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 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 $350 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 carries no accredited NSF, WQA or IAPMO certification - its 232+ contaminant claims are lab-tested to protocols rather than third-party certified. The Aquasana also costs $145 up front against the Clearly Filtered's $495, and runs cheaper at $0.148 per gallon versus $0.198.
| 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 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 $350 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 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 $145 and runs $0.198 per gallon versus $0.148, yet carries no accredited certification 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 on the NSF, WQA or IAPMO databases for any of those contaminants. Under our rubric, tested to a standard is not certified to it, so we treat all of its contaminant claims as unverified.