Most homes don't need the most expensive system. Answer a few questions and see whether you need treatment at all — and if so, which certified option solves your documented problem at the lowest long-term cost.
Your water, in 6 questions
There are no wrong answers, and "you don't need anything" is a real result. Pick "I don't know" whenever that's the honest answer.
Every recommendation is tied to a source
We follow the public guidance, not marketing copy:
CDC — Choosing a home water filter: not every home needs a filter; different filters remove different things; many standard filters don't remove germs; poor maintenance can cause problems; point-of-use makes sense when only drinking/cooking water needs treating. cdc.gov
EPA — Home drinking water filtration fact sheet.epa.gov
NSF — Home water treatment & certification. Match the contaminant to the right NSF/ANSI standard (42 = taste/chlorine; 53 = lead & health effects; 58 = reverse osmosis; 401 = emerging contaminants incl. some PFAS; 44 = softeners). nsf.org · verify a product
How we choose — and what we won't do
We only suggest a product for a specific contaminant if it's independently certified for that contaminant. If we don't have a certified match, we say so and point you to the NSF listings — we don't guess.
We never say "removes toxins" or "healthier water" as a blanket claim. Certifications name specific substances and reduction levels; that's what we cite (and ask you to verify).
"No treatment needed" and "test first" are real, common results — not failed sales.
Costs are estimates; you can edit the key ones. Where a figure is uncertain (electricity, reject-water) we show it as a rough estimate, not false precision.
Some options below are candidates without a purchase link because we haven't joined that affiliate program yet — they're shown for completeness, not profit.