Nowadays, the talk of the town is the lead-in-drinking-water crisis. The pollution of drinking water is undoubtedly a serious problem for everyone – no matter where you live, whether it be public housing estates or private residential blocks, this crisis affects everyone in the city. The government said that they would purchase water filters for the residents of several housing estates, but what exactly are these water filtration products? Are they really effective in removing contaminants? And how much do you know about the various kinds of water filtering devices currently available in the market? If you’re planning to buy a home water filter, here’s Moneyhero.com.hk’s personal recommendations on different types of water filters that match your budget, so that you can spend wisely and drink with ease!

Budget Price: Water Filter Pitchers from HK$ 300 – HK$700

Water filter pitchers are one of the cheaper options for water filtering. Before drinking, you have to pour water into the pitcher, then wait about half an hour. A water filter pitcher usually doesn’t cost more than HK$1,000, but the cost of the replacement filters are sometimes higher than the price of the pitcher itself!

For example, the price of a German-made BRITA water filter pitcher ranges from HK$400 to HK$700, but the filter needs to be replaced every 2 months, which costs about HK$90. To put it simply, you have to spend an extra amount of over HK$500 on the upkeep cost every year!

MoneyHero’s recommendations for water filter pitchers

【Cheapest Options】German Pool: Made in China, costs approximately HK$300, and the filter costs about HK$40 per month

BRITA: This German-made pitcher costs around HK$400 – HK$700 and the cost of filter replacement is approximately HK$45 per month.

Mitsubishi: The price of this Japanese-made water pitcher is around HK$500, and the filter costs about HK$40 per month.

Panasonic: Made in Japan, this water pitcher costs around HK$400 and the cost of the filter is approximately HK$50 per month.

Budget Price : Faucet-mounted filters from HK$300 – HK$1,000

Water pitchers might be a bit troublesome for you, as it requires some time before you can actually use the water. Instead, an alternative budget option could be a faucet-mounted filter. The prices vary from HK$300 to HK$1,000. Equipped with a longer life span, the average upkeep cost of a faucet-mounted filter might be even lower than that of the pitchers. However, the cost of the filter cartridge can differ a high amount among various types of faucet-mounted filters. While some may opt for the most expensive option, you should choose one= that suits your specific needs. For example, the costs of filter cartridges for different Panasonic faucet-mounted filters can be 7 times higher. You should also pick the cartridge that best fits your budget.

MoneyHero’s recommendations for faucet-mounted filters

【Recommended Options】Panasonic: This filter is made in Japan and costs about HK$300 to HK$800. The filter cartridge is around HK$8 to HK$56 per month, depending on the specifications.

B&H: This Taiwanese-made filter costs around HK$300, with cartridges that cost HK$17 per month.

Mitsubishi: Made in Japan, The price of this filter ranges from HK$500 to HK$1,000, while the cartridge is approximately HK$120.

Philips: This filter is made in Japan and the price ranges from HK$300 to HK$900. The filter cartridge costs around HK$18 to HK$130, depending on the specifications.

Budget Price: Counter-top filters from HK$800 to $2,500

With standard certifications (NSF Standard 53 certification), counter-top filters are the more expensive options for water filtering models. Other than price range, you should also consider the fact that counter-top filters occupy more space and require special installation by a licensed plumber.

MoneyHero’s recommendations for counter-top filters:

【Affordable Options for certified filters】Doultion is the cheapest NSF53 certified filter out of all the counter-top filters. The price of the filter ranges from around HK$1,200 to HK$2,000, with HK$100 installation fee. This filter is made in the UK and the upkeep cost of the filter cartridge is around HK$40 per month.

B&H: This filter is made in Taiwan, with a selling price of around HK$800. The filter cartridge costs around HK$40 per month.

Mitsubishi: Made in Japan and China, the price range if this filter is from HK$1,200 to HK$2,500. The cartridge costs about HK$50 to HK$70 per month, depending on the specifications.
Philips: Made in Japan, this filter costs around HK$1,000, while the price of the cartridge is approximately HK$45 per month.

Panasonic: The price of this Japanese-made filter is around HK$1,000, while the cartridge costs about HK$8 to HK$70, depending on the specifications.

Budget Price: Under-sink water filters from HK$2,000- HK$6,000

If you don’t mind spending a large amount of money on high quality water, under-sink water filters are probably your best option. Under-sink water filters require installation by a licensed plumber and most of this filter models are equipped with several filters to generate different filtering effects. The replacement of these filters should be one of the main factors to consider when choosing an under-sink water filter. After all, the life span of various types of filter cartridges differs and not all of the filters have an filter replacement indicator.

MoneyHero’s recommendations for under-sink water filters

【Safest Choice】3M: This NSF 53 certified water filter is made in the US/China and costs around HK$5,000 to HK$6,000. The installation fee costs HK$500 and the filter cartridge costs about HK$250 to HK$300 per month.

B&H: Made in Taiwan, this water filter is equipped with 3 filter cartridges. The price of the filter is around HK3,500, while the cartridge costs around HK$100 per month.

Stiebel Eltron: This water filter is made in Korea and equipped with 2 to 4 filter cartridges. The selling price is around HK$2,000, while the installation fee is HK$500. The cartridge costs about HK$90 to HK$180 per month.

Doulton: With NSF 53 Certification, this American-made water filter is equipped with 1 to 2 filter cartridges and costs around HK$2,300 to HK$3,000. The installation fee is around HK$500, while the cartridge costs around HK$40 to HK$110 per month.

Buying water filters may be the right move to keep your family healthy, but buying the right Medical Insurance is even more important. To compare plans and prices, check out Moneyhero’s Medical Insurance comparison platform.

Photo and text by www.moneyhero.com.hk