These are the best whole house water filters for fluoride removal based on: fluoride reduction, other contaminant removal abilities, flow rate, and up-front & long-term costs.
USWS Defender Whole House RO System
Crystal Quest Fluoride Whole House Water Filter
Crystal Quest Big Blue Whole House Water Filter
📌 Things You Need to Know
- Removing fluoride is tricky, and most whole house water filters don’t offer this benefit.
- The majority of review sites don’t look specifically at the best whole house fluoride filters. Their top recommended whole house filtration systems most likely don’t have the ability to reduce fluoride.
- We’ve reduced your research time by hours by doing the hard work for you: sourcing, comparing, and reviewing the best whole house fluoride filters available today.
- Before making a purchase, you should know your budget, your water quality & fluoride content, preferences for testing and/or NSF certifications, your water usage, and your ideal system flow rate.
- Warranties, installation, and maintenance requirements are also important to consider.
Table of Contents
- 🥇 Best Fluoride Removal Whole House Water Filters
- 📊 Comparison Chart of Whole House Water Filter Systems For Fluoride Removal
- ⭐ Whole House Water Filter Systems For Fluoride Removal Reviews 2023
- 🧾 Whole House Water Filter For Fluoride Removal Buyer’s Guide
- 🔎 What Is Fluoride & What’s Wrong With It?
- 🤔 What Is a Whole House Fluoride Removal Filter?
- 📖 Types of Whole House Filters That Can Remove Fluoride
- 👍 Benefits Of Whole House Fluoride Removal Water Filter Systems
- 📝 What to Consider When Buying the Best Whole Home Fluoride Reduction Water Filter
- ❔ Frequently Asked Questions
🥇 Best Fluoride Removal Whole House Water Filters
- Best Overall: US Water Systems Defender Whole House RO System
- Top Tank Based System: Crystal Quest Fluoride Whole House Water Filter
- Budget Pick: Crystal Quest Big Blue Whole House Water Filter
- Great Tankless RO: iSpring CRO1000
- Runner Up Tank Based: USWS BodyGuard Fluoride Removal Filter
- Alternate RO Pick: Crystal Quest Whole House Reverse Osmosis System
📊 Comparison Chart of Whole House Water Filter Systems For Fluoride Removal
| Product |  US Water Systems Defender |  Crystal Quest Fluoride Filter |  Crystal Quest Big Blue |  iSpring CRO1000 |  USWS BodyGuard |  Crystal Quest Whole House RO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ranking | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th |
| Ratings | 5/5 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 |
| Price | $8,595+ | $1,665+ | $524.16+ | $1,399.99 | $1,465.50+ | $2,227+ |
| F Reduction Rate | Up to 99.9% | Up to 98% | Up to 98% | Up to 99% | Up to 98% | Up to 95% |
| Contaminants Removed | 1000+ | 50+ | 39+ | 1000+ | 10+ | 1000+ |
| Flow Rate | 20 GPM | 9-11, 10-13 GPM | 4-6 GPM | 1,000 GPD | 10, 15, 20, or 25 GPM | Up to 7,000 GPD |
| Process | Reverse Osmosis | Bone Char Carbon | Bone Char Carbon | Reverse Osmosis | Bone Char Carbon | Reverse Osmosis |
| Filter Capacity | varies | 750,000 or 1,000,000 gallons | 160,000 gallons | varies | 400,000 gallons | varies |
| Annual Cost | ~$170 | ~$190 | ~$350 | ~$284 | ~$183 | ~$110 |
| Warranty | 10 years | 1 year | 1 year | 1 year | Lifetime (tank & head assembly), 3 years (media) | 1 year |
⭐ Whole House Water Filter Systems For Fluoride Removal Reviews 2023
US Water Systems Defender Whole House RO System
In our opinion, the US Water Systems Defender Whole House RO System is the best overall whole house fluoride water filtration system AND the best whole home RO fluoride filter on this list. Why do we put this system in our #1 spot? Because it’s superior to all other whole-house filtration systems when it comes to contaminant removal, rejecting up to 99.9% TDS (total dissolved solids), including fluoride.
A few other things we love about the Defender are its 80% efficiency rating (which is one of the best ever ratings we’ve seen for an RO system), its customizable add-ons and features, and its durable, stainless steel components.
