If you are looking for a way to improve the quality and taste of your tap water, you might be wondering whether to choose a faucet filter or a filtering pitcher. Both options have their pros and cons, and the best one for you depends on your needs, preferences and budget. In previous articles, we examined various filtering pitchers and tap filters. We have came to the conclusion that they are quite effective in water purification in the home / SOHO environment. Here are some pros and cons of using a water filter on the faucet versus using a filtering pitcher.
This guide helps home users choose the right replacement cartridge for a water filter jug. We compare Aquaphor A5, A5 Mg, Maxfor+, Maxfor+ H and compatible oval-fit cartridges, with practical advice for drinking water, tea, coffee, cooking and hard-water areas.
Which filter jug cartridge should you choose for your home?
If you already have a water filter jug, the most important choice is not the jug itself but the replacement cartridge. The right cartridge improves the taste and smell of tap water, helps reduce common impurities and can also help with limescale or magnesium enrichment, depending on the model.
Your jug type / home need
Recommended cartridge
Best for
Aquaphor round-fit jugs such as Provence, Prestige, Atlant, Smile and compatible models
Reducing limescale taste and protecting kettles and coffee machines
Tip: if your old cartridge was Aquaphor B5, choose the newer Aquaphor A5 or Aquaphor A5 Mg for compatible round-fit jugs.
In previous articles, we discussed why drinking water from the tap is often filtered at home and what characteristics to consider when choosing a water filter jug. Now we will focus on the part that does the real work: the replacement cartridge.
The article discusses the characteristics and selection criteria of a filtering jug (pitcher) for the home, the similarities, and differences of different pitchers.
In a previous article, we examined various devices and systems for treating drinking water. The question that was also considered there – why is it necessary to purify “drinking” water from the tap. We made sure that such water, without additional filtration, may be quite safe, but rarely has characteristics suitable for direct consumption, as well as for the preparation of culinary dishes and drinks.
Now we will dwell on the review of the most simple and popular device for purifying drinking water – a filtering jug. As a rule, a filtering jug has a low price (from 17 to 25 euros for a product of good quality, without unnecessary “bells and whistles”). At the same time, it does not need to be connected and installed, you can quickly start using it, it is easy to find replaceable modules, and it is easy to take with you on a trip.
The article discusses the main ways of filtering drinking water at home: a filtering jug, flow filter, and reverse osmosis installation. Photos and technical details courtesy of Aquaphor.
In most developed countries, there are standards for drinking water supplied to residential buildings. However, water quality control is usually carried out at the exit from a centralized filtration system. And then the water goes a long way until it reaches the tap in your kitchen. This path runs through many kilometers of pipes, most often laid many years ago. Some of these pipes are iron, hence a metallic taste, rust, and other oxides appear in the water. Copper pipelines are also found in homes – they themselves are durable, but oxidized copper is also not good for the body.
Lead and heavy metals
Iron rust
Hard water
In addition, dirt accumulates in any pipes (including modern polymer pipes). Where does it come from? In case of accidents and damage to pipes underground, the soil erodes, and together with water it enters the pipe and spreads throughout the entire branched system. When repairing a damaged pipe, of course, it is replaced, but it is no longer possible to flush the entire system perfectly. Imagine how much sediment settles in pipes in 10 or 20 years! This dirt is the habitat of various bacteria and other microorganisms. If the water is chlorinated, this inhibits their development, but chlorine and chlorides in themselves are harmful substances.
Even if the water in the tap meets basic hygiene standards, its appearance, smell and taste may be far from ideal. In particular, the calcium content may not exceed the norm, but it can leave white marks on dishes, precipitate when boiling, create scale and spoil your household electrical appliances. In addition, excessively hard water negatively affects the life of the body, as it causes a violation of the acid-base balance in physiological fluids.
