Rough cleaning from insoluble particles - rust, silt, sand and other mechanical impurities. As a rule, rough cleaning is carried out by mesh (steel and polymer) components of filter elements.
Sorption(absorption). Water passes through a sorbent - most often activated carbon. This method is used primarily to remove active chlorine and unpleasant odors, phenol, toluene, petroleum products, pesticides.
Ion exchange. Special ion-exchange resins (they are small balls and are in a cartridge or cylinder) remove hardness salts and metal ions by “exchange”: conditionally safe sodium ions enter the water from the resins.
Reverse osmosis. The most effective cleaning method available at home. Water under pressure passes through a semi-permeable membrane that allows the solvent to pass through, but the solutes do not. The method is used, for example, for desalination of sea water. This process is slow (in household filters - 20-25 liters per day), so a tank is required for purified water.
Ultraviolet radiation. It kills most micro-organisms in the water, but poor microbiological quality of tap water is still an emergency. UV disinfection is more suitable for own water pipes from a well or well. For cleaning to occur, the water must be exposed to a UV lamp for several minutes, so for flow filters, the use of such a solution is doubtful.
Softening. There are filters that are “sharpened” precisely for this, they are called softeners. Such filters (and special cartridges) retain hardness salts. For water with a low hardness index, such cleaning is pointless.
iron removal- everything is clear from the name. If you have rusty traces on plumbing, you definitely need it. But a water test can show elevated iron levels even if there are no traces.
Complex cleaning consists of several stages: rough (always), sorption and something special: disinfection, softening, iron removal. There are additional ways to treat water in filters: aeration (oxygen saturation), mineralization, etc.
Flow filter under the sink with three stages of cleaning
The simplest: nozzles on the tap and jugs
Faucet nozzles
These filters are affordable and easy to install. There are also disadvantages: you need to constantly remove the nozzle so as not to waste filtered water on “technical needs”, for example, washing dishes, especially since filtration is slow. The filtration quality is average, a more serious system is required to purify water from hardness salts and iron, and nozzles cope well with chlorine and mechanical impurities. Cartridges should be changed every one to three months.
Attachment on the crane
Pitcher type filters
A jug is an inexpensive option, however, cartridges cost around 100 rubles, and they need to be changed every one to three months - it depends on the resource of the cassette and on the number of “drinkers”. Of the shortcomings - a low filtration rate and a limited amount of water, but the filtration quality is high. It is necessary to constantly monitor that there is water in the jug and the cartridge does not remain dry, and it is also necessary to wash the jug often. When choosing the jug itself (not the cartridge), you need to pay attention to the following:
- the price of cartridges compatible with it and their resource;
- the ability to set the date of replacement of the cartridge on the cover;
- the ergonomics of the jug, for example, when tilted, the lid should not fall.
filter jug
Dispensers
Dispensers use the same system as jugs: water passes through a cartridge and accumulates in a container - only the reservoir is larger, and water is poured into the dishes through a small tap. As a rule, dispenser cartridges have a longer resource than jugs, although the manufacturers are the same. This type of filter is suitable for small offices and large families.
Filter dispenser
Filters "next to the sink"
Such filters are also called desktop filters. They do not require complex installation, they are installed on the table next to the sink and connected to the water supply using an adapter. Of the minuses - the average degree of purification, mainly from mechanical impurities and unpleasant odors, as well as a small cartridge resource - however, as with nozzles and filter jugs.
Filter next to the sink
Wash filters
Sink filters are installed, as a rule, in the kitchen, specifically to obtain purified drinking water. An inlet is made to the cold water pipe, a separate tap for filtered water is installed on the sink. But what kind of water will flow from this tap depends on the type of filter - whether it is flowing or reverse osmosis.
Flow filter under the sink
Flow filters
As a rule, they have three filter cartridges that work in combination. It is these "three heroes" that stand under the sink. Two of them are responsible for additional purification of water from mechanical impurities, chlorine, heavy metals. And the third is usually “special purpose”: softening, iron-removing, etc. And if the water is very hard or with a very high iron content, the special cartridge can be replaced ahead of schedule: this is convenient. This type of filter has an undeniable advantage: a high rate of water passage, a separate tap, which allows you not to waste it on food and drink. Minus - cartridges need to be replaced every two to three months, depending on the number of family members.
