Buying guide
Tap filter or under-sink filter: which suits your home?
The two most common ways to filter drinking water at home, and the practical trade-offs between them.
5 min read
The short version
A tap-mounted filter attaches to the end of an existing kitchen tap. An under-sink system is plumbed into the cold feed inside the cupboard below.
Tap-mounted systems suit renters and anyone who wants to avoid plumbing work. Under-sink systems suit households who want higher flow and are happy to install, or pay for, a permanent fitting.
What usually decides it
Fitting. Tap-mounted units depend on the thread and shape of your existing tap, so compatibility matters more than any other specification.
Permanence. If you may move within a year or two, a removable system is easier to take with you and leaves the tap unchanged.
Flow and convenience. Under-sink systems generally deliver filtered water at normal tap flow. Tap-mounted systems typically run at a reduced rate while filtering.
Ongoing cost. Both need cartridge replacement. Compare the price and interval of the cartridge, not only the price of the unit.
How to decide in five minutes
Check whether your tap has a removable threaded end. If it does not, or it is a pull-out spray tap, a tap-mounted system is unlikely to fit.
Decide whether you are allowed to alter the plumbing in your home. If not, that answers the question.
Work out the yearly cartridge cost at the manufacturer's stated interval, and compare that with what you currently spend on bottled or jug-filtered water.
General information, not a product claim
This guide describes the category in general terms. It does not describe the performance of any EcoVeya product; our own system is still in development and untested.