Every restaurant needs a reliable water filter system to ensure their customers enjoy clean, refreshing water. But with so many options available, how do you know which one is best suited for a restaurant?
That’s easy – all you need to do is read our list of the 4 best water filter systems for restaurants, and choose the one that’s best suited for your establishment.
The SpringWell CF1 is the best all-rounder as it’s highly effective at removing contaminants and has an incredible 1,000,000-gallon filtration capacity. If you want a commercial whole house system that includes a water softener, the Kind Water Systems E-3000 is the best option on the market. The Waterdrop G3P800 is the easiest unit to install and maintain, while the Clearly Filtered Undersink Model is the most affordable option on our list.
Best Water Filter Systems for Restaurants
Commercial Whole House Water Filtration Systems:
- SpringWell CF1 – Best All-Rounder
- Kind Water Systems E-3000 – Best Filter & Softener Combo
Portable Point-of-Use Water Filters:
- Waterdrop G3P800 – Easiest to Install and Maintain
- Clearly Filtered Undersink Model – Most Affordable
Commercial Water Filtration Systems for Restaurants
Commercial systems are larger than portable units. Their size allows them to have a much higher flow rate and makes it possible to attach them to more faucets throughout your restaurant.
The best system in this category is the SpringWell CF1, although the Kind Water Systems E-3000 is another excellent option.
1. SpringWell CF1 Whole House Filter
- Price – $1016.44
- Warranty – Lifetime warranty on tanks and valves
- Filter Life – 1,000,000 gallons
PROS
- A lifetime warranty on tanks and valves, so you won’t have to pay for replacements
- 6-month money-back guarantee, which gives you loads of time to try it out
- Great add-on systems, including a UV filter and reverse osmosis water system
CONS
- Professional help is required for the installation, which adds to the already high costs
This SpringWell CF1 is a whole-house system that boasts a 4-stage filtration process designed to catch and remove a wide range of water contaminants. It also has an exceptionally high filtration capacity of 1,000,000 gallons, so it’s more than suitable for busy restaurants.
4-Stage Filtration
The CF1 filters water in 4 different stages for maximum purity:
- The flex bed is designed to channel the water through the system to extend its contact time with the filters, removing more contaminants.
- The KDF bed is made of a copper/zinc alloy media that removes chlorine and other common water contaminants, such as chloramine, MTBE, TTHM, and more.
- The catalytic carbon bed eliminates organic contaminants, PFOS, PFAS, PFOA, herbicides, pesticides, and more.
- The 5-micron sediment filter runs a final sweep, ensuring the water is free of sand, silt, clay, or other sediment particles.
The process is thorough and removes any discoloration from the water, as well as any strange tastes or odors.
Optional Add-Ons
The system also includes optional UV water filtration and reverse osmosis.
The UV filtration system passes the water through a light that removes any organic materials the catalytic carbon bed might have missed.
On the other hand, the reverse osmosis filter provides a fine membrane screen that removes all particles larger than hydrogen and oxygen molecules. On its own, this screen would get clogged with contaminants pretty quickly, but when used in succession with the other filters, it lasts much longer since not that many contaminants get to the membrane.
High Flow Rate and FIltration Capacity
This model can produce 9 GPM (gallons per minute), which the manufacturer says is ideal for 1-3 bathrooms. However, since restaurants only use sinks, we’d say that this flow rate is ideal for up to 5, maybe 6 sinks.
Plus, the CF1 has a filtration capacity of 1,000,000 gallons. This means that its main filter doesn’t need to be replaced for up to 10 years. Keep in mind that this estimate is based on home usage, so it might not last quite as long when used in a restaurant. Still, you won’t find a whole-house system with better filtration capacity than this.
2. Kind Water Systems E-3000 Water Filter & Softener
- Price – $1,698.30
- Warranty – Limited lifetime warranty
- Filter Life – 6 months
PROS
- Good flow rate of up to 15 GPM, making it even faster than the CF1
- 120-day money-back guarantee, so you can test it to make sure it meets the needs of your restaurant
- Highly-effective three-phase filtration, ensuring that you get the cleanest water
CONS
- Replacement filters cost between $40 and $100, so the costs can mount up over time
The Kind Water Systems E-3000 is a wall-mounted whole-house water filtration system. The fact that it goes on a wall gives it a bit of a leg up (no pun intended) on the competition since it helps you save floor space.
This feature is very useful for busy kitchens that lack space around the main water pipes and can’t accommodate a standard whole-house filter water tank, like the SpringWell CF1.
Excellent Flow Rate
Despite the smaller size, the Kind Water Systems is much more powerful than the SpringWell and can handle flow rates of up to 15 GPM. This flow rate can normally cover up to 6 bathrooms, but since we’re mostly talking about sinks here, we’d say that it can provide filtered water for up to 9 sinks.
Easy Installation and Low Maintenance
This unit is easy to install, and you don’t need to pay a professional to do the job for you. The filters are also easy to replace since you just need to unscrew the casing, remove the old filter, pop in the new one, and screw it back on. Do this three times (once for each filter casing), and you’re done with maintenance, which should take less than 5 minutes.