Replacing filter cartridges under the sink
Reverse osmosis filters
Reverse osmosis systems remove almost everything from the water, except for the actual H2O, and almost distilled water is obtained. Since drinking such water is not very pleasant (complete demineralization negatively affects the taste and impoverishes the water, because our body is used to getting some of the microelements from water), the kit includes a mineralizer cartridge that moderately saturates the purified water with potassium, magnesium, fluorine, iodine . Membranes do not need to be changed as often as cartridges. Such filters have two drawbacks: the drinking water tank takes up space under the sink, and you can’t quickly get a lot of drinking water: for example, to cook a pot of soup. Therefore, there must be a reserve in the tank, and this must be remembered and taken care of.
Osmotic filtration system
Main flow filters
Main filters are installed at the “entrance” of water to an apartment or house, they are needed in order to purify all the water at once for all points of water intake. The main filter is clean water not only for drinking and cooking, but also for protecting plumbing and household appliances. They remove insoluble impurities (rust and sand), make water more transparent. When buying a main filter of any type, you need to know the diameter of the pipe on which it will be installed; What is the maximum operating temperature for the filter? number of water points.
Main filters come with low (0.1-0.2 bar) or high (0.4-0.5 bar) hydrolosses, that is, a decrease in water pressure. On the upper floors, the pressure is already low, so for them you need to choose a filter with minimal hydroloss. Sometimes main filters are supplemented with pressure gauges.
The optimal technical equipment of the main filter is a pressure reducing valve that allows to reduce water consumption and pressure fluctuations at the inlet, and a check valve that prevents water backflow. Most often, such filters have transparent flasks in which the filter elements are enclosed: this allows you to see the degree of contamination. Depending on the equipment, brand and quality, prices vary: the main filter can cost a thousand or 20 thousand rubles, and a specialist must install it.
Flow-through main complex cartridge filter
Mesh line filters
These filters trap, mainly, mechanical pollution, their installation is advisable in houses with old communications. When buying, you need to clarify whether the filter has a backwash system (the so-called self-cleaning filters). The filter element is a stainless steel mesh: the smaller the mesh size, the better (sometimes 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 microns). Often a mesh filter, or a coarse filter, is installed on the line before the cartridge filter in order to reduce the load on it and achieve better results.
Sorption cleaning
There are several ways to purify water used in modern filters. The cheapest and most common filters are sorption. Their work is based on the principle of adsorption - the absorption of substances from a solution by a solid body or a layer of liquid. Activated carbon is most often used as an adsorbent in such filters.
Sorption filters are cheap, purify water well from chlorine, large pollutants like sand and rust, and do not require installation. However, they do not purify water very well, not protecting against bacteria, viruses and hardness salts. Water still needs to be boiled, and when boiled, scale will form on the kettle.
Membrane cleaning
This is a more modern and high-quality cleaning method. The key element here is a semi-permeable membrane with tiny pores that traps contaminants. Water passes through the membrane under pressure, purified water enters the storage tank, and dirty water with impurities goes into the sewer.
There are several types of membrane cleaning:
- Microfiltration. Membrane with holes ranging in size from 0.015 to 5 microns, rolled into rolls or tubes, is used. Water is supplied under pressure of 2-3 bar.
- Ultrafiltration. Membranes with a smaller pore size of 0.015–0.02 µm are used. Operates at higher pressure - up to 6 bar.
- Reverse osmosis. Membranes with the smallest pores of 1 angstrom (0.0001 µm) are used. They pass only water molecules and nothing else. At the same time, modern systems do not require high pressure, 1.5–2 atmospheres is quite enough.
The reverse osmosis system is one of the most popular and high-quality membrane purification systems today.
In addition to the semi-permeable membrane, modern reverse osmosis water purification systems have pre-filters and post-filters. For clarity, let's consider how filtration occurs in the reverse osmosis system with mineralization Expert Osmos MO520 from Prio.
Reverse osmosis system with mineralization Expert Osmos MO520
First, tap water enters mechanical pre-filters (A and B), which remove particles larger than 0.5 microns, rust, grains of sand and other large impurities from it. After that, water under pressure enters the membrane (C). Passing through it, the liquid is cleared of everything else: organic and inorganic compounds, heavy metals, bacteria and viruses. Reading water goes into the storage tank, and untreated - into the sewer.
