The Bottom Line
The AquaTru is the best countertop water purifier for families who want reverse-osmosis-level filtration without hiring a plumber. It's not cheap at $449, but at $0.12 per gallon it pays for itself versus bottled water in under a year. If you've looked at your local water quality report and felt that knot in your stomach, this is the product that lets you stop worrying.
What Is It
The AquaTru is a 4-stage countertop reverse osmosis water purification system. It sits on your kitchen counter, plugs into a standard outlet, and purifies regular tap water to a level that's cleaner than most bottled water. No plumber. No under-sink installation. No drilling. You take it out of the box, plug it in, pour tap water into the top tank, press a button, and you're drinking purified water.
The four stages work like this:
- Pre-filter — Catches sediment and larger particles before they reach the membrane
- Carbon filter — Removes chlorine, chloramine, and volatile organic compounds
- Reverse osmosis membrane — The workhorse. Forces water through a semi-permeable membrane at the molecular level, blocking contaminants that other filters miss
- Carbon polishing filter — Final pass to remove any remaining taste or odor
What It Removes
This is where the AquaTru separates itself from basic pitchers and faucet filters. It's NSF/ANSI certified (independently tested by IAPMO) to remove 84 contaminants. Here are the ones that matter most for families:
- 99.9% of PFAS/PFOA (forever chemicals)
- 99.1% of lead
- 99.9% of fluoride
- 97.5% of chlorine
- 99.9% of chromium-6
- Microplastics, pesticides, herbicides, pharmaceuticals
The full list includes 84 contaminants across five NSF/ANSI certification standards. Most pitcher filters are certified under one, maybe two standards. The AquaTru has five. That difference matters.
Certifications
Certifications are the only thing that separates marketing from fact. Anyone can say their filter "removes contaminants." NSF certification means an independent lab actually tested it and verified the claims. Here's what the AquaTru holds:
- NSF 42 — Aesthetic effects (taste, odor, chlorine)
- NSF 53 — Health-related contaminants (lead, cysts, VOCs)
- NSF 58 — Reverse osmosis systems (TDS reduction, fluoride, nitrates)
- NSF 401 — Emerging contaminants (pharmaceuticals, herbicides, pesticides)
- NSF P473 — PFAS/PFOA (forever chemicals)
All testing was performed by IAPMO, an accredited third-party testing laboratory. This is the gold standard. Most competitors can't match this certification stack.
Cost Breakdown
Let's talk real numbers, because $449 sounds like a lot until you do the math.
| Item | Cost | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| AquaTru Unit | $449 | One-time |
| Pre-filter | $35 | Every 6 months |
| VOC Carbon Filter | $35 | Every 12 months |
| RO Membrane | $50 | Every 2 years |
| Annual filter cost | ~$105/year | Ongoing |
| Cost per gallon | ~$0.12 | vs $1.50–$3.00 bottled |
A family of four drinking the recommended amount of water goes through roughly 3 gallons per day. At $0.12 per gallon, that's $131 per year in AquaTru water. The same family buying bottled water at even $1.50 per gallon spends $1,642. That's a savings of roughly $400 to $800 per year depending on what you're comparing against. The AquaTru pays for itself in under 12 months.
What We Like
- No plumbing or installation — literally plug in and pour
- NSF-certified for 84 contaminants, the most thorough certification stack in its class
- Reverse osmosis is the gold standard filtration technology
- Countertop design means renters can use it too
- BPA-free tank
- Fast filtration — about 12 minutes per tank
- $0.12 per gallon makes it cheaper than any bottled water
- 15,000+ Amazon reviews with 4.5-star average
What Could Be Better
- $449 upfront is real money (Clearly Filtered pitcher is $90 if budget is tight)
- Removes beneficial minerals (calcium, magnesium) along with contaminants
- Countertop footprint: 14" x 14" x 14" — not tiny
- Tank holds about 1 gallon — large families may want the AquaTru Carafe ($549) for larger capacity
- Wastewater: produces about 25% waste water (better than under-sink RO which wastes 75%+)
How It Compares
I've tested or researched every major water filter on the market. Here's how the AquaTru stacks up.
