Odor and taste filters are specifically designed to remove water contaminants that change the palatability of your water and give it an offensive odor and taste. Carbon filters are the best choice when you want to remove odor and taste from your drinking water. These filters are usually carbon-based, meaning they are designed using different blends of activated fiber.
We have reviewed a variety of carbon-based filters for you to pick from. Whether you prefer a pitcher, faucet or a good old water bottle to carry around, we have you covered. Every product mentioned in this post is very high quality and will give you excellent odor and taste removal results.
Product Comparison Table
| Product Name | Best Feature | |
| GRAYL Ultralight water purifier | Easy to be filled by pressing | |
| Brita Metro Pitcher | Electronic filter indicator | |
| Brita Everyday Pitcher | BPA free | |
| Waterdrop Water Faucet Filtration System | Advanced double outlet design | |
| Brita UltraMax Filtering Dispenser | 18 cup capacity |
Best Water Filter to Improve Taste
GRAYL Ultralight Water Purifier
You can use this water filter at home or travel with it to filter bad-tasting tap water. When you’re on a hike and must drink from an insecure source, this water bottle filter will come in handy.
In its layout, the GRAYL is simple, meaning fewer pieces to split or lose.
There is a translucent exterior acrylic shell with a line defining the maximum point of filling and a black inner layer sliding inside. The cap clips on the inside shell’s rim, and the top has a regular screw-top lid. If you are so inclined, you can add a carabiner or cord to the cover.
Highlights
- One press design
- Two layers of ceramic fiber
- Activated carbon-based
- Ideal for global traveling
- Fast and easy to use
- Removes 99.9% of pathogens
- Does not have a flip-top sipper
- Hard to dry
Brita Metro Pitcher
That makes this an ideal choice for a single person. Small families can also enjoy this pitcher filter, they just have to refill a few times every day.
Since the Brita Metro Pitcher is small it can fit almost anywhere. You won’t have to give up much space if you place this in a small room. Some customers even prefer to store it in their refrigerators and drink cool water.
This water pitcher filter will last longer if it is not refilled very often. Its lifespan depletes with each refill. The pitcher has a convenient display that counts the number of pours to alert you once the filter has to be adjusted.
Highlights
- 2-liter capacity can pour 5 cups
- Electronic filter indicator
- Slim and compact design
- BPA free
- Improved filter fit
- Heavy for a small pitcher
- The lid is the weakest spot
Brita Everyday Pitcher
It is super easy to use as the design supports easy pouring and refilling. The pitcher can comfortably fit into your fridge compartments if you don’t have countertop space for it.
Apart from reducing chlorine taste and odor, this BPA-free filter also removes copper, mercury, copper, cadmium and many other contaminants.
A single filter in this pitcher can purify up to 40 gallons of water before it needs to be changed. There is a helpful status indicator that will alert you when the filter is due for a change.
Using this water filter in your household is an environmentally friendly option that also saves you money. Each Brita water filter can replace 300 standard 16 Oz water bottles, saving you money and reducing plastic waste.
Highlights
- 10-liter capacity
- Easy maintenance and filter change
- BPA free
- Wallet-friendly price
- Large capacity
- No flap covering the spout
- Hollow handle fills with water
Waterdrop Water Faucet Filtration System
The device will effectively remove many pollutants such as chlorine, TDS, limescale, and heavy metals in your tap water using reverse osmosis filtration technology with a filtration efficiency of 0.0001um.
It is the first intelligent RO system on the U.S. market with composite filters and tank-less design.
The three filters go through seven levels of filtration to give the best results. The pre-sediment and carbon block filter is a 3-in-1 filter that acts as a hybrid of three filters.
The activated carbon block filter also uses high-precision activated carbon granules made from natural coconut shell. This returns valuable minerals into the water to enhance the taste.
Highlights
- Strong ACF barrier against impurities
- Works well with many faucet aerator sizes
- Long filter life (320 gallons)
- Stainless steel faucet
- Allows you to save a ton of space
- Can be attached to a fridge
- Needs a drain when hooked to a fridge
- Does not alkalinize water
- The faucet comes in only one color
- The system cannot be installed sideways
Brita UltraMax Filtering Dispenser
The standard Brita filter eliminates chlorine impurities which cause bad odor and taste. It also filters out copper, mercury, zinc, and cadmium present in tap water.
The water dispenser sticker monitor allows you to keep track of how much longer your water filter can work before it needs to be changed.
The filter has a spigot that makes it easy to pour out the water. The rubber spout might not look like much, but it is durable and acts like a charm.
Highlights
- 3-gallon capacity
- Sticker filter indicator
- BPA free
- Easy refill lid
- Filter change reminder is very useful
- Large capacity
- The rubber seal around the spout may leak
Reasons For Bad Odor And Taste In Water
Whether you’re brushing cooking or drinking water, you will be affected if you have smelly bad tasting water. Recognizing the cause of the problem can help you find the right filtration method and water purifier to solve the issue.
