Customer Reviews

Countertop Superior Water Filter System - White - with 1 Micron Carbon Block Filter

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(10)

 

 

Just wanted to note a correction to the lengthy review previously posted 2/13/08 by Waterboy, which stated that this Bestfilters Countertop model was the same as the Paragon mdl 2900ct. This is not the case. I do not know if there is any difference in the filtering abilities of either (likely not) but I do know that this Bestfilters unit has a metal spout mounted on the side, instead of the built-in upper plastic spout of the Paragon, and comes w/a KX Industries-made "KX Matrikx PB1" filter cartridge inside -not one made by Paragon, and takes industry standard 10" sized replacement filters.

With carbon block filters such as these of the same size/construction, no brand make is better than another's. The only way to improve your filtration (other than getting a reverse osmosis system) is to increase the amount of filter media the water passes through. So either add an additional filter unit in-line, or get a unit that takes a larger carbon filter. Or to lesser extent, slow down the flow of water passing through the filter, for more filter media contact time.

It's good to have a unit that takes a non-proprietary filter, as it gives you options of where and what to buy re replacement filters. Learned when my old PUR countertop unit's repl filters were discontinued. This Bestfilters model accepts a standard 10" cartridge; I am not sure if the Paragon does or not.

ps. the other model non-replaceable filter "maintenance-free" countertop units made by Paragon do Not have as good a filter as the ones noted above, and Paragon CS told me they were designed to remove only chlorine for taste/odor reduction.

I just moved from WA state to San Jose, CA and was disgusted by the taste and smell of the city water here. It may meet regs for safety, but who cares if nobody can stand to drink it? In desperation, I went to buy a small faucet Brita unit and it barely touched the stink and taste, so I knew I needed something with more carbon contact time and capacity. All the hardware stores wanted to sell the big undersink units and I'm not about to install that in a rental, so a countertop was what I needed. None of the stores I went to had them, so Amazon to the rescue.

This BestFilters unit is the cure for BAD water and the flow rate is really good. Supposed to last for 2500 gallons but I dont believe it. Maybe with normal water, but this San Jose stuff should trash it in half that time. Even so, still a good deal compared to the small toy filters for the faucet. This one installs in minutes and bam!, instant bottled water taste/quality. Highly recommended.

Great filter, great price, and a low cost of ownership...

Though I want to be forward with my biases. I am convinced water filters and bottled water for health reasons are unnecessary for cityfolk... what comes to your house if you get city water is very likely to be fine... in fact.. great; compared to what the rest of the world drinks, and especially compared to what people used to drink.

It may smell or taste funny, but not because its bad for you. Tests are conducted at the water treatment facility constantly, and they send you, and the powers that be, a water quality report regularly. Learn to read it. You will see that from the source, the municipal water standards are better than a) bottled water must be, and b) what most filters actually filter out.

That said... bottled water is usually just tap water... and filtered only for flavor, and maybe a little sodium added. Sometimes your really unlucky, and its well water (or gravity fed spring water) or artesian well water (lower water table under pressure.. less organic toxins, and more inorganic ones)... measured via the inferior FDA standards for water, and then only if its brought over state lines. Remember the FDA are the people that think less than 2% bug guts and rat poop in food is just fine.

I trust my unfiltered tap water over bottled water.

Most filters? They are one of two things... aesthetic filters that remove the most common substances that cause bad flavors, odor, and color (water pitchers, disposable filters, whole house filters, faucet mounts), possibly leaving all kinds of stuff you don't want in your mouth, or something like ultraviolet sterilization that leaves all the bad non-living substances but kills germs, or ceramics that are little better than aesthetic filters, or reverse osmosis filters that create a mineral free water which replaces those minerals with whatever it touches, like the container its in, or the carbon dioxide in the air... becoming acidic.. dissolving more potentially nasty stuff...

I trust my unfiltered tap over a bad filter.

