Best Water Filter For Tap UK
Today on Water Filter Geek, we’re exploring the Best Water Filter For Tap UK.
These are proving increasingly popular in the last few years, as you can see below.
Data source: Google Trends (https://www.google.com/trends).
Why? Because they’re a super simple, convenient and relatively inexpensive way to get filtered, cleaner, healthier water direct from your tap.
Our best tap water filter overall is the Philips Water X-Guard. The top model for water health and safety is the Waterdrop WD-FC-06. The best filter for tap water is the XNTONG filter.
Philips Water X-Guard
• Capacity: 1000L
• Dimensions (LxWxH): 6.8 x 5.3 x 3.5 cm
• Weight: 450g
• Water Flow: 2L/min
Waterdrop WD-FC-06
• Capacity: 1211L
• Dimensions (LxWxH): 20.9 x 17.4 x 8.7 cm
• Weight: 660g
• Water Flow: 1.9L/min
XNTONG Water Filter Tap
• Capacity: 1000L
• Dimensions (LxWxH): 14.3 x 6.0 x 10.3 cm
• Weight: 270g
• Water Flow: 3.3L/min
As the UK’s water filter experts, we’ve seen quite a few different filter types come and go.
Tap water filters, as you saw in the graph above, have become widely used in recent years in the UK.
What do we think of them? Well, it wasn’t always the case (some older models had the main technology of the placebo effect 😉 but now they offer good quality filter technology, for a unit that’s small and light enough to be attached to your battery.
How did we pick these winning options for someone who wants a water filter for their tap?
We analysed:
- The quality of filtration techology
- Suitability for a wide range of tap types
- Flow rate (and whether the reality matches the product’s stated flow rate)
- Whether or not it improve the water’s healthiness or just removes contaminants
- Ease of use
- Ease of installation
- Build quality and component hardiness
Finally, we’ll talk about about how to choose which type you need and which model best fits your requirements.
Best Tap Water Filter
- Best Overall Tap Water Filter: Philips Water X-Guard
- Best For Improving Water Health: Waterdrop WD-FC-06
- Top model for Flow Rate: XNTONG Water Filter For Tap
Tap Water Filter Reviews
Let’s get to grips with the top water filters for taps in the UK.
We’ll look at the pros and cons of each model, and rate them accordingly.
Philips Water X-Guard Water Filter
Pros and who would need this model:
Filter quality is very high
It’s triple stage microfiltration. One of these stages is granular activated carbon, a high quality filter type. In our tests, we found that it worked really well to remove lots of different contaminants. Like what? Like chlorine, PFAS, pesticides, VOCs (volatile organic compounds). It works by adsorbing these impurities in its multitudinous (lots and lots!) of nooks and crannies within the carbon lattice network structure.
Particularly effective for odour removal
It worked really well for removing unpleasant smells from water. That’s because it’s has high efficacy at filtering out organic chemicals, like hydrogen sulfide and chlorine (which are responsible for most odours that can arise in your water).
Fitting is largely good
Water filters for taps have one major challenge to overcome compared to other filter types. While most water pipes and systems have just a couple of different sizes, these filters must tackle the thousands of different types of taps. Every tap water filter has adapters to deal with this challenge. We found that the Philips Water X-Guard had the best solutions to meet all the different types. So while some people may have an issue, the vast majority of people will find it works really well off the bat, and with quite simple installation. Philips offer a clear guide, a pictorial diagram showing which taps it doesn’t work with – make sure you check it before you buy! And it has a wide range of adapters to fit the type of tap that it is suitable for.
It performs well in each aspect
What’s why it’s the best overall. As mentioned above, it has the best adapters to fit different types of tap. We found it easy to install on most different types of tap. Operating it was smooth. It’s sturdy and well made – there’s a reason a reputable brand like Philips put their name on it. It’s not too heavy and not too big, compared to most models on the market.
Cons and why it’s not for you:
The water isn’t quite as healthy as the Waterdrop filter
Don’t get us wrong, the water output from the Philips X-Guard is great. Clean and healthy. But the Waterdrop tap filter adds back healthy minerals, and makes the water the healthiest we’ve seen for this filter type. This model can’t quite match this quality.
It’s a bit bulky
On sinks with not a lot of space between the tap and the sink surface, the Philips X-Guard can be too bulky an addition. If you have a sink/tap set up like that, do a check to see if you’re still going to have enough room to wash your dishes and fill your glasses. To a certain extent, it’s inevitable with this type of product that it’ll rob of of some sink space, but the design of this filter is not ingenious, and not particularly ergonomic.
Where to get it?
You can check it out here, this is the lowest cost seller on Amazon.
Waterdrop WD-FC-06
Pros and who this is best for:
The best quality filtration on a water filter for taps
The 4 stages of filtration are very impressive for this filter type. Most tap water filters main filter media is a carbon filter, typically activated carbon of some kind. And one (most 2-layer filters) or two (most 3 layer filters) sediment filter nets. The Waterdrop filter has those, and then 2 additional layers that no other tap filter we’ve seen has. It also has a nonwoven filter. Nonwoven filters are great for filtration, made from a random, fibrous web of material, in this case polyester. And it also has a remineralisation filter layer…
Remineralisation layer
Remineralisation filters are generally only in highly expensive reverse osmosis filter systems. And reverse osmosis filters are indeed one of Waterdrop’s specialties. What do they do? They add back health-giving minerals to the water, such as magnesium and calcium. That’s why we describe the Waterdrop WD-FC-06 water filter as not only making the water safer but also improving your health. Good health is such a multifaceted, complicated web of real-life factors but something as basic having mineral-rich, revitalising water to drink day by day is such an easy win.