- Bitter taste: Total Dissolved Solids or TSD’s are the most common cause of bitter-tasting water. Old copper piping can also cause your tap water to taste bitter. A ceramic filter will do a fine job of restoring the taste of your water if it has this problem.
- Rotten egg smell: the presence of hydrogen sulfide might leave your water smelling like sulfur or like rotten eggs, especially when you use hot water. Use a ceramic filter to eliminate this horrible smell from your water.
- Dirty taste: well water can have an earthy taste. Untreated algae in water also produce similar results. A ceramic or reverse osmosis filter is ideal to eliminate this taste.
- Chemical or chlorine taste: most people that complain of strange tasting water usually have too much chlorine in their water. Severe chlorine treatment is not harmful to your health, but it will change the taste of your water. The best kind of filter for this issue is the carbon water filter.
Things to Look Out for in A Water Filter
Water filters are easy to find but choosing the right product for your needs isn’t always an easy task. There is an alarming amount of chemistry and physics that goes into the manufacturing of water filters. Even though you don’t need to get a Ph.D. before making the right choice, you have to at least understand the basics so you don’t end up with the wrong filter. Look out for the following characteristics so you can evaluate different water filters based on need before making a choice.
- Filtration Rate: consider the daily filtration level of any water purifier you are considering. The product’s total filtration speed is the amount of filtered water it can produce daily. If the daily water consumption of your household is higher than your filter’s total gallon output per day, that filter isn’t right for you.
- Removal of contamination: the main reason for installing a water filtration system is to get rid of the contaminants in tap water and get safe water. Water coming to your household may contain some impurities that may have serious health effects. The impurities one house deals with may not be the same with another, so you have to determine which contaminant you plan to deal with and buy a filter that can handle your problem.
- Improving water quality: getting a filter that works well to remove contaminants is good, but a filter that can also improve the taste and quality of your water is even better. Some filters are designed to carry out several steps of water purification. One of the steps usually involves returning healthy minerals that were filtered earlier to make the water healthier and taste richer. Some filters also improve the quality of your water by balancing pH levels.
- Easy maintenance: like every other product/machine, water filters need periodic maintenance and cleaning to keep functioning at high capacity. Whether it is replacing filter cartridges or deep cleaning pitchers, you must factor in maintenance. Go for an easy filter that is simple to maintain and has fewer upkeep steps. Another way to avoid laborious maintenance is to select a product that is designed to work for long periods without needing changes or cleaning.
- Installation and operation costs: you should have a budget when looking to purchase a water filter but remember there may be installation costs. Apart from the initial installation cost, operation and maintenance costs will also have to be paid periodically. The amount of energy your filter requires to operate at full capacity will count as operation cost and the extra parts or professional care you have to buy is the maintenance cost. Some filters seem costly when you buy them for the first time, but in the long run, they may be cheaper. A good option for cutting these costs is a zero installation, low maintenance water purification system.
Final Verdict
We can live without eating for days but we can’t live without water. Every living thing requires water to survive; humans, animals and plants alike. Unlike other life sources, human beings must consume clean water to maintain good health. Not all sources of drinking water are pure enough for consumption.
We often need water filters to sterilize drinking water and rid it of unhealthy substances and pathogens before consumption. Apart from causing diseases, different types of bacteria, viruses and metal contaminants can cause drinking water to smell bad and taste bad. You can easily deal with this particular problem by purchasing one of the water filters we have discussed in this post or similar brands in the market.
You can avoid drinking your tap water if it tastes bad and opt for bottled water instead but the cost implications can be immense. More sophisticated types of water filtration systems including whole-house purifiers, reverse osmosis filters, and ultraviolet sterilizing systems are also very effective.
These filters will do more than correct the taste and smell of your water, they can eliminate up to 99.99% of pathogens too. This option is also costly and unnecessary if all you need filtration for is taste removal.
A pitcher filter or water faucet filter will be the ideal, cost-effective choice. The products mentioned in this post are some of the best in the market. Before you make a final purchase, make sure to evaluate your specific needs and get a filter to match them. Share this post with a friend or neighbor that might be struggling with bad tasting water.
Meet Nigel Pearson, a water filter enthusiast with a background in molecular biology. He’s all about making sure we have safe drinking water, and he’s got a bunch of interests that tie into it – think science, technology, plants, and genetics.
Imagine someone who loves learning how living things work on a tiny level – that’s Nigel. He’s studied how genes and molecules come together to make life happen. But what really caught his attention is how living things adapt to their surroundings.
Nigel didn’t stop at just learning about this stuff – he decided to use his smarts to help solve a big problem: how to get clean drinking water for everyone. He writes cool blog posts that explain tricky science things in simple words. You’ll get to read about stuff like how plants can help clean water, or how new inventions are changing the way we purify water.
But it’s not just about science and tech for Nigel. He truly cares about people and their need for safe water. Every blog post he writes shows how much he wants to make a difference. By sharing his knowledge, she wants to get more people thinking and caring about clean drinking water.