The water filter is good. How to choose a water filter: expert advice on which water filter to choose. Features of flow and storage water treatment devices

Pure water without impurities, enriched with minerals is the key to good health and longevity. In order for purified and most useful water to always be in the house, it is recommended to install cleaning and filtering systems. Our ranking of the best water purifiers 2019 will help you make your choice.

Water filtration has been practiced since the dawn of the human era. One of the first methods of purification - carbon filtration - has come down to our days. The Russian market of cleaning equipment is rich in the choice of filters of different systems, cleaning levels, sizes and purposes. The main classification is by type of cleaning:

• mechanical filters are multi-level cleaning systems that are used to protect plumbing and household appliances from scale and dirt.
• ion-exchange filters - systems for softening water hardness, working on the basis of ion-exchange resins. They filter not only iron, but also manganese, which most other systems cannot handle.
• Reverse osmosis filters are the most environmentally friendly and most efficient systems. They cope with the removal of all impurities and bacteria, additionally mineralize the water before leaving (optional).
• biological filters - the system works on the basis of microorganisms that purify water from organic contaminants. Used in aquariums and wastewater treatment plants.
• absorbent filters - the main cleaning component is absorbents that trap impurities (sorption process).
• aeration filters - water is purified using oxygen in special tanks.
• electric filters - purify water with ozone from all organic and inorganic contaminants oxidized and dissolved in it, however, they are very uneconomical in energy consumption.
• pitcher design filters - the design consists of a tank for raw water, a tank for purified water and a carbon filter.
• cartridge filters - the design consists of several flasks, inside of which there is a filter media for each type of impurity.

Choosing a water filter

The most important parameter for choosing a cleaning system is degree of water purification. Allocate:

• single-stage cleaning level (elementary) - it includes pitcher-type filters. Cleans only coarse dirt;
• two- and three-stage purification level (medium degree) - filter large and fine contaminants;
• three-, four- and five-level purification (high degree of purification) - filters all types of contaminants.

After you decide on the degree of purification, you should choose filter installation type:

• filter with connection to the faucet - a special nozzle on the faucet, connected directly to the outlet of the mixer, the productivity is only 0.3-0.5 l / min;
• filter with connection to the sink - the system "for the sink", installed near the sink or on the sink, connected to the faucet mixer using a flexible hose, average productivity - 1-1.5 l / min;
• a filter with a fixed connection under the sink - the “under the sink” system, according to users, is one of the best water treatment systems, installed under the sink, directly connected to the water supply system, has a second tap for purified water;
• desktop dispenser filter - in terms of water purification quality is not inferior to the “washable” filter, it is not connected to the water supply system, easy to maintain and harmoniously fits into the interior.

TOP-3 built-in filters under the sink

3rd place - Aquaphor Crystal Eco H (from 3,950 rubles)

Aquaphor Crystal Eco H is a budget family option with very high performance. Compact unit, four-stage cleaning system, withstands inlet temperatures up to +45°C.

Specifications:

• Dimensions: 260×350×90 mm
• Cleaning steps: 4
• Purification: ultrafiltration, coal
• Filter resource: 8000 l
• Productivity: 2.5 l/min
• Inlet water temperature: +5+45°C
• Porosity: 0.1 µm

Extra options:

• water softening and chlorine removal;
• works on cold water;
• filtration module included;
• separate faucet.

Pros:

• qualitatively filters water, clearing of harmful salts and chlorine;
• the output is very tasty water without taste and smell;
• the filter is easy to install;
• easy to use - just open the tap;
• compact, fits under small sinks;
• filters are installed and replaced quickly;
• good water pressure;
• free maintenance and quality warranty service.

Minuses:

• absent: pump for increasing pressure, storage tank, filter module replacement calendar;
• expensive replacement filters;
• after more than six months of use, the system begins to wear out;
• long regeneration procedure;
• unreliable connecting hoses connecting the filter to the mixer;
• poor quality equipment.

