Clearly Filtered 3-Stage Under-Sink vs Aquasana AQ-5200
Bottom line
In our scoring the Aquasana AQ-5200 wins decisively, 7.2/10 (Mixed) against 1.7/10 (Limited), a gap of 5.5 points. The reason is verified certification: the Aquasana's contaminant reductions are confirmed on the WQA database, while we found no accredited certification as of 2026-06-01 for any of the Clearly Filtered's claims, which triggered hard fails for its lead and PFAS marketing. In our view the Clearly Filtered is the worse value here - it costs $370 more up front and more per gallon while proving less. Its one genuine edge is cartridge life: 2,000 rated gallons per cartridge against the Aquasana's 500, so it needs replacing less often.
The biggest real difference is certification. The Aquasana AQ-5200 holds WQA certification to NSF/ANSI 42, 53 and 401 for lead, chlorine, chloramine, PFOA, PFOS, VOCs and more, and its marketing matches that scope. The Clearly Filtered 3-Stage markets lead and PFAS removal, but we found no accredited NSF, WQA or IAPMO certification listing as of our 2026-06-01 review - its 232+ contaminant claims are lab-tested to protocols rather than third-party certified. The Aquasana also costs $124.99 up front against the Clearly Filtered's $495, and runs cheaper at $0.148 per gallon versus $0.228.
| 0 certified / 13 marketed | Certified vs marketed contaminants | 12 certified / 12 marketed |
| 0.0 | Verified Contaminant Reduction35% | 9.0 |
| 0.0 | Total Cost of Ownership25% | 2.5 |
| 3.0 | Certification Independence15% | 10.0 |
| 5.0 | Capacity & Flow Fit15% | 8.0 |
| 5.0 | Practical Fit10% | 7.0 |
FAQ
- Is the Clearly Filtered 3-Stage Under-Sink better than the Aquasana AQ-5200 Under-Sink?
- In our scoring the Aquasana AQ-5200 Under-Sink rates 7.2/10 and the Clearly Filtered 3-Stage Under-Sink 1.7/10. In our scoring the Aquasana AQ-5200 wins decisively, 7.2/10 (Mixed) against 1.7/10 (Limited), a gap of 5.5 points. The reason is verified certification: the Aquasana's contaminant reductions are confirmed on the WQA database, while we found no accredited certification as of 2026-06-01 for any of the Clearly Filtered's claims, which triggered hard fails for its lead and PFAS marketing. In our view the Clearly Filtered is the worse value here - it costs $370 more up front and more per gallon while proving less. Its one genuine edge is cartridge life: 2,000 rated gallons per cartridge against the Aquasana's 500, so it needs replacing less often.
- Which is better for removing lead and PFAS?
- In our scoring the Aquasana AQ-5200, because it is the only one with proof. It holds WQA certification to NSF/ANSI 53 for lead, PFOA and PFOS. The Clearly Filtered markets lead and PFAS removal, but we found no accredited NSF, WQA or IAPMO certification as of 2026-06-01 for those claims - its data is lab-tested to protocols, which is not the same as third-party certified.
- Is the pricier Clearly Filtered worth the extra money?
- Not in our view, on the data we have. It costs $495 against the Aquasana's $124.99 and runs $0.228 per gallon versus $0.148, yet we found no accredited certification as of 2026-06-06 listing for it while the Aquasana's lead, chlorine, chloramine and PFAS reductions are WQA certified. The Clearly Filtered's main advantage is a longer 2,000-gallon cartridge versus the Aquasana's 500 gallons, so it needs changing less often.
- Does the Clearly Filtered really remove 232+ contaminants?
- We cannot verify that figure. The brand reports lab testing to NSF protocols, but we found no third-party certification as of 2026-06-01 on the NSF, WQA or IAPMO databases for any of those contaminants. Under our rubric, tested to a standard earns no certification credit, so we treat all of its contaminant claims as unverified.