A Simple Guide to Under-Sink Water Filters

man under sink with water filters

An under-sink water filter is a simple yet powerful upgrade for your home. This provides cleaner, better-tasting water and offers many benefits that can improve your health, boost environmental sustainability, and add convenience to your daily routine. With this easy solution, you can feel confident in the quality of what you’re drinking, all while cutting out the need for single-use plastic bottles. It’s an effortless change that helps you drink with peace of mind and do your part for the environment.

Is an Under Sink Filter System Worth It?

Investing in efficient under sink water systems comes with many undeniable benefits. These systems effectively filter out contaminants like heavy metals, chlorine and bacteria. This is especially important for anyone with specific health concerns or a compromised immune system. Plus, having a constant supply of clean water right at your fingertips means you can say goodbye to buying it in plastic bottles, which saves you money and reduces your plastic waste.

Under sink water filters offer long-term savings, convenience, and environmental benefits, which is why many people consider them a wise investment. They provide a cleaner and purer tap flow that supports a healthier lifestyle. You get less hassle with storage and a smaller carbon footprint – all while enjoying a refreshing glass whenever you want. It’s the kind of upgrade that pays off over time, both for your health and the planet.

How to Select the Right One?

If you’re on the hunt for the best under sink water filter, one of the first things you’ll want to consider is your water source. Knowing whether it comes from mains supply, rain or a tank can help steer you toward the right device for your needs. In rural or regional areas, it might be harder or have higher mineral content, which could require a specialised filter.

When you’re in the midst of a kitchen renovation, it’s a great time to consider upgrading your filtration system to ensure your new space supports your lifestyle with cleaner, healthier tap flow right at your fingertips. Australia’s tap flow is generally pretty good thanks to the strict regulations that suppliers must follow. 

It goes through various filtration stages to ensure it’s safe to drink. Still, many people like to add an extra layer of filtration just for peace of mind. Tank and rainwater can sometimes carry more contaminants like debris, bacteria, and even chemicals, so you’ll want to pick a system that targets those specific issues.

Understanding the quality of what you’re drinking is a huge part of selecting the right filtration system. By doing a bit of research into your local faucet supply, you’ll be able to find a device that addresses the specific concerns of your household and ensures you’re drinking the cleanest, safest option possible.

How Do Undersink Filters Work?

The under sink water systems operate in a simple way, but they’re highly effective. Once installed, they connect directly to your cold line under the sink. When you turn on the tap, the flow is diverted into a separate pipe that leads to the device. From there, it travels through one or more stages of filtration depending on your system, where it’s cleaned and purified. After filtering, the flow then makes its way up to your tap, ready for you to enjoy.

To keep undersink filters running smoothly, it’s crucial to replace the cartridges as needed. How often you need to do this depends on the specific product you’ve chosen, how much water your household uses and the quality of the supply in your area. Regular maintenance ensures that you’re always getting the best quality tap supply possible.

Different Types

There are a few options designed to tackle different sources and needs. Choosing the right one can make all the difference in improving the quality of what you drink. Here are three systems to consider:

  • Z1 filter: Perfect for mains water, this product uses Puretec’s advanced Ultra Z Filtration Technology to purify down to a tiny 0.1 micron. It works in three stages to remove things like sediment, chlorine, bad tastes, and odours. What’s more, it protects against harmful bacteria and cysts, including E. coli;
  • Z1-RW-K filter: If you’re using tank or rainwater, this dual-filter kit could be a great choice. The Z1-RW-K option starts with a pre-filter that removes sediment before the flow is further refined using Ultra Z Technology. This two-stage process purifies down to 0.1 microns, making your tap flow cleaner and safer;
  • Puremix Z7 High Flow system: If you’re dealing with higher sediment levels or harsher conditions, such as in rural areas or older homes with outdated pipe systems, the Puremix Z7 might be the answer. It’s designed to handle environments with a lot of rust, dirt and sediment. The Z7 works with three levels of filtration to remove debris and chemicals like chlorine.

What Are Microns?

When it comes to these products, you might come across the term “micron” quite a bit. Essentially, a micron is a tiny unit of measurement, one millionth of a meter to be exact. To put it into perspective, it’s about the width of a human hair, which is roughly 70 microns. In the world of filtration, the micron rating tells you how small the particles the filter can catch are.

A filter with a 0.1-micron rating, for example, is capable of removing contaminants even smaller than that size. The smaller the micron, the more thorough the filtration, but keep in mind that it could slow down the flow a bit. It’s a balancing act between how clean you want your tap flow and how fast you need it.