2nd place - Novaya Voda Praktic Osmos Stream OUD600 (from 17,800 rubles)

New Water Praktic Osmos Stream OUD600 is a six-stage multifunctional filter with an osmosis-coal cleaning system, a pressure boosting pump and auto-cleaning. Withstands consistently heavy loads, users note the high build quality and all components.

Specifications:

• Type: under sink cleaning system
• Cleaning steps: 6
• Filter resource: 50000 l
• Productivity: 1.25 l/min
• Inlet water temperature: +2+ 35°C
• Porosity: 1 µm

Extra options:

• mineralization of water, iron removal, softening and purification from free chlorine;
• works on cold water;
• connection to the water supply;
• pump to increase pressure;
• inlet pressure - 3-11 atmospheres;
• separate faucet.

Pros:

• multistage filtration;
• filter replacement once a year;
• compact system;
• perfectly purifies water;
• works silently;
• electronic type of system control;
• high water pressure thanks to a pump to increase pressure;
• copes with the task at any water pressure;
• protection system against pressure drops;
• auto-rinse is activated after each use, keeping the system clean;
• undemanding to maintenance;
• high-quality assembly and durability;
• self-diagnosis function.

Minuses:

• high price.

1st place Atoll A-575m STD (from 9,600 rubles)

Atoll A-575m STD - this cleaning system received leadership in the TOP-3 for its high quality and affordable price. Comes with a 12 liter storage tank.

Specifications:

• Type: under sink cleaning system
• Dimensions: 430×420×150 mm
• Cleaning steps: 5
• Purification: reverse osmosis, carbon cleaning
• Storage capacity: 12 l
• Productivity: 0.135 l/min
• Inlet water temperature: +4+38°C
• Porosity: 1 µm

Extra options:

• mineralization, elimination of metals from water, softening and purification from chlorine;
• works on cold water;
• automatic flushing of the membrane;
• LED illumination of indicators;
• connection to the water supply;
• pump to increase pressure;
• inlet pressure - 2.8-6 atmospheres;
• filtration module included;
• separate faucet.

Pros:

• storage tank system;
• the outlet water is clean, without scale at stable daily loads;
• high quality of assembly and materials of the body and parts;
• value for money.

Minuses:

• absent: pump to increase pressure;
• high cost of filters and consumables.

TOP 3 desktop dispenser filters

3rd place - Source Bio ER-5G (from 3,700 rubles)

Bio ER-5G is a compact budget five-stage filter. At the outlet, the water is free of impurities, clear and tasty. Suitable for a small family.

Specifications:

• Type: desktop dispenser
• Cleaning steps: 5
• Cleaning: carbon cleaning
• Storage capacity: 5 l
• Porosity: 0.3 µm

Extra options:

• mineralization, deferrization of water, softening, purification from chlorine;
• works on cold water;
• not connected to the water supply;
• filter module included;
• separate faucet;
• transparent body.

Pros:

• filters well and is easy to clean;
• strong and reliable design, easy operation (children use without problems).

Minuses:

• absent: pump to increase pressure, filter module replacement calendar;
• low filtration rate;
• expensive accessories.

2nd place - Coolmart SM-101 Redox (from 9,300 rubles)

This model is designed for large volumes of water and a constant load. It works on five-stage carbon-magnesium filters, the filters themselves serve for a long time, purifying water from harmful substances and organisms, enriching the output water with minerals.

Minuses:

• expensive additional equipment and consumables;
• over time, the system begins to fail, sediment appears at the bottom, and the filtration properties deteriorate.

1st place - Keosan KS-971 (from 6,900 rubles)

Six levels of purification, carbon-magnesium filters, a 12-liter storage tank, cool and tasty water at the outlet - all this is the leader in the rating of Keosan KS-971 dispenser desktop filters.

• absent: pump to increase the pressure in the system;
• large size (not suitable for a small kitchen).

Summing up

Updated: August 2019

In some countries, such as India, drinking tap water is dangerous: you can get an upset stomach or intestinal infection. In Russia, things are better with water supply, but many still use the filter. Why is it necessary and which device is more effective?

