When searching for the best drinking water filter for well water, there are several routes to consider. For starters, you may want to filter all of the water entering your home with a whole-house water filtration system. Secondly, you may want to focus on filtering your drinking water only. In this case, an under-sink water filtration system is better.
The purpose of this article is to condense all of the information you need into one helpful guide. Below, you’ll discover your best options along with some useful tips. Plus, I share reviews of each system to give you a clear picture of what to expect.
Now, let’s start with an overview of the systems to give you an idea of the key specs to consider.
Top 5 Drinking Water Filtration Systems for Well Water
How to Choose a Drinking Water Filter for Well Water
The systems above cover every possible situation that you could face. Below, I summarize the key points to consider when choosing your system:
- Test Your Water – The very first step is to test your water. Without testing your water, you’re going in blind. Consequently, by testing your water, you’ll know exactly what it’s in it. There are home test kits that get the job done. Alternatively, there’s always the option to have your water professionally tested to get the most accurate results. Should you choose a home test kit, be sure that it’s a complete test kit that tests for iron, hardness, bacteria, etc.
- Match Your Filter to Your Water Test Results – Once you know what’s in your water, choosing a filtration system becomes a lot easier. For instance, if you have hard well water that’s high in iron, you’ll want to choose a complete well water filtration system, such as the Springwell ULTRA system above. This system both softens your hard water and effectively removes iron. Plus, the water from this system is safe to drink. Alternatively, if your water isn’t hard, you only need to choose one of the filters from the table above.
- Bacteria – If there are known bacterial issues affecting wells in your area, then you want to choose a system with a UV filter for well water. A UV filter can be added to the filters in this guide, or there’s the option to opt for an under-sink RO system with a UV filter, such as the APEC system.
- Warranty – Since good water filtration systems aren’t cheap, you always want to opt for a system sold by a trustworthy supplier with clear warranty terms. Generally, tanks and valves should be backed by a lifetime warranty.
Overall, those are the most important considerations.
Reviews: Best Drinking Water Filter for Well Water
Now, I’ll share reviews of each system.
#1) Springwell MWS1 ULTRA Whole House Well Water Filter Salt Based System Combo
Currently, Springwell offers the most complete well water filtration system on the market. The ULTRA system will transform even the filthiest well water into delicious drinking water. Additionally, it eliminates hard water stains, scaling, and rotten egg odor. The key to this system is the iron filter that uses an oxidation process to effectively remove iron, hydrogen sulfide, and manganese.
Since iron problems and hydrogen sulfide (rotten egg odor) problems usually go hand in hand, this is the perfect filter for the job. Beyond that, this filtration system is different than what you’d find offered for city water. Rather than focusing on chlorine and chloramine removal, it focuses on common contaminants in well water.
Beyond those considerations, this system is also one of the most advanced with Bluetooth connectivity. With Bluetooth, you’re able to monitor your water stats directly from your phone. Lastly, this system is available in both salt-free and salt for the softener portion. In cases of very hard well water, it’s best to stick with the salt-based option.
Also, if you already have a water softener, there’s the option to pair your current softener with the Springwell well water iron filter.
- An all-in-one water filtration solution
- Remove up to 8 ppm of hydrogen sulfide, 7 ppm iron, and 1 ppm manganese
- Eliminates scaling and calcium buildup in pipes
- Bluetooth valve control and monitoring
- High flow rate for large families
- High customer service marks
- Lifetime warranty and 6-month money-back guarantee
- Adding a UV filter costs extra
- Higher upfront cost
#2) DuraWater Iron Eater Air Injection Fleck 5600 SXT Iron Filter
Now for an excellent budget option, the Iron Eater by DuraWater. While not as well-known and established as other companies included here, this system does give you good bang for your buck. Comparatively, this filter is one of the most powerful on the market with the capacity to remove iron up to 12 ppm, sulfur up to 10 ppm, and manganese up to 2 ppm. That’s even higher than what the Springwell system offers.
Next, this goes back to getting your water tested. Because if you have iron levels higher than the capacity offered by Springwell, the Iron Eater could be your solution. After that, it’s important to note that this is a whole-house filter only. Accordingly, it won’t reduce water hardness or eliminate bacteria. And while DuraWater does offer a water softener, it’d be better to pair this filter with the best water softener for well water.
Outside of those considerations, this filter uses the same filtration method as the Springwell iron filter. Additionally, DuraWater does offer a lifetime warranty on the tank, though, it’s important to know that the company is not as proven as Springwell or SoftPro. Finally, this filter features a modern Fleck 5600SXT Digital Control Valve that automatically backwashes the filter daily.
