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Read this before you buy a water filter.

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• Countertop Hero: Philips Countertop Reverse Osmosis Water Filter, $230 (was $330) at amazon.com
• Chic, Gravity-Led Filtration: Boroux 3-Gallon Water Filter System, $355 (was $399) at boroux.com
• Save 50%: Aquasana Clean Water Machine, $200 (was $400) at aquasana.com
• Hot- and Cold-Water Ready: Waterdrop Instant Hot and Cold Countertop Water Filter Dispenser, $230 (was $290) at waterdropfilter.com
• Space-Saver: Aquasana Claryum 3-Stage Under Sink Water Filter, $158 (was $350) at aquasana.com

I learned something that’s changing how I hydrate. Ever heard of “adsorption?” According to emerging research, PFAS—or forever chemicals—can hitch a ride into your body on microplastics, with some scientists calling microplastics inadvertent “Trojan horses.” I want to reduce my exposure to microplastics and forever chemicals in drinking water, so I spoke to chemist Jordin Metz, Ph.D., who earned his doctorate studying PFAS in water at Rice University. “PFAS are persistent, pervasive and bioaccumulative, which means they stick around in our bodies. Long-term exposure even at the parts per trillion level—imagine 1 drop of water in 40 Olympic swimming pools—has been linked to adverse health effects.” These health conditions can include cancers, developmental delays, fertility and immunity issues and higher cholesterol.

When I asked Metz about choosing a water filter, his advice was surprisingly simple. Given the risks of consuming PFAS, Metz highly recommends having a filter of some kind, even if you cannot currently opt for a state-of-the-art system, to at least remove some contaminants. “Microplastics are larger than individual molecules or nanoplastics, and a physical barrier can often suffice for filtering them out of water; PFAS molecules are much smaller and need a filter with a charge or high surface area, like activated carbon, to trap them.” With this in mind, I rounded up pitchers, countertop systems and sink-mounted water filtration systems to help you drink safer water, too.

Best Water Filter Pitchers

Pitchers are one of the most commonly used types of water filters because they’re portable, convenient and require very little maintenance. When selecting one, confirm whether the pitcher has been tested by a third party, particularly NSF International, which maintains strict public health and safety standards. Shopping for NSF-certified filters is one of the only ways to validate what a given filter can remove from drinking water. Metz also recommends looking up your local drinking water utilitywhich can detail which pollutants have been detected in your area.

• ZeroWater 10-Cup Pitcher Water Filter, $38) at amazon.com
• Culligan ZeroWater 12-Cup Pitcher Water Filter, $35 (was $40) at amazon.com
• Waterdrop Elfin Pitcher Water Filter, $25 at waterdropfilter.com
• LifeStraw Home BPA-Free Water Filter Pitcher, $50 at amazon.com
• Waterdrop 10-Cup Large Glass Water Filter Pitcher, $62 (was $74) at amazon.com
• Culligan ZeroWater 40-Cup Glass Dispenser, $72 (was $90) at shop.culligan.com

LifeStraw Home BPA-Free Water Filter Pitcher

$50 at Amazon

LifeStraw’s water filter pitcher uses two filters to together eliminate heavy metals, PFAS, microplastics, bacteria and other contaminants. Amazon shoppers love it for its clear, delicious tasting water and its quick filtering, which sidesteps the lag in many pitchers: “You can actually fill this one with water and use it immediately after without unfiltered water being poured out.”

Culligan ZeroWater 40-Cup Glass Dispenser

$90 $72 at Culligan.com

I’ve used and loved Culligan’s water filter pitcher, as has one of my fellow writers, who raved about the pitcher’s “clean, fresh-tasting water.” He used his pitcher to refill small kitchen appliances, like an espresso machine and ice maker, and reported that each appliance saw less scale deposit buildup. I’m ready to upgrade from a 7- or 10-cup pitcher to this 40-cup glass dispenser, which will last longer between refills.

