Faucet filters and pitchers-Cixi Waterhoh Water filters Inc.

CHINA NINGBO CIXI IMP. & EXP. CORP.
Cixi Waterhoh Water Filtration,Inc.

Faucet filters and pitchers

Faucet-mounted water filters are the preferred type in most reviews. These are installed right on your kitchen faucet. You can then choose between filtered or non-filtered water.

The PUR Vertical water filter ranks as the highest-rated filter of any type. If your tap water is safe but you want some extra protection from contaminants and off-tastes in your drinking and cooking water -- or you¡¯re tired of refilling your filter pitcher -- this is your best bet.

Every single one of the nine most reliable reviews we found recommends some version of the PUR faucet-mount filter. All are reasonably priced around $30, and all use PUR¡¯s 3-Stage filter which is certified to reduce a broader range of chemicals, microbes and metals than any other pitcher or faucet filter, including chlorine, particulates, bad tastes and odors. PUR¡¯s vertical faucet-mount filter gets slightly more nods than the newer horizontal version, which receives a few complaints of leaks.

A faucet-mount filter is easy to install -- simply screw it onto your faucet. Most, including the PUR Horizontal, have a lever that allows you to select between filtered water for drinking and unfiltered tap water for other uses. With the PUR Vertical, the entire housing swivels up and down to switch between filtered and unfiltered, taking up a few more inches of sink space in the "filtered" position.

Filter cartridges have to be changed every one to three months to reduce clogging and maintain water flow. Faucet-mounts are handy if you want to use filtered water for other things besides drinking water -- cooking, for example, or making coffee or ice cubes. Due to variance in faucets, installing a faucet-mount might require a trip to the hardware store for an adapter.

PUR is the most widely known faucet-mount brand. Brita has begun to make inroads with its Brita On Tap faucet-mount (*est. $20 to $30, depending on model) , which is recommended by reviewers at About.com, ApartmentTherapy.com and among owners who post ratings at Target.com.

Brita owners at Amazon.com prefer the Brita Aquaview , a version of the On Tap that includes a window showing the sediment that has collected in the filter. With the Brita Disposable Faucet Filtration System, you never change the filter; you just throw the whole thing away. The Brita Disposable gets almost uniformly positive reviews on Amazon.com, where most users say it is easy to install and use, but this relatively new model has amassed few reviews anywhere else.

also makes a faucet-mount that is recommended by About.com Guide to Coffee and Tea, Sean Paajanen, but Omni¡¯s faucet filter was the lowest-rated performer in a top expert test. It flowed decently and didn¡¯t clog, but it couldn¡¯t do the job it is supposed to do ¨C reduce contaminants and bad tastes.

Faucet filters are recommended over pitchers in general, but if you like to keep cold drinking water in the fridge, they are an option. The downside is that you¡¯ll be constantly returning the pitcher to the sink for a refill. Larger pitcher filters are heavy when full of water.

Close behind the PUR Vertical Faucet Mount water filter in reviews are the PUR Ultimate pitchers . filters, which reduce nearly as many contaminants as the highly rated PUR faucet-mount 3-Stage filters. One notable exception: PUR pitcher filters are not officially certified to reduce lead, although they still do a good job in tests of reducing lead in drinking water.

Pitchers are an easy -- but slow -- way to filter water. You simply fill the pitcher with tap water and allow it to filter through by gravity. It takes about fifteen minutes to filter half a gallon of water. Also, the amount of filtered water you can make is limited by the size of the carafe. The larger the pitcher, the heavier it will be when full. Pitchers range in size from about eight cups to a gallon. Larger models sometimes have dispenser nozzles.

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