If you are looking to improve your overall wellness and health for you and your family, there is one area we must all focus on. Water is an incredibly important aspect of our health journey. We must drink enough of it each day to ensure proper hydration, detoxification and toxin elimination. There are so many beneficial health benefits tied to drinking water. But water can also be detrimental to your health in certain circumstances. Unfiltered water that contains contaminants and toxicants is rampant. I wanted to walk you through the basics of water filtration and the best affordable option on the market. An option that can sit on your countertop and doesn’t require a plumber to install. This is a full Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher review.
* This post may include affiliate links. This means that products purchased from certain links will generate a small commission (At no extra cost to you). As always, I will only recommend brands that have passed my seal of approval and that I truly love. Thank you for supporting this little holistic space on the internet. *
* Information in this post is not professional medical advice and should not be relied on or used in place of consultation with healthcare professionals. Should you have any medical questions, please consult your primary healthcare provider. **
Water from our taps isn’t always healthy for us. This is often due to environmental pollution, dirty pipes, people dumping unused pharmaceuticals down their drains and cities adding harmful chemicals to the water as “treatment”. We are often consuming hundreds of toxicants each time we consume unfiltered water. Water is a daily necessity and something we do often. I always suggest to make changes where it can make the most impact. You may want to shift your focus from worrying about the conventional blush you use once in a blue moon toward the water you are drinking daily. It’s so important to focus on proper water filtration. This way you can receive the benefits of water consumption without all of the added chemicals and toxicants.
Contaminants found in Unfiltered Water
Water is an ancient natural resource that has been present on our planet since it’s conception. In it’s purest form, water is pure and healthy. It contains beneficial minerals needed by the human body to function. It’s something we need for our survival. Water itself is not the problem, the contaminants that have infiltrated our water supply are. Modern times call for modern solutions and while our earliest ancestors could have consumed water without filtration, this is not our current day reality. Nowadays we have to be aware of the issue of contamination. Contamination comes from a variety of sources.
Contaminants found in water can be classified into three categories:
- Microorganisms: Bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens that can cause waterborne illnesses.
- Chemical contaminants: Including disinfection byproducts, solvents, and pesticides.
- Physical contaminants: Such as silt, iron, lead, copper, and nitrogen
Examples: Common Toxic Contaminants found in Water
There are hundreds of contaminants that enter our water sources. They can wreak havoc on our health. Here are just a few of the common contaminants found in unfiltered or poorly filtered water.
- Cryptosporidium: Gastrointestinal illness
- Giardia lamblia: Gastrointestinal illness
- Legionella: Pneumonia risk
- Turbidity: Water clarity measure
- Bromate: Disinfection byproduct
- Chlorite: Disinfection byproduct
- Haloacetic acids: Disinfection byproduct
- Antimony: Heavy metal contaminant
- Barium: Heavy metal contaminant
- Cadmium: Heavy metal contaminant
- Chromium: Heavy metal contaminant
- Thalium: Heavy metal contaminant
- Arsenic: Toxic element
- Asbestos: Fibre contaminant
- Copper: Metal contaminant
- Beryllium: Toxic Metal
- Lead: Toxic metal
- Mercury: Toxic metal
- Fluoride: Toxic chemical additive
- Nitrate: Fertilizer run off
- Acrylamide: Water treatment chemical
- Alachlor: Herbicide contaminant
- Atrazine: Herbicide contaminant
- Benzene: Volatile organic compound
- Benzoapyrene: Carcinogenic compound
- Carbon tetrachloride: Industrial solvent
- Chlorobenzyne: Industrial solvent
- Dichloroethylene: Industrial solvent
- Chlordane: pesticide contaminant
- Vinyl chloride: toxic compound
- Radium: Radioactive element
- Uranium: Radioactive element
- Chlorine: Water disinfectant
