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4 Best PFAS Water Filters: Reverse Osmosis, Berkey, & More

Scott Winfield
Last Updated on
by Scott Winfield

PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a complex group of chemically manufactured compounds that is used in almost every manufacturing industry, from automotive to construction to food packaging. Thus, they’re everywhere – in soil, water, air, and even fish.

Since they’re newly-emerging compounds, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is yet to regulate them under the National Primary Drinking Water Regulations. However, despite the lack of EPA regulation, there is enough scientific evidence of the health hazards posed by drinking PFAS contaminated water such as respiratory problems, increased cholesterol levels, and even various forms of cancer.

So, it’s best to take the necessary measures to eliminate the threat of PFAS from your drinking water supply. Today, we’ll share 4 best water filters that remove PFAS.

Our list features different filter types, from countertop reverse osmosis systems to water pitchers. But for those who want a quick answer, the best pfas water filter is the SpringWell CF1, which is a whole house water filter that removes 99.5% of PFAS and other contaminants like herbicides and pesticides.

PFAS Filter Comparison Table

PFAS WATER FILTERS
Whole House Filter
  • Filter type: Whole house water filter
  • Filtration technology: 4-stage filtration with flex bed, KDF media, catalytic carbon, and sediment filter
  • PFAS reduction rate: More than 99.5%
  • NSF certifications: Not certified
  • Warranty: Lifetime on the tank and valves
AquaTru Reverse Osmosis Water System
Reverse Osmosis System
  • Filter type: Countertop Reverse Osmosis
  • Filtration technology: 4-stage filtration with two pre-filters, one RO membrane, and one VOC post-filter
  • PFAS reduction rate: More than 97.5%
  • NSF certifications: NSF/ANSI Standards 42, 53, 58, and 401
  • Warranty: 1-year
Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher
  • Filter type: Water pitcher
  • Filtration technology: Affinity Filtration Technology with a unique structure and contaminant magnet
  • PFAS reduction rate: More than 95%
  • NSF certifications: NSF standards 42, 53, 244, 401, and 473
  • Warranty: Lifetime
Big Berkey Water Filter
  • Filter type: Gravity filter
  • Filtration technology: Black Berkey Elements with micro-filtration, absorption, adsorption
  • PFAS reduction rate: 99.9%
  • NSF certifications: Not certified
  • Warranty: Lifetime

Best Water Filters that Remove PFAS:

1. SpringWell CF1 Whole House Water Filter System – The Best PFAS Whole House System

Thanks to its high-end flex bed, KDF media, and catalytic carbon filter, SpringWell CF1 is the best whole house filtration system to remove 99.5% of PFAS as well as other harmful contaminants like herbicides and pesticides.

The SpringWell CF1 filters PFAS in four stages:

  1. Flex bed: More often than not, the granular activated carbon media of whole-house water treatment units are made for channeling, in which the water rapidly passes through the granules of the media. This rapid movement decreases the contact time between water and the media. Less contact time means an inefficient filtration process. The flex bed of the Springwell CF1 eliminates channeling, allows for more contact time, and ensures a thorough filtration.
  2. KDF media: KDF means kinetic degradation fluxion and is made of a special copper or zinc alloy. Thanks to the electro-chemical oxidation properties of this alloy, KDF media is capable of removing PFAS, and heavy metals like arsenic, lead, and copper; chemicals like nitrates, chlorine, and pesticides; and aesthetic impurities like taste, odor, and color. Since it does the majority of the heavy lifting in multiple-stage filtration systems, it also extends the lifespan of the main filter, which is the succeeding catalytic carbon media in the SpringWell CF1.
  3. Catalytic granular carbon bed: Standard activated carbon media can only reduce free chlorines and aesthetic impurities from water by blocking them. The catalytic granular carbon bed, on the other hand, is a highly activated upgrade on the standard carbon block, and provides more contact time between water and the filtration media. Thus, it can remove organic compounds like VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and PFAS with great effectiveness.
  4. 5-micron sediment filter: Lastly, the sediment filter of the SpringWell CF1 blocks all the silt, clay, and sand that might end up in your faucets.
Springwell Well Water Filter System
Springwell Well Water Filter System

SpringWell CF1 is one of the few whole-house systems with minimal effect on the water pressure or flow rate. While most systems can only provide 6 to 7 gallons of water per minute, this particular system is able to filter 9 GPM of water, which is sufficient for small households. If you have a bigger house with higher water needs, the SpringWell CF4 and CF+ models have 12 and 20 GPM options, respectively.

