Filter Jugs Versus Drinking Water Filter Systems

As more consumers become environmentally conscious, many are looking for sustainable alternatives to bottled water and ways to improve the quality of their tap water. The most popular solutions are water filter jugs, closely followed by under-sink drinking water filtration systems.

In the UK it is estimated that 30% of households use filter jugs instead of bottled or tap water. While tap water is treated to be safe for consumption, it can still contain impurities such as chlorine, heavy metals and microplastics. Filtering your drinking water can improve its taste and remove many of these unwanted elements. While filter jugs offer a simple and affordable option, how do they compare to a dedicated drinking water filter system? Let’s explore the differences.

What Is A Drinking Water Filter System?

A drinking water filter system typically consists of multiple filtration stages designed to improve water quality. Installed under your sink, these systems provide filtered water directly from your existing kitchen tap or a dedicated mini-tap. The two most common filtration stages include a sediment filter, which captures unwanted particles such as dirt and rust. Followed by a carbon filter which removes chlorine, discolouration, odours and other organic compounds. Together, these filters enhance the taste, odour and clarity of your drinking water, offering a more effective solution than basic filter jugs.

How Do They Compare?

Performance
Both filter jugs and under-sink drinking water filter systems tend to use the same technologies to treat your water – Carbon treatment being the most popular as by removing taste and odour caused by Chlorine you can enjoy bottle quality drinking water. An under-sink system utilises much larger filter cartridges when compared to a filter jug, allowing for a larger capacity and as such, filter changes are required less often and flow rates through the system is greater. Under-sink systems can be customised by adding more stages, giving the user more control over how they want their water filtered and treated.

Practicality
When it comes to practicality, both options have their own merits. Filter jugs for example, are portable and do not require any kind of installation, where as drinking water systems require plumbing into the mains water feed under your sink. Although this might sound like a more complex option, once installed you have the benefit of a reduced number of filter changes (every 6-12 months instead of every 30 days) and you aren’t restricted to the capacity of the filter jug itself (which usually hold approximately 1-2 litres).

The Environment
Both filter jugs and under-sink systems are a huge improvement compared to buying bottled water. Filter jugs require more frequent filter changes, with the used filter cartridge needing replacement after around 30 days of use. Drinking water filtration systems on the other hand are designed to offer increased capacity, meaning filters only need to be replaced every 6-12 months depending on usage – so means less expended cartridges going to landfill.

Cost
The cost of filter jugs can vary, with market-leading brands priced anywhere from £15 to £50+ depending on their capacity and features. Comparing this to a filtration system like our 1 Stage Drinking Water System which costs £50 it does make them a great entry-level solution to improving water quality, but where things start to get really interesting is when considering the ongoing maintenance costs.

You can see from the comparison table above that customers can save up to 60% on running costs by opting for a 1 stage system, or 47% for a 2 Stage Drinking Water System. However, it’s important to note that these cost savings don’t include the cost of installation. The cost for installation can vary but is usually charged at 1-2 hours of your local plumber rate, so should be considered if looking for the cheapest option in the short term.

Which Option Is Best?

Which option is best really comes down to a few key points including your budget, existing water quality and preference. For most customers filter jugs are an excellent entry-level option to make their drinking water more palatable, but others may prefer something a bit more robust that can be plumbed in to their tap. Locations that are highly populated or have regular remedial works will often suffer from an increase in water sediment, which a filter jug will struggle to remove.