A good countertop water filter that hooks up to the water line?

[Melissa2007B]

We're interested in a good, yet affordable countertop water filter that hooks up to the water line below the kitchen sink, and has a spigot that comes out over the sink.

Countertop, to make it easier to change. We currently have a Multipure and have to crawl around under the sink to change the cartridge, which gets me procrastinating until it starts tasting bad.

I found an article on "alkaline" at http://alkalinewatermachinereviews.com/alkaline-water-benefits/
which I wasn't aware of, so that's interesting.

Then there's a nice looking, well-rated, and affordable filter at http://www.apexwaterfilters.com/countertop-drinking-water-filter-alkaline-black.html
but it appears to only hook to the sink faucet, which...ehhhhh.... no thanks. And I'm not sure it would even hold up to the pressure of hooking it directly to the water line all the time. Perhaps one that had a closable spigot, might.

Just kinda thinking out loud here.

 

[Bannerman]

Is there a specific concern or contaminant(s) you wish to remove? The choice of media type is usually dependant on water conditions or problem elements to be removed. Your water source (private well or municipal (chlorinated)) and water hardness can also influence the filter media choice.

For the most comprehensive filtration system, you may wish to consider a Reverse Osmosis system.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Melissa2007B]

Is there a specific concern or contaminant(s) you wish to remove? The choice of media type is usually dependant on water conditions or problem elements to be removed. Your water source (private well or municipal (chlorinated)) and water hardness can also influence the filter media choice.

For the most comprehensive filtration system, you may wish to consider a Reverse Osmosis system.

It's Denver city water, so no big deal - just chlorine taste and maybe fluorine, which is poisonous too. Anything else is a fringe benefit. But that alkaline thing sounds good. I don't think we have hard water, as it comes from snow runoff from the mountains, not from underground.

 

[Melissa2007B]

OK, I found an interesting filter that looks top notch. The question is whether I can do what I want with it. The manufacturers don't appear to have American as their first language, so we have a little communications problem, but I'm asking them. But here's the deal. First, I was researching water filters and found this article, which really piqued my interest: http://alkalinewatermachinereviews.com/alkaline-water-benefits/

So then I dug further and found this unit, which is very nicely priced for what it does, and seems well-reviewed:
https://www.amazon.com/APEX-Countertop-Drinking-Water-Filter/dp/B00V2JMUHY

The PROBLEM is that I don't WANT to hook up to my sink faucet with a diverter valve, and have that hose mess hanging all over the sink. So because of the language barrier, I sketched it out and asked them if I could do THIS, and am trying to get a reply. It would use the existing counter top faucet that we have already, from the Multipure filter we've had for years, but which doesn't do all that this Apex can apparently do:

 

[Melissa2007B]

Just got this from them:

From: APEX Water Filters <sales@apexwaterfilters.com>
Date sent: Tue, 7 Nov 2017 19:05:10 -0800
Subject: Re: I really want to buy one of your filters, but...
To: MELISSA@...

>
> Hi,
> You can remove the faucet of the MR -1050 and screw in 1/4" connector
> and then you can run a
> 1/4" tube to the existing faucet that you like to connect. ( we can provide
> all the tubes and
> connectors )
>
> thank you
>
> Joseph

Yay!

No need to trouble you with that. I can get them at the local Home Depot.

Thank you!

 

[ditttohead]

Ignore 90% of what you read online especially about magic water.

In order to put a filter on your countertop the water line would have to come up, go down then back up through the countertop again. Not ideal but doable if you don't mind a large hole in your countertop,.

 

[Melissa2007B]

Ignore 90% of what you read online especially about magic water.

In order to put a filter on your countertop the water line would have to come up, go down then back up through the countertop again. Not ideal but doable if you don't mind a large hole in your countertop,.

The alkaline water thing actually makes some sense. I've been thinking about something like that for years, and that site articulated it. Like, what if you could change the pH of your body to make it inhospitable to things that infect sinuses ( bacteria, fungi? Cold viruses? ).