Maintenance requirements for the SpringWell CF1 is minimal. Depending on the sediment levels in your water, you may need to change the sediment filter once every 6 to 9 months, but the media beds have a filtration capacity of one million gallons, which can last as long as 10 years.

Of course, all these perks come with a high price tag, as the SpringWell CF1 is easily the most expensive PFAS filters in this list. Additionally, even though the product comes with a detailed step-by-step installation guide, you may still want to consider hiring a plumber for installation.

SpringWell CF1 Whole House Water Filter System
  • Filter type: Whole house water filter
  • Filtration technology: 4-stage filtration with flex bed, KDF media, catalytic carbon, and sediment filter
  • PFAS reduction rate: More than 99.5%
  • NSF certifications: Not certified
  • Warranty: Lifetime on the tank and valves
Pros
  • Very efficient 4-stage filtration
  • Great flow rate
  • Low-maintenance
  • Lifetime warranty
Cons
  • Expensive
  • Installation requires a professional

2. AquaTru Water Filter System – The Best PFAS Reverse Osmosis System

AquaTru is our recommended water filter to remove PFAS via reverse osmosis. It removes 97.5% of PFAS in water and as we already know, reverse osmosis is one of the best water filtration methods for PFAS. AquaTRU also ranks top in 2 other product categories: best countertop water filters and best reverse osmosis systems, which is a testament to its effectiveness at removing contaminants.

That said, the AquaTru RO System utilizes more than reverse osmosis. Similarly to the SpringWell model above, it has a 4-stage process, which increases its efficiency to a great extent:

  1. Mechanical pre-filter: Unlike the last-stage sediment filter of the SpringWell CF1, the sediment filter of the AquaTru RO System is the first step of filtration. Removing contaminants that have large particles eases the job of succeeding filters (two activated carbon ones and one RO membrane).
  2. Activated carbon pre-filter: The second stage of filtration in the AquaTru reverse osmosis unit consists of a standard activated carbon block. As we established above, this particular filter removes chlorine and aesthetic impurities (taste, odor, and color) from water.
  3. RO membrane: After removing sediments and impurities, it’s finally time for the super-efficient AquaTru RO membrane to do what it does best. It removes several inorganic contaminants from heavy metals like hexavalent chromium, lead, and copper to total dissolved solids and emerging compounds such as PFAS.
  4. Activated coconut shell carbon VOC filter: Lastly, an activated coconut shell filter takes care of whatever minute, insoluble, and organic contaminants might have escaped the three previous stages. This is effective against volatile organic compounds, which are in a gas state and can still make their way through RO membranes. This filter ensures that they don’t.

Unlike the SpringWell Whole House Water Filter, an independent lab tested the contaminant removal claims of the AquaTru and provided a performance data sheet that lists what contaminants AquaTru can remove and with what success rate. This data sheet shows that the AquaTru unit can reduce PFAS levels in water by a minimum of 97.5%.

In addition, the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) certified the product with its NSF/ANSI Standards 42, 53, 58, and 401 certification for Aesthetics, Health effects and Contaminants removal.

However, AquaTru RO unit can only filter pfas water on-demand, unlike Springwell that filters water flowing through the entire house. AquaTRU has two water storage tanks: a 3-gallon tap water tank and a 1-gallon filtered water tank. The filtered water tank is detachable from the unit, so once you have a gallon of filtered water, you can take it out and put it in your fridge.

That said, AquaTRU being a countertop system isn’t necessarily a disadvantage, as it is quite compact, and it’s very easy to install. You only need to plug it in and pour unfiltered water into its tap water tank.

