Which Water Filter System Is Best for You?

If you are interested in having filtered drinking water on tap in your home or office but you are finding it difficult to choose between the many drinking water filter systems currently available in Australia, this short guide is for you. Below, we take a look at the various factors you need to consider and help you to decide which type of system to go for.

Carbon Filters or Reverse Osmosis?

All water filters are designed to remove contaminants, but they do so in different ways and some are more efficient than others. As far as filtration goes, there are two main choices: reverse osmosis systems or carbon-based filters (which are used in water jugs and tap units). Whether a simple tap or refrigerator water filter is good enough for your needs or whether you should be looking at multi-stage reverse osmosis water filter systems will depend on what you are trying to achieve.

• Removing Unpleasant Tastes – If your sole concern is getting rid of the unpleasant tastes in your water that are spoiling your tea or coffee and putting you off drinking water straight from the tap, a water filter jug or an even more convenient under sink water filter system will be sufficient for your needs. Using a carbon-based filter system does a pretty good job of removing the handful of contaminants responsible for making tap water taste bad.
• Health Concerns – If the main reason you are looking at drinking water filter systems is your health, we recommend focusing on the high-quality reverse osmosis water filter systems that are widely available in Australia today. In addition to the volatile organic compounds and chlorine that water filter jugs and tap filters remove, a reverse osmosis system will remove dozens of other potentially harmful contaminants from your water. These include lead, copper, viral particles, bacteria, arsenic and various protozoa that are found in drinking water across the globe.

So, for health concerns, reverse osmosis water filter systems come highly recommended. The initial cost of an RO system will be significantly higher than a water jug or tap filter but over time, they are relatively inexpensive to maintain.

Under-Sink or Countertop Drinking Water Filter Systems?

Now you have decided on the type of filtration technology you would like, it’s time to consider whether an under-sink or countertop unit will be best suited to your particular requirements.

• Countertop Filters – These are generally cheaper and do not require any drilling or other installation work. However, some people don’t like having them in plain sight in their kitchen and countertop units can’t match an under-sink system when it comes to filtration quality. They also do not offer the convenience of continuous running water and require attention to keep filled.
• Under-Sink Filter Systems – A multi-stage under-sink system will cost a more than a countertop filter but will provide much better filtration and be out of sight.

In summary, if you are looking for a budget solution to remove unpleasant odours and tastes, a simple water jug or countertop filter will suffice. But for maximum efficiency and an aesthetically pleasing solution, under-sink reverse osmosis water filter systems are our recommendation.