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FilterScored

Water filter · under-sink

Culligan US-EZ-4 Under-Sink

An under-sink filter genuinely IAPMO certified to NSF/ANSI 42, 53 and 401 for lead, cysts, VOCs, mercury and PFOA/PFOS.

7.5
Strong
Composite (0-10), water-v1.0
Confidence: Verified

Total cost of ownership

Cost / gallon
$0.091
~Annual filters
$100/yr

Certifications

Overview

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.

By the numbers

Certified to reduce
chlorine taste and odor, chloramine, lead, mercury, cysts, VOCs, MTBE, turbidity, PFOA, PFOS
Marketed, no certification found
pharmaceuticals
Format
under sink
Cartridge life
500 gallons
Cost per gallon
$0.091
Annual filter cost (~1,100 gal)
$100/yr
Flow rate
0.5 gpm
Install
under-sink with dedicated faucet and electronic life indicator
Certifications
IAPMO NSF/ANSI 42; IAPMO NSF/ANSI 53; IAPMO NSF/ANSI 401

Strengths

  • + Verified Contaminant Reduction: 9.0/10
  • + Certification Independence: 8.0/10
  • + Capacity & Flow Fit: 8.0/10

Watch-outs

  • No significant weaknesses flagged.

Who it is for

  • · Homes with lead service lines or older plumbing (certified for lead)
  • · Anyone targeting PFAS (certified for PFOA/PFOS)

What to know before buying

  • · The replacement cartridge is the RC-EZ-4, rated for up to 500 gallons or about 6 months, with a twist-on/twist-off change and an electronic faucet life indicator.
  • · It is tested and certified by IAPMO to NSF/ANSI 42 (chlorine taste/odor, chloramine, particulate) and NSF/ANSI 53 (lead, cysts, mercury, VOCs, MTBE, turbidity).
  • · It is a carbon-block under-sink filter on a dedicated faucet, not an RO system, so it does not reduce TDS.

How it scored

Verified Contaminant Reduction

9.0/10 · 35%

Held NSF/WQA/IAPMO certifications for the contaminants that matter. A claim is not a certification.

  • +3NSF/ANSI 53 certified for lead ANSF/53 lead - Independently certified to reduce lead under NSF/ANSI 53.
  • +3Certified for PFAS (P473 or 53+401) APFOA/PFOS certified - Independently certified to reduce PFOA/PFOS.
  • +1NSF/ANSI 42 certified for chlorine ANSF/42 chlorine - Certified to reduce chlorine taste and odor.
  • +2NSF/ANSI 401 emerging contaminants ANSF/401 - Certified for emerging contaminants such as pharmaceuticals.

Total Cost of Ownership

5.0/10 · 25%

Computed cost per gallon vs the format-class median. The number nobody surfaces.

  • +5Cost per gallon vs class median A$0.091/gal (below class median) - Computed cost per gallon scored against the format-class median.

Certification Independence

8.0/10 · 15%

Certified on the official database vs self-claimed 'tested to' marketing.

  • +5Certifications verifiable on official database A3 listings - Certifications are listed on the official NSF/WQA/IAPMO database, not just a logo.
  • +3Per-contaminant reduction disclosed Bperformance data sheet - Publishes percent reduction per contaminant at rated capacity.
  • ·Marketing exceeds certified scope Aclaims beyond certified scope - Marketing emphasizes contaminants the certifications do not cover.

Capacity & Flow Fit

8.0/10 · 15%

Cartridge life and flow appropriate to the format.

  • +3Cartridge life fits the format B500 gal (norm 500) - Rated cartridge life is appropriate for this filter format.
  • +3Flow / storage disclosed and adequate B0.5 gpm - Flow rate or RO storage is disclosed and adequate for the format.
  • +2Honestly rated filter life Bgallon rating matches typical use - Months claim matches the gallon rating at typical use.

Practical Fit

7.0/10 · 10%

Install, footprint, and source-water readiness.

  • +5Install type disclosed Cunder-sink with dedicated faucet and electronic life indicator - Install method and difficulty are disclosed up front.
  • +2Predictable replacement schedule Chonest life rating - Replacement schedule is predictable from the honest gallon rating.

FAQ

What is the US-EZ-4 certified to reduce?
IAPMO certifies it to NSF/ANSI 42 for chlorine taste and odor, chloramine, and particulate, and to NSF/ANSI 53 for contaminants including lead, cysts, mercury, VOCs, MTBE, and turbidity.
What is the replacement cartridge and how long does it last?
It uses the RC-EZ-4 twist-in cartridge, rated for up to 500 gallons or roughly 6 months depending on use and water quality.

Related guides

This score is our opinion under our published rubric, not a statement of objective fact or a lab test of this product. We score what third-party certifications prove; absence of a certification means we found no verification, not that a product fails to perform. Last reviewed 2026-06-01. Scored under water-v1.0. Prices and certifications are re-verified on a cadence; see the methodology for how each rule fires.