On the downside, AquaTru is one of the most expensive countertop RO units, and requires filter replacement every 6-months, depending on your usage. While this may not seem like an inconvenience, it adds to the maintenance cost in the long run.

AquaTru Reverse Osmosis Water System
  • Filter type: Countertop filtration unit
  • Filtration technology: 4-stage filtration with two pre-filters, one RO membrane, and one VOC post-filter
  • PFAS reduction rate: More than 97.5%
  • NSF certifications: NSF/ANSI Standards 42, 53, 58, and 401
  • Warranty: 1-year
Pros
  • Super-efficient RO membrane is very effective against PFAS
  • Tested by an independent lab and certified by the NSF
  • Compact and slick design
  • Easy to install
Cons
  • Filters need replacement once every 6 months
  • Only 1-year warranty

3. Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher – The Best PFAS Water Pitcher

Despite being a water pitcher and significantly more affordable than a whole house or countertop water filter, the Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher is one of the best water filtration units to remove 95% of PFAS. For an item of its size, category, and price, it surely packs a punch with its ability to remove more than 365+ contaminants, including PFAS, which is a staggering number for any kind of water filtration product.

Most water pitchers on the market, like Brita, are based solely on an activated carbon block that only reduces chlorine levels and taste, odor, and color in water. Some might employ a non-woven filter media in addition to the standard carbon block to eliminate the most dangerous contaminants like lead, asbestos, and benzene, but that’s it.

The Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher, on the other hand, utilizes one of the most innovative approaches to water treatment with its special Affinity Filtration Technology. This technology prolongs the contact time between water, the filter, and a contaminant magnet.

The Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher filter is structured in such a way that forces the water to follow a path full of twists and turns. The fact that the water is twisting and turning within the filter allows for more contact time between the liquid and the surface and, consequently, more contaminants to be trapped.

At the same time, the magnet-like chemical structure of this filter targets the ionic structure of contaminants like heavy metals and hazardous chemicals by recognizing, attracting, and binding them. The end result is that PFAS and 365 other contaminants are filtered from the water.

What’s even better is that the manufacturer had its product rigorously tested and, thus, provides customers with a performance data sheet that shows it can reduce PFAS levels in water by a minimum of 95%.

In addition to the performance data sheet, the Clearly Filtered pitcher holds all the relevant NSF certifications with NSF standards 42, 53, 244, 401, and 473. Not only do these certifications prove that the pitcher can remove what its manufacturer claims it does, but that it’s also made of BPA- and BPS-free, medical-grade materials.

Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher
Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher

Like the SpringWell CF1, the Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher has a lifetime warranty. However, to keep the pitcher operating with utmost efficiency, you need to replace its unique filter once every 4 months. As the cost of the replacement filter is among the highest in the water pitcher category, $49.50, it adds to the long-term maintenance costs. Still, we think it’s worth the money.

Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher
  • Filter type: Water pitcher
  • Filtration technology: Affinity Filtration Technology with a unique structure and contaminant magnet
  • PFAS reduction rate: More than 95%
  • NSF certifications: NSF standards 42, 53, 244, 401, and 473
  • Warranty: Lifetime
Pros
  • Innovative filtration technology removes more than 365 contaminants
  • Tested by an independent lab and certified by the NSF
  • The most affordable option for removing PFAS from drinking water
  • Lifetime warranty
Cons
  • Filter replacement once every 4 months might become costly in the long run

4. Big Berkey Water Filter – The Best PFAS Gravity Filter

Big Berkey is similar to the Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher although it uses a completely different filtration technology. You don’t expect a device of its appearance (a moderately-sized stainless steel unit that basically looks like a modest storage tank with a plastic spigot) to be so efficient, but here we are, as this unpretentious filtration system can remove 99% of PFAS in water.