- Chlorine dioxide: Water disinfectant
- Chloramines: Water disinfectant
- Nitrite: fertilizer run off
- Total choliforms: Indicator bacteria
- Human viruses: Pathogen presence
- and so many more..
16 Health Benefits of Drinking Filtered Water
Sufficed to say, water filtration is important. The unfortunate truth is that your municipal body is likely not filtering the water to what you would deem satisfactory if you knew what was being left behind. They have certain standards to uphold that are truly bare minimum and turn a blind eye to many of the contaminants that still remain largely responsible for human disease. Not to mention, the pipes that bring you the water from the treatments plants are often full of sludge, metal buildup, rust, and more. It is important to understand that the water coming through your taps are often not sufficient for consumption regardless of what the city states. But, what are the potential health hazards when it comes to drinking unfiltered or poorly filtered water? Let’s dig in. Here are some health benefits from drinking properly filtered water:
- More pleasant taste and/or odor
- Increased hydration
- Reduced exposure to contaminants, such as chemicals, metals, and impurities
- Decreased risk of certain cancers, such as bladder, colon, and rectal cancer
- Decreased risk of a variety of human diseases
- Strengthened immune system
- Healthier hair and skin
- Improved kidney function
- Assists with better childhood development
- Removes Lead
- Eliminates pathogens
- Balances pH levels
- Assists with weight loss
- Enhances digestive health
- Improved mental clarity
- Improved overall dental/oral health
Tap Water Quality + Treatment
Firstly, it’s important to understand the water that comes our of your faucets at home. City filtration standards are important but likely not the standard you may assume. Every city has a water management facility that restores water to consumable standards prior to sending it through the pipes to your home. This is a great thing as it ensures the most imminent and harmful contaminants to human health are removed. That being said, they do not focus on all contaminants that may impact your overall health over time. Their process also involves adding chemicals to treat the water which remain in the water supply and erode your health. Water treatment standards vary by region as do the practices used to treat the water. This is determined by water quality and testing of each region as well as laws that govern treatment practices. For example: some regions add fluoride while others do not.
How is Tap Water Treated? Is it Safe?
Water gets treated through a chain of steps at a treatment plant. These steps ensure that harmful contaminants like bacteria that would cause severe illness are eliminated. It IS important but it is not enough. Tap water offers a water quality that you can drink without becoming imminently unwell. That being said, the standards do not encompass all of the other contaminants that will impact your health over time. Many contaminants slip through. So while it is incredibly important to have water treatment facilities, it’s also important to go a step further for optimal water quality.
To better understand the treatment process, here are the four main steps that occur in most water treatment facilities.
- Coagulation is often the first step in water treatment. Treatment plant staff add chemicals to the water that help bind together dirt and other small particles. The chemicals they commonly use include specific types of salts, aluminum, or iron.
- Flocculation is next. Flocculation is the gentle mixing of the water to form larger, heavier particles called flocs. Often, treatment plant staff will add additional chemicals during this step to help the flocs form.
- Sedimentation separates out solids from the water. Flocs are heavier than water, so they settle to the bottom of the water during this step.
- Filtration is the next step. Once the flocs have settled to the bottom of the water, the clear water on top goes through several filters.
When explaining their process, many plants often skim over the process that occurs at the end of the filtration process: Disinfection. Disinfection is important in theory but it also adds harmful disinfectant chemicals to our water source. These chemicals are NOT removed before you drink them unless you filter them out yourself.

