Fluoride water filters are a must-have especially considering that fluoride is intentionally added to the water supply by the authorities. The best fluoride filters typically remove 90 – 99% of fluoride in water, depending on the product's brand and model.
Our top recommendation, the Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher reduces 99.5% of fluoride in water, as well as many other water contaminants. Other options like the AquaTru and Waterdrop G3 800 also reduces fluoride by >99%, although they cost x4 more than the clearly filtered.
In this article, we'll examine 5 fluoride water filters across different use-cases and filtration technology.
- Process: Affinity Technology
- Fluoride Reduction Percentage: 99.5%
- Warranty: 1-year Warranty
- Process: Reverse Osmosis
- Fluoride Reduction Percentage: 99.75%
- Warranty: 1 Year
- Process: Reverse Osmosis
- Fluoride Reduction Percentage: 99.9%
- Warranty: 1 Year
1. Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher for Fluoride
- Process: Pitcher Filter
- Fluoride Removal Percentage: 99.5%
- Warranty: 1-year Warranty
The Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher is our top pick as it removes 99% of fluoride and chlorine in water, the highest of any water filter pitcher. It’s also very compact and is designed to sit on your kitchen countertop.
If you’re looking for a highly effective filter that doesn’t take up much space in your home, we think you’ll really like this unit.
3-Stage Filtration
Although it looks simple, there’s actually complexity in the inner workings of the clearly filtered pitcher. The filtration process occurs in 3-stages. Stage one is a woven stainless steel mesh screen that the water goes through, which catches the larger sediment and dirt particles that might be present.
The second stage is the granulated coconut filtration layer that’s meant to get rid of chlorine, as well as any bad tastes and odors. Finally, stage three is the proprietary filter that Clearly Filtered uses, which is made up of 7 different layers of materials that are meant to remove fluoride, as well as other common contaminants like microplastics, lead, and PFAS/PFOA.
The third stage takes the longest since that’s where the major part of the purification process happens, but you should have clean drinking water in a little over 10 minutes.
High Filter Capacity
The filter has a 100-gallon capacity with a 0.5-gallon reservoir, which can be used more than 200 times before requiring a filter change. This equates to 3 months of use per filter.
You can buy the individual filters for around $60, or get a pack of three for around $190, which should last a full year. Either way, the filters themselves are very expensive.
1-Year Warranty and Money-Back Guarantee
The warranty only lasts for a single year, but that’s probably more than you’d expect for a device in this price range anyway, so it is a very good deal. Additionally, you can also return the pitcher after 30 days if you’re unsatisfied with its performance (if it’s not damaged, of course).
2. AquaTru Countertop Filter for Fluoride and Chlorine
- Process: Reverse Osmosis
- Fluoride Removal Percentage: 99.75%
- Warranty: 1 Year
AquaTru is the best countertop fluoride water filter. It uses reverse osmosis technology to filter fluoride and chlorine from water. If you aren’t already familiar with reverse osmosis, RO uses a semi-permeable membrane that essentially works as a microscopic sieve. The water molecules can pass through the space in between the membrane, but most contaminants are too large to make it through, so they get removed by the filter.
4-Stage Filtration
With Aquatru, the water goes through a 4-stage filtration process to remove fluoride. The first stage uses a simple sediment filter to get rid of larger molecules in the water. Stage two is the activated carbon filter that removes unpleasant tastes and odors. Stage three is the reverse osmosis membrane that removes some of the small ions still present in the water. And finally, stage four is a carbon filter block.
This system purifies a gallon of water every 10 to 15 minutes, which is a pretty decent rate, and twice as fast as the Clearly Filtered Pitcher, thanks to its larger capacity.
Filter Longevity
The filter lifetime of this device isn’t set in stone but you should only consider filter replacement after 600 and 1,200 gallons of filtration. At most, this equates to around 4,500 uses per filter, which means that large families may need to replace the filters every 6 months, whereas a single individual using this filter will be able to go up to 2 years before needing replacement.
App Integration
If you’re feeling unsure about the filter’s estimated lifespan, then the accompanying AquaTru Water Purifier phone app might help. Installing this app will allow you to monitor how much life the filter still has in it before you need to get a new one.
The app is also super convenient since you’ll be able to see how much water you still have in the system, and you’ll even receive a notification telling you when the purification process has finished.
3. Epic Pure Water Filter Dispenser
- Process: Gravity Filter
- Fluoride Removal Percentage: 97.8%
- Warranty: Lifetime Warranty
The Epic Pure Water Filter is a countertop gravity system that’s super effective at filtering fluoride and over 200 other contaminants. Its filtration capabilities have been independently tested and it has several NSF certificates. Plus, it includes advanced features like an LED indicator, which makes it really easy to maintain.
You’ll really like the Epic Pure if you’re looking for a fairly simple yet effective countertop filter that requires no installation at all!
