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Water filters have been around for some time now. At first, I thought, it was kinda like a fad? Boy was I wrong. It wasn’t until I did a little research that I found how important it really is. I dug deep to understand the potential contaminants in my drinking water and what I found was astonishing. Thankfully, there are many water filters out there we can choose from and they don’t have to cost a fortune.
Bad Water
The majority of the United States residential tap water is contaminated, additionally, over 45% of the water contains PFAS or “forever chemicals”. If you aren’t familiar, PFAS are a class of substances, mostly created as a byproduct of plastic, and are toxic to both human and environmental health.
PFAS aren’t the only thing in our water, according to the CDC, contaminates include heavy metals, prescription drugs, chemical pesticides and fertilizers.
A list of common contaminants you might recognize include nitrates, lead, arsenic, radon, glyphosate, and chloroform. Many of these substances are carcinogenic and have led to neurological and developmental problems.
Check Your Water
While the majority of water in the United States is contaminated, it’s important to know what’s in your water and what you need to filter out. Here’s what I did.
To start my research, I used the EWG Tap Water Database (link) by putting in my zip code, to determine what harmful contaminants were in my water. In my area, on the Eastern shore of Maryland, I found there were 8 contaminants that exceeded the recommended amount.
This is pretty scary considering some of these contaminates were 410 times more than the recommended amount.
The easiest and quickest thing to do right now is to purchase a filter that will remove these hazardous toxins from your families drinking water.
Find a Filter
Filtering your water might have you feeling overwhelmed with where or how to begin. Of course it feels overwhelming. I mean, they have sink filters, shower filters, fridge filters, and whole house filters!!!!??? (and I’m sure more).
But I’m here to tell you, you can get started immediately by removing toxins from your drinking water, and it doesn’t have to be that complicated.
That being said, lets review an affordable option to get you started filtering your water right now. That option is a water dispenser.
Water Filters, Specifically Water Dispensers
Clearly Filtered
Clearly Filtered is a brand that captures over 365 contaminants without stripping the water of important nutrients. All lab tested results are transparent and shared on their website, giving you that important reassurance.
While they offer under-the-sink, water bottles, and fridge filters, we are highlighting their water pitcher. At an affordable $90, Clearly Filtered water pitcher filters out fluoride, chlorine, lead, PFAS, arsenic & hundreds of other dangers, including those ordinary filters overlook.
Made from 100% BPA free glass-like plastic, this pitcher has the capacity of 8 cups and can filter approximately 100 gallons.
Replacement filters come at the cost of $49.
Epic Water Filter
We personally use the Epic Water filter. This brand started as a way to provide clean water for those who did not have access to it. In the same breath, Epic Water Filters wanted to eliminate plastic pollution and that’s how this company was formed.
These filters remove over 200 contaminants, are BPA-free, and offer a lifespan of 150 gallons (or 3-4 months).
Their testing certificates confirm that they meet the industries highest standards. On their website, each filter has its own data sheet for you to review which, in my opinion, demonstrates transparency and honesty.
Aside from the variety of water bottles, Epic Water offers a water pitcher ($69) and a water dispenser ($75). We personally chose the water dispenser, because it fits perfectly on our counter, and we have been loving it.
My personal favorite feature of this dispenser is the built-in timer that counts down the days until your filter needs to be changed. This feature is not something I have noticed on any of the other filters I have researched. It’s super convenient, and removes the guesswork out of those last few days before the filter needs replaced.
On a side note, this brand has a recycling program and if you send in 5 filters, they’ll send you a free one!
Replacement filters come at the cost of $46.
WaterDrop
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Water drop Water Filter$27.49
WaterDrop offers a variety of water filters from reverse osmosis to undersink filters. While we are highlighting pitchers and dispensers, I couldn’t leave this one out.
WaterDrop brings a uniqueness to the industry with its battery-operated electric water dispenser. This brand has a one-touch one-second filtration that has passed over 400 chemical lab tests. Which is pretty incredible.
Aside from the electric dispenser, they also have a very affordable and highly rated 10-cup water pitcher. At $20 and a 200 gallon lifespan, this is a steal of a deal.
Replacement filters come at the cost of $10.99.
ZeroWater
Along with many other common contaminants ZeroWater is IAPMO certified to reduce PFOS/PFAS, lead, and chromium. Their filters have 5 stages, each stage capturing another type of hazardous matter found in tap water.
ZeroWater has options when it comes to pitchers and dispensers. For an individual, as small as 7-cup pitchers, and for a family, a large 52-cup dispenser.
Their pitchers and dispensers are made from a BPA-free plastic or get their 40 cup which is made from glass. Ranging from $24 to $64, I believe this brand offers a good bang for your buck.
Each filter will give you about 40 gallons of clean drinking water. Costing approximately $15 per filter, these filters come as some of the most affordable. That being said, they may not last the longest.
To sum up, safe and non-toxic water can be accessed easily and affordably with a water filter or dispenser. I hope you find something that works best for you and your family and are drinking CLEAN water in no time!
