10 Types of Water Filters: Get Clear On the Best One For Your Home
Searching for water filters online can be dizzying considering there are so many different types and functions. Some water filters completely purify the water, removing nearly all contaminants, while others only remove certain impurities. Use this guide to learn all about the different types of water filters so you can make an informed decision for your household.
1. Mechanical Filters
Mechanical filters are designed to physically remove particles and sediment from water through a fine mesh barrier or other porous material. The barrier traps the particles while letting water pass through. These water filters typically have a micron rating, which essentially indicates how effective the filter is. Generally, the smaller the micron rating, the more particles the filter can remove.
Pros
- Relatively affordable
- Simple installation
- Low maintenance
- Enhances water clarity
Cons
- Can’t remove chemical contaminants
- Filters must be changed frequently
- Ineffective against microorganisms
Best for: Removing visible sediment in water
2. Activated Carbon Filters
Activated carbon filters use a bed of activated carbon to capture contaminants like organic chemicals and chlorine. They can remove volatile organic compounds (VOCs), chlorine, many pesticides, and some heavy metals, like lead. However, they don’t remove salt, minerals, and microbes. They often act as a first stage of filtration in a broader system.
Pros
- Removes VOCs, pesticides, and some heavy metals
- Can improve water taste and odor
- Relatively simple and affordable
Cons
- Can’t remove inorganic pollutants
- Doesn’t remove salt, minerals, and microbes
Best for: Removing chlorine, VOCs, certain pesticides, and some heavy metals
3. Reverse Osmosis
Reverse osmosis is a process that uses a semipermeable membrane to remove ions, molecules, and larger particles from water. Through the process, water is forced through the membrane through pressure, and the membrane blocks the contaminants, like bacteria, viruses, and chemicals, from passing through. In many cases, it can remove contaminants as small as an ion.
Pros
- Can remove many contaminants, including bacteria and viruses
- Can reduce the hardness of water
- Removes heavy metals like lead and mercury
Cons
- More expensive than many other types
- Creates significant water waste
- Removes some beneficial minerals from water
Best for: Removing bacteria, viruses, chemicals, and dissolved salts.
4. Ion Exchange Filters
Ion-exchange filters are commonly used as water softeners. They work by exchanging hard water ions, like calcium and magnesium, with softer ions like sodium and hydrogen. This process is achieved through the filter’s resin, which binds to hard ions and releases soft ions.
Pros
- Softens hard water
- Minimizes scale buildup in appliances
- Removes heavy metals
Cons
- Adds sodium to the water
- Can’t remove organic contaminants
- High operational costs
Best for: Softening hard water and preventing scale buildup.
5. Ultraviolet Filters
Ultraviolet (UV) filters use UV light to neutralize microorganisms. When water passes through the system, it damages the DNA of bacteria and viruses, rendering them harmless. UV filters are highly effective when it comes to disinfection, and they’re often used as one stage in a broader filtration system.
Pros
- Destroys bacteria and viruses
- Low energy consumptions
- Chemical-free
Cons
- Doesn’t remove metals or chemicals
- Requires clear water to be most effective
- Doesn’t filter out particles
Best for: Removing bacteria and viruses
6. Ceramic Filters
Ceramic filters comprise porous ceramic material that prevents particles and pathogens from passing through. Their pore size is often small enough to filter out contaminants like bacteria, protozoa, and microbial cysts. They’re especially popular in regions where waterborne diseases are a concern, and they don’t require electricity to operate, so they’re ideal for remote or resource-limited locales.
Pros
- Relatively affordable
- Simple and easy to use
- Effective against pathogens
Cons
- Not very effective at removing viruses, heavy metals, and chemicals
- Requires regular maintenance
- Slow filtration time
Best for: Removing bacteria and sediment from water in regions where clean water is limited
7. Distillation
Distillation is a type of water purification that involves heating water to create steam, which then cools and condenses back into a liquid. During the cooling process, many contaminants are left behind because they have a higher boiling point than water and don’t evaporate with the steam. Distillation is highly effective at removing bacteria, viruses, heavy metals, and minerals, so it’s often used in settings that require very pure water, like hospitals and laboratories.
Pros
- Removes a wide variety of contaminants
- Provides consistent water purity regardless of the quality of the source water
- Chemical-free
Cons
- Requires a lot of energy to operate
- Slow process
- Doesn’t remove certain VOCs
Best for: Scenarios that require the highest level of water purity, like medical and lab settings.
8. Infrared Filters
Infrared filters use infrared light to heat water, which reduces the cluster size of water molecules and changes their physical properties. So rather than remove chemical contaminants, infrared filters change the physical properties of the water, and the result is water that might be more easily absorbed by the body. Since these filters don’t remove contaminants, you’ll need to pair them with other filter types if that’s your goal.
Pros
- Increases water’s bioavailability
- Relatively low maintenance
- Can be integrated with many other filtration systems
Cons
- Doesn’t remove physical contaminants
- Relatively new technology with debatable efficacy
- Expensive
Best for: Integrating with different types of filtration systems
9. Activated Alumina Filters
Activated alumina filters feature a porous structure that removes certain contaminants from water, such as fluoride, arsenic, and selenium. Activated alumina granules have a large surface area that can trap these impurities while allowing water to pass through.
Pros
- Removes fluoride, arsenic, and selenium
- Relatively low maintenance
- Long service life
Cons
- Can’t remove bacteria, heavy metals, and many other contaminants
- Efficacy can be affected by the water’s pH level
- Slow filtration process
Best for: Areas where water contains high levels of fluoride, arsenic, and/or selenium
10. Microfiltration
Microfiltration systems have a membrane with very small pores that can capture bacteria, some viruses, and other microorganisms while allowing water to pass through. These systems can operate at lower pressures than many other types of filtration, making them more energy efficient than methods like reverse osmosis and distillation.
Pros
- Can remove larger particles, bacteria, and some viruses
- Chemical free
- Energy efficient compared to other methods
Cons
- Can’t remove dissolved minerals, salts, and very small contaminants
- Small pore size can lead to clogs
- Can be expensive to install
Best for: Removing larger particles, bacteria, and some viruses