Kitchen Faucet Water Filters: What They Remove and What They Don’t

A kitchen faucet water filter mounts on the end of your faucet and treats water as it leaves the spout. Most are certified to reduce chlorine taste and odor; some are also certified for lead and other health contaminants. They run cold water only, need cartridge changes on schedule, and won’t thread onto the pull-down or pull-out spray heads found in most modern kitchens. Key Takeaways — Is a faucet filter worth it? A faucet filter is the cheapest way to get certified filtration at the tap, and for plenty of homes that’s enough. The catch is fit: if your spray head pulls down or out, there’s nothing to screw it onto. Check the certification for the contaminant you actually have rather than the claim on the box, and swap the cartridge before it’s spent. BEFORE YOU FILTER Filter for what’s in your water, not what’s on the box Pull the detections for your ZIP in about 30 seconds, then match a certification to them. Check my ZIP → What a Kitchen Faucet Water Filter Actually Is Strip the housing off and there are three parts: a threaded collar that replaces your aerator, a diverter valve, and a cartridge. The collar clamps the unit to the end of the spout. The diverter is a small lever ...