Wading with Water Bottle Filters
It’s no secret that here at Drink Local. Drink Tap., Inc. that we believe properly managed tap water beats bottled water hands down. So, for those of you out there who might still be drinking bottled water, we’ve done a little research on popular portable water filters as a way to help kick the bottled water habit.
Be sure to watch our video, “Waking Up to Water,” to learn even more about why tap water is better than bottled water.
We looked into ten different portable water filters in a variety of styles, ranging from $20 to $60. Every product we researched is capable of filtering at least 40 gallons of water, with some able to filter nearly 400 gallons! To help put that number in perspective, the average consumer of bottled water purchases about 167 bottles of bottled water each year, equivalent to about 16 gallons of tap water.
Some of the water filters we researched resemble large drinking straws that are meant to be disposed of once their filtering capabilities have been exhausted. While these are great for hikers and backpackers, we feel that reusable water bottles with replaceable filters are more practical for daily use and result in less waste. So, we narrowed our research down to two picks: one for use on-the-go and another for home.
First Pick
The first is the Bobble Water Bottle, a personal water bottle available in two sizes and a variety of colors.The Bobble Water Bottle’s filter is NSF/ANSI 42 certified, a standard for drinking water treatment devices capable of filtering chlorine and odors from water. The filter is easily replaceable, and will last the equivalent of 300 16.9 ounce bottles of water. The 18.5 ounce version costs $9.99, and a replacement filter 2-pack costs the same. The bottle is BPA-free and made in the USA. We estimate that if you switch from using bottled water to the Bobble Water Bottle, your savings will start just two weeks later!
Second Pick
For home use, our second pick is the Soma 6-Cup Water Filter Pitcher. We love the that the Soma’s replaceable filter cartridges (capable of filtering chlorine, mercury, copper, and zinc from 40 gallons of water) are made with 60% plant-based, renewable materials. We also like their prepaid replacement filter service. The Soma 6-Cup Water Filter Pitcher costs $29.99, and their prepaid 6-pack of replacement filters run $12.99. Savings from using the Soma pitcher kick-in about one and a half months after the initial purchase.
Remember, if you have specific requirements for a water filter (viruses, toxins, chemicals, etc.), be sure to do your due diligence before you buy. NSF International has posted a very helpful article on how to identify if you need a water filter or home water purification system. Test your water, research the right filter for YOUR water and start drinking!
Have other portable suggestions? Tell us in the comments below!
Full list of filters researched by Drink Local Drink Tap:
IDEAPRO Emergency Camping Personal Water Filter Straw
Etekcity 1500L Emergency Camping Equipment 3-stage filtration
LifeStraw Personal Water Filter
Nakii Long-Lasting, Wide-Spout, Portable Water Filter
Soma 6-cup Water Filter Pitcher
Aquaovo Alter Ego Frio Personal Water Filtration Bottle
Bobble Water Bottle
GRAYL Ultralight Water Purifier [+ Filter] Bottle
LifeStraw Go with 2-Stage Filtration Water Bottle
LifeDefender BEST Water Filter Camping Bottle