Key Features:
- 99.9% TDS removal – The US Water Systems Defender Whole House RO System is your best protection against fluoride and all other dissolved solids in water, reducing up to 99.9% TDS.
- Thorough RO water treatment – This system has a standard RO unit design with a few extra stages, featuring a 5-micron sediment pre-filter (lasting 6-12 months), a coconut shell granular and activated carbon filter (lasting 5 years), a remineralization and pH neutralization stage, an RO semi-permeable membrane, and a UV disinfection stage.
- 5:1 efficiency rating – Unfortunately, all reverse osmosis systems waste water, but the Defender has one of the best efficiency ratings we’ve seen, wasting just 1 gallon of water for every 5 gallons of purified water produced.
| USWS Defender Options | Price (140 Gallons) | Price (250 Gallons) |
|---|---|---|
| 2,000 GPD | $8,595 | $8,895 |
| 4,000 GPD | $9,195 | $9,495 |
| 6,000 GPD | $9,795 | $10,095 |
| 8,000 GPD | $10,395 | $10,695 |
Best For:
Folks with big budgets looking for the very best fluoride water filtration system who are keen to enjoy the purified water benefits of whole home RO.
Pros:
- We love how easy US Water Systems makes it to customize the Defender to your needs. You can choose between various options for storage tank size, pre-treatment, RO options, and water production rate.
- And speaking of water production rate, as long as you choose the right system flow for your home, you shouldn’t notice a drop in pressure. There are three GPD capacities to choose between: 2,000 GPD, 4,000 GPD, 6,000 GPD, and 8,000 GPD, delivering up to 20 GPM of water through your home (the average home needs a whole house flow rate of 6-12 GPM).
- If durability is your priority, you’ll be impressed with this system’s solid build. It’s easy to see why it’s suitable for both residential and commercial use – the parts are mostly stainless steel, NSF certified, and backed by a 10-year warranty.
| Pretreatment Upgrades | Price | Uses |
|---|---|---|
| Bodyguard Plus | $1,300 | Chemical removal |
| Anti-Scalant Injection | $600 | Scale prevention |
| Bodyguard Plus & Anti-Scalant | $1,900 | Chemical removal and scale prevention |
Cons:
- Unfortunately, like all of the best whole home RO systems, the Defender is too expensive for most budgets. Plus, you’ll need to spend extra on pre-treatment recommended by the manufacturer to protect the system.
- Although the defender’s components are all NSF certified, the system doesn’t appear to hold any NSF certifications for its RO performance, and US Water Systems doesn’t share any of its test results online.
Crystal Quest Fluoride Whole House Water Filter
The Crystal Quest Fluoride Whole House Water Filter takes first place as our top tank-based non-RO whole house system for fluoride reduction. This system ticks all of our boxes with its high-capacity, bacteriostatic activated charcoal fluoride reduction media, included pre- and post-filtration, and its affordable upfront cost of around $1,500.
Key Features:
- Reduces fluoride, lead, arsenic, and more – The Crystal Quest Fluoride Whole House Water Filter removes fluoride, lead, arsenic, volatile organic compounds, sediment, pesticides, and industrial solvents. You can pair the system with the Crystal Quest SMART Water Filter to remove all the contaminants that are probably on your “most concern” list, including heavy metals, herbicides, chlorine, chloramine, pharmaceuticals, and more.
- Three-stage water treatment – There are three stages of filtration involved in this system: a sediment pre-filter, a fluoride removal media (made from activated charcoal), and a solid carbon cartridge.
- Adsorption and chemical reaction filtration – The activated bone char carbon media is different from standard activated carbon in that it has both hydroxyapatite lattice surface area and carbon surface area, improving its adsorptive abilities and efficiency.
| Crystal Quest Fluoride Filter Configurations | Price (Fiberglass w/ 1.5 cu ft resin) | Price (Fiberglass w/ 2.0 cu ft resin) | Price (Stainless Steel w/ 1.5 cu ft resin) | Price (Stainless Steel w/ 2.0 cu ft resin) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standalone | $1,665 | $2,083 | $2,243 | $2,589 |
| Add Softener | $2,626 | $3,471 | $4,005 | $4,628 |
| Add SMART Filter | $3,284 | $3,738 | $4,407 | $5,130 |
| Add SMART Filter and Softener | $3,781 | $4,552 | $5,345 | $5,568 |
Best For:
Anyone looking for a capable, affordable fluoride reduction filter that has numerous optional add-ons that aren’t a forced inclusion of the upfront purchase.