Before reaching the user, water from the tank passes through an additional post-filter mineralizer (D), where it is cleaned of foreign odors and saturated with minerals.
However, not all reverse osmosis systems clean equally well. First of all, the quality of water purification depends on the main element of the system - the membrane.
How to determine the quality of the membrane
Reverse osmosis membranes differ in the degree and selectivity of purification, resistance to chlorine and bacterial contamination, filtration rate, pressure required for operation and the degree of pH correction of water.
One of the best options on the market today is the Japanese Toray polymer composite film membrane. It scores high in all of the above.
Toray membranes are quite expensive, but they provide the highest quality cleaning. In this case, you can not rely on the assurances of manufacturers, but check the quality of the membrane yourself using a TDS meter, or saline meter.
A TDS meter is a device that measures the concentration of impurities in a liquid and indicates how many solid particles per million (ppm) are in the water being tested.
For example, drinking water is between 50 and 170 ppm, while perfectly readable water is between 0 and 50 ppm.
At tap water rates of 260 ppm, Toray membranes provide an output product of 8 ppm, and if the water from the water supply system is especially dirty - about 480 ppm, then the membrane will provide water with indicators of 13 ppm at the outlet.
Cheaper membranes, such as Chinese ones, allow you to get water no cleaner than 60–80 ppm - drinkable, but still quite hard.
In addition to the quality of water treatment, Toray membranes have several other advantages over cheaper options. They operate at an inlet pressure of only 2 atmospheres, and their high performance allows you to create reverse osmosis systems without a storage tank - modern direct-flow systems.
Direct flow reverse osmosis systems
What it is
These are the latest water purification systems that require less space and filter water much faster. Here is an example of such a system - Econic Osmos Stream OD320.
Direct-flow reverse osmosis system Econic Osmos Stream OD320 Unlike a system with a tank, after cleaning with a pre-filter (K870) and a membrane (K857), water does not enter the storage tank, but through the post-filter-mineralizer immediately to the user.
Let's see how this system is beneficial, using the Osmos Stream series filters from Prio Novaya Voda as an example.
System advantages
compactness
The ability to get rid of a bulky tank can be considered a real revolution in reverse osmosis filtration. Now the dimensions of the kitchen and the place under the sink do not matter: the filter takes up very little space.
This is how, for example, the installed direct-flow split system Expert Osmos Stream MOD600 looks like - everything is neat, compact and beautiful.
Expert Osmos Stream MOD600 No restrictions on the amount of water
When the tank of the reverse osmosis system runs out of water, you have no choice but to wait until it is filled again. With direct-flow systems, this problem does not arise. Osmos Stream systems filter water the moment you turn on the faucet, they don't store or do anything ahead of time. At the same time, water consumption is not limited. No need to focus on the fullness of the tank, you can turn on the tap at any time and get up to 1,500 liters per day.
Long service life of consumables
Some Prio in-line filters include an automatic membrane cleaning system, which greatly extends the life of this expensive consumable.
Prio Osmos Stream cleaning systems of the MOD, OUD or OD360 series are equipped with an automatic Prio® Jet control unit that flushes the membrane after each cycle of switching on the pump unit. Due to this, the membrane lasts longer.
Prio® Jet block Water saving
One of the significant disadvantages of conventional reverse osmosis filters with a tank is the high water consumption. Purified water makes up only about 20% of the total mass of incoming water, the rest is discharged into the sewer.
In-line filters managed to solve this problem. The high selectivity of the membrane and better filtration can significantly reduce the flow of water discharged into the sewer. Typically, with such a filter, no more than ⅓ of the total volume is sent to the drainage system, and ⅔ is purified water. Saving several tons a year!
In addition, once-through systems are easier to maintain and require fewer mandatory cartridges, which also helps save significant amounts of money. For example, in the Prio Econic Osmos Stream OD310 once-through system, only three elements need to be changed: a pressed activated carbon pre-filter, a granular activated carbon post-filter and a Toray membrane. Unlike 5-6 conventional filter cartridges, this minimalism saves a lot of money.
Compared to conventional reverse osmosis filters, once-through models save significant amounts of money. But are they really that economical compared to having no filters at all? Let's consider what will be more profitable: to buy water or use a high-quality direct-flow filter.
