Most water filter brands are built around city water problems: chlorine, taste, and a handful of regulated contaminants. Aquasana is different. They’ve built their lineup around well water, whole-house treatment, and multi-contaminant coverage that goes beyond what most residential brands offer.

This review is based on NSF certification data, manufacturer documentation, and published independent testing.

Aquasana Background

Aquasana was founded in 2001 in Austin, Texas. They’ve been one of the more consistently recommended residential water treatment brands for the well water market, particularly for whole-house systems.

Their product lineup covers whole-house filters, under-sink RO systems, point-of-use filters, shower filters, and UV systems. The well water whole-house system is the product that sets them apart from most residential brands.

Aquasana products are sold through their website and Amazon.

NSF Certifications

Certifications vary by product:

NSF 42 covers aesthetic contaminants (chlorine, taste, odor). NSF 53 covers health effects contaminants (lead, cysts, VOCs). NSF 58 covers reverse osmosis performance (PFAS, fluoride, arsenic, nitrates). NSF 401 covers emerging contaminants (pharmaceuticals, pesticides).

Verify specific models at info.nsf.org before purchasing. The NSF certification explainer at /learn/nsf-certification-standards-explained/ covers what each standard actually tests.

Key Products

Rhino 1,000,000 Gallon Whole-House Filter

Aquasana’s most popular product. The Rhino is a whole-house carbon and KDF filtration system rated at 1,000,000 gallons, which comes out to approximately 10 years for an average household.

NSF/ANSI 42 and 53 certified. Removes chlorine, chloramines, VOCs, lead, mercury, cysts, and other NSF 53-covered contaminants from all water entering the house.

Every tap, shower, dishwasher, and washing machine gets filtered water. For households on chlorinated city water with no specific PFAS concern, this addresses the full water supply rather than just the kitchen tap.

What the Rhino doesn’t do: it’s not an RO system, so it doesn’t remove PFAS, fluoride, nitrates, or arsenic at the RO-membrane level. Those require a point-of-use RO at the kitchen tap.

Priced around $1,000 to $1,200. UV add-on (for bacteria inactivation) runs about $150 more.

Check current pricing (affiliate link, see disclosure above)

Well Water Whole-House System (with UV + Salt-Free Conditioner)

This is the system that makes Aquasana worth discussing for well water users.

Most well water households face a combination of problems: sediment, bacteria, hardness (scale), VOCs, and sometimes iron or sulfur. No single-stage filter handles all of these. The Aquasana well water system combines:

• Pre-sediment filter (removes particulates that would foul downstream media)
• Multi-stage activated carbon (VOCs, chlorine, organics)
• UV disinfection (bacteria and virus inactivation)
• Salt-free conditioning (reduces scale buildup without adding sodium)
• Post-sediment polish

The salt-free conditioner changes the structure of calcium and magnesium minerals so they don’t form scale on pipes and appliances. It doesn’t lower total dissolved solids or water hardness as measured by a TDS meter. If you want actual mineral removal, a salt-based water softener does that. The conditioner handles scale prevention without the salt and maintenance that softeners require.

Priced around $1,500 to $1,800. Professional installation recommended because the system has multiple tanks and requires supply line integration.

Check current pricing (affiliate link, see disclosure above)

SmartFlow Under-Sink RO

NSF/ANSI 58 certified. Tankless design with filter life indicator. Removes PFAS, fluoride, arsenic, nitrates, lead, chromium-6, and other dissolved contaminants via the RO process.

The filter life indicator shows remaining capacity, which removes the guesswork from replacement schedules. Priced around $300 to $350.

A good choice if you want RO filtration at the drinking tap in addition to a whole-house filter, or as a standalone system for city water households.

Check current pricing (affiliate link, see disclosure above)

OptimH2O Under-Sink RO + UV

Same as the SmartFlow with a UV sterilizer added after the RO stage. The UV inactivates any bacteria or viruses that might pass through the system or enter through the tank.

For city water households, UV on top of RO is redundant for bacterial safety. For households on well water or in areas with occasional boil-water advisories, the UV stage adds meaningful protection.

Priced around $350 to $400.

Check current pricing (affiliate link, see disclosure above)

Claryum Direct Connect (Under-Sink, Non-RO)

Not an RO system. This is a point-of-use under-sink filter using Aquasana’s carbon-based media. NSF/ANSI 42, 53, and 401 certified.

Removes lead, chlorine, chloramines, VOCs, cysts, and pharmaceutical/pesticide compounds under NSF 401. Does not remove fluoride, nitrates, or PFAS at the same level as RO.

Useful for households whose primary concern is chlorine, lead, and emerging contaminants without the cost or complexity of an RO system. Priced around $200 to $250.

Well Water System Decision

For well water households, the question isn’t whether to treat. The question is what to treat for.

Basic well problems (taste, some VOCs, moderate hardness) can be handled with a simpler whole-house carbon filter. Aquasana’s Rhino is adequate for this.

Complex well water problems (bacteria, iron, hardness, sediment combined with chemical contamination) need a multi-stage approach. Aquasana’s well water system is one of the few residential products that addresses all of these in a single package. The UV is a real differentiator. Most whole-house filters don’t include UV. For well water users, UV is the most reliable method for bacterial inactivation short of chlorination.

Test your well before choosing treatment. The combination of problems varies significantly by geography and well age. A water test tells you what you’re actually treating. Your care team can evaluate the results and recommend appropriate treatment for your situation.

Installation Reality

The Rhino and well water whole-house systems require installation at the main water entry point to the house. This means working with copper or PEX supply lines, which most homeowners with some plumbing experience can handle. For anyone not comfortable cutting and splicing supply lines, a plumber handles this in a few hours.

Point-of-use products (SmartFlow, OptimH2O, Claryum) install under the sink. Most homeowners complete these without professional help.

Aquasana replacement filters are proprietary. They’re not available at Home Depot or hardware stores. You order from Aquasana’s site or Amazon. That’s different from iSpring, where third-party compatible filters are widely available.

Comparison Against Competitors

The Recommendation

Aquasana is the right brand to evaluate for well water households with complex water quality profiles. No other residential brand packages UV, salt-free conditioning, and multi-stage carbon filtration in a single well water system as cleanly as they do.

For city water households wanting point-of-use PFAS removal, the OptimH2O RO with UV is one of the stronger options available. The NSF 58 certification, UV stage, and filter life indicator make it a complete solution at a reasonable price for what it delivers.

The whole-house systems cost more than most homeowners expect. But replacing 3 to 4 separate devices with one system, rated at 10 years of filter life, changes the math over time.

For more on whole-house filter options or UV purifiers, those reviews cover the full market for each category. And if you’re starting from the well water basics, the well water overview is the right place to start before choosing treatment.