AquaTru vs Brita
Brita does NOT remove PFAS, lead, fluoride, or microplastics. A Brita filter improves taste and reduces chlorine — that's about it. If you're concerned about actual health contaminants (and you should be), a Brita is not a real solution. Not even close.
AquaTru vs Berkey
Berkey was ordered by the EPA to stop selling in December 2023 due to unsubstantiated filtration claims and lack of NSF certification. Berkey marketed itself as removing contaminants it was never independently verified to remove. The AquaTru has the NSF certifications Berkey never got. Read the full Berkey review here.
AquaTru vs Clearly Filtered Pitcher
Clearly Filtered claims to remove 365+ contaminants and costs only $90, making it the best budget alternative. But it's gravity-fed (slow), and filters need replacing every 100 gallons versus AquaTru's 600 gallons. If you can afford the AquaTru, it's the better long-term investment. If not, Clearly Filtered is a solid interim solution.
AquaTru vs Under-Sink RO
Under-sink reverse osmosis systems require plumbing installation, which typically costs $200 to $500 for a plumber. They also waste 75% or more of the water they process. The AquaTru delivers the same RO technology with zero installation and only 25% waste water. The trade-off is capacity — under-sink systems provide unlimited on-demand RO water. For most families, the AquaTru's convenience wins.
Who Should Buy It
Buy the AquaTru if...
- You have children at home — lead and PFAS exposure is most dangerous for developing brains
- Your water quality report shows violations (check yours at thoughtfulmom.com/tools/water-quality)
- You're a renter who can't modify plumbing
- You're currently buying bottled water — you'll save money within a year
Skip the AquaTru if...
- $449 is too much right now — get the Clearly Filtered pitcher ($90) as a solid interim solution
- You own your home and want a permanent solution — an under-sink system like Aquasana may be better long-term
- You're on well water — get a water test first (Tap Score kit), you may need specialized filtration
My Verdict: 9.2 out of 10
The AquaTru is what I use for my family. Every day. It's the easiest way to guarantee your kids aren't drinking lead, PFAS, or microplastics. The price stings once, but $0.12 per gallon of reverse-osmosis-pure water is a no-brainer when you know what's in the alternative.
I bought mine after I ran our ZIP code through the EPA's water quality database and found three violations I didn't know about. That was enough for me. If you haven't checked your water yet, start there. Then come back and decide.
$449 and my kids never drink lead again. Easy decision.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, for most families. At $449 upfront and roughly $0.12 per gallon of purified water, the AquaTru pays for itself within a year if you're currently buying bottled water. It's NSF-certified to remove 84 contaminants including PFAS, lead, fluoride, and microplastics — certifications most competitors can't match. If $449 is too steep right now, the Clearly Filtered pitcher ($90) is a solid interim option.
The AquaTru has three replaceable filters on different schedules: the pre-filter needs replacing every 6 months ($35), the VOC carbon filter every 12 months ($35), and the reverse osmosis membrane every 2 years ($50). Total annual filter cost is approximately $105 per year.
Yes. The AquaTru is NSF/ANSI 58 certified and removes 99.9% of fluoride from tap water. This is because it uses reverse osmosis technology, which forces water through a semi-permeable membrane that blocks fluoride molecules along with other dissolved solids.
The AquaTru is the better choice. In December 2023, the EPA ordered Berkey to stop selling its filters due to unsubstantiated filtration claims and lack of NSF certification. The AquaTru holds NSF/ANSI certifications 42, 53, 58, 401, and P473 — independently verified by IAPMO. Berkey never obtained these certifications. The AquaTru also uses reverse osmosis technology, which is a more thorough filtration method than the gravity-fed carbon filtration used by Berkey.