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Last updated: February 23, 2026

Faucet-mount filters are the easiest water treatment upgrade you can make. Screw one onto your faucet aerator, flip the lever to filtered, and you have on-demand lead and chlorine protection. No tools, no plumbing, no installation. For renters or anyone who wants something better than a pitcher without committing to an under-sink system, this category is worth looking at.

But there’s a real split in this market. Some faucet filters actually remove health contaminants like lead. Others only improve taste. Buying the wrong one is a common mistake because the packaging looks similar and the price difference is small.

This review covers what each filter actually does, which NSF certifications matter, and which products are worth your money.

The Certification That Matters: NSF/ANSI 53

Every faucet filter you’ll see at a hardware store has NSF/ANSI 42 certification. That covers aesthetic contaminants like chlorine, taste, and odor. It’s the baseline. A filter with only NSF 42 certification is a taste filter.

NSF/ANSI 53 is the health-effects standard. It covers lead, cysts, benzene, and other contaminants that pose actual health risks. If lead protection is your goal, look for NSF 53 on the filter specs, not just NSF 42.

Some products advertise “NSF certified” prominently but are only NSF 42 certified. Read the specific certification list before buying.

What Faucet Filters Don’t Cover

Faucet filters have real limits. Know them before you buy.

They don’t remove PFAS. No faucet filter on the market is certified or documented to remove PFAS at meaningful levels. For PFAS, you need a Clearly Filtered pitcher or a reverse osmosis system.

They don’t remove fluoride, nitrates, or arsenic. These require either an RO system (NSF 58) or a filter type that’s more capable than the activated carbon block used in faucet mounts.

They don’t remove bacteria or viruses. If you’re on a well with biological contamination concerns, a faucet filter is not a solution.

They don’t protect your pipes, shower, or appliances. They treat only the water that flows through that specific faucet while the filter is active.

Compatibility: What Faucets Work

Faucet filters thread onto the aerator at the tip of your faucet. Standard aerator threads fit most traditional fixed-spout kitchen faucets. Most units include multiple adapter rings to cover the most common sizes.

They don’t fit:

  • Pull-out faucets (the head pulls toward you)
  • Pull-down faucets (the spray head pulls down on a flexible hose)
  • Side-spray faucets
  • Faucets with non-standard aerator sizes

If you have a pull-out or pull-down faucet, which covers most modern kitchen faucet designs, a faucet filter won’t work. In that case, look at a pitcher filter or a dedicated under-sink filter.

PUR PLUS Faucet Filter (PFM400H)

The PUR PLUS is the strongest-documented faucet filter for health protection. It holds NSF/ANSI 42 and 53 certifications and is independently tested for over 70 contaminants.

What it covers:

  • Lead: NSF/ANSI 53 certified
  • Cysts (Giardia, Cryptosporidium): NSF/ANSI 53 certified
  • Benzene: NSF/ANSI 53 certified
  • Mercury: NSF/ANSI 53 certified
  • Chlorine, chloramines, taste, odor: NSF/ANSI 42 certified

The digital indicator light is the most practical feature in this category. It runs on a small battery and turns green (good), yellow (replace soon), or red (replace now) based on actual flow, not a calendar. You don’t need to track when you installed the filter.

Flow rate slows noticeably in filtered mode. That’s expected with any filter. The lever makes it easy to flip to unfiltered for filling a pot or running the garbage disposal. Use filtered flow for drinking and cooking.

Filter life is rated at 100 gallons per cartridge, roughly 3 months for a single person or 1.5 to 2 months for a family of 4.

Cost: $35 to $45 for the unit. Replacement filters run $15 to $20 each, or around $0.15 to $0.20 per gallon.

Best for: Renters, apartment dwellers, or anyone who wants on-demand NSF 53 certified lead protection without any installation work.

Check current pricing (affiliate link, see disclosure above)

Brita On Tap Faucet Filter

The Brita On Tap is Brita’s entry into the NSF 53 certified category, and it performs similarly to the PUR PLUS at a comparable price.

NSF/ANSI 42 and 53 certified. It covers chlorine, lead, asbestos, and a range of other NSF 53 contaminants.

A few notes specific to the Brita line. The Brita Basic faucet filter (FF-100) is a different, cheaper product with only NSF 42 certification. It does not have NSF 53 and doesn’t cover lead. The On Tap model is the one with the health-effects certification. They’re sold at similar price points and look similar. Check the product name carefully.

Brita On Tap uses a manual indicator tab rather than a digital light. You rotate the tab when you install a new filter, and it changes color over time as an approximate reminder. Less precise than the PUR digital indicator but functional.

Filter life is comparable to PUR, rated at 100 gallons.

Cost: $35 to $45. Replacement filters around $15.

Best for: Households already using Brita pitchers who want to stay within the same product line. Also a solid choice if the PUR is out of stock.

Check current pricing (affiliate link, see disclosure above)

PUR Classic Faucet Filter (PFM150W)

The PUR Classic is the budget version from PUR. NSF/ANSI 42 and 53 certified, same certifications as the PUR PLUS.

What it lacks compared to the PLUS model: the digital filter indicator. The Classic uses a manual indicator flag that you flip when you install a new filter.

If you don’t mind tracking filter replacement manually, the Classic saves a few dollars. The actual filtration performance is comparable.

