6 Water Filters That Remove Toxins and Provide Cleaner Water

• IAPMO certified & BPA-Free
• Includes spigot for dispensing straight from the fridge
• TDS meter to read disolved solid levels

• Filters need frequent replacement
• Not glass

If you're going the pitcher route, ZeroWater makes one of our favorites. The basic Ready-Pour is a our go-to easy filtered pitcher recommendation. It can hold up to 10-cups of water and comes equipped with both a traditional spout and a spigot for when you want a quick drink straight from the fridge.

ZeroWater filters are certified to keep lead, chlorine, and other PFAS and PFOA out of your water. This pitcher also comes equipped with a TDS meter that tracks and displays the percentage of solid material dissolved in your water.

Due to the pitcher form and it genuinely being a good system, you will need to replace the filter every two to four weeks. Filters aren't cheap (especially in comparison to the price of the pitcher), so keep that in mind when doing the cost analysis with this one.

• Easy to install on most faucets
• Filters lead and chlorine
• Filters last around 3 months

• Only comes with one filter
• Not PFAS certified

Going the faucet route can be complicated (and we'll get to that later) but if you want a quick filtration solution that attaches to your sink, the Pur Plus is our first recommendation. It's a compact filter that just pops right on the faucet and begins working its magic.

This will ensure the water you're tasting out of the tap tastes better and is more free of lead and chlorine. It is NSF certified to reduce microplastics. Most importantly the water tastes good, and is great to cook with, straight from the tap.

• Holds over a gallon of purified water
• Lab tested to reduce PFAS
• Filters compatible with other Lifestraw fitlers

• Doesn't look as nice as the LifeStraw pitcher
• Have to replace filters every 2 months
• Heavy when filling and refilling

LifeStraw is another brand we trust when it comes to filters. It was the first one to truly bring over the Esquire commerce to Team Water Filter in 2023 when we put the pitcher in that year's Home Awards. This 18-cup dispenser is the big, bad brother to that original favorite.

It's a clean, lean, water dispensing machine that removes bacteria, microplastics, and chemicals from your drinking water. All LifeStraw products are held to the same standard of lab testing and quality control. The HomeWater dispenser is no exception, and its spigot and large tank means getting a quick cup of water in the middle of the night won't require you to fill a whole pitcher.

• Three filter system for NSF certified results
• Can pump out up to 75 gallons per day
• DIY installation

• Three separate filters to replace
• Not the easiest option to setup

When it comes to under sink systems, this one from iSpring consistently tests the best. That might have something to do with its five-stage reserve osmosis filtration system.

So, first thing's first. What is reserve osmosis? In one sentence, it is a method of water purification process uses a permeable membrane to separate unwanted molecules and particles from water molecules. This is one of the most effective ways to remove contaminants like lead and chlorine while improving the taste as well. It's also a great tool for removing sodium from you water—which you may or may not want, depending on usage or medical disposition.

As far as under sink systems go, it's fairly straightforward and easy to do yourself, but will still take at least a couple hours. While they don't require changing more than every six months, keep in mind you have three filters to manage—making this one a bit more of a home DIY project than the other filter options.

• Reverse osmosis filtration without an under-sink install
• Pitcher can be stored in the fridge
• Removes contaminants many pitchers dont
• Small footprint compared to other similar models

• Pricey

If you want the purification benefits of reverse osmosis filtering with the convenience of the pitcher form factor, you're looking at it. The AquaTru is one of many newfangled pitchers bring reserve osmosis tech from the dirty cabinet under your sink to your countertop. This one does it beautifully, with a fridge-safe carafe that lets you. Our commerce director Krista Jones is currently using this one and loving it—here's what she has to say:

"I have a slight obsession with water filters. I've tried all the popular ones from options you can find at the drug store down the street, $500 strain steel countertop options, glass pitchers, you name it. That all brings me to my current favorite, the AquaTru. You can't beat reverse osmosis in the water filtration world, and this has got to be some of the cleanest water on the market. Plus, a glass pitcher makes you feel like your water is extra clean"

• Rigorously tested and certified
• Sleek, stainless steel look
• Subscription that auto-ships new filters every 90 days
• Battery powered, no cable

• Expensive
• No cooling function

If you want something aesthetically pleasing for your gorgeous home, the Rorra is going to be your water filter of choice. Not only is it lab tested to an high degree, it's also remarkably modern. If you sign up for the filter subscription, you'll get a new one in the mail every 90 days. This one is a winner from Esquire, and in our 2025 Home Awards, we wrote:

"The Rorra scored extremely high on our list for many reasons. First, it’s transparent about its testing regarding how many contaminants it filters out at precise percentages. It was easy to put together, holds a lot of water, and crucially isn’t an eyesore. It also gets bonus points for being made of stainless steel and not plastic."

There's a lot of lingo to keep track of when it comes to clean water. Here are the terms and acronyms that are most important to know when it comes to the bad stuff that can be lurking in your drinking water.

BPA: Bisphenol-A, or BPA, which is an industrial chemical that has been widely used in the last 60 years in the manufacturing of plastics and other materials used in food packaging. In recent years, traces of BPA in food and water have been linked to health problems in human reproductive and immune systems. In response, many cookware and kitchen brands are going with BPA-free alternatives.

PFAS: Also known as "forever chemicals," PFAS are a category of man-made chemicals used in virtually every type of good. Overexposure of PFAS has been linked to a variety of health conditions include increased risks of certain cancers. PFOA and PFOS are specific groups of PFAS that have been found in drinking water. These are the most pressing to eliminate for water filtration.

TDS: TDS (or Total Dissolved Solids) refers to the percentage of your water that is, you guessed it, solid particles that have dissolved. It won't tell you whether that's lead in your water or say calcium and salt, but having a TDS meter on hand will allow you to gauge how much stuff is in your water that's not water. That's a good place to start.

When it comes to the best in home, Esquire has tested it all. And we're no slouch when it comes to tech—we award the best stuff every year after all—and items like this live at our ideal intersection of lifestyle and technology. That's our wheelhouse.

When it comes to water filters, our commerce team has years of testing experience. Once nonbelievers, we realized that what we were looking for, most brands weren't delivering. Times have changed and water filters are more capable and scientifically-backed than ever.