How in-line filters help save money
We will not compare direct-flow reverse osmosis filters with conventional sorption ones, since the latter do not provide such a quality of cleaning. Even filters with ionic resin do not purify water from hardness salts and bacteria, as a result of which it still needs to be boiled, constantly removing scale from the kettle.
Clean and tasty water from reverse osmosis filters can only be compared with purchased water, so we will compare the cost of buying and maintaining a filter with the cost of bottles of purified water.
Five-liter bottles of purified water cost about 80 rubles. On average, one family consumes about 4 liters of water per day: tea and coffee, cooking, just drinking water. It turns out that a family needs 1,460 liters of drinking water a year, which is about 290 bottles, which will cost 23,200 rubles.
Now let's calculate how much money it will take to purchase and maintain the filter. For example, let's take the Prio Econic Osmos Stream OD310 for 11,950 rubles. We add the cost of replacing two cartridges: 870 + 790 = 1,660 rubles.
In total, it turns out 13,610 rubles a year - almost two times cheaper than purchased water.
Even the premium model Prio - a split system with mineralization Expert Osmos Stream MOD600 for 25,880 rubles - will fully pay off in a year and a half, after which you will save about 25,000 rubles a year.
At the same time, reverse osmosis filters with a Toray membrane, which only let water molecules through, can provide even better quality than plants that purify water for sale. After all, often purchased drinking water is taken from the central water supply system, so it may well contain by-products of chlorination.
You can check the quality of purchased water with a TDS meter and decide if it's worth the money. But even if it is perfect, Prio Novaya Voda direct-flow filters will help you get the same much cheaper and faster without having to constantly carry heavy bottles.
Tap water almost never meets the requirements for purity - impurities appear in it one way or another, as a result of which taste characteristics, smell and even transparency change. It is clear that drinking water straight from the tap is not worth it. You can solve the problem by installing a main filter for water purification in the apartment. This device is mounted directly into the pipeline and allows you to clean the entire volume of passing water.
Main filters for cold or hot water are used for such needs:
- Water purification. This is very important, because not everyone can live above a deep well, and drinking water comes to houses, most likely from the nearest reservoir, river or lake. At the same time, urban treatment plants often do not remove carcinogens and heavy metals from water, but only chlorinate, while a number of chlorine-resistant bacteria can remain in the liquid.
- Improving the taste of water. Chlorine, rusty metal, hydrogen sulfide - water with completely unexpected tastes can flow from a tap. Naturally, it also changes the quality of the food. And purified water allows you to cook really delicious dishes.
- Water softening to reduce exposure to skin and hair. After all, polluted water spoils hair and skin, leads to the appearance of wrinkles, rashes, and destruction of the hair structure. And purified water will not allow all these manifestations to form.
- Maintaining the performance of appliances and plumbing fixtures. If you do not remove solid particles and dirt, then scale appears on boilers, dishwashers and washing machines, electric kettles.
Different types of devices and how they work
Main filters for water purification in an apartment and in a country house are classified into:
The main filter for water purification most often works in combination with additional devices. Thus, a softener is installed complete with a coarse filter, which allows you to normalize the chemical composition of the liquid and prevent the formation of scale in equipment. Chemical-free filters with permanent magnets can act as softeners, the action of which causes the salts dissolved in water to precipitate without causing harm to plumbing and other appliances.
And only after the coarse cleaning system, fine cleaning devices are installed- in this case, they will be less susceptible to contamination and cartridges will have to be changed less often.
Information about that is in a separate article on the site. In it you will find a video example.
Read about the room in another article. Troubleshooting is described.
Also can be purchased grain loading equipment. It is a main filter for complex cleaning, which allows to eliminate both chemical and biological contaminants. Outwardly, this is a large cylinder, the performance of which is in the range of 16-400 liters per minute. Such main water filters for an apartment or a private house are at the same time water softeners and deep cleaning filters. Of the minuses, it is worth noting their large size.
Rules for choosing a suitable filter model
So, the main water filter - how to choose for cleaning? Keep in mind that in ordinary apartments, as a rule, passes two lines - with cold and hot water. If we are talking about individual heating systems, then they need devices for purifying cold water.