In large cities of Russia, water supply stations guarantee the safety of tap water. But before getting to our tap, the liquid goes through the pipes. Many pipes are old, rusty and worn out. Through them, harmful substances enter the water from the tap.

Some people don't drink tap water because they have a suspicious taste in it. But even if the water tastes normal, it is not certain that it is safe. To check if it contains impurities and contaminants, contact the sanitary and epidemiological service and hand over a sample of the liquid for testing.

You can roughly determine the quality of water yourself:

• If scale appears in your teapot, white stains remain after washing the dishes, and after brewing tea, a film appears in the mug - the water is hard, that is, it contains a lot of salts.
• The putrid taste of water indicates the presence of hydrogen sulfide, and the tart taste indicates an excess of iron.
• If after washing the clothes have a gray tint, then there is manganese and heavy metals in the water.

In addition, you can look at the Internet project of Rospotrebnadzor "Water Map of Russia". The site has a map of laboratory studies of water in different regions. Most of the research is in the Moscow region.

Someone prefers bottled tap water from the store, but there are some nuances here. According to experts, bottled water does not always meet safety requirements. The list of "unsafe" brands is on the website of Roskontrol. In addition, water from the store, as a rule, is more expensive than filtered water at home. Therefore, many begin to buy filters.

The filter improves the quality of the liquid: it cleans it from heavy metals, impurities, viruses and bacteria. The worse the water, the more powerful and expensive the device is needed. We made an overview of the types of water filters and at the end of the article gave recommendations for choosing them.

Coarse or mechanical cleaning- from large solid particles of sand, rust, clay, etc. Coarse filters are grids made of steel or polymeric materials with small cells.

Filters fine cleaning use the following technologies:

• Sorption cleaning- from, chlorine, oil products and other harmful compounds. During cleaning, water passes through a sorbent - as a rule, it is activated carbon.
• Ion exchange– water passes through ion exchange resins. As a result, magnesium and calcium ions, which give water hardness, are replaced by harmless sodium atoms.
• Reverse osmosis– the most efficient cleaning technology. Under pressure, water passes through the membrane, which does not let through almost anything except the liquid itself.
• UV disinfection- Eliminates most micro-organisms. In urban water supply centers, water is already undergoing ultraviolet treatment, so it is necessary to get a water pipe from a well or a well as soon as possible.

Types of filters for water purification in the apartment

The most popular filter in the kitchen for drinking water. The device consists of three parts:

• Jug glass or plastic. The volume of the container is 1.5–4 liters.
• Receiving bowl, or funnel occupies almost half of the jug. A cleaning cartridge is attached to its bottom.
• Cartridge purifies water. Periodically, it must be replaced: depending on the model, it is designed for 100-450 liters. There are cartridges with and without thread. The latter can be installed incorrectly, then untreated water will seep into the tank.

The liquid flows through several cleaning layers inside the cartridge:

• prefilter retains solid insoluble particles;
• Activated carbon removes most harmful organic compounds. As a rule, this is the main filter component;
• ion exchange resins soften water and remove impurities of heavy metals;
• silver iodide kills bacteria;
• postfilter blocks the ingress of particles of filtering materials into the water - for example, the same coal.

Sometimes consumables contain minerals and trace elements that make water healthier.

Pros:

• The filter jug ​​is a budget option. A jug costs from 300 rubles, a cartridge - from 150.
• No need to understand the installation, it's easy to use: poured water, waited, drank.
• The jug does not take up much space, it is easy to lift and carry.

Minuses:

• Low performance. Water flows slowly, so the jug is designed for a family of two or three people.
• May not remove all contaminants. If the tap water is of extremely poor quality, you should purchase a more powerful device.
• Small tank volume.

When choosing a jug, pay attention to which cartridges are compatible with it and how long they last.

The principle of operation is the same as that of a jug: water passes through the cartridge into the tank. Only in terms of volume the tank is more capacious; it has a small faucet through which water is poured. Typically, dispensers have a longer cartridge life than jugs. This type of water purifier is optimal for small offices and families with more than three people.