Source: cdc.gov/drinking-water
Toxic Disinfectant Chemicals in Tap Water
So, what chemicals are typically used when treating our water? There are many but I will review the most popular to give an idea of what happens when they disinfect the water. These chemicals are effective at their job but ultimately should be removed from the water before you consume it. To shed some light on the pros and cons of these methods, I wanted to provide an example of a commonly used disinfectant chemical and it’s health impacts.
Chlorine + the Negative Health Impacts
Chlorine is one of the most widely used industrial disinfectants for drinking water. You can often smell the chlorine in your water when you run the taps. It is effective at killing a broad spectrum of pathogens. Scientists have looked into various health effects on consuming chlorine such as certain cancers, respiratory issues, allergic reactions, reproductive issues and more.
Here are some practical examples of how drinking chlorine containing water could impact your health:
- By-products of chlorine are associated with higher rates of and risk of bladder and rectal cancers.
- Studies have found that drinking chlorinated water increases the risk of gastrointestinal cancers by 50-100%.
- One study found that drinking water during pregnancy could increase the risk of certain ailments for newborns such as cleft palate, major brain defects and heart problems.
- Chlorinated water has been shown to increase incidence of food allergies.
- One study followed a town in Pennsylvania whose population switched from drinking mountain spring water to chlorinated tap water. The incidence of heart attacks went from none to many.
- When introduced to our bodies, it destroys health gut bacteria. Considering 70% of our immune system resides in our gut, this impact is quite substantial.
While Chlorine is incredibly effective at removing pathogens from drinking water for our safety, it should be removed prior to consumption. Removing these chemicals from your drinking water is a straightforward process that can be done at home using various methods. Many household have caught onto the importance of improving their water quality beyond municipal standards and have chosen to invest in water filters for their health.
Water Filters to Avoid
When it comes to addressing the quality and health of your drinking water, knowledge is your friend. There are plenty of filtering systems to avoid and many that are great options. There are many systems that either don’t work, are not producing quality water standards or are stripping water of nutrients during the process. To explain this further, I’ve compiled a few examples of water filters to avoid.
Avoid: Brita Filters
Flashy marketing campaigns often steering people to buy popular conventional water filters that don’t work. One of the most popular water filters on the market due to it’s widespread marketing is the Brita Filter. You can find them in every big box store and in many households. They rose in popularity due to their accessibility and massive marketing budgets.
Brita filters remove some contaminants but are not an ideal water filtering system. In fact, Brita came under fire with a class action lawsuit lodged against them. The lawsuit indicated that Brita filters were not nearly as effective as advertised. They left behind more contaminants that could cause health issues than the public suspected. The lawsuit states that Brita had misled the public into believing their products could remove or reduce certain common contaminants to below lab detection limits. These contaminants included: chlorine, mercury, copper, arsenic, chromium-6, nitrate, PFOA, PFAS, PFOS, among many others.
The fact is, a Brita filter will work to filter out SOME contaminants although their standards are not as high as other leading water filtration brands on the market. They also don’t filter out to the same level.
Instead Use: Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher
At this point we know enough about store bought water pitcher filters to know we should avoid them. There are better options available that will filter contaminants with a much higher success rate. Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher is the best on the market. I will dig more into this in my Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher Review below.
Avoid: Stock Refrigerator Filters
Newer models of refrigerators are often built with an added feature: water filtration. These filter systems offer some extra filtration of contaminants from your tap water. They don’t filter out a majority of the contaminants we should be concerned over. Refrigerator filters often filter out the following contaminants:
- Chlorine taste and odor
- Some heavy metals
- Volatile organic compounds
While this is a great step in the right direction, the list is not exhaustive in any sense. There are many more contaminants being left in drinking water even after going through refrigerator filtering systems.
Instead Use: Clearly Filtered Universal Inline Fridge Filter
If you are reading this and currently using a fridge filtering system, do not panic. You do not need to stop using the fridge filter you are currently relying on or run out to buy a new fridge. Stock refrigerator filters are more for show than safety, but there are options! In fact, Clearly Filtered is one of the companies that has crafted their own Universal Inline Fridge Filter. It is a universal-fit, inline fridge filter that protects from hundreds of dangers stock fridge filters can’t, including chlorine, fluoride, lead, and PFAS.
