UK water filters

Water filters compared by fit, upkeep and cost.

Thinking of moving on from the jug? Start with whether a filter will fit your kitchen, then see what it costs to run over one, three and five years. We are plain about what has and hasn’t been checked.

Check what fits your kitchen Compare running costs

A glass of water on a stone worktop beside a white ceramic sink and a curved steel tap, in a sage-green kitchen with morning light

What fits your kitchen?

Six quick questions. Every one can be skipped, there is nothing to sign up for, and nothing you answer leaves your browser.

An open sage-green under-sink cupboard showing the waste trap and pipework, with a tape measure and tea towel on the floor and no filter fitted

This is a planning aid. It can’t tell you whether your water has a problem.

Before you buy

When a filter may be useful

There are four common reasons to look at a filter: better-tasting water, no more jug refilling, less limescale, or one particular substance you want reduced. Each points to a different kind of product and a different kind of proof, so naming your goal first makes comparing far easier.

If you have a specific worry about your water, start with your water supplier’s published water-quality information for your area. The Drinking Water Inspectorate’s guidance for England and Wales covers the basics: domestic water filters and softeners.

Filter, softener or reverse osmosis?
Drinking-water filter
Treats the water for the tap it feeds. What it reduces depends on the cartridge, so read exactly what the maker claims and for which model.
Water softener
Aimed at hardness (scale). A different product from a drinking-water filter.
Reverse osmosis
A system that pushes water through a fine membrane. It comes as countertop and under-sink models, and what each needs varies: some use a storage tank, some are tankless, some need a power socket, and many need a drain connection. Check the model’s instructions.
Fit-before-you-buy checklist
  • Permission, if you rent, and whether it can be undone
  • Which tap: your existing one or a separate small one
  • Clear cupboard height, plus room to change cartridges
  • A socket or waste connection, if that model needs one
  • The pipework and valves under your sink
  • The exact UK model and variant, not a similar one
  • Whether the installation meets plumbing requirements: ask your water supplier or a qualified plumber

More detail: under-sink guide · countertop guide

Cartridge cost and upkeep

The purchase price is only the start. Cartridges are replaced on a schedule, by time or by litres, whichever comes first, and a system may have several. Leaving changes late can undermine what the filter is meant to do.

How cartridge change dates work → · Work out the running costs →

How to read evidence and certification

A maker’s claim, an independent certificate and independent use are different things. Manufacturer claims deserve scrutiny: a certificate only counts for the exact model and the exact standard it names.

How we label evidence →

Guides