The nozzle is attached to the mixer and purifies water from chlorine, rust and small suspensions. Inside there is a cassette (cartridge), which must be changed every one to three months. The main filter component is activated carbon.

Pros:

• Relatively inexpensive - from 170 rubles.
• Easy to use and install.
• The cleaning speed is higher than that of pitcher filters.

Minuses:

• You need to constantly remove and put on the nozzle so as not to waste purified water on washing dishes and other needs.
• If an excessively strong flow of water passes through the device, the filtration quality may be reduced.

The filter for the apartment is placed near the sink and connected to the mixer using a flexible hose. The device has its own faucet, from which purified water is supplied. The cartridge needs to be changed every 2-4 months.

Pros:

• Easy to use.
• Productivity is higher than that of jugs and nozzles - about two liters per minute.

Minuses:

• Need a free space next to the sink.
• The price is higher than that of the previous types - from 1,000 rubles.

Other names - prefilter, mechanical (preliminary) filter. It is cut into the main cold or hot water supply. It is needed primarily to protect plumbing, dishwashers and washing machines. It is also used as a well water filter.

For cold water, a standard pre-filter is used, and for hot water, it is made of heat-resistant materials. The service life of such devices is up to 30 years.

The pre-filter is not a panacea. It removes only large insoluble impurities, thus extending the life of the main filter.

Main filters are divided into several types:

• Strainers trap large particles of contaminants with a mesh. The smaller the grid cells, the more particles of different sizes it will hold. There are flushing and non-flushing devices. In the first, the dirt is automatically washed off with running water. To clean the non-flushing filter, you need to rinse the mesh yourself.
• Disc line filters they are also cleaned of mechanical impurities, but their performance is higher than that of mesh ones. Filter elements are pressed polymer disks. When the disks are compressed, the grooves on them form a grid. They need to be washed in a timely manner under running water.
• Cartridge (cartridge) filters are replacement cartridges. They need to be changed much more often than the mesh or discs, but the cleaning quality is higher. Housings for cold water cartridges are made of transparent or opaque plastic. Transparent is more convenient, because through it you can see how dirty the cartridge is. For hot water, cases are made of opaque heat-resistant plastic or stainless steel. Cases come in different sizes: the larger they are, the better the performance of the device and the longer its lifespan.

You can embed the device into the water supply yourself, but this is a laborious procedure. If you are not confident in your abilities, ask a specialist for help.

Prices for a pre-filter start at 1,500 rubles, there are models for 13,000.

When buying this type, you need to know the cross-sectional diameter of the water pipe and the water temperature for which the device is designed.

Pros:

• Do not require frequent replacement.
• Serves for many years.
• Has high performance
• Easy to use.

Minuses:

• Removes only large particles.
• The pre-filter is difficult to install without the help of a specialist.
• To replace the cartridge in cartridge form, you need to shut off the water supply.

These are the most effective household filters for purifying tap water. Water goes through several stages of purification, disinfection and softening. The system contains 3-5 sections - flasks with cartridges. Cartridges are replaced every six months to a year.

You need free space under the sink and a place to output an additional tap. The liquid is supplied through a separate mixer with a drinking water filter. The device is connected to water pipes.

Filters "under the sink" are of two types - flowing and reverse osmosis.

The flow filter for water consists of three to four modules (cartridges):

• pre-cleaning- from sand, rust, silt;
• carbonic- from chlorine, salts, organic compounds, heavy metals;
• with ion exchange resins- for iron removal and water softening;
• with fine silver particles- cleanses of bacteria.

You can experiment with a set of cartridges - this way you will adjust the degree of water purification.

Some models are equipped with an ultraviolet lamp - it destroys dangerous microorganisms.

reverse osmosis system- a special case of the "under the sink" type. Comparison of water filters shows that this is the most efficient option. In such a system, water can be 99% purified.

Cleaning goes through the following steps:

1. The pre-filter purifies water from large contaminants;
2. Water passes through the membrane - a material twisted into a roll, the pore size is 0.0001 microns. The membrane allows only water molecules to pass through, all other compounds are discharged into the sewer by a forced flow of liquid.
   The water is then stored in a 4–12 liter tank.

