You might think I’m about to go off on some rant about how much you should be spending on your water softener or filter but quite frankly, that’s none of my business! What I do want to let you know is that when I first started researching these products, I was quite astounded at the difference in price. At first I couldn’t figure out why. However, a few months down the road, and I have a better idea.
Brand doesn’t seem to matter much with water filters. For instance, if you’re looking for a television or some other electrical appliance in the home, we all tend to migrate towards the more well known companies. But, that does have its issues because if you want the latest model from Sony for instance it will cost you a lot more than a television from a lesser known company.
With water softeners and filters, it’s all about the technology used and what you want from your new product. So, in case you are on a budget, I’ll deal with the cheaper end of the market up to the most expensive.
The Most Basic Products
If you don’t want to spend a lot of money but you’re fed-up with constantly buying filters for your Brita Jug, then the alternative is to have something that either sits on your countertop or under your sink (to be clear; you will also find more advanced products in these categories).
The basic filters cost very little (around $30 – $40) and the replacement filters don’t tend to be expensive either. However, you have to be aware the less you spend, the less you get in terms of water filtration. The most basic products will only remove contaminants that affect taste and smell so it’s pleasant to drink.
Here is a review on one of the cheaper products.
The Middle of the Range
Around the middle of the price bracket, you will get more for your money in terms of contaminant removal or reduction. Note the word “reduction”. You have to be careful when you read any of the reviews I have here for you because it’s very easy to miss the fact that a filter will just reduce the number of contaminants in your water.
In this price range (around $100 – $150), you actually have a good deal of choice in terms of the types of filters you can have. Many of the products I’ve included will deal with both organic and non-organic substances along with various bacteria that can get into your drinking water.
This review is on a product I think is middle of the range.
The Most Expensive
This is where we really get into top technology. You can get anything up to 10 stages of water filtration, and some even include alkaline filters for perfectly PH-balanced water. Other filters also soften the water by using technologies that will deal with both magnesium and calcium without removing them entirely. This is because in small doses, these substances are good for you.
Here’s a review on one a top-of-the-range under sink water filter (for obvious reasons, whole house water filters are at the most expensive end of the market).
In Conclusion
Don’t be blinded by price is the only piece of advice I will give you. There are some excellent products on the market that will cost less than you think. Just remember it’s all about how bad your tap water already is, and what you want from your filter or softener.