Best for Sediment and Chlorine: Culligan WH-HD200-C Whole House Heavy Duty 1” Inlet/Outlet Filtration System

When shopping for a whole house water filter, the first question to ask yourself is: what do a I want to filter? For most folks, sediment and chlorine are the two big ones. In that case, a simple one-stage filter like this one from Culligan might just do the trick. This model was highly recommended by our readers for its effectiveness.

What We Liked

• Clear canister lets you see how dirty the filter is.

• Easy to install.

• Tried and true brand.

• Includes wrench for install.

• Can work with different Culligan cartridges.

What Needs Work

• Bypass valve can be hard to turn. This can be an issue since you have to turn this valve to change the filter!

• Less effective at removing some contaminants compared to two-stage filters, in our opinion. In that case, you may want consider the next model. 

Best Two-Stage System: iSpring WGB21B 2-Stage Whole House Water Filtration System

If you can afford the larger price tag, a tw0-stage system like this by iSpring can be more effective at reducing contaminants as well as removing taste, odor and cloudiness.

What We Liked

• Works well.

• Easy to install.

• Good customer support.

• Filters can work up to 1 year.

• Note the pre-assembled mounting bracket and other smart design touches.

What Needs Work

• Pricey.

Best Three-Stage System: Express Water Whole House Water Filter

If you have more issues with your water than sediment and chlorine, this three-stage system may be worth the investment. Yes, this model filters out 52 types of impurities. Here’s more:

What We Liked

• Effective at reducing odors, bad taste, etc.

• Easy to install.

• Clear housing on last canister lets you see if filter needs to be changed.

• Includes standing stainless steel frame.

What Needs Work

• Pricey.

About the Authors

Denise & Alan Fields are consumer advocates and best-selling authors. The Fields have authored 12 books with three million copies in print, including the best-selling guide to baby gear, Baby Bargains.

The Fields have been featured and quoted in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times.

As consumer products experts, the Fields have been guests on the NBC Today Show, Good Morning America and ABC’s 20/20.

How We Pick Products To Recommend

We often turn to our readers (3 million strong!) to find products to recommend. We ask our parent readers for their favorites and consider their real-world experiences in our recommendations.

When we test a product, we always purchase it with our own monies. We do not take free samples, as we believe that compromises our independence.

We also fact check manufacturer information with our own measurements. If a maker claims a product weighs X pounds, we will weigh it to make sure. If the battery life is supposed to be six hours, we will see how it stands up in the real world.

In some cases, we will do interviews with experts in the field to get additional feedback on products.

To get hands-on time with products, we regularly meet one-on-one with gear companies and even tour manufacturing facilities. (When we do this, we pay our own travel expenses).

Why Trust Us

We’ve been rating and reviewing products for the home and families since 1994. We do extensive research, evaluating products with an eye toward quality, ease of use and affordability.

We make our living from affiliate commissions, but we always recommend what we think are the best bets for our readers (not the ones that are the most expensive). We are always looking for products that offer the best bang for the buck.

Our independence is a key reason why we have been doing this so long. As we mentioned above, when we purchase a product for hands-on testing, we do so with our own money.

Here’s another key point: we don’t take money from the brands we review. No free samples, no sponsors, no “partnerships.” Our work is 100% reader-supported!