Again, similar to the Clearly Filtered, the Big Berkey removes pfas with its own unique filtration technology that’s referred to as the Black Berkey Elements. This technology contains four different filtration methods in one single cartridge:

  • Micro-filtration: Like the unique structure of the Clearly Filtered filter, the micro-filtration feature of the Black Berkey Elements subjects the pollutants to a twisted path. But, unlike the Clearly Filtered, the micro-filtration elements of the Big Berkey are made of different filtration media types to make it even more difficult for some contaminants to sneak through. As a result, this “tortuous path” ensnares many contaminants like sediment and pathogens (bacteria, cysts, and parasites).
  • Absorption: The walls of the filter cartridge of the Black Berkey Elements are embellished with tiny ion magnets. Similar to the contaminants magnet feature of the Clearly Filtered, these tiny magnets recognize the ions of many hazardous contaminants like heavy metals and chemicals and permanently trap them.
  • Adsorption: Only a limited number of water treatment units can attain the label of a “water purifier.” This is mainly because many viral organisms are smaller than the smallest pore size of water filters, and such filters can’t prevent viruses from entering your drinking water supply. Thanks to its adsorptive filter walls, the Big Berkey can remove viruses from water, which makes it a water purifier. By targeting the electrostatic charge of viruses, the adsorptive walls create an ionic barrier that traps viral organisms.
  • Exposure time: All the filters we reviewed had different ways of lengthening the contact time between water and the filter. That’s not the case for the Big Berkey, as it doesn’t produce water on demand. Instead, once you fill its tap water tank, you’ll need to wait a couple of hours for it to provide filtered water. Of course, this might be a deal breaker for many users, but it’s precisely this exposure time that makes Big Berkey on of the absolute best when it comes to removing PFAS, and helps it qualify as a water purifier.

Although it takes fairly more time to filter water than the other countertop system on our list, such as the AquaTru RO System, the Big Berkey has an advantage over it. While the AquaTru is only able to provide 1 gallon of filtered water, that number is 2.25 gallons with the Big Berkey.

Additionally, unlike the AquaTru, the Big Berkey doesn’t need frequent filter replacement. A pair of Black Berkey Elements (the manufacturer offers only two setups: 2-filter and 4-filter) are able to provide 6,000 gallons of purified water. What this means is that, depending on the number of people living in your household, a Big Berkey with a 2-filter setup can serve you for years with the same filter.

The Big Berkey has no NSF certifications, but has been tested and approved by an EPA-certified. The performance data sheets show that it can reduce PFAS from water with a staggering success rate of 99.9%.

On the downside, the plastic spigot is a bit of a letdown on a product of this caliber. Also, if you want to remove fluoride in addition to PFAS, you need to purchase Berkey’s fluoride filters separately, as the Black Berkey Elements can’t handle this particular contaminant.

Big Berkey Water Filter
  • Filter type: Countertop filter
  • Filtration technology: Black Berkey Elements with microfiltration, absorption, adsorption
  • PFAS reduction rate: 99.9%
  • NSF certifications: Not certified
  • Warranty: Lifetime
Pros
  • The Black Berkey Elements are capable of removing 203 contaminants from water
  • The lab-approved PFAS reduction rate of 99.9% is the best on the market
  • It’s classified as a water purifier since it can filter viral pathogens
  • Lifetime warranty
Cons
  • Plastic spigot
  • It can’t remove fluoride, so you need to purchase fluoride filters separately

What Are PFAS?

PFAS, also referred to as per- and poly-fluoroalkyl or fluorinated chemicals/substances, are an umbrella category that encompasses a plethora of contaminants such as  perfluorobutane sulfonate, perfluorodecanoic acid, and polytetrafluoroethylene. These substances are used by a wide variety of industries, from cookware production to firefighting foams.

Since they’re used so widely, there’s no way to prevent them from contaminating ground and surface water sources. These contamination often happen due to improper waste disposal practices, surface water runoff, or simply because the packaging of a food item ended up in a water dam that provides drinking water for the area.

Although the use of PFAS for industrial purposes has lately decreased due to health concerns and increasing debate and awareness, these compounds persist in the environment, and can still leach into water sources.

As we earlier established, PFAS are a newly-emerging compound, which means that the research on them is limited as of yet. Although the Environmental Protection Agency has an action plan against PFAS, it hasn’t started regulating PFAS levels in drinking water in the strict sense of the word yet; nor does it have a safety standard for them.