Pros:
- We appreciate that you can choose to spend a smaller upfront cost on a system that primarily targets fluoride – but if you want, you can pair the system with another Crystal Quest filter for broader filtration.
- It’s good to see that the system comes with its own pre-and post-filters, so you don’t have to spend extra on these.
- There are plenty of upgrade options if you’re interested, including stainless steel casing (instead of fiberglass), a leak detector valve, and a UV sterilizer and oxidation system for well water supplies.
| Upgrades | Price | Uses |
|---|---|---|
| 12 GPM UV Water Sterilizer | $569 | Boil water advisory protection |
| Leak Detector Smart Valve | $179 | Water leak detection |
| Oxidation System 600 mg/h | $789 | Well water contaminants reduction |
| Oxidation System 800 mg/h | $979 | Well water contaminants reduction |
| Oxidation System 1000 mg/h | $1179 | Well water contaminants reduction |
| Oxidation System 2000 mg/h | $2879 | Well water contaminants reduction |
Cons:
- It doesn’t seem that this Crystal Quest unit has any NSF certifications or certified components.
Crystal Quest Big Blue Whole House Water Filter
We think the Crystal Que9st Big Blue Whole House Water Filter is the best budget whole house drinking water system for removing fluoride, costing just over $1,000 for three stages of filtration, including a dedicated fluoride filter. This cartridge-based filtration system offers a 4-6 GPM flow rate and is ideally suited to homes with 1-2 people.
Key Features:
- Thorough contaminant removal – As well as removing fluoride with a dedicated fluoride water filter, the Crystal Quest Big Blue removes chlorine, chloramine, heavy metals, VOCs, and more.
- 3-stage cartridge filtration – The Crystal Quest Big Blue is a cartridge filter system, meaning that water flows through three separate filter cartridges, rather than media in a tank. The filter stages are a fluoride removal cartridge, a coconut shell GAC SMART filter cartridge, and a solid carbon block cartridge.
| Crystal Quest Big Blue Configurations | Price W/o Stand | Price W/ Stand |
|---|---|---|
| Single (1", 1-1/4", 1-1/2") | $524.16 | $623.16 |
| Double (1", 1-1/4", 1-1/2") | $994.79 | $1,103.79 |
| Triple (1", 1-1/4", 1-1/2") | $1,167.65 | $1,286.65 |
Best For:
Small, 1- or 2-person households with 1 bathroom who need an affordable fluoride water filter and don’t mind the extra maintenance associated with a cartridge system.
Pros:
- The affordable cost of this fluoride water filter is its biggest selling point. It’ll set you back just over $1,000 – that’s about $400 cheaper than our top choice tank-based fluoride filter, the Crystal Quest Fluoride Whole House Water Filter.
- Considering the low cost, we think the quality of the drinking water produced by this system is exceptional. Water is free from almost all fluoride, lead, arsenic, heavy metals, chlorine, chloramine, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, herbicides, and more.
- What else is worth mentioning? The simple system design makes for easy installation and filter changes; the optional system stand and leak detector valves are useful add-ons, and the 20-inch cartridges allow for a decent flow rate through the system.
Cons:
- With its 4-6 GPM flow rate, this Crystal Quest unit isn’t suitable for households with more than 1 bathroom and 2 people.
- The filter cartridges need replacing every few months, so this system requires more maintenance than our tank-based choices on this list.
iSpring CRO1000
Our top option for the best tankless RO system for fluoride removal is the iSpring CRO1000, which removes up to 99% of over 1,000 contaminants, including fluoride. This system is significantly more affordable than our top RO choice, the US Water Systems Defender, costing just under $1,500 (versus the Defender’s minimum price tag of around $8,000). Plus, the CRO1000 is tankless, meaning it takes up far less space than the Defender, and is easier to install.
There are a few reasons why we think this system falls slightly behind the Defender, though: its components aren’t NSF certified and it has a reduced water delivery of just 1,000 GPD (versus the Defender’s 2,000, 4,000, 6,000, and 8,000 GPD options), as well as a less efficient performance, wasting 1 gallon of water for every 1.5 gallons of pure water produced (that’s lacking compared to the Defender’s 1 gallon wasted per 5 gallons produced).