Oh... long story short; You get this filter, and you live in the city, and you got this water thing licked. Its going to taste good, and that 1 micron filter will give you all the peace of mind you need. Even if your water was as scary as you fear, this filter would take care of it. Lead, chlorine, copper, cryptosporidium, volatile organic chemicals, plastic softeners, all out. You get a replacement filter every six months for $30 and you'll be just fine. You'll spend less on this superior housing and filter than you will on anything else out there now... even the junk that doesn't work is more expensive.

This filter is great. Its manufactured by Paragon and is often rebranded..

Look closely, and you'll see that this is the same model as the chrome filter that sells from Gaiam for $100, and the same as the chrome model that sells from Amazon from this store (Bestfilters) for $88... they both use the exact same filter cartridge inside.

The extra $30-50 is for chrome colored plastic and maybe a brand. My suggestion is to save your money. Go with the white plastic. If you don't, you are probably a sucker, and would better enjoy a $350 filter that does the same thing as this one. May I suggest Multipure, or any other filter from a multilevel marketing company?

Buy this and you are getting a good deal.

What about quality? Don't take my word for it... check the reviews on this model (the 2900) and the Chrome model (the 3200). On every site I could find the average review is 4.5 to 5 stars. I definitely give it that as well. It does what its supposed to.

Secondly, many companies put their reputations on the line when they rebrand and put their name on these filters. The quality is there. This filter isn't going to break in six months and flood your counter like... the Aquasana countertop filter reportedly does... constantly.

If you don't have municipal water... then you should be getting your well, or canteen, or cistern, or whatever the heck you have tested regularly. Consult a professional (not Amazon reviews) for your special needs... you probably don't have a countertop to set this filter on anyway... :)

One more bias... I am a bartender. I have nothing to do with the water filter industry, despite my glowing review of this one product. I've spent all this time learning about water because I was very nearly fooled by a waterfiltercomparisons web site that pretends to be unbiased, but is actually run by the president of a water filter company... complete with fake 'consumers digest" award... (I challenge you to subscribe to consumer's digest. go ahead. try.) It made me angry.

I spent a day on the national science foundation website reading about water filters and looking through their database of certifications (and picking the best of the best), and even went so far as to track down and interrogate a Paragon engineer about their filters. I actually read my municipal water report, and spent the time researching it long enough to understand what it said. I watched a half hour tv program about water, its bottling history (a scam 100 years ago), where it comes from, and how its treated. I read New York Times editorials about why we should be drinking tap water... and on and on...

I did all that so I wouldn't be scammed. I've written all of this so you won't be scammed either.

This is an amazing product that is easy to install and works so well you'll wonder why you ever bothered to schlep bottled water into you house in the past. The water from this filter tastes clean and fresh. The price is excellent for all it does. It's easy to wonder if the original marketer - Sears - is trying to downplay its availability because it works better than most of their much more expensive models.

The one serious flaw is that earlier models have a plastic tube that connects the faust to the unit, and the plastic breaks, splits or shears off easily. I got two broken ones in the mail and had to return them for exchange. But newer models seem to have a connector made of metal that is much more durable. Be sure to get that style.

I've been using this filter for a couple of months. The water tastes great, has no chlorine smell, and is really clear. (My water was looking kind of brown, which is why I bought the filter.) The price was also very reasonable.

It took a while to get used to operating the filter, and I still get annoyed sometimes, but I think it's the design and other filters of this style would probably have the same issues. It's still better than a pitcher filter, because the flow is much faster.

My issues are:

The filter spout drips, so I have to leave a glass under the spout to catch the drips (which get poured into my cat's dish). I could leave the spout over the sink, but that seems so wasteful.

To get water to the filter, you have to pull the diverter at the same time that you turn on the water. This requires two hands, so you can't hold the glass that you're filling. You can set the glass on the counter under the spout, but you have to get it positioned just right or the water goes on the counter instead of in the glass. It takes practice to get it right.

I'm still really glad I bought the filter. Having clean water is worth a little work.

