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FilterScored

Water · Best-of

Best Water Filter for PFAS

Bottom line

The best PFAS water filter is certified for PFOA/PFOS on an official database, not merely 'tested to' reduce them.

If you're filtering for PFAS - the 'forever chemicals' you've seen in the news - the one thing to look for is a certification covering PFOA and PFOS under the standard for health contaminants (NSF/ANSI 53), or NSF/ANSI 58 if it's a reverse-osmosis (RO) system. Here's the wrinkle that trips people up: NSF retired the old standalone PFAS protocol (P473) and folded it into 53 and 58, so a current PFAS certification now shows up under those numbers, not the retired one. Every unit here carries that certification on an official database.

How we score: A filter has to have a PFOA/PFOS certification (NSF/ANSI 53 or 58) we can verify on an official database before it's eligible - then we rank what qualifies by overall score.

  1. 18.4
    Brita Elite Pitcher (10-Cup)

    The Brita Elite Pitcher (10-Cup) is a pitcher water filter. It is third-party certified (WQA/NSF/IAPMO) to reduce chlorine taste and odor, lead, mercury, cadmium, asbestos, benzene, particulates, PFOA, PFOS, microplastics. Running cost works out to about $0.167 per gallon.

    • Certified to reduce: chlorine taste and odor, lead, mercury, cadmium, asbestos, benzene, particulates, PFOA, PFOS, microplastics
    • Cartridge life: 120 gallons
    • Cost per gallon: $0.167
  2. 27.5
    AquaTru Classic Countertop RO

    The AquaTru Classic Countertop RO is a ro water filter. It is third-party certified (IAPMO) to reduce lead, PFOA, PFOS, fluoride, arsenic, chromium-6, nitrate, chlorine taste and odor, chloramine, VOCs, microplastics. Running cost works out to about $0.287 per gallon.

    • Certified to reduce: lead, PFOA, PFOS, fluoride, arsenic, chromium-6, nitrate, chlorine taste and odor, chloramine, VOCs, microplastics
    • Cartridge life: 600 gallons
    • Cost per gallon: $0.287
  3. 37.5
    Culligan US-EZ-4 Under-Sink

    The Culligan US-EZ-4 Under-Sink is a under sink water filter. It is third-party certified (IAPMO) to reduce chlorine taste and odor, chloramine, lead, mercury, cysts, VOCs, MTBE, turbidity, PFOA, PFOS. It is also marketed for pharmaceuticals, for which we found no accredited third-party certification (so we award no certification credit; this is not a finding that it fails to reduce them). Running cost works out to about $0.091 per gallon.

    • Certified to reduce: chlorine taste and odor, chloramine, lead, mercury, cysts, VOCs, MTBE, turbidity, PFOA, PFOS
    • Cartridge life: 500 gallons
    • Cost per gallon: $0.091
  4. 47.2
    Aquasana AQ-5200 Under-Sink

    The Aquasana AQ-5200 Under-Sink is a under sink water filter. It is third-party certified (WQA) to reduce lead, chlorine taste and odor, chloramine, PFOA, PFOS, VOCs, mercury, asbestos, cysts, MTBE, microplastics, pharmaceuticals. Running cost works out to about $0.148 per gallon.

    • Certified to reduce: lead, chlorine taste and odor, chloramine, PFOA, PFOS, VOCs, mercury, asbestos, cysts, MTBE, microplastics, pharmaceuticals
    • Cartridge life: 500 gallons
    • Cost per gallon: $0.148
  5. 56.6
    Waterdrop G3P800 Tankless RO

    The Waterdrop G3P800 Tankless RO is a ro water filter. It is third-party certified (IAPMO) to reduce chlorine taste and odor, total dissolved solids (TDS), lead, fluoride, cadmium, chromium-6, selenium, arsenic, nitrate, mercury, copper, barium, PFOA, PFOS. Running cost works out to about $0.123 per gallon.

    • Certified to reduce: chlorine taste and odor, total dissolved solids (TDS), lead, fluoride, cadmium, chromium-6, selenium, arsenic, nitrate, mercury, copper, barium, PFOA, PFOS
    • Cartridge life: 2,200 gallons
    • Cost per gallon: $0.123
  6. 64.9
    ZeroWater 5-Stage Pitcher (7-Cup)

    The ZeroWater 5-Stage Pitcher (7-Cup) is a pitcher water filter. It is third-party certified (IAPMO) to reduce chlorine taste and odor, lead, chromium-6, mercury, PFOA, PFOS. It is also marketed for total dissolved solids (TDS), for which we found no accredited third-party certification (so we award no certification credit; this is not a finding that it fails to reduce them). Running cost works out to about $1.167 per gallon.

    • Certified to reduce: chlorine taste and odor, lead, chromium-6, mercury, PFOA, PFOS
    • Cartridge life: 15 gallons
    • Cost per gallon: $1.167

FAQ

Do reverse-osmosis systems remove PFAS?
An RO membrane reduces PFAS well, but you still want the specific unit certified to NSF/ANSI 58 - that way the claim is confirmed for your system rather than just assumed from the technology.
Is the EPA limit for PFAS strict?
Yes. The EPA's 2024 rule set enforceable limits of 4 parts per trillion for PFOA and PFOS. One thing to keep in mind: many filter certifications were validated against an older, higher reference level, so a certification proves real reduction without necessarily proving it hits that newer number.

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