Important: The main hot water filter is made of materials that are resistant to prolonged exposure to high temperatures. It can also be used on highways with cold water, but not vice versa.
To choose main filters for cold or hot water, you must consider:
The mesh filters used are multi-layered and fixed in a metal pipe. With its help, water is purified from all large particles (sand or scale), the size of which exceeds 50 microns. It is better to choose a main water filter with flushing - it is able to catch more contaminants. When choosing a mesh filter, you must check pipe diameter, on which the mount will be made, and in accordance with this value, purchase the device.
As for cartridge devices, the main mechanical water filter is a design of a flask, a cap and a replaceable cartridge. They are able to catch any small particles - accordingly, the thinner the degree of filtration, the more transparent and tastier the water at the outlet.
Cartridge for main filters for water treatment should be regularly change and purchase depending on the needs:
- BA - to normalize the amount of iron.
- BS - for water softening.
- With activated carbon - for cleaning from chlorine.
- With polyphosphate loading - eliminates lime deposits, protects appliances from scale.
The main filter is mounted directly into the water main. It is also advisable to install shut-off ball valves and a bypass at the site for supplying and discharging water from the filtering device. The installation site of the cartridge filter must be freely accessible, since the cartridges will have to be replaced regularly.. We eliminate the most common malfunctions.
Brief overview of filter manufacturers
Among the popular companies producing high-quality main filters, it is worth noting Honeywell and Aquaphor, New Water and Geyser.
Thus, the Aquaphor company produces a wide range of cartridge main filters - for drinking water, for household appliances (for washing machines or dishwashers), for showers. You can choose devices designed for operation with cold and hot water, eliminating chemical compounds or only insoluble impurities such as sand or rust.
The German brand Honeywell offers devices of unique quality, designed for ten times the operating pressure in the network. Here you can choose elements for coarse or fine cleaning, and the filter element is a metal mesh enclosed in an ultra-reliable flask.
New Water products are characterized by availability and high quality. The range offers main filters with a separate tap, and the degree of purification can be adjusted by installing certain cartridges.
And Geyser filters are high-tech scientific developments, thanks to which filter elements based on an ion-exchange polymer were created.
About 100 years ago, centralized water supply was only in the largest and richest cities. Now it is in every apartment, and is an indispensable boon of civilization.
However, the quality of water in the central water supply system is usually poor: it is at least unpleasant to drink, if not boiled. And in many homes, this is not worth doing because of harmful impurities that can lead to problems with the skin and gastrointestinal tract.
In order for drinking water to flow from the tap, filtering devices must be used. Filters for cleaning in the apartment are of several types. Which ones - we will consider below.
The use of filter installations gives the following effect:
- Removes harmful impurities from water (harmful both for the human body and for household appliances: washing machines, dishwashers, kettles).
- Improves palatability. Even if the concentration of harmful substances is not dangerous, their small amount can spoil the taste.
- Softens water. As a result, it does not harm the skin and hair.
Product types
According to the elements removed from the water, the filters are divided into 3 categories:
- Filtration from mechanical impurities.
- Filtration from dissolved substances.
- Complex filtration - up to clean drinking water.
Briefly about the manufacturers
Products of such manufacturers are sold on the Russian market:
- Barrier. It produces household filters for washing, flow and reverse osmosis.
- New Water. Ukrainian brand, produces models for washing, flow and reverse osmosis.
- Aquaphor. It produces pitcher filters, household flow filters and reverse osmosis models.
- Geyser. One of the oldest manufacturers (founded in 1986).
- Atoll. Produces three-stage installations for different water.
- Brita. The German brand was one of the first to start producing pitcher filters.
Filters for water purification from mechanical impurities
Needed to purify water from:
- grains of sand
- metal impurities;
- rust;
- winding from pipes.
Such small impurities harm household appliances (washing machine, dishwasher, electric kettle) and pipe fittings.
There are 2 types that differ in the design of the filter element: mesh and disc.
Mesh
They have a T-shaped (without flushing) or cross-shaped (with flushing) body with a long lower part. It contains a filter element - a fine-mesh mesh flask through which the flow passes. All impurities remain on the grid, which is cleaned as it gets clogged. 
According to the cleaning method, such models are:
- Without flushing. In this case, the section with filters is blocked by cranes, the lower part of the body is untwisted, the mesh is removed and cleaned.
