The AQ-5300+ Max Flow makes use of 3 liter-bottle-sized filters which have a number of the finest certifications for filtering out stuff you don’t need to be ingesting.

As Tim says in our information, the filters “nearly get rid of a wide selection of contaminants, together with lead, mercury, pesticides, microplastics, prescription drugs, and different supplies that few of its opponents catch.” (The filters are licensed utilizing requirements developed by NSF and the American National Standards Institute—aka NSF/ANSI licensed.)

It’s considered one of just a few water filters licensed for PFOA and PFOS, that are a part of a bunch of compounds often known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) which have been linked to a bunch of well being dangers, together with most cancers and weakened immune operate. PFAS have been lately present in practically half of US faucet water.

Because these so-called eternally chemical substances are so pervasive within the surroundings, it’s practically not possible to keep away from them. But consultants say that filtering your water may also help cut back your publicity—notably should you dwell in an space with identified PFAS air pollution.

The AQ-5300+ Max Flow makes use of a prefilter (that’s what caught the rust in my water), which ought to assist prolong the lifetime of the system by catching sediment earlier than water strikes to the opposite two filters. If you might have lots of sediment in your water or should you dwell in an older constructing like I do, chances are you’ll need to contemplate getting a system with a prefilter like this one.

I hate chemical flavors in my water—which I discover New York City faucet tends to have. Although NYC’s water provide comes from pristine aquifers within the Catskills, like most municipal water provides it’s handled with chlorine to kill pathogens. Chlorine is commonly accountable for unpalatable faucet water.

Right out of the unfiltered faucet, my water tastes flat and doesn’t entice me to chug the 8-plus cups a day that I do know I must be ingesting.

From the AQ-5300+ Max Flow’s filtered spigot, the water tastes barely candy (dare I say prefer it’s from a mountain spring?). When it hits the again of my tongue, I need extra. Even water from the filtered pitcher my household used to make use of not often tasted pretty much as good.

My household beforehand had a filtered pitcher, then a countertop dispenser, which took up priceless area in our fridge and on our counters. Because the AQ-5300+ Max Flow is an under-sink filter, many of the machine is hidden from view. It simply has a little bit spigot subsequent to the common kitchen faucet.

If your fridge has a filtered water dispenser, chances are you’ll not need to trouble with an under-sink filter. Just keep in mind to alter the filters.

I exploit filtered water for cooking pasta and different recipes calling for H₂O. (We now go on the rust and chlorine seasonings in my dwelling.)

The AQ-5300+ Max Flow flows at 0.72 gallons per minute, with a filter capability of 500 gallons, so it’s nice for households that drink lots of water or need to cook dinner with filtered water. It gained’t take eternally to fill a inventory pot, and the filters ought to final about six months.

If you might have a smaller family otherwise you don’t care about cooking with filtered water, Aquasana makes the smaller and cheaper AQ-5200, which has the identical strong filtration (though it lacks the prefilter).

Buying and sustaining an under-sink filtration system prices greater than you’d spend in your garden-variety filter pitcher.

The preliminary value is round $200 for the AQ-5300+ Max Flow (together with the filters). Replacement filters value round $80, or $160 a yr should you substitute them each six months, per the producer’s advice. But Aquasana steadily drops the worth, so maintain a watch out for offers.

To me, the fee is completely well worth the peace of thoughts it offers me. I really feel assured that the filters are catching issues I don’t need my household ingesting—even when it’s simply rust from our constructing’s pipes.

And as a result of the water tastes higher, I drink extra of it than I might in any other case.

Installing the AQ-5300+ Max Flow requires data of primary plumbing and {hardware} mounting. If you’re not useful, chances are you’ll want a professional to put in the system. And should you hire, you need to get approval out of your landlord.

Many of the negative Amazon reviews for this technique complain of leaking. My husband, who is kind of useful, had no bother putting in the system. But one time we did get a small leak after changing the filters. The leak stopped after he took out the filters and reinstalled them. That’s the one difficulty we’ve had after two years.

For my cash and well being—and that of my two children and husband—the AQ-5300+ Max Flow simply beats different water filters you should buy.

This article was edited by Jason Chen and Catherine Kast.