I received this filter a little over a week ago and all I can say is wow. I have been using filters for many years now where ever I live. People use to say oh my well water is great. I say no. I can speak from personal experience.

Going back 35 years ago I grew up as a teenager in a home in which we had a well. For many years I was constantly sick to my stomach with abdominal pains and my mother brought me to an internist for a checkup, well to make a long story short, my parents had traced the problem to our water source. A business down the street had been dumping tricholethelene down the drain for years and it leached into 3 homes wells. The DEP came in and had to clean up the mess, and we all got a reverse osmosis water system that at the time cost my folks thousands. But the problem had been identified.

Second story, my husband worked with a fellow who told me that 3 families living in a row, each of the wives developed a particular kind of cancer, traced to the water which had uranium.

I feel in this day and age you just can't be safe drinking any kind of water. You just don't know what is down there in the ground that will over time leach into the well and cause severe health problems. People throw things down the drain that should not be put down there, basically contaminating the water and when you drink that you wonder why you are sick.

Do yourself a favor and get a filter. I do like this one in particular by [...], it has an excellent water flow and the cartridge they have in it is the PB1 which seems to do an excellent job at clarifing the water. I like this in particular because it is solid carbon block. Many of the other filters on the market are GAC, which is Granular Activated Carbon. The problem there is that there is channeling and bypass. With sold carbon it is able to absorb many of the impurities and color in the water. Those GAC filters are good for municipal water, not well water. We in particular have tannins in our water. My landlord has a $7000 water filter system in place, however, we still get the brownish water. But NOT with this filter. Nothing but crystal clear water.

I use it for cooking, drinking, coffee, ice cubes, brushing our teeth, etc. You won't go wrong with this unit. I hope this is helpful to those of you searching for a water filter. Take a step in the right direction by drinking good, clear water.

Product is simple to install, only takes a couple of minutes. Water comes out clean with no odor and a great taste.

Pros:
-Unit can be used with many 10 inch water filters, not just one particular brand.
-Simple to use.
-No leakage between filter attachment and faucet.

Cons:
-Water comes out of the spout for a couple seconds after faucet is turned off.
-No indicator for filter replacement.

So far, I am happy with my purchase.

I bought the aquasauna product which cost like double this or something. It was horrible, it lasted maybe 1 year and can have mold build up underneath the product (it leaks and even if you are very clean it can happen), I don't doubt that the quality of the water was excellent for aquasauna but the product build was POOR. Mine even broke and aquasauna wasn't helpful at all in remedying the situation.

So I order this one, I remember it being much less that the 120$ or so i spent on the aquasauna. I had low expectations but wanted my water to be filtered at home.

Then I got this thing, it is built very well. It is strong and sturdy. They also sent all the attachments for you sink (which again, aquasauna didn't do, I had to go to home depot multiple times to try to find the proper fit). The water comes out super fast and tastes amazing. I am super impressed with this and its quality.

As for the quality of the water, I bet it is the same as the other one. I can't know for sure but it tastes just as good. Also I believe you can buy replacement filters for this anywhere instead of being overcharged by a company who owns a monopoly on the replacement filters.

This is a great filter set, I wish I would of bought this originally!

I have searched and used different kind of filters. This one is the best for apartment houses. The water comes out faster and the quality is just like the merchant describes, clean. I have recomended this for another family member of mine and he was happy with this filter as well. The price is great as well!

After looking around and comparing all types of faucet filters, I decided on this based on many of the other reviews. I liked that it had a standard replaceable filter and good solid construction. I wasn't let down by this product. The only problem is it came with a 55/64"-27 female threading to attach to the sink, and I had to get an adapter to fit my sink. But once I determined which size I needed and set it up, it worked great. No leaks, and clear great tasting water comes through. The filter lasts much longer than other systems, so I won't need to replace it as often. The included instructions weren't entirely clear - it comes with a plastic handle thing, and I realized after setting it up that it is used for unscrewing/tightening the filter holder part... but it can be hand-tightened without leaking. In all, a much better deal than faucet-mount filters and other counter top filters!