Key Features:
- Up to 99% contaminant removal – The iSpring CRO1000 promises to do more than the average whole home fluoride water filter, reducing up to 99% of more than 1,000 contaminants, including fluoride, chlorine, heavy metals, arsenic, sodium, and asbestos.
- Four-stage RO water filtration – There are four stages of filtration involved in this RO system: a sediment pre-filter stage (with a 3-6-month filter life), two carbon filter stages (lasting 6-12 months), and a semi-permeable RO membrane stage (with a 2-year lifespan).
- 1.5:1 efficiency rating – The CRO1000 produces 1.5 gallons of water for every 1 gallon wasted. This is better than the traditional RO efficiency rating of 4:1, but it’ll still result in a lot of water waste with whole home use.
Best For:
Smaller households of 1-3 people who want an affordable RO fluoride reduction solution for their whole home and don’t mind the increased water waste and maintenance involved in operating this system.
Pros:
- We think the obvious selling point of this system is its small, compact size, which simplifies installation and maintenance and makes it suitable for installing in smaller homes.
- We have to talk about the price, too – $1,500 is super affordable for a whole home RO drinking water system.
- You can count on this system to reduce up to 99% fluoride with the traditional, proven method of RO filtration.
Cons:
- The iSpring CRO1000’s 1,000 GPD water delivery is lower than the Defender’s smallest size system, and the 0.7 GPM output speed is average. You might notice a drop in water pressure after installing this system.
- The unit’s 1.5:1 efficiency ratio also isn’t the best we’ve seen for an RO system nowadays.
USWS BodyGuard Fluoride Removal Filter
The USWS BodyGuard Fluoride Removal Filter is our runner-up tank-based fluoride water filter, using bone char media and quartz gravel to remove up to 98% fluoride.
This eco-friendly fluoride water filter system is cheaper than our top tank-based fluoride system, the Crystal Quest Fluoride Whole House Water Filter, with prices starting at under $1,200 for the 10 GPM model (versus the CQ’s $1,500 price tag). However, this system only reduces fluoride (no other contaminant removal) and doesn’t come with a sediment pre-filter, which is why it takes second spot behind the CQ system.
Key Features:
- Reduces up to 98% fluoride – The Crystal Quest Fluoride Whole House Water Filter is one of the best-performing tank-based dedicated fluoride systems we’ve seen, reducing fluoride by up to 98%.
- Single-stage filtration – This system gets straight to the point with a single stage of fluoride filtration, combining bone char charcoal media and washed quartz gravel within a 1.0-2.0 cubic feet tank.
- 4 flow rates to choose from – Choose the 10, 15, 20, or 25 GPM system depending on your daily tap water usage and number of bathrooms.
| USWS BodyGuard Fluoride Filter Configurations | Price (3/4 in or 1 in) |
|---|---|
| 10 GPM | $1,465.50 |
| 15 GPM | $1,645.50 |
| 20 GPM | $2,275.50 |
| 25 GPM | $2,365.50 |
Best For:
People looking for a dedicated fluoride water filter that targets this specific contaminant and doesn’t cost a whole lot more for (the perhaps unwanted) additional contaminant removal.
Pros:
- If you just want to eliminate fluoride from your water, the BodyGuard Fluoride water filter is ideal. Because this system focuses primarily on reducing fluoride, it does this well, offering up to 98% fluoride removal.
- We appreciate this USWS filter’s low-maintenance operation. The filtration media lasts up to 400,000 gallons, or about 3 years, before it needs replacing.
- You shouldn’t notice a reduction in water pressure after installing this system, especially since there are four sizes on offer. Simply choose between 10 and 25 GPM flow rates based on your household size.
Cons:
- It appears that the BodyGuard Fluoride Removal Filter can only remove fluoride, so you’re paying for a single contaminant to be removed.
- We couldn’t find evidence of a sediment pre-filter for this unit, so you’ll need to buy one separately.
Crystal Quest Whole House Reverse Osmosis System
The Crystal Quest Whole House Reverse Osmosis System is our top recommended alternate RO pick for fluoride reduction. This tank-based system costs around $5,500 for 1,500 GPD water delivery (that’s about three-quarters of the cost of our top RO choice, the US Water Systems Defender). However, the remineralizer and UV sterilizer come at extra costs, while they’re included in the Defender’s upfront cost.