Membranes are not changed as often as cartridges - its service life is 1-5 years. The performance of household reverse osmosis systems is 150-300 liters per day.

After such a thorough purification, useful minerals are also removed from the water, so a mineralizer is built into the reverse osmosis system. This is a cartridge with mineral filling, which gradually dissolves in water, saturating it with magnesium, calcium, zinc, iron and other elements. Mineralization improves the taste and quality of water. Cartridge resource - 3-4 thousand liters.

The water in public water pipes in Russia is fraught with many surprises. Even in those cities where the authorities declare that water can be drunk straight from the tap, it is worthwhile to analyze the water before such experiments. As a rule, it will show that such water does not provide health benefits and is either neutral or harmful to the human body. There can be many reasons for this - even the most modern urban water treatment plants are powerless in front of outdated water pipes, and in sanitary standards the hardness value is allowed such that even after one boil, scale flakes form in the kettle. Looking at this white coating, cloudy or rusty water, smelling chlorine, apartment dwellers often make a simple but wrong choice in favor of buying bottled drinking water. After all, water in bottles and coolers is often the same tap water, but it has undergone special purification through filters. This suggests a solution that will help to avoid storing water in plastic containers, avoiding the transfer of bottles from the store to the apartment and simply not overpay for a brand of drinking water - you need to install your own drinking water filter for the apartment and get tasty and healthy tap water at any time. kitchen!

What types of filters for an apartment exist?

Today, there are quite a few solutions for water purification, which differ in both capital and periodic investments, size, performance, the need to replace consumables - cartridges or filter media. The most common filters for purifying tap water in an apartment:

• Faucet filter attachment
• filter jug
• Main water filter
• Flow-through water purification system for the kitchen
• Reverse osmosis system
• Compact water softeners for the whole apartment
• Filters for washing machines and dishwashers
• Filters for steam generators, ice makers and coffee machines

Drinking water treatment

Despite the affordable cost, jug filters and faucet nozzles are gradually losing their popularity - they are being replaced by more productive and economical flow and reverse osmosis systems. The small resource of cartridges and the low degree of cleaning of jugs make them economically viable only for a short time period. And if water purification is required in an apartment for the whole family, then the filtration systems installed under the sink have practically no competitors.

Reverse osmosis is the most popular type of water purifier in an apartment. Such a system removes insoluble and suspended particles (rust, sand, silt), nitrates, fluorides, nitrites, pesticides, ammonium salts and other chemical elements. Reverse osmosis is also able to filter out viruses and bacteria, reduce hardness, the amount of iron and active chlorine.

There is a widespread myth about "dead water", which is obtained after filtration by such systems, however, experts are sure that it is better to use pure water than one where, along with useful mineral composition, there are excesses in heavy metals, fluorides, chlorine and microbiology. There are also reverse osmosis systems with a mineralizer, which partially restores the salt composition of water. It is also worth noting that a person receives most of the useful trace elements from food, and not from water. If you eat fruits, vegetables and dairy products, then reverse osmosis water will only benefit. The performance of the reverse osmosis system is up to 200 liters of pure water per day. After deep cleaning, drinking water accumulates in a special tank. Therefore, even in the event of an unforeseen shutdown, you will have your own supply of drinking water, which comes under its own pressure created by a rubber bulb inside the tank.

Reverse osmosis water is ideal for ice makers and coffee machines because it does not form scale. A nice bonus when installing a reverse osmosis water purification system for an apartment will be the fact that it is recommended to use it in irons and steamers - there will no longer be whitish stains on clothes, and the equipment will last much longer. The situation is similar with steam generators and air humidification systems. If it is necessary to purify water from suspended solids, iron and chlorine, but retain the mineral composition of water, it is worth choosing a simpler flow-through water purification system. It is worth noting that this is the most inexpensive water filter for washing. In such a system, the same purification steps are used as in the reverse osmosis filter, but the reverse osmosis membrane is not used.