Easily the best looking/most likely to look as though it fits with your sink aesthetic
Everyone will have different perceptions about the importance of this. But its silver, shiny colour (it’s made from a quality stainless steel), will match with your tap better than the vast majority of tap filters, that are made from plastic.
Excellent build quality
Some plastic tap filters are prone to breakages and cracks. Some metal ones can develop rust and from there, it’s not going to last you much longer or be great for your health. But the Waterdrop tap water filter’s build quality is really good, it just feels and looks more sturdy than the others we tested. It’s anti-rust and crack-resistant stainless steel material is one of the key reasons for this. That’s what you get with Waterdrop, their specialty is water filters, and good quality ones at that.
Negatives and why it may not be for you:
Expensive
It’s not too far off double the price of the Philips Water X-Guard. We’ll say the same thing we said before, though. Considering how much more safe and healthy it makes your water. It’s not just a couple of quid, no-one’s saying that. But though all you can see is a metal block, there’s really good quality filtration processes going on unseen, inside the unit. This is a worthwhile investment, if you can afford it of course.
Where can you buy it?
Here’s the lowest cost seller we found.
XNTONG Tap Water Filter
Pros and who needs this :
It has the best kind of activated carbon
It’s coconut shell activated carbon. According to our analysis, that’s the most effective type, with some advantages in filtration efficacy compared to other types.
It’s well made
A Chinese brand, sure. But as soon as you take it our of the box, you’ll see that this is well made and sturdy. We like the thick ceramic filter cartridge. The filter cartridge is a really important aspect of a water filter. There’s not much using in having high quality filter materials if the filter cartridge isn’t able to deal with a large amount of water going through it, and a fair quantity of contaminant chemicals gathering in and around it. And the XNTONG tap water filter does well on this score.
We were happy with the adapter range
There are 7 adapters included with this tap filter. We found they worked well with all the tap types we tested.
It has the fastest flow
3.3L per minute is really good for this kind of filter. And sure enough, the reality matched – it flows through at the best rate in our testing.
Cons and why this model is not for you:
It’s a more obscure brand
Ah yes, the household name, XNTONG! 😉 forgive our levity, for there are a ton of brands that are not well known and they still make good quality products. But some people prefer to buy from a known, reputable brand than an unknown quantity. If that’s you, then choosing from the Philips or Waterdrop models is your best option.
It has just a single filtration media
We’ve said we like the filtration media used – the coconut shell activated carbon. But we’d really have liked an additional pre-filter, or sediment filter as the Philips X-Guard has. What does that mean? The activated carbon layer is going to gather more impurities, and that means if you want the best filtration, you’ll have to replace it more often than the other models.
Where is the best place to get it?
The best price we’ve found is this seller, right here.
How To Choose The Right Tap Water Filter For Your Needs?
Here’s how to pick the best one for you.
How important is the quality/safety of the water for you?
If you want the absolute safest possible water, the Waterdrop WD-FC-06 is the best in this regard. The nonwoven filter is a step up from the rest of the market, as is having 4 layers of filter media.
But we still have no hesitation to recommend both of the other tap filters in this article, they provide more than enough protection to make your water safe.
Do you want a water filter for your tap that can make the water more healthy?
That’s what the Waterdrop filter will do. That’s a step beyond making your water safer. It actually increases the mineral quality of your water, and at safe levels.
Is water flow particularly important for you?
Water flow in all three of these filters is good; that’s on of our key criteria, and hence why they made this list.
But if it’s especially important for you that water flows really fast – not accusing you of being impatient or anything, though! ;), then check out the XNTONG tap water filter.
Do you need an activated carbon water filter?
You have a few options, for having this type of filter. An under sink filter, and a filter jug are your other options. A tap filter, though, is one of the simplest and most convenient options.
Here’s where you can check out your best options for an activated carbon filter.
FYI, if Fluoride is a concern of yours, here are the top Fluoride water filters. And what about filters to remove hormones? Got that covered, too.
If you’re not yet sure that a water filter for your tap is the right kind for you, check out this guide to water filter system types in the UK. And this article on the top under sink water filters.
Best Water Filter For Tap UK Summary
Those were the best water filters for taps in the UK!
The Philips Water X-Guard was the best all-rounder – offering quality filter, good fitting options to fit most taps, and good value.
The Waterdrop WD-FC-06 has by far the best quality filter, giving you really healthy water; it comes at a fairly high price, though, compared to the others.
And the XNTONG tap water filter is also a good all rounder, with a superior coconut shell kind of activated carbon; however, it’s not a brand you’d recognise and the activated carbon filter, while a good quality one, is the only filter media included.
Hopefully, this article helps with your decision, good luck with whichever option you go for!