- A good budget alternative to Springwell and Softpro
- Good for well water with high concentrations of iron, hydrogen sulfide, and manganese
- Features a reliable Fleck control valve
- Easy installation
- Long filter life with the option to recharge with Katalox Light
- Competitive warranty terms
- Will not soften your water
- Slower flow rate than Springwell and SoftPro
- A less proven company
#3) SoftPro Iron Master AIO Water Filtration System
Next, you have another excellent option by one of the leaders in home water filtration, SoftPro. Overall, the SoftPro Iron Master AIO filter is the most powerful filter in this guide. It has the capacity to remove iron up to 30 ppm, manganese up to 7 ppm, and hydrogen sulfide up to 5 ppm. The filter achieves this through its Katalox Technology With Advanced MnO2 Coating. In layman’s terms, this filter uses the most efficient ingredients to remove iron.
Once you test your water, you’ll be able to see clearly whether you need a filter this powerful. And even if you don’t, it’s never bad to have too much filtration power. Next, SoftPro brings a higher level of professionalism to the table with applicable NSF and ANSI certifications. Compared to a brand like DuraWater, you know for sure what you’re getting when you purchase a SoftPro filter.
Currently, the AIO series is available in three sizes to support all household sizes. Also, the expected filter media life of 8 to 10 years means that this is essentially set it and forget it. All in all, this is one of the most powerful drinking water filters for well water, and there’s the option to match it to SoftPro water softeners.
- The most powerful filter in this guide for iron and rotten egg odor removal
- Very low maintenance
- Available in multiple sizes
- Assembled in USA
- NSF/ANSI certifications
- Lifetime Warranty
- No Bluetooth
#4) Home Master HMF3SDGFEC Whole House Well Water Filtration System
Do you notice the difference here? This is the first system that’s a complete drinking water filtration system for lighter-duty jobs. For this reason, singles and couples will find the most value here. Unlike the previous two filters, this system by Home Master includes a sediment filter and an activated carbon filter.
First, your water passes through a multi-gradient sediment filter to remove both large and small sediment. Then, the second-stage filter removes iron up to 3 ppm as well as hydrogen sulfide and manganese. Third, the water passes through a granular activated coconut shell carbon filter to remove any lingering chemicals and to improve water taste.
One key consideration for this filter is that it requires filter changes more often depending on the size of your household and your water levels. For this reason, it’s important to check the chart provided by Home Master to get an accurate idea of filter life for your home. Additionally, you’ll want to ensure that your iron levels are 3 ppm or lower to preserve filter life.
- An excellent choice for small families
- More affordable
- High flow rate of 15 GPM ensures you won’t lose pressure
- Does not remove essential minerals (better-tasting drinking water)
- Removes iron and other common well water contaminants
- Sediment filtration
- Higher maintenance
- Less powerful than the first three filters
#5) APEC ROES-PHUV75 Essence Alkaline Mineral pH+ and UV Ultra-Violet Sterilizer Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System
Don’t let the length of the title of this filter scare you away because it’s one of the best drinking water filters for well water on the market. Do you currently already have a softener, sediment filter, and other filters? If the answer is yes, and your drinking water isn’t satisfying you, this system is the solution.
Firstly, reverse osmosis is a type of ultrafiltration that removes everything from your water, including essential minerals. As a result, some people find that the taste of plain reverse osmosis water is flat. Because of this, APEC offers this system with remineralization to improve the taste of your drinking water and raise the pH.
Additionally, this system has a UV filter to eliminate any potentially harmful bacteria and microorganisms in your drinking water. In total, there are seven stages, including a sediment filter for fine sediment and multiple carbon filtration stages. Overall, this filter turns well water into bottled water quality drinking water.
- Perfect for people who already own softeners and other whole-house filters
- Bottled water quality drinking water on tap
- Remineralization and UV water filtration
- Multiple carbon filtration stages
- Includes an auxillary faucet
- More affordable than whole-house filters
- More filters to maintain
- Requires pre-treatment to preserve filter life, especially the sediment filter
- Slower flow rate than other options when filling large pots
Bottom Line
Choosing the best drinking water filter for well water all comes down to your preferences, needs, and water test results. As a reminder, always test your drinking water first to know your exact contaminant levels. Taking this step makes choosing a filter easy.
Beyond that, always match the filter to your needs. Chances are that if you already own a water softener and whole-house filter, then an under-sink RO system is your best bet for drinking water filtration.
Since you made it this far, you already know everything you need to choose the right drinking water filtration system for your well water.