Choosing the right water filter can feel overwhelming. With dozens of technologies on the market — reverse osmosis, activated carbon, UV, ceramic, ion exchange — how do you know which one fits your needs? This guide compares the two most popular home water filtration methods: reverse osmosis (RO) and activated carbon filters.
Reverse osmosis forces water through a semi-permeable membrane with pores as small as 0.0001 microns. This removes up to 99% of dissolved contaminants, including:
- Heavy metals (lead, mercury, arsenic)
- Nitrates and fluoride