Key Features:
- Removes lots of different contaminants: The Epic Pure isn’t just a fluoride filter. It can also remove 200+ other contaminants including PFAS, arsenic, pesticides, mercury, lead, and chlorine.
- NSF certified: The Epic Pure has been certified to NSF/ANSI standards 42, 53, 401, and P473. This means it’s been tested in a lab by a third party to verify its ability to remove contaminants from water.
- Filter life indicator: We always look out for digital tech when we’re testing filters, as it makes monitoring and maintenance way easier. So, we were happy to find that the Epic Pure comes with a helpful LED indicator that tells you when the filter needs to be replaced.
- Lifetime warranty: The generous warranty means you're covered for repairs and replacements for the full lifetime of the system.
4. Clearly Filtered Under Sink Water Filter for Fluoride
- Process: Reverse Osmosis
- Fluoride Removal Percentage: 90.7%
- Warranty: Limited Lifetime Warranty
- Price: $550
The Clearly Filtered Under Sink Filter is the best kitchen sink filter for fluoride and chlorine. It works based on reverse osmosis technology, similar to Aquatru, although the filtration process is different.
It’s designed to fit neatly under your kitchen sink which makes it a great option for homes that are short on space.
- 3-chambered system: This unit comes with three chambers. The first chamber contains a coconut carbon pre-filter that removes large contaminants. The second chamber has a heavy metal, herbicide, and pesticide filter, while the third chamber has the fluoride filter.
- Compact design: Unlike many other under sink water filters, the clearly filtered under sink system doesn’t have a tank into which the purified water funnels. This basically means that the water is filtered on the go without the need for a separate storage reservoir which saves a lot of space.
- Easy to install: The lack of a separate water tank also means that this unit is a lot easier to install and takes up a lot less space under your counter. All that’s required for installation is to connect the input and output hose lines and screw in or attach the filter under the sink.
- Long-lasting filters: The filters in the clearly filtered under sink system lasts for up to 2,000 gallons, and should be replaced every 6 months. However, this unit also shares the same problem with the previous Clearly Filtered models—the filters are expensive to replace.
5. Waterdrop G3P800
- Process: Reverse Osmosis
- Fluoride Removal Percentage: 99.9%
- Warranty: 1 Year
The Waterdrop G3P800 is our top pick reverse osmosis system thanks to its 800 GPD large water capacity. Plus, we love the addition of the UV sterilizing light, which enables it to sterilize up to 99.9% of contaminants. If you live in an area with particularly high levels of water contamination, then the UV tech means the G3P800 could be an excellent option for you.
Key Features:
- 7-stage filtration: The G3P800’s levels of filtration are seriously impressive. First, the water passes through a PP cotton layer, then a scale inhibitor layer, and an activated carbon layer. Then, it passes through a second PP cotton layer before it reaches the RO membrane layer and the post-activated carbon layer. Finally, it reaches the UV sterilizer where any remaining fluoride particles (and any other contaminants) are sterilized.
- Digital interface: The LED display on the front of the device tells you the TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) in your tap water, which indicates the levels of dissolved solids in the water—the lower the TDS, the better. Additionally, the unit also has a color indicator for each of the three filters that notifies you when it’s time for a replacement.
- Long-lasting and affordable filters: The filters last 6-12 months, and only cost about $30 to replace. The reverse osmosis filter is the largest one, and it costs $130 to replace. However, it does have an average life of 2 years, which is considered long-lasting.
- Additional faucet: This water filter also comes with a faucet that you can attach to the sink. The faucet comes with the same display as the unit itself, and it allows you to easily monitor the system.
- Simple installation: This unit is very easy to install since all you need to do is place it under the sink, hook up the water line to the back, and then hook up the outlet water line from the filter to the faucet.
What To Know About Fluoride Water Filters
We reviewed fluoride filters based on the following criteria:
- Fluoride removal percentage
- Filter life
- NSF certifications
- Process/technology
- Capacity
- Maintenance requirements
- Warranty
- Price
- Fluoride Removal Percentage
Look at any brand of soap, any detergent, or any cleaning product and you’ll see that all of them advertise the removal of up to 99.9% of bacteria. Fluoride filters have a similar threshold—they will never be able to completely remove all traces of fluoride in water.
However, the truth is that you don’t need them to be 100% effective—any removal rate of 90% effectiveness and above gets rid of enough of the fluoride that the minuscule amount that’s left can’t really harm you.
You should go for a fluoride filter with the highest removal percentage, but we’d say that any of these filters can get the job done.
| Water Filters | Removal percentage |
|---|---|
| Clearly Filtered Pitcher | 99.5% |
| AquaTru | 99.75% |
| Epic Pure Water Filter Dispenser | 97.8% |
| Clearly Filtered Under Sink Filter | 90.7% |
| Waterdrop G3P800 | 99.9% |
Filter Life
If you look at the chart below, you’ll notice that some fluoride water filters have a significantly shorter filter life than others. The frequency at which you have to replace your filters definitely plays a large role in how difficult the system is to maintain, but that’s not the only thing that you should be looking at.