Cost: $25 to $35.

Check current pricing (affiliate link, see disclosure above)

DuPont WFFM350XCH

DuPont’s faucet filter is NSF 42 and 53 certified and covers a similar contaminant range to PUR. The housing is slightly larger than PUR or Brita, which some people find bulkier but which accommodates a larger filter element and can maintain better flow rate.

It’s a legitimate alternative, particularly if it’s priced lower in your market. The certification record is the same class as PUR and Brita On Tap.

Cost: $30 to $40.

Best for: A solid backup choice when PUR or Brita On Tap are unavailable or priced higher.

Check current pricing (affiliate link, see disclosure above)

Culligan FM-15A

The Culligan FM-15A is an NSF 42-only filter. It covers taste, odor, and chlorine. It does not have NSF/ANSI 53 certification and does not remove lead.

It’s cheap, around $20 to $25, and it works for what it does. But if lead protection is part of your reason for buying a faucet filter, this isn’t the product.

The only reason to buy the Culligan FM-15A over a PUR or Brita is price, and the price gap is small enough that it’s usually not worth it.

Faucet Filter vs. Pitcher: Which Makes More Sense

Faucet filters and pitchers overlap in purpose but they’re not the same.

For convenience, faucet filters win. You don’t pour. You don’t wait. Filtered water comes out immediately every time you use that faucet.

For contaminant coverage, it depends on what you need. A PUR PLUS and a Brita Longlast+ pitcher both cover lead at NSF 53 levels. On lead protection, they’re comparable.

But if you need PFAS or fluoride reduction, no faucet filter covers those. The Clearly Filtered pitcher covers PFAS (greater than 99.5% reduction) and fluoride (approximately 98% reduction) with NSF documentation. Nothing in the faucet filter category can match that.

If your water test shows no PFAS or fluoride concern, a faucet filter is more convenient. If PFAS or fluoride matters, go with a Clearly Filtered pitcher or step up to a reverse osmosis system.

The Comparison

Product NSF Certs Removes Lead Filter Indicator Approx. Cost Filter Life
PUR PLUS (PFM400H) 42, 53 Yes Digital $35-45 ~100 gal
Brita On Tap 42, 53 Yes Manual $35-45 ~100 gal
PUR Classic (PFM150W) 42, 53 Yes Manual $25-35 ~100 gal
DuPont WFFM350XCH 42, 53 Yes Manual $30-40 ~100 gal
Culligan FM-15A 42 only No Manual $20-25 ~200 gal

The Recommendation

PUR PLUS is the best faucet filter for most people. The NSF 53 certification covers lead, and the digital filter indicator takes the guesswork out of replacement timing. For around $40 and $15 to $20 per replacement filter, you get on-demand protection that requires zero plumbing work.

If you need something that goes beyond what any faucet filter can do, read the under-sink filter comparison or the reverse osmosis system review. A faucet filter is the right solution for renters who want lead and chlorine protection at one faucet. It’s not the right solution for PFAS, fluoride, or whole-house protection.

One thing worth saying directly: check that your faucet is compatible before ordering. If you have a pull-down or pull-out faucet, return it and get a pitcher instead. The compatibility issue is the most common complaint in reviews for every brand in this category.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do faucet water filters remove lead?
Some do, some don't. NSF/ANSI 53 certification is the only way to know for sure. PUR PLUS (PFM400H), Brita On Tap, and DuPont WFFM350XCH are all NSF 53 certified for lead reduction. A Brita Basic (FF-100) or Culligan FM-15A is certified only under NSF 42 for taste and odor. NSF 42 alone does not mean the filter removes lead. Always check the specific certification, not just the brand.
Will a faucet filter fit my faucet?
Faucet filters fit most traditional fixed-spout kitchen faucets with a standard aerator thread. They don't fit pull-out faucets, pull-down faucets, or side-spray faucets. They also won't work on faucets with non-standard aerator sizes. Most units come with multiple adapter rings to cover common thread sizes. If you're not sure, check the faucet manufacturer's aerator spec before ordering.
How long does a faucet filter last?
PUR and Brita faucet filters are typically rated at 100 gallons per cartridge, which works out to roughly 3 months for average household use. The PUR PLUS has a digital indicator light that tells you when to replace it. Brita faucet models use a manual indicator tab. Replace on schedule. Running an expired filter doesn't just mean reduced performance, it can release trapped contaminants back into the water.
Is a faucet filter better than a pitcher?
For convenience, yes. A faucet filter delivers filtered water on demand without pouring. For contaminant coverage, it depends. A PUR PLUS faucet filter and a Clearly Filtered pitcher are both NSF 53 certified, so lead coverage is comparable. But Clearly Filtered pitchers cover PFAS and fluoride, no faucet filter on the market covers both. If PFAS or fluoride is a concern, a pitcher like Clearly Filtered or a reverse osmosis system is the better choice.
Does PUR faucet filter remove PFAS?
No. PUR faucet filters are not certified or documented to remove PFAS. PUR holds NSF/ANSI 42 and 53 certifications, which cover chlorine, lead, benzene, mercury, cysts, and other specific contaminants. PFAS removal requires either an NSF 58 certified reverse osmosis system or a filter like Clearly Filtered that has been independently tested for PFAS reduction. For PFAS, a faucet filter won't help.