Avoid: Reverse Osmosis Filtration Systems
Lastly, I want to address a type of water filtration system that I would never personally use: Reverse Osmosis (RO). RO systems are actually quite popular due to their ability to filter out contaminants at an impressive level. They have a high filtering success rate but they have one major flaw. RO systems filter out EVERYTHING including good minerals from your water. These systems essentially leave you with dead water. Water is an incredibly important source of our everyday minerals and many who switch over to RO voice concerns over symptoms of mineral deficiency. Mineral deficiency is at the root of all disease and illness. Symptoms of mineral deficiency are:
- Fatigue and weakness
- Muscle cramping
- Brittle hair and nails, or hair loss
- Irregular heartbeat
- Bone pain and weakness
- Tooth loss or decay
- Frequent infections
- Tingling or numbness
- Swelling and fluid retention
- Negative impacts on mental health
I often liken RO water filtration systems to antibiotics. Antibiotics are incredible at wiping out bad bacterial illnesses but they also take all of the good bacteria in your gut. RO Systems are incredible at eliminating pathogens and contaminants from water but they also take all of the essential minerals and nutrients from the water.
Instead Use: Clearly Filtered Under Sink Filtering System
Their Under Sink Filtering System is affordable and does not strip minerals from the water you drink. It works with the same affinity technology that provides the safest and healthiest drinking water.
The BEST + Most Affordable Water Filtration Option
Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher Review
Many are nervous to jump into the world of water filtration because it can be overwhelming and expensive. There are so many different water filtration systems on the market these days. They all use different technologies and some actually cause more problems by stripping out good minerals found in water. In addition to this, many water filtration systems are very expensive. Our own Family couldn’t justify the thousands of dollars for a whole house water filtration system because we had so many other bills to pay. With rising costs of food and amenities, it is often a luxury to be able to afford the more expensive options in water filtration systems. If you can afford it, I highly suggest it. It is the most convenient option after all. But I knew I had to find an alternative solution for my own Family. We needed something effective and affordable while saving for a whole house system.
Many people are using counter top water filtration systems in lieu of pricey whole house systems. They are convenient, easy to use and affordable options. I have been using water filter pitchers for many years but none of them have come close to the quality of filtration that I see from one pitcher in particular: the Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher.
Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher Review
I have tried MANY different water filtration systems. Everyone will have different preferences and needs. Some of the needs are based on what contaminants are in certain regions water. For example, some filters will not remove fluoride. This is acceptable for those who live in regions where fluoride is not added to the water supply. However, many are unaware that their filtration system is leaving this contaminant behind when they prefer to omit it.
There are many reasons why I opt for Clearly Filtered over other brands, here are a few:
365+ Contaminants Removed (Fluoride included)
The Human body does not bode well from consumption of these contaminants. So we have to look at solutions when it comes to accessing clean drinking water. Filters have become common practice these days but with all of the emerging companies and different filtration technologies, it can be overwhelming knowing which has highest standards.
Clearly filtered water pitchers use a unique technology that is NSF tested to remove 365+ contaminants from the water before you drink it. This is the most contaminants removed of all water pitcher filters. It also removes fluoride which is sometimes not included with some filtration systems or is sold as an add on feature. Fluoride removal is included with the Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher.
Minerals are NOT filtered + remain intact
One of the reasons I gravitated toward clearly filtered water pitchers is due to the fact that they do NOT strip minerals from the water. I don’t personally use or recommend filtration systems that don’t preserve essential minerals. Water is meant to deliver minerals to the human body and when that large source of minerals is removed from out diets, it can have damaging effects. It is common knowledge that due to poor soil quality, poor overall diet and other factors that most humans lack the correct amount of minerals. We need minerals to thrive and survive. A lack of minerals can wreak havoc on the body leading to poor health, uncomfortable symptoms, illness and disease within the body. Many researchers have advised that a lack of minerals is at the forefront of human disease. If we don’t have an adequate amount of minerals on board, the systems within us will not function optimally.