3-Stage Filtration
Unlike the CF1, the E-3000 filters water in 3 stages. Despite having fewer stages than the CF1, it can still remove contaminants very effectively. Here’s how it works:
- The first casing holds a carbon filter that can remove things like chlorine, herbicides, pesticides, organic acids, solvents, chloramine, and so on.
- The sediment filter is very effective at removing unpleasant odors and tastes from the water, as well as soil, clay, mud, and other sediment particles.
- The third casing holds a salt-free water-softening filter that neutralizes heavy minerals in the water, such as calcium and magnesium, and prevents them from forming limescale in your pipes and damaging them.
Portable Point-of-Use Water Filters for Restaurants
These units save a lot more space compared to commercial whole-house filtration systems, so they can fit perfectly in any small restaurant or kitchen without getting in the way. In this category, we recommend two units for restaurants, the Waterdrop G3P800 and the Clearly Filtered Undersink Model.
1. Waterdrop G3P800 RO System
- Price – $759.00
- Warranty – 1-year warranty
- Filter Life – 6 months
PROS
- 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can feel confident in your purchase
- Produces 3 cups of filtered water for one cup of wastewater, making it one of the most eco-friendly units on the market
- Comes with its own faucet, which makes installation really easy
- Includes a UV light with a 99.9% sterilization rate, ensuring your water is free from harmful organisms
- Certified for NSF/ANSI standards 42, 53, 58, and 372, meaning it’s been independently tested in a lab
CONS
- Very expensive for a portable unit, so it might not fit everyone’s budget
The Waterdrop G3P800 is undoubtedly the best option for small kitchens due to its compact size. It has its own faucet, so you just need to place the filter under the counter, attach it to the water pipes, and then attach the custom faucet to the water output valve.
If you’re looking to quickly install a filter in your kitchen with minimum fuss, this could be the right unit for you.
Key Features:
- Faucet included: The new faucet is great for restaurants since it has a high drop-down end that makes putting large glasses, dishes, and even bottles underneath very convenient.
- Digital interface: It also has a large display that shows you exactly how long until the filter needs to be replaced. Plus, you get a TDS display that shows you the quality of the water that’s currently passing through the filter and the faucet.
- Advanced filtration: The filtration system uses three separate filters to remove contaminants. The first filter is activated carbon, which removes organic contaminants from the water. The second filter is a pre-sediment filter that gets rid of the large soil and sediment particles. The third and final filter is the RO filter, which passes the water through a very thin membrane, removing all of the smaller particles and contaminants that might have passed through the previous two filters.
- UV sterilizer: It comes with a UV sterilization light in the system to help eliminate organic contaminants that might have passed the activated carbon filter.
- Easy maintenance: All three filters are easy to remove and replace since you just need to twist them off and put in the new ones. The whole process should take you no more than 2 minutes for all 3. The sediment and carbon filters cost $30 a piece, so they’re not too expensive, but the RO filter will set you back around $90. This means that replacing all three filters costs around $150. You only need to do this twice a year, so it’s not going to bankrupt you, but the filters are definitely on the more expensive side when you put them all together.
2. Clearly Filtered Undersink Model
- Price – $ 550.00
- Warranty – Limited lifetime warranty
- Filter Life – 2,000 Gallons
PROS
- Very affordable for such a powerful and effective system
- 90-day money-back guarantee, allowing you to try it out risk-free
- Easy installation and maintenance, which not only simplifies your life but also saves you money over time
CONS
- The filter isn’t very effective against highly contaminated water, but this shouldn’t be an issue for most restaurants
While this might be the smallest water filtration unit on our list, it can remove a staggering 232+ contaminants. These contaminants include fluoride, lead, PFAS, heavy metals, chemicals, organic contaminants, and other common water contaminants.
It’s also the most affordable system on our list, so if you’re on a tight budget but don’t want to compromise on quality, we think you’ll really like this unit.
- Simple installation: Like the Waterdrop G3P800, this unit is also very easy to install. You simply need to attach one end of the water hose to the water pipe and the other to the faucet you’re using. Then, you need to place and screw in the outlined holes just above the filter cartridges, but if you have a second pair of hands to help, you can finish the job in no time.
- 3-stage filtration: Clearly Filtered uses a three-stage system with an activated carbon filter, a heavy metal filter, and a fluoride filter. The first filter takes care of sediment particles and unpleasant tastes and odors. The second filter removes heavy metals, herbicides, and pesticides, while the third filter removes any fluoride from your drinking water.
- Superb fluoride and lead removal: It’s an excellent unit for small restaurants where space is an issue and the water is mainly affected by fluoride and lead. This system can remove more than 90% of the fluoride in your water and 99% of lead, but excessive amounts of other contaminants will clog the filters quickly.
How We Reviewed Water Filter Systems for Restaurants
The three main factors that we took into account when picking out the best water filter systems for restaurants include filter life, price, and warranty.
Filter Life
Most of the filters on our list have replaceable filters that you change after some time, usually around once every year or two.
