Best Under-Sink Water Filters of 2026
Tired of plastic water bottles piling up? A top-rated filter can improve the taste and purity of your water while sparing the environment.
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If you want to improve the taste and purity of your tap water without cluttering your countertop or attaching a bulky device to your faucet, an under-sink water filter may be the solution.
In addition to being out of sight and generally improving your water’s taste, many under-sink water filters can remove worrisome contaminants. All of the ones currently in our ratings are certified to reduce chlorine, which can affect taste and smell, as well as lead. Most of the under-sink filters in our ratings also remove per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), so-called “forever chemicals,” which have been linked to numerous health concerns including cancer, thyroid disease, liver damage, and immune system disorders.
You can buy under-sink water filters at major retailers and independent dealers. They require space under the sink and may need professional installation, resulting in a higher initial cost than faucet-mounted filters or water filter pitchers.
Best Under-Sink Water Filters
How CR Tests Under-Sink Water Filters
To test flavor and odor reduction, CR spikes a “control water” sample with common taints that smell or taste like metal, compost, damp soil, a sewage treatment plant, or a swimming pool. Then trained water testers filter it and examine how well the filter removes those taints compared with pure spring water. We measure flow rate by the time it takes to filter a gallon of water. Our clogging score reflects how much the filter’s flow rate slows over the cartridge’s lifespan. While we don’t independently test whether a filter reduces chlorine, lead, or PFAS, we confirm which filters hold a valid certification based on NSF (National Sanitation Foundation) standards.