- With washing. The lower part (with filter) has a branch pipe with a tap. A hose or pipe is connected to the nozzle, which is discharged into the sewer. There is usually a pressure gauge in the upper part of the housing, which indicates filter contamination (if the pressure drops, the filter is clogged). For flushing, a tap is opened from below, and the pressure of water flushes the accumulated impurities into the sewer.
Disk (ring)
- Installed in a pipe break. For apartments - not a very common option.
- For filtration, a set of polymer rings tightly assembled into a cylinder is used. The surface of each ring has recesses.
- Water passes through the recesses in a spiral, and large particles settle in the recesses of the rings.
- To clean the filter element, the cylinder of rings can be removed from the housing, disassembled into separate rings and washed.
Filters for water purification from dissolved substances
In addition to mechanical impurities, water may contain various chemical elements that change its hardness. They spoil the taste of water, in high concentrations they can harm the body, are harmful to household appliances and pipeline fittings. With the constant use of hard water, a person can develop a violation of the mineral balance. One of the consequences is the appearance of urolithiasis or kidney stones.
We are talking about hardness salts - potassium, magnesium, mercury, calcium. There is also an increased concentration of iron in the water.
Filters are distinguished by the element they remove. It can be either iron or hardness salts.
From iron
An increase in the concentration of iron is usually observed in water from wells and boreholes. This is less common in tap water.
Iron gives the water a noticeable red color and a metallic taste. The maximum allowable concentration of this element (determined by laboratory analysis) is 2 mg / l. If the concentration is exceeded, a filter must be installed.
The filter looks like a large cylinder that is connected to the water supply and power supply. Inside the case, a catalyst and small gravel are filled up. Water passes through the catalyst bed from top to bottom, impurities precipitate. In the lower part of the body there is a branch pipe for draining into the sewer - through this line, the precipitated impurities are removed by a stream of water.
The catalytic bed can be replaced. If necessary, it can purify water not only from iron, but also from manganese, chlorine.
Such equipment costs about 22-25 thousand rubles. They usually put it in private houses.
From hardness salts
By type and principle of operation, such filters are similar to those described above (cylinder with backfill). The difference is in the backfill - ion-exchange resins are contained inside. Hardness salts "stick" to them.
Backfill in such filters can work without replacement for up to 5-7 years.
Water filters for drinking water
If the water does not contain a critical concentration of iron, hardness salts or small impurities, it can be used for technical and domestic purposes (washing clothes, washing dishes, swimming). But for cooking and drinking, it is only suitable after boiling.
To make tap water drinkable, the following types of filters are used.
Filter jugs
This type of filter does not cut into the plumbing system: you need to pour water from the tap into it. Inside there is a cartridge with filter elements. The set of elements may include:
- ion exchange resin (for removing hardness salts);
- activated carbon (to remove organics, microorganisms, chlorine);
- polypropylene fibers (for filtering residual mechanical impurities).
Externally, the devices look like a transparent electric kettle. The volume of most models is 2.5-4 liters. Approximate cost - from $5 to $12.
Faucet nozzles
Approximate cost - 10-15$.
According to the method of attachment, there are 2 types:
- Removable: attach when you need clean water.
- Fixed. Permanently attached to the mixer. They have 2 modes: with or without cleaning (when the water is not filtered - suitable for washing hands, dishes). The no-clean mode allows the filter to last longer.
According to the principle of work there are:
- Adsorption. Inside the housing there is a porous material that absorbs impurities (mechanical and chemical).
- With ion exchange membrane and fine mesh. They purify water from mechanical impurities (linger on the grid) and "extra" compounds.
Average productivity - 1 l / m, approximate resource - 1000-3000 liters.
Reverse osmosis filters
Approximate cost: $100-150.
The device consists of 3 flasks, each of which has a separate filter. The flasks are removable, fixed on one body. 
The filter elements in the flasks are different (depending on the model). The most common composition is:
- Stage 1: filtration of mechanical impurities up to 0.5 microns in size. A porous element is used.
- Stage 2: filtration of chemical and organic compounds (including hardness salts, oil products, metals) and remaining mechanical impurities up to 0.1 micron in size. A carbon element is used.
- Stage 3: fine-mesh membrane with pores, about 0.0001 microns in size. Nothing but water molecules pass through the membrane.