There are many popular water filtration systems that seem great on paper for their ability to remove contaminants. Unfortunately, they also remove all minerals and leave the water “dead”. Systems like reverse osmosis are touted for their impeccable test results showing little to no contaminants. But I would never personally use or recommend RO (Reverse Osmosis) technology because it removes the life and health benefits from water. Being that water is one of the main sources we receive minerals from, I opt for filtration systems that keep these nutrients intact.
There aren’t many filtration systems that perform to the level that clearly filtered performs without stripping minerals. There are also many systems that remove the minerals but claim to “add minerals back in”. They do so by means of mineral rocks within their filters. This is not the worst option but it is delivering synthetic mineral sources into the water rather than leaving the original bioavailable minerals from the water and nature itself.
Affinity filtration technology
Clearly filtered uses a very specific and simple type of technology that performs well yet leaves you with incredibly nutritious water. It’s called Affinity Filtration Technology. This technology targets 365+ contaminants and removes them without disturbing the minerals of life of the water. This leaves you with healthy toxicant free water that still delivers the most nutritious minerals from the water as the earth and human nature intended. In fact, it is the ONLY technology that exists to remove such a high number of contaminants without stripping minerals. The filters are tested at independent third party laboratories to confirm this (I will talk more on third party testing and transparency below).
So what is Affinity technology? It has a few components that work together seamlessly to deliver fresh and clean water.
Affinity technology works by blending a dynamic water pathway + a powerful blend of superior filtration materials. These two components join forces to produce the cleanest, safest, and healthiest water possible. The water filters through a pathway that provides twists and turns which has been proven to support most effective filtration. This pathway filters through layers of filtration materials at different levels:
- Level 1: First, the water filters through a mesh lining meant to capture larger particulate matter.
- Level 2: Next, granulated coconut carbon pulls poor taste and odor from the water. Leaving you with pristine fresh and tasty water.
- Level 3: A composite shell captures chemicals, toxins and metals at the end ensuring clean and safe water for your consumption. This stage captures toxins, chemicals and metals from the water.
The proprietary technology that powers our breakthrough water filters is proven to protect you from up to 73x more dangers than typical store-bought filters.
EPA vs. Clearly Filtered Standards + Newly Emerging Contaminants
Clearly Filtered holds the highest standards for filtration. Their technology, as described above, targets 365+ contaminants and 73x more dangers than typical store-bought filters. Clearly filtered also holds MUCH higher water filtration standards than the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency). The EPA’s water quality standards regulate 100 contaminants while clearly filtered regulates 365+ contaminants. Clearly Filtered also tests these contaminants at 3x the legal limit to ensure there is NO contaminants sneaking past the filtration technology.
Clearly Filtered promises to test any newly emerging contaminants against their systems. They will update their testing results as needed on their website when new contaminants are tested.
Complete transparency/testing found on website
More than 320 dangerous contaminants have been found in the U.S. tap water. This number grows each year. Clearly Filtered developed their Affinity technology which is proven to remove up to 99.9% of nearly every tap water contaminant. They are an incredibly transparent company. They publish all of their testing results on their website for you to see.
Clearly Filtered is a very transparent company and they share all of their testing results very clearly on their website. There is no confusing jargon or difficult to read testing results. They have each contaminant and it’s percentage of removal clearly indicated in an easy to read chart.
My Personal Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher Review
I have been using the Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher for a while now and I find them to be one of the best options for water filtration. It is simple, easy to use and very affordable. I have used testing strips to check on the water after filtering and it’s always come up with great results. The water tastes incredible and I feel really good about my Family drinking it.