That doesn’t mean that they’re safe. On the contrary, since there’s not enough research on the amount of PFAS that can be considered safe in drinking water, we should absolutely filter them from our drinking water.

Health Concerns Associated with PFAS

The research on PFAS is limited, but there’s still enough to confirm they are a serious health threat. Since animals are subjected to PFAS more than humans (because they are abundantly present in the environment), the studies conducted on animal health give us some clues to the many dangers of PFAS:

  • PFAS can cause serious damage to the immune system and undermine liver health.
  • PFAS cause several health issues during birth, including birth defects and delays in the physical and neural development of newborns and stillbirth.

Though not as conclusive as the studies conducted on animals, studies conducted on humans show that exposure to PFAS may lead to a variety of health problems:

Considering the severity of the health conditions listed above, it’s best to take preventing action by PFAS from our drinking water supply.

How to Remove PFAS From Water

Despite the fact that some water treatment manufacturers develop their own unique and innovative technologies (like the Affinity Filtration by Clearly Filtered and the Black Berkey Elements by Berkey), there are only two mainstream water filtration methods that can effectively remove PFAS from water:

  • Reverse osmosis: Reverse osmosis is one of the most popular water filtration methods employed by many water treatment devices simply because it’s quite effective against a huge number of contaminants. In the RO process, the incoming water is pushed through a 0.0001-micron semipermeable membrane. Since the pore size of this membrane is so small, it’s able to block the passage of many contaminants that have larger molecules than its pores. PFAS are among those contaminants.
  • Granular activated carbon (GAC): The GAC filtration method is an upgrade on standard activated carbon blocks that can handle only aesthetic impurities and chlorine, which means that it can remove chemicals like VOCs and PFAS as well. While the carbon in standard activated media is compressed into a block, in GAC, it’s in an electrically-charged granule form, and it’s loose inside the media bed. That way, it has more contact time with water and a higher capacity and versatility when it comes to contaminant removal.

What to Look For When Buying a PFAS Water Filter

NSF/ANSI Standard 401 is the most important certification to consider in a PFAS water filter, as it pertains to emerging compounds/incidental contaminants. If a PFAS filter doesn’t have an NSF 401 certification, you should look for a performance data sheet from an independent and certified lab that has tested the product and provided data on the product’s capability of removing/reducing PFAS.

Typically, the relevant certifications given by the National Sanitation Foundation act as a testament to the reliability of a water treatment product. These certifications mean that the product is able to remove the contaminants that the manufacturer claims it does.

But not all manufacturers have their products tested and certified, choose to disclose the certification, or have completed the process. For instance, two such products on our list are the Big Berkey and the SpringWell CF1. Yet, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the manufacturer isn’t been truthful about their product effectiveness.

The Big Berkey, for example, holds detailed performance data sheets provided by EPA-certified, independent labs, and these sheets show that it can reduce PFAS levels in water with exemplary effectiveness. The SpringWell CF1 doesn’t have a data sheet either, but positive user experiences attest to its efficiency.

Of course, you can’t solely rely on users experience when in the market for a new water filtration unit, nor can you test every device yourself by sending one treated and one untreated water sample to a water testing lab.

So, it’s best to stick to products that have either the relevant NSF certifications or performance data sheets provided by independent labs, especially when the problem is a serious health hazard like PFAS.

Conclusion

SpringWell CF1 is the best whole-house system to filter PFAS. If you’re looking for an NSF-certified reverse osmosis countertop system that only treats drinking water, AquaTru RO System is the best option in its category for removing PFAS.

The Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher, on the other hand, is one of the most impressive units and easily the best water pitcher on the market. It can remove 365+ contaminants, including PFAS, and it’s the most affordable unit.

Lastly, if you’re looking for a gravity filtration unit, the Big Berkey takes the cake in that category with its unprecedented 99.9% PFAS reduction rate.

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Scott Winfield
Scott Winfield
My name is Scott Winfield and researching and writing about water filters and other strategies to purify water has become my full time passion in recent years. I'm glad that you found our site and you can look forward to authoritative and well researched content here to help you get the best in water.
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