At stage 3, the flow is divided into 2 parts: clean water (enters the storage tank, if any, and from there to the tap) and filtered sediment (removed to the sewer).
Rating of water filters for washing
Since the most effective are multi-stage filters installed under the sink, here is a rating of popular models:
| Model |
In our age of innovative technologies, everything is improving, except for the environment. Not too good is the case with water. Despite the fact that it is purified several times before entering our homes, drinking it from the tap is quite dangerous for health. That is why it is imperative to have a water filter in your kitchen.
We have selected the top 10 best cleaning devices, which, according to buyers, are the most reliable, and according to ratings in the sales market - the highest quality. The best filters in 2018 - 2019 have an excellent price-quality ratio and good performance.
10 Aquaphor Ultra
Filter jug, in which up to three liters of cold water can be purified at a time. It is compact and beautiful, perfect for the interior of even the smallest kitchen. Made of durable plastic, the filter can be moved around the house, taken on trips.
Aquaphor Ultra has a built-in universal cartridge with a resource of 300 liters. It qualitatively purifies water from active chlorine, bacteria and other harmful substances. In order not to miss the time to replace the cleaning module, you can set the desired date on the counter located on the jug body.
Pros:
- Clears water quickly.
- There is no need to change filters frequently.
- In the manufacture of durable and harmless material was used.
- The presence of a counter.
- Stylish design.
- Convenient design and ergonomic shape of the handle.
- Acceptable cost of the device and cartridges for it.
- Easy care.
Minuses:
- For a large family, 3 liters is a small volume.
9 Barrier Grand
A jug with a convenient design, the lid of which is opened by pressing the hand, then firmly fixed without releasing excess water. The transparent body is made of durable plastic.
The filter is designed for cold water. Its cleaning module contains coal, which does not allow bacteria and harmful microelements to pass through. Cartridge resource - 350 liters of water. You do not have to set a reminder on your gadgets that you need to replace the filter, because the Grand Barrier has a built-in calendar that marks the dates of the last replacement and the date when a new module will need to be installed again.
This jug will clean a liter of water in 10 minutes.
Pros:
- Inexpensive model and consumables.
- High performance.
- There is a cartridge replacement calendar.
- Volume 3.5 l.
- Compact device.
- Available in multiple colors.
- The presence of a tank for the accumulation of water with a volume of 1.8 liters.
Minuses:
- Designed to clean only cold water.
8 Brita Marella XL
The bright compact filter purifies up to 3.5 liters of water at a time. The German manufacturer put a cleaning cartridge with a resource of 150 liters in this jug. Water, passing through it, gets rid of harmful substances, including hard salts, which are the cause of scale formation on the kettle.
The filter is easy to use - it has a practical design and an ergonomic handle shape. There is a customizable calendar on the body of the jug. The volume of the container for untreated water is 2 liters.
Pros:
- German build quality.
- There is a mechanical calendar.
- The lid is securely fastened, water does not flow out.
- Sufficient volume of the compartment for the accumulation of water.
- Easy replacement of the cleaning module.
- The filter comes with 3 cartridges.
- Fast cleaning.
Minuses:
- The price is higher than previous models.
- A small resource of the cleaning module.
7 Barrier Comfort
Shower filter that purifies water and removes its unpleasant odor. Perfect for people with sensitive skin and if there is a child in the house. Thanks to the practical, durable clips, it can be easily installed at the point where the faucet is attached to the shower hose.
A distinctive feature of the Comfort Barrier is its high cleaning speed. He passes a liter of water in just 6 seconds. The filter modules located inside the device have a long service life - from two to four months with daily use. The maximum period of operation of one such cartridge is a year.
Pros:
- Very high performance.
- Easy installation process.
- Small dimensions.
- Purifies water from chlorine and smells.
- Acceptable price of the device.
- Suitable for cold and hot water (up to 50 °C).
- Made from safe materials.
Minuses:
- Can limit the flow of water in the shower - a maximum of a liter in 6 seconds.
- Relatively high price for cartridges.
6 Geyser 1UZH Euro
A flow-through water filter that connects directly to the faucet and is installed next to it. Installation is very simple, does not require special skills. Such a connection is one of the safest, as it does not create additional pressure in the water supply.