As mentioned above, I have trialed many different water filtration systems at my own expense. I have also used larger countertop systems but I have always found those to be more difficult to manage. They aren’t horrible but they need thorough cleaning and monitoring to avoid any mold build up inside the larger tanks. These counter top water pitchers are much easier to maintain in my opinion. We have one on our counter top and we even bought a second one to have in our refrigerator. We only had one for the longest time and did just fine with that. You certainly do not need two but we love them so much and bought out of convenience.
The water takes a bit of time to filter. You can’t expect to fill the reservoir and have immediate water. Many don’t like this feature but this is actually a GOOD thing. If you are using a countertop water filtration system of any kind that is filtering immediately, it is not filtering your water to any high standard. 1 full reservoir of water can take up to 30 minutes to fully filter. This is a GOOD thing. Any fast filtering pitchers are not filtering your water as they should be. Please do not mistake speed as a good feature for water filtration. That being said, I don’t notice the time it takes because were very good at refilling the pitcher each time we use it. Because it lives on out counter top, its very easy to top up with water after pouring yourself a glass.
I have been using this pitcher exclusively and love it. I use it for my Family’s drinking water, for adding water to recipes like soups, for adding to the kettle for tea and more. It has become one of the easiest, most effective and affordable water filtration options I have ever used.
This countertop water filter pitcher option is fantastic. I love it more than I thought I would originally. This small but mighty system provides us with pristine drinking water filled with rich natural minerals. I love that the mineral are not stripped because I don’t personally believe in drinking “dead water” from systems like RO or distillers. I also love it more than a different brand we used because that brand DID strip minerals but they added them back in. I was okay with them being added back in but they were added synthetically. I would much rather drink the retained naturally derived minerals from the earth than a synthetic additive. Clearly filtered technology is unmatched for it’s ability to remove the most contaminants while keeping healthy minerals in tact.
Overall I love our Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher. I have become very attached to it and don’t desire a whole home or under sink filtration system as I once had before. It’s affordable and it works. When we do have the means to switch to a larger system, Clearly Filtered offers a more affordable under sink water filtration filtering system. I have yet to use the Under Sink System product but I have heard great things from those who have.
We also have the Water Filter Bottles which are a great convenient option for on the go when you don’t have access to your own filtered water. They’ve also recently launched kids water bottles which I’m very excited about. I often worry about my kids refilling their water bottles at school due to the contaminants that aren’t being filtered properly and the lead counts that are infamous in many school’s drinking water. These bottles have built in filters that will eliminate contaminants in your water bottles once filled. The water bottles are another inexpensive filtration and convenient filtration option. We bring them when we travel, go for walks or hikes, send them to school, bring them to the gym and work, or anytime were on the go. Sometimes it’s smart to keep one in your vehicle for emergencies. Bonus: They’re cute too!
Shipping, Returns + Warranty
Return Policy: Clearly Filtered has a 30 day guarantee return policy. If for whatever reason you are not satisfied with your purchase, you have up to 30 days to contact Clearly Filtered for an exchange or return.
Lifetime Warranty: Clearly Filtered offers a lifetime warranty. They are thorough on checking parts and systems before they leave their warehouse so they don’t anticipate their products to be faulty often but when there are issues you can contact them to begin the warranty process.
You can find more details of these policies on their website.
Shop Clearly Filtered + Discount Code
Clearly Filtered has offered all THV readers an exclusive discount on their website, just shop their website and use discount code: CFPartner for 10% off any new filtration system.
** Note: Clearly Filtered Water Pitchers come with 1 filter included. There is no need to buy one unless you want to stock up on filters when you purchase the pitcher to save on future shipping. You can purchase bundles of the water filter pitcher with extra filters in both 3-pack and 6-pack. **

Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher

Filtered Water Pitcher + Filters (3-pack or 6-pack)

3-Stage Under the Sink Water Filter System

Universal Inline Fridge Filter

32oz Stainless Steel Filtered Water Bottle

20oz Stainless Steel Filtered Water Bottle

16oz Kids Insulated Stainless Steel Filtered Water Bottle

16oz Kids Insulated Stainless Steel Filtered Water Bottle

16oz Kids Insulated Stainless Steel Filtered Water Bottle

16oz Kids Insulated Stainless Steel Filtered Water Bottle

24oz Tritan Filtered Water Bottle BPA free

20oz Glass Filtered Water Bottle

Water Pitcher Replacement Filters

3-Stage Under the Sink Replacement Filters

Water Bottle Replacement Filters
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