So it's worth a try. That filter system sure looks a lot better than the Multipure SB750, which is the one we've had, and I THINK just has carbon block and fiber filtration. And it costs FAR LESS.

As far as installing, I'm thinking of copper line going through the counter, not plastic. Would look cooler too.

 

[MACPLUMB]

What is the problem with your Multi Pure filter system ?

 

[MACPLUMB]

alkaline is just water with the minerals left in ! there is no magic water I read all about how good alkaline water is but nothing about how their filter makes it alkalized,
I do know that Multi Pure has the top rated filter on the market, and is the top of the line,
they also make their filters for a couple other national resale water company's,

 

[ditttohead]

Please understand, most of the ridiculous claims are insanely easy to debunk. I manufacture Alkaline filters for many companies and while these filters may enhance the "flavor" of water I would never make any health claims of any type. I ask that people who want to have even the most basic understanding of pH and the human body, just take a cheap community college class on biology and you will learn that pH and the way the human body(and all animals with lungs) works is through differentials in pH. Acids are not the boogey man... Scurvy ring a bell? It is actually very simple science. In my personal opinion... if you buy Alkaline water thinking it will cure an illness you are wasting money. If you buy it in an effort to help you drink more water, and drive past a fast food establishment rather than through it, then you are on the right track.

 

[ditttohead]

Regarding the under counter filter being so difficult... I am not quite understanding this. There are a multitude of high quality USA made quick change sanitary design filters including Alkaline filters that are very easy to change and take almost no effort and you could simply install it near the front of the under counter space facilitating a quick and easy change out. This would eliminate the filter needing to be on the counter top and the extra, unattractive plumbing that it would require. Here is just one example. https://view.publitas.com/impact-water-products/2018-catalog-final/page/214-215

 

[Melissa2007B]

What is the problem with your Multi Pure filter system ?

It's under the sink and I don't like having to crawl under there to change it, spill water all over when I do, etc, so I procrastinate until it tastes crummy.

AND I'm intrigued by the alkaline thing. And I don't think the Multipure is supposed to be as good at removing chlorine & fluorine, if at ALL.

 

[Melissa2007B]

alkaline is just water with the minerals left in ! there is no magic water I read all about how good alkaline water is but nothing about how their filter makes it alkalized,

I'd think it would have to, being our water is from snow melt, and doesn't come from underground, so I don't think it has much in the way of minerals.

I do know that Multi Pure has the top rated filter on the market, and is the top of the line,
they also make their filters for a couple other national resale water company's,

The SB750?

 

[Melissa2007B]

Please understand, most of the ridiculous claims are insanely easy to debunk. I manufacture Alkaline filters for many companies and while these filters may enhance the "flavor" of water I would never make any health claims of any type. I ask that people who want to have even the most basic understanding of pH and the human body, just take a cheap community college class on biology and you will learn that pH and the way the human body(and all animals with lungs) works is through differentials in pH. Acids are not the boogey man... Scurvy ring a bell? It is actually very simple science. In my personal opinion... if you buy Alkaline water thinking it will cure an illness you are wasting money. If you buy it in an effort to help you drink more water, and drive past a fast food establishment rather than thou it, then you are on the right track.

Well good then, because I'm TFA - Too Fat Already.

 

[Melissa2007B]

Regarding the under counter filter being so difficult... I am not quite understanding this. There are a multitude of high quality USA made quick change sanitary design filters including Alkaline filters that are very easy to change and take almost no effort and you could simply install it near the front of the under counter space facilitating a quick and easy change out. This would eliminate the filter needing to be on the counter top and the extra, unattractive plumbing that it would require. Here is just one example. https://view.publitas.com/impact-water-products/2018-catalog-final/page/214-215

I don't have time to make a whole study of which ones might be best. The Multipure is such a hassle to change that I'm turned off to under counter now.

By the way, here's MP: http://www.multipure.com/media/mp-performance-data.pdf
See the word "fluorine" in there?