The resource of the cleaning module is 700 liters. In a minute, the Geyser 1UZH Euro produces up to 1.5 liters of water. It is possible to regenerate the cartridge, which saves money.
Pros:
- Excellent value for money.
- Compact dimensions.
- Qualitatively purifies water.
- Easy installation.
- You can clean the cartridge to extend its life.
- Not only purifies water, but also softens it.
Minuses:
- Slightly overpriced replacement module for cleaning.
- Suitable for cold water only.
5 Aquaphor Crystal N
The filter is very easy to install under the sink. The manufacturer has made the system such that no additional tools or skills are needed for this process. Water goes through 3 degrees of purification, falling sequentially into three interconnected filters. The system is connected directly to the water supply.
The performance of Aquaphor Crystal N is quite high - 2 l / min. The resource of cartridges is 6,000 l, it is possible to clean the module. Suitable only for cold water, cleans it of bacteria and harmful trace elements, removes odor and softens.
Pros:
- Easy installation process.
- Possibility of cartridge regeneration.
- Fast and thorough cleaning in three steps.
- Convenient connection.
- Does not take up free space.
- The kit comes with a crane and the necessary fasteners.
Minuses:
- Relatively high price of the device and consumables.
- The resource of cartridges is slightly less than that of other models of the series.
4 EXPERT Hard Barrier
The main advantage of this filter is a very thorough and high-quality cleaning. Water, getting into it, goes through three stages of treatment.
The EXPERT Hard barrier is connected to the water supply, usually installed under the sink in the kitchen. To use it, you need to install another crane, which is included in the kit. The process is very simple, you do not need to use additional tools, all parts are easily screwed.
The filter has a huge resource of cleaning modules - 10,000 liters. It also has high productivity - in a minute you can get 2 liters of thoroughly purified water.
Pros:
- Very good and fast cleaning.
- Made of high quality and harmless plastic.
- Easy installation.
- Installed under the sink without taking up much space in the kitchen.
- Large resource of cartridges.
- Low cost compared to other devices in the range.
Minuses:
- There is no calendar for the last filter change.
3 Geyser ECO
The main advantage of this filter is high performance. It delivers 3.6 liters of purified water per minute. Powerful cartridges, which are located inside the filter, remove all hard salts, iron and harmful microelements from the water.
The ECO geyser is very small, installed under the sink, connected to the water supply. You can do the installation process yourself. The filter is made of durable and safe materials. It does not leak because it is reinforced with a special lock.
The resource of the cleaning module is 12,000 liters.
Pros:
- High cleaning speed.
- Small dimensions.
- Perfectly cleans and softens water.
- Easy installation.
- Inexpensive cartridges with a long resource.
- Durable material guarantees leakage protection.
Minuses:
- Overpriced filter.
- Suitable for cold water only.
2 Geyser Nanotek
This filter must be installed under the sink, connected directly to the water supply system. The installation process is simple and comes with detailed instructions.
The main advantage is ultrafiltration. The whole filter consists of five elements, getting into each of them, the water is purified from all harmful substances and bacteria, softens, loses bad smell and unpleasant taste.
Geyser Nanotek reproduces a liter of water in 7 minutes. Suitable for cold water only. The maximum service life of one cartridge is one year.
Pros:
- Takes up little space.
- Purification of water in five stages.
- Convenient and easy connection.
- Made from safe materials.
- Improves the taste of water.
- There is an extra cartridge included.
Minuses:
- A bit pricey.
- Low performance.
1 Atoll A-550 STD
The filter works on the principle of reverse suction. Installed under the sink, directly connected to the water supply pipes. The installation process is best left to professionals.
Water, before getting into use, goes through 5 stages of purification. During this time, it gets rid of harmful metals, bacteria and elements, softens. The water purification rate is not too high - only 0.159 liters per minute. There is a storage capacity of 8 liters.
All necessary fasteners and parts of the cleaning system are included. The resource of cartridges allows you to change them less than once every one and a half to two years.
Pros:
- Complete water treatment, at the exit it is soft, healthy and tasty.
- Doesn't take up a lot of free space.
- Connects to the water supply.
- Long cartridge life.
- Convenient design.
- There is a compartment for the accumulation of water.
Minuses:
- High price.
- Slow water purification.