Charcoal, or carbon, filters are widely used because they are small, portable and very inexpensive.
Charcoal water filters can be installed under the sink or on the faucet.
You can even buy charcoal water filter pitchers.
This type of water filter is effective at filtering out some bacteria along with chlorine.
The amount of impurities filtered will depend upon the micron size of the filter.
The carbon can also be treated with nano-silver which improves its filtering performance.
KDF media can be added which creates zinc oxide within the cartridge which helps to kill bacteria and prolong the life of the filter.
The only drawback is that these filters work by trapping and holding onto contaminants and this makes them susceptible to growing mold.
The filter should be changed every few months to prevent this.
Distillers are not very common water filters for home use.
They are effective at removing contaminants and minerals but many people think it is better for the body if water contains at least some beneficial minerals rather than drinking distilled water where the minerals have been stripped out.
Still others believe that distilled water is the purest water and best for your body.
If you want to distill water at home, you can purchase a counter top water distiller that is able to produce about a gallon of distilled water each day.
The big disadvantage to distillers is that they are expensive.
Reverse osmosis water filters are popular water filters to use in the home.
These are usually installed under your kitchen sink to purify your drinking water.
These filters remove solids like minerals, sand and rust.
These are commonly built together with carbon filters so they can also remove chlorine and bacteria.
Reverse osmosis filters are somewhat expensive but they are highly effective water filters.
Water filters also come in a variety of sizes.
You can choose between a simple pitcher water filter, a faucet filter, an under-the-sink filter and a whole house filter.
These range from inexpensive to very expensive.
A pitcher filter is handy because it is so inexpensive.
These are usually made with a charcoal filter that hangs into a pitcher of water.
These are great for storing in the refrigerator so you always have fresh filtered water to drink.
These are ideal if all you need is filtered water for drinking.
If you want to make sure the water you use for cooking and drinking is filtered, then a faucet filter or under-the-sink filter would work well.
All water that comes from that one faucet will be filtered and considered safe to use in cooking and for drinking.
If you have several faucets you want filtered as well as a shower, you may need to get a whole house water filter.
These attach onto your water mainline so all of the water in your home is filtered and safe to use at the tap.