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Countertop Water Filter: A Must-Have in the Modern Kitchen

The days of boiling water to keep it clean are over. Anyhow, that process only removes bacteria – living contaminants. It doesn’t remove chemicals and toxins. That is why if you want to ensure the safety and quality of your drinking water, you are going to need a countertop water filter system.

However, before you get too excited in going shopping for a countertop water filter, you should consider a few things. Which type of contaminants are you trying to stay away from? The thing is you are also going to need different systems for different water profiles. For example, if you want to get rid of microbes, then you might need to install a countertop water filter system which employs a UV water filter technology. You can request for a water quality report in your city or you can ask for your water to be professionally-tested.

Cities treats water with Chlorine, and that should be enough to ensure that it is clean.

However, you should be prepared for contingencies. Drinking water regularly is one thing that we have to do to keep healthy; and if something comes up that may affect your water supply, which is not a remote possibility if you are living in an industrial area, a countertop water filter can be handy.

Here are some of the water filter types and systems that you can easily install in your house.

Water Bottle Filter

For people who want mobile water filter systems, the water bottle filter is an ideal choice. There are products in this category that are made of biodegradable plastic, and despite its small size (with capacity usually ranging from 20 to 28 ounces) it can be used to purify 40-80 gallons of water, depending on the model. Some models have durable, efficient filters that are easy to replace.

Countertop Water Filter Systems

There are two ways for you to effectively get rid of sediments, chemicals and similar contaminants – that is through the use carbon water filters and a reverse osmosis countertop water filter. Countertop water filters are generally less expensive than under-sink water filter systems. However, this can only purify your supply of drinking water. Most people opt for this water filtration system because it is easy to buy filters, and replace them, for maintenance.

A reverse osmosis countertop water filter system, on the other hand, uses more than just filtration or straining to purify water. While there is a seemingly extremely fine membrane that blocks the passage of a particular particle, there is also pressure applied to allow the pure water to pass through (and leave the unwanted stuff behind).

If you’re sole intention in installing a filter system is to ensure that your drinking water is clean; a countertop water filter system is for you. However, if you want to ensure that your dishwashing and cooking water is free of contaminants, then a countertop water filter is not a very good option. If you can afford it, you can go for a house-wide filtration system – something that is highly recommended for families with small children.

UV Water Filter

A UV water filter is perhaps the only one that can really keep bacteria and microbes away. However, it has an important drawback – it doesn’t remove sediments so if you are planning to use one, you might also need other water filters to complement this flaw.

Under Counter Water Filter

This is the one of the cheapest types of water filtration. You only have to buy a carbon filter and install it under the sink. An under counter water filter can provide clean water without much hassle. With this system, you do not have to transfer water from the faucet to a jug or container of some sort and wait for the distillation or some other process to get done. What is even better is that it stays out of sight (which can work against you – not seeing the thing might make you forget about replacing the filter)

Under counter water filter prices range from 200 to almost 800 dollars. One of the cheaper brands is Kenmore. It uses an indicator light to let you know its time to replace the filter. Another brand is Ever-pure. At 800 dollars, it is rather expensive. However, it lets you choose filtration level, depending on the type of contaminants that you want to get rid of. This brand also uses reverse osmosis.

When it comes to health, you can never be too careful. One of the best ways to stay healthy is regular water intake. Using a countertop water filter can ensure that your drinking water is purified, and your health, protected.

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If you are out shopping for the best countertop water filter, there are a number of considerations that you must know first. In addition, knowing what exactly these countertop water filters can do is as significant as knowing what they can’t do.

And even if these water-filtering systems may look the same, each model and type works differently because each one is designed with functions that can only be exclusive to certain models.

Aesthetically speaking, you must choose a countertop water filter that is good to look at and stylish. This can be regarded as one of the top considerations because the appearance is the very first noticeable thing that you see when you set your eyes on it, right? Besides, you don’t want to opt for a unit that can only be an eyesore in your kitchen or worst, you don’t want something that doesn’t go well with the whole design and color of the room.

Of course, there are still other things to consider – you must make sure that your countertop water filter has the ability to impede harmful elements but retain helpful and beneficial components of the water. The treatment process must not in any way, affect the healthy minerals.

Also, see to it that the water filter that you will buy can actually get rid of chlorine and unnecessary odor and taste. Lead, micron particles, and pesticides are also some of the other contaminants that should be effectively removed by the water filtering system. The failure of your unit to eliminate these toxic substances can cause cancer, worsens current health condition and can also lead to digestive problems.

Finally, if you want to get the best countertop water filter out there, look for the unit that has an ion exchange that works together with activated carbon and multi-media filtration. This is currently the latest technology in the world of water filtration systems so, go for it.