After the filters under the sink, water enters a separate clean water tap or a special kitchen faucet with a tap for drinking water. It is up to you to decide which sink water filter is best for your kitchen, we can offer a wide range of equipment and spare parts, install and service a household water filter. You can buy a water filter for a sink with installation in Ecodar company stores or order a water filter with delivery.

Drinking water machine for an apartment

A modern replacement for coolers is drinking water dispensers, or simply purifiers. If the delivery of water to an apartment is quite profitable for a business, then for residents it is quite an expensive pleasure. In addition to the cost, water for a cooler with delivery is often of poor quality, because. bottled without filtration or in unprepared, dirty bottles. Therefore, more and more corporate and private customers are choosing coolers without bottles - purifiers, the water in which comes from the central water supply and undergoes high-quality cleaning through filtration cartridges. There are even models with ultraviolet water disinfection, so that the water gets perfectly clean into your glass!

Desktop machines, in particular Ecomaster Cube, are especially popular. This innovative development from the English company Waterlogic not only purifies water using cartridge filters, but also disinfects it using a special ultraviolet spiral with Firewall technology. The machine can give you unlimited access to hot and cold water. The equipment is equipped with child protection so that little fidgets do not get burned.

Soda at home? Easy!

Good news for lovers of carbonated mineral water - the company Ekodar offers you floor standing machines with the function of water aeration. You can make it like classic soda water with carbon dioxide, or you can use a healthy oxygen cocktail. Such a machine takes up less space than a cooler. Bottles are not required - the connection is made directly to the water supply line. Water passes deep cleaning through a flow system or a filter with a reverse osmosis membrane.

Stages of water purification in the apartment by reverse osmosis

• Mechanical cleaning - preliminary purification of water in the apartment from suspended particles and various insoluble impurities.
• Sorption filtration is a cartridge filter filled with activated carbon granules designed to remove active chlorine and its odor, as well as to protect the membrane from chlorine exposure.
• Carbon block is a monolithic carbon block that removes unpleasant odors and organic compounds.
• The reverse osmosis membrane is the main element of the filter, which provides water purification from toxic metals, fluorides, nitrites, nitrates, various salts, bacteria, viruses and high-molecular components of organic origin.
• The mineralizer is a special cartridge designed to enrich water with potassium, sodium, magnesium, calcium, as well as other microelements and useful mineral salts.
• Post-carbon is an additional purification filter that allows you to significantly improve the taste of water, as well as completely remove organic compounds and odors remaining after the previous stages.

Water purification throughout the apartment

The main flow water filter is installed at the water inlet to the apartment. It is designed to filter large contaminants - sand, rust, dissolved iron. Such filters are often installed on both cold and hot water. As a rule, cartridge filters are made of plastic, however, there are also metal counterparts made of stainless steel.

A shower filter in the form of a nozzle is an ineffective way to remove water hardness. The models we tested showed effectiveness for 10-15 times of taking a full shower. After that, the ion-exchange properties of the material ended and the replacement of the filter cartridge was required. The low cost of such a filter is illusory, because the frequency of buying filter elements is quite high and it is much more profitable to install a full-fledged softener in the form of a cylinder with ion-exchange resin and control automation, or a compact cabinet-type softener for an apartment.

The compact softener for the bathroom Ecodar Compact occupies 1/3 m2, while effectively eliminating the hardness of cold water. Because hot water leaves its hardness when heated in boilers, while taking a shower you will get soft water ideal for the human body. Women especially notice the difference - after installing softener filters in an apartment, their skin no longer feels dry and tight, their hair becomes less brittle and easier to comb. The amount of detergents will also be reduced - soap and shampoos in soft water foam much more intensively. Softener without cartridges - once a month you will need to monitor the level of salt, which is necessary to regenerate the useful properties of the ion-exchange filter material.

Buy a filter for water purification in an apartment in Moscow or St. Petersburg

You can buy water filters for washing, as well as softener filters for the whole apartment, in Ecodar company stores. Our experts will pick up and mount the filter for the apartment at a convenient time for you.

Kitchen filters