 

[ditttohead]

Honestly, this topic is a 2-3 hour training session, not a simple online forum answer unless you want me to say things I simply cant, do to legal, ethical and business reasons.
My suggestion is to change the filter system to a dual stage filter, a simple carbon block and an "Alkaline" if that is what you want. Use the Omnipure Q series since it is easy to change, high quality, USA made and has very few problems compared to systems manufactured by the lowest bidders. Understand that the Alkaline filter will have little affect other than a slight change in the flavor profile to the water that most people find "pleasant". Alkaline filters take considerable contact time to have an effect on the pH of the water, this is simple physics in the way the medias work. There are faster reacting medias but they pose their own unique problems. The worst case is you don't like the taste of the alkaline and you can change it to another filter type in the "Q" family by omnipure, including another carbon filter for enhanced carbon filtration. Catalytic Carbon filters are also available in the "Q" series, These filters very simple unscrew with little effort to change and they barely drip a drop when they are removed for servicing. you can install it near the door so it is not in the very back of your under counter space so you can change the filters with very little effort. A good assembly company can even install a ball valve on the filter inlet and a check valve on the outlet making filter changes a breeze. There are filter heads that have auto shut off valves built into them but these tend to fail in year so I do not typically recommend them.

 

[Melissa2007B]

Honestly, this topic is a 2-3 hour training session, not a simple online forum answer unless you want me to say things I simply cant, do to legal, ethical and business reasons.
My suggestion is to change the filter system to a dual stage filter, a simple carbon block and an "Alkaline" if that is what you want. Use the Omnipure Q series since it is easy to change, high quality, USA made and has very few problems compared to systems manufactured by the lowest bidders. Understand that the Alkaline filter will have little affect other than a slight change in the flavor profile to the water that most people find "pleasant". Alkaline filters take considerable contact time to have an effect on the pH of the water, this is simple physics in the way the medias work. There are faster reacting medias but they pose their own unique problems. The worst case is you don't like the taste of the alkaline and you can change it to another filter type in the "Q" family by omnipure, including another carbon filter for enhanced carbon filtration. Catalytic Carbon filters are also available in the "Q" series, These filters very simple unscrew with little effort to change and they barely drip a drop when they are removed for servicing. you can install it near the door so it is not in the very back of your under counter space so you can change the filters with very little effort. A good assembly company can even install a ball valve on the filter inlet and a check valve on the outlet making filter changes a breeze. There are filter heads that have auto shut off valves built into them but these tend to fail in year so I do not typically recommend them.

Is there any objective reason that you're recommending against the Apex filter I found?

By the way, I just checked and Omnipure doesn't appear to make a alkaline filter in the Q series?

 

[Melissa2007B]

Just FYI from Facebook:

Coloradans: Beware people trying to sell you water softeners. While Colorado is listed on hard water maps as one of the hardest water areas in the nation, that's GROUND water. But here in the Denver area, we drink snow runoff, which is SOFT.

https://denverwatertap.org/2017/07/27/hard-truth-soft-water/

 

[Bannerman]

any objective reason that you're recommending against the Apex filter

As a start, perhaps you may wish to re-read post #10.

With regard to water softeners or any type of water treatment for well water, it is commonly recommended on this forum for the poster to obtain a comprehensive lab test of their specific water before deciding on any type of treatment or equipment.

Since your water supply is municipal, the water system operator will be required to have each water source tested on a regular basis and provide the test results to clients, often posted on the town's web site. If a municipal client is considering a water softener, it is recommended to test water hardness directly at the client's home as hardness levels can vary throughout a municipal distribution system which is supplied from multiple water sources.

 

[ditttohead]

Omnipure does not list the thousands of custom filters they produce for companies, this would be difficult at best to maintain an up to date list. Onnipure is a world class USA filter manufacturer and they manufacture custom filters for many companies.

Alkaline filters require contact time, the media needs to be in contact with the water for extended amounts f time to work properly. We have some specialty medias that react quicker but each media has its own unique problems and quirks that have to be carefully considered.

Regardless, please ignore 90+% of the information you find online about alkaline water and its health benefits... the old saying "I read it online so it must be true" needs to be considered.