you with the selection process, I have laid down five best whole house water filter consumer reports through which you can select the product of your choice and make a purchase.