Filter prices are also very important, and even though filters like the Clearly Filtered Pitcher have an incredibly short filter life, the filters themselves are a lot cheaper than others, like the AquaTru, which will last you a bit longer.
It’s really all about balance. Generally, we’d say that a fluoride filter with a decent filter life that can be replaced easily and doesn’t cost too much is going to be better than a model with a long filter life that’s hard to maintain and expensive to replace.
| Water Filters | Filter Life |
|---|---|
| Clearly Filtered Pitcher | 100 Gallons |
| AquaTru | 600 – 1,200 Gallons |
| Epic Pure Water Filter Dispenser | 150 Gallons |
| Clearly Filtered Under Sink Filter | 2,000 Gallons |
| Waterdrop G3P800 | Computer Estimated |
NSF Certification
The National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) is the most trusted agency when it comes to water filter testing. The quality and durability of a product will always vary depending on the manufacturer and how much it costs, but this stamp of approval goes a long way in ensuring that the filter in question can do the task that it was intended for.
Now, we should say that there are different reasons why certain products aren’t considered NSF-certified—some of which have nothing to do with quality. For instance, some fluoride filters may not have been tested yet, or the NSF certification wasn’t mentioned anywhere on the site (but they still might hold one).
However, while it might not be a deal-breaker if a product doesn’t have this stamp of approval, it’s definitely better if it does.
| Water Filters | NSF/ANSI 44 Certifications |
|---|---|
| Clearly Filtered Pitcher | Yes |
| AquaTru | Yes |
| Epic Pure Water Filter Dispenser | No |
| Clearly Filtered Under Sink Filter | Yes |
| Waterdrop G3P800 | Yes |
Process
All of the fluoride water filters that we reviewed are different in one way or another, but the most significant difference is definitely the filtration process they use.
There are several models that use reverse osmosis, while the others all have a unique water purification method.
| Water Filters | Process |
|---|---|
| Clearly Filtered Pitcher | Pitcher Filter |
| AquaTru | Reverse Osmosis |
| Epic Pure Water Filter Dispenser | Gravity Filter |
| Clearly Filtered Under Sink Filter | Reverse Osmosis |
| Waterdrop G3P800 | Reverse Osmosis |
Water Tank Capacity
Most of the fluoride water filters that we evaluated have internal tanks that can hold a gallon of water. The only two exceptions are the Epic Pure, which can hold nearly two gallons, and the Waterdrop G3P800, which doesn’t actually have a tank, so its estimated capacity is around 800 gallons per day (GPD).
A larger capacity means that you’ll have access to more water once the purification is done, but you’ll also need to wait a bit longer for it to finish. It’s ultimately a question of whether you prefer to wait a bit longer but have a lot more water or if you’d prefer to refill the container multiple times as long as the process doesn’t take as long.
| Water Filters | Capacity |
|---|---|
| Clearly Filtered Pitcher | 0.5 Gallons |
| AquaTru | 1 Gallon |
| Epic Pure Water Filter Dispenser | Just under 2 Gallons |
| Clearly Filtered Under Sink Filter | 1 Gallon |
| Waterdrop G3P800 | 800 GPD |
Ease of Use
Under sink models are always the most complicated due to the installation procedure that they require, but a few of the other models have a bit of a tricky filter replacement process, too.
If you’re a newbie and this is your first water filter, you should go for a system with easy maintenance requirements. However, if you have experience with water filters, you won’t have issues with any of them.
| Water Filters | Maintenance Requirements |
|---|---|
| Clearly Filtered Pitcher | Easy |
| AquaTru | Medium |
| Epic Pure Water Filter Dispenser | Easy |
| Clearly Filtered Under Sink Filter | Hard |
| Waterdrop G3P800 | Medium |
Warranty
All the fluoride filters we covered in this guide have either a 1-year warranty or a lifetime warranty.
A warranty is obviously a great addition to any purchase since it minimizes certain risks and allows you to recuperate some costs if the appliance is faulty. However, these are relatively inexpensive devices, so we wouldn’t worry whether the device you picked up has a lifetime warranty so long as there’s at least some coverage.
| Water Filters | Warranty |
|---|---|
| Clearly Filtered Pitcher | Limited Lifetime Warranty |
| AquaTru | 1 Year |
| Epic Pure Water Filter Dispenser | Lifetime |
| Clearly Filtered Under Sink Filter | Limited Lifetime Warranty |
| Waterdrop G3P800 | 1 Year |
Price
Fluoride filters come in many different sizes and price tags. The models that we’ve selected can range from below $100 to just short of $1,000, and that extra zero can really make a difference sometimes.
While the prices themselves aren’t the only factor in determining if one filter is better than another, they’re still worth taking into account. The cheaper models will obviously be more appealing purely because they’re a better deal, but the costlier models have a few features that definitely make them worth the extra cash you pay for them.