Best Countertop Water Filter Systems

Since getting enough water is critically important—not hydrating enough can result in brain fog, moodiness, weight gain and even greater risk of stroke—a countertop system can help keep fresh, clean water readily available in large quantities.

• Sans Water Purifier, $400 (was $500) at livesans.com
• Dreo Reverse Osmosis Countertop Water Filter, $180 (was $200) at amazon.com
• Boroux 3-Gallon Water Filter System, $355 (was $399) at boroux.com
• Bluevua Lite Countertop Reverse Osmosis Water Filter, $319 at amazon.com
• Culligan Scout 2.25-Gallon Gravity Countertop System, $175 (was $230) at shop.culligan.com
• Waterdrop Instant Hot and Cold Countertop Water Filter Dispenser, $230 (was $290) at waterdropfilter.com
• Philips Countertop Reverse Osmosis Water Filter, $230 (was $330) at amazon.com
• AquaTru Glass Countertop Reverse Osmosis Water Filter, $375 at amazon.com
• Waterdrop Reverse Osmosis Hot Cold Water Dispenser, $409 (was $499) at waterdropfilter.com
• Culligan ZeroWater 32-Cup Water Filter Dispenser​, $35 (was $45) at amazon.com
• Aquasana Clean Water Machine, $200 (was $400) at aquasana.com

Sans Water Purifier

$500 $400 at Livesans.com

I started using this countertop filtration system a few months ago and am in love. The 4-stage reverse osmosis system removes 99% of contaminants, including lead, PFAS and microplastics, and the instant hot water function has been a pleasant surprise for making tea. The petite system doesn’t take up too much space on my counter, and refilling it is a breeze, especially thanks to the appliance sliders I applied to the base.

Culligan Scout 2.25-Gallon Gravity Countertop System

$230 $175 at Culligan.com

If you’d like to use a system that doesn’t rely on electricity or plumbing, give a gravity-led filter a try, like this one from Culligan. Pour untreated water into the top and let gravity pass it through Culligan’s powerful filter, which eliminates microplastics, lead, chlorine, PFAS, pharmaceuticals and pesticides.

Best Faucet-Mounted and Under-Sink Water Filters

If you’re looking to save counter or fridge space, consider installing an under-sink or faucet-mounted system. These stay largely out of sight while providing clean, crisp water on demand. Note that these point-of-use filters only purify water directly where they’re installed, and will not, for example, work on water in other parts of the home.

• Cloud RO Under Sink Reverse Osmosis System, $599 (was $649) at https://www.cloudwaterfilters.com
• Waterdrop G3P600 Reverse Osmosis System, $439 (was $539) at amazon.com
• Wingsol Stainless Steel Water Filter for Sink Faucet, $30 at amazon.com
• Waterdrop TSA 8-Layer Under Sink Water Filter System, $100 (was $120) at amazon.com
• Aquasana Claryum 3-Stage Under Sink Water Filter, $158 (was $350) at aquasana.com
• Pur Plus Vertical Faucet Mount Water Filtration System, $32 (was $37) at amazon.com
• Waterdrop FC-06 Water Filter for Sink Faucet, $30 (was $36) at amazon.com

Cloud RO Under Sink Reverse Osmosis System

$649 $599 at Cloudwaterfilters.com

This under-sink system doesn’t require professional installation or plumbing, but putting the system in is where your work ends—the app-enabled system provides feedback on your water and even auto-ships fresh filters when yours is ready for replacement. The Cloud removes PFAS, lead, microplastics and pharmaceuticals but replenishes trace minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium and zinc in your drinking water.

Waterdrop G3P600 Reverse Osmosis System

$539 $439 at Amazon

Waterdrop’s 8-stage filtration will reduce forever chemicals and microplastics in your drinking water, but that doesn’t mean you’re giving up under-sink space for a large apparatus. Despite being able to produce 600 gallons of filtered water per day, the tankless system is surprisingly compact.

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