The SpringWell is the only model that doesn’t have replaceable filters, but the fact that it can purify more than a million gallons of water before it stops working means that you’ll likely use it for more than 10 years without a problem.
| Water Filter System | Filter Life |
| SpringWell CF1 | 1,000,000 gallons – more than 10 years |
| Kind Water Systems E-3000 | 2,000 gallons ~ 1 years |
| Waterdrop G3P800 | 2,900 gallons ~ 2 years |
| Clearly Filtered Undersink Model | 2,000 Gallons ~ 1 year |
Price
The price of the filtration unit plays a major part in determining whether or not a certain model is right for your restaurant.
The price of commercial and portable water filters is mainly determined by the unit’s size and flow rate. We only recommend the more expensive models for really large restaurants since small facilities won’t need the high flow rate they can generate.
In the case of the portable filter systems, the price difference between the Waterdrop G3800 and the Clearly Filtered is because the Waterdrop has a much more effective contaminant removal ratio.
| Water Filter | Price |
| SpringWell CF1 | $1,016.44 |
| Kind Water Systems E-3000 | $1,698.30 |
| Waterdrop G3P800 | $759.00 |
| Clearly Filtered Undersink Model | $550.00 |
Warranty
As you’ll be making a significant investment, you want to ensure that the filter you get has a good warranty. The SpringWell, the Kind Water Systems, and the Clearly Filtered models have lifetime warranties. On the other hand, the G3P800 only has a 1-year warranty, which is pretty disappointing considering the price.
| Water Filter | Warranty |
| SpringWell CF1 | Lifetime warranty on tanks and valves |
| Kind Water Systems E-3000 | Limited lifetime warranty |
| Waterdrop G3P800 | 1-year warranty |
| Clearly Filtered Undersink Model | Limited lifetime warranty |
Advantages of Using Water Filter Systems in Restaurants
The most significant advantage of using a water filter system in your restaurant is that you will be ensuring the safety of your customers and employees.
Clean water also improves the taste of meals since it’s free from microplastics, heavy metals, or sediment particles that get mixed up with the food and change the flavor in unwanted ways.
These devices are also very affordable in the long run. The most expensive item on our list has an initial buying price of several thousand dollars, but even that model is cost-effective when it comes to running costs and maintenance.
Replacement filters cost between $20 and $60, lasting around a year, and water waste is kept to a minimum, so your water bill should remain the same.
Disadvantages of Using Water Filter Systems in Restaurants
Maintenance is a major disadvantage of these devices. The filters only need to be replaced every half a year at most, depending on the model you use, so that’s not much of an issue.
But you’ll still need to check the pre-filters for blockages, ensure that nothing is leaking, and do some basic upkeep to ensure that your unit is running well.
Additionally, these devices take up a lot of space. For houses, the size usually isn’t a problem since they go into the basement where the main water pipes are located. However, if your restaurant doesn’t have a basement, you might need to allocate space in your storage room for these units.
Frequently Asked Questions
In this section, we’ll address some of the most commonly asked questions about using water filters in restaurants.
The most affordable water filter system for restaurants on our list is the Clearly Filtered under-sink model, as it will set you back only around $550.
There are much cheaper filtration systems out there, but we suggest sticking with a unit with proven quality and performance in restaurants.
Getting a cheaper system with a less effective filter exposes your customers and you to danger. If the filter isn’t working right (and your water is contaminated), the customer might get sick from the food or drinks prepared with that water.
The Clearly Filtered model is a great bargain and a well-reviewed system that strikes a great balance between affordability and utility, so it’s definitely one of the best choices for small restaurants looking for a reliable water filtration system.
The answer is yes!
Water filter systems can ensure the food you cook using the water from your kitchen won’t contain contaminants that might make your customers sick. It also has the benefit of allowing you to serve tap water safely.
If nothing else, you can always get one of the cheaper models for a trial run. Try it out for a bit and see if it’s helpful. Then upgrade to a bigger model if you need one. If it isn’t, you won’t have lost too much money and can return to the way things were.
The way we see it, you’ve got very little to lose and can only gain by getting yourself a water filtration system.
The under-sink models are a much better option for small restaurants and kitchens since you don’t need a lot of space to install and use them.
On the other hand, the larger units generally have more effective filters and significantly better flow rates. However, we only recommend them for restaurants with a basement or a place where they can be installed without getting in the way.
Conclusion
The SpringWell CF1 has decent flow rates, is reasonably priced, and removes many contaminants, so it’s a good choice for any restaurant with room for it.
The Kind Water Systems E-3000 is a bit more compact than a ground-mounted model, and the flow rates make it an excellent option for larger restaurants.
The Waterdrop G3P800 has very effective filters, and it’s easy to use and install, but you can only use it on one sink, so it’s a good option only for very small kitchens.
The Clearly Filtered Undersink unit is the weakest in terms of flow rate and filter capability. Still, it’s very affordable, so it’s an excellent choice for anyone who needs a filter for one sink only or wants to get a water filter for a trial run without investing too much money.
