AquaTru vs Clearly Filtered (2026): Which Water Filter Should You Buy?
One is a certified countertop reverse-osmosis system, the other a lab-tested carbon pitcher that keeps your minerals. Here is how AquaTru and Clearly Filtered compare on removal, cost, and taste, and which is right for you.
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AquaTru and Clearly Filtered are two of the most-recommended filters for people who want more than chlorine taste taken out, and they solve the problem in opposite ways. AquaTru is a certified countertop reverse-osmosis system; Clearly Filtered is a lab-tested carbon pitcher that keeps your minerals. Here is how they compare, and who each one is for.
Certified means independently certified as a system: AquaTru is IAPMO-certified to NSF/ANSI 42, 53, 58, and 401. Tested means third-party lab-tested to NSF/ANSI 53 methods by an ISO 17025 lab but not certified as a system: Clearly Filtered’s pitcher is NSF-certified to 42 and 372 only, and its fluoride, PFAS, and lead results (each above 99%, arsenic about 98%) are tested, not certified. Prices are typical street values and vary by retailer.
AquaTru is the pick when you want proof, not promises. It is a four-stage reverse-osmosis system that is independently IAPMO-certified to NSF/ANSI 42, 53, 58, and 401, so its reduction of lead, PFAS, fluoride, arsenic, and 80-plus other contaminants is verified by a third party rather than only claimed. Running cost is the lowest here at roughly $0.15 a gallon, the pumped flow is faster than any pitcher, and it needs no plumbing, so renters can use it. The trade-offs are physical: it takes real counter space, reverse osmosis strips minerals so the water can taste flat, and it costs about $449 up front.
“The one to buy if you want certified, near-complete removal, fluoride included, without calling a plumber.”
Pros
IAPMO-certified to NSF/ANSI 42, 53, 58, 401: lead, PFAS, fluoride, arsenic, and 80+ more
Lowest running cost here (~$0.15/gal; filters ~$100 to $120 a year)
Fast pumped flow; no plumbing, so renters can use it
Cons
Large countertop footprint; needs a power outlet
Reverse osmosis removes minerals, so water can taste flat
Highest upfront price (~$449), and RO produces some waste water
Clearly Filtered is the pick when you want broad removal from something as simple as a pitcher, and you would rather keep your minerals. Its Affinity media is third-party lab-tested to NSF/ANSI 53 methods for an unusually wide list, including fluoride (over 99%), PFAS (over 99%), and lead (99.3%), and because it is not reverse osmosis it leaves beneficial minerals in, so the water does not taste flat. The honest catch is certification: as a system it is NSF-certified only to Standard 42 (taste and odor) and 372 (lead-free materials), so those health-claim numbers are tested rather than certified. It is also slow to pour, over 20 minutes for a full pitcher, and pricier to run at about $0.55 a gallon.
“The pick if you want fluoride and PFAS handled by a simple pitcher that still tastes like water, not reverse osmosis.”
Pros
Lab-tested to NSF 53 methods for a very broad list (fluoride, PFAS, lead all 99%+)
Keeps beneficial minerals, so no flat reverse-osmosis taste
No install, no electricity; lowest entry price (~$99)
Cons
System-certified only to NSF 42 and 372; health claims are tested, not certified
Slow pour: over 20 minutes for a full pitcher
Higher running cost (~$0.55/gal, ~$165 a year); 10-cup capacity
Both filters here are scored the same way, against sources you can check: NSF/ANSI certifications, third-party lab testing, manufacturer data, and verified owner feedback. We do not accept payment for placement, and a higher price never buys a higher rank. Read the full methodology.
STEP 01
Gather the evidence
Certifications, lab tests, manufacturer data.
STEP 02
Score each category
Reduction, taste, filter life, cost per gallon.
STEP 03
Weigh what owners report
Recurring strengths and complaints from real use.
STEP 04
Keep it current
Revisited as new data and certifications appear.
AquaTru vs Clearly Filtered: common questions
AquaTru or Clearly Filtered: which should I buy?
Buy the AquaTru if you want the most thorough, independently certified removal and the lowest cost per gallon, and you have the counter space. Choose the Clearly Filtered Pitcher if you want broad removal, fluoride and PFAS included, from a simple no-install pitcher, you would rather keep your minerals, or you want the lower upfront price. Both handle far more than an ordinary pitcher; the split is a certified reverse-osmosis appliance versus a tested carbon pitcher. For a bigger household, the same certified filtration comes in the larger AquaTru Classic, and Clearly Filtered also makes a plumbed-in under-sink version.
Do both really remove fluoride?
Yes, which is unusual. Most carbon filters and ordinary pitchers do not touch fluoride at all. AquaTru is certified to reduce it through reverse osmosis, and Clearly Filtered is lab-tested at over 99% to NSF/ANSI 53 methods. See our fluoride guide for how the filter types compare.
Does AquaTru remove healthy minerals too?
Yes. Reverse osmosis strips almost everything, including calcium and magnesium, so the water is very pure but can taste flat, and some owners remineralize it with drops or a pinch of mineral salt. Clearly Filtered’s carbon media leaves those minerals in, which is one reason its water tastes less empty straight from the pitcher.
“Tested” vs “certified”: does the difference matter?
It matters for how much independent proof stands behind a claim. AquaTru’s system is certified by IAPMO to NSF/ANSI standards, meaning a third party verified and continues to audit its performance. Clearly Filtered’s health-claim numbers are lab-tested to the same NSF methods by an accredited (ISO 17025) lab, but the pitcher itself is certified only to NSF 42 and 372, so those results are credible yet not third-party-certified as a system. Neither is dishonest; certification is simply the higher bar.