What makes this system worthy of your attention? It’s capable of reducing hundreds of drinking water contaminants, including fluoride, as you’d expect from any top RO system, and comes in 9 different sizes. Plus, it’s offered by Crystal Quest, a manufacturer that makes its products in the USA and extensively tests each of its products in-house before shipping them out to customers, ensuring quality from the get-go.
Key Features:
- Broad contaminant removal – Like its top competitors, the Crystal Quest Whole House Reverse Osmosis System rejects more than 95% of all TDS from drinking water, including fluoride, heavy metals, and other harmful chemicals.
- 3 stages of RO filtration – You get the three expected stages of filtration in this Crystal Quest RO unit: a sediment filter, a carbon filter, and a semi-permeable membrane. The system is equipped with pre-filtration to protect the RO membrane, so you don’t need to spend more money on your own solution.
- 1:2 efficiency ratio – This RO system wastes around 2 gallons of water for every 1 gallon produced, so expect your water bill to increase.
| Crystal Quest Configurations | Price (Standalone) | Price (w/ 165 gal. Tank) | Price (w/ 220 gal. Tank) | Price (w/ 550 gal. Tank) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 300 GPD | $2,227 | $3,907 | $4,107 | $4,507 |
| 400 GPD | $2,527 | $4,207 | $4,407 | $4,807 |
| 500 GPD | $2,883.65 | $4,563.55 | $4,807.51 | $5,208.76 |
| 750 GPD | $2,983.65 | $4,663.55 | $4,907.51 | $5,308.76 |
| 1000 GPD | $3,734.30 | $5,414.20 | $5,658.16 | $6,059.41 |
| 1500 GPD | $4,162.30 | $5,842.20 | $6,086.16 | $6,487.41 |
| 1800 GPD | $4,312.30 | $5,992.20 | $6,236.16 | $6,637.41 |
| 2500 GPD | $4,590.30 | $6,270.20 | $6,514.16 | $6,915.41 |
| 4000 GPD | $6,409.30 | $8,089.20 | $8,333.16 | $8,734.41 |
| 5000 GPD | $7,051.30 | $8,731.20 | $8,975.16 | $9,376.41 |
| 7000 GPD | $7,693.30 | $9,373.20 | $9,617.16 | $10,018.41 |
Best For:
Folks looking for a quality, US-built RO fluoride reduction system from a reliable brand, who appreciate the choice of 9 system sizes and optional add-ons for UV and remineralization.
Pros:
- You get the quality you expect from this system, thanks to its US-made design and advanced in-house testing prior to shipping. For extra reassurance, Crystal Quest uses Scientific World Products ISO Certified Components.
- We love that there are various upgrades and add-ons available, so you can build the system to suit your exact contaminant removal preferences.
- Most RO systems have 2-4 size options, but the Crystal Quest model has a total of 9 different water delivery rates, from 200 to 7,000 GPD. The smaller 200 and 300 GPD units are good options for homes with 1 bathroom, while the mid-sized 500 to 2,500 GPD systems are suitable for homes with up to 4 bathrooms. The 4,000 GPD+ systems are for homes with 5+ bathrooms.
Cons:
- The 1:2 water efficiency ratio may be too uncomfortable for some people.
- The system’s TDS rejection isn’t quite as promising as the performance of the other RO systems on this list.
🧾 Whole House Water Filter For Fluoride Removal Buyer’s Guide
In this buyer’s guide, we’ve shared everything you need to know to confidently buy a whole house water filter system that can remove fluoride that’s best for you.
🔎 What Is Fluoride & What’s Wrong With It?
If you’ve clicked on your guide, you probably already know about fluoride and its potential health effects, so we’ll keep this section short and sweet.
💡 Fluoride is a mineral that occurs in rocks and soils. It’s usually present naturally in water in very small amounts. However, most states add fluoride to their drinking water supplies (community water fluoridation) due to fluoride’s ability to prevent tooth decay.
The addition of fluoride to public drinking water supplies is controversial. This article discusses the potential health effects of fluoride in detail – but here they are in short:
- Dental fluorosis (in children)
- Skeletal fluorosis
- Neurological problems
- Skin conditions like acne
- Thyroid problems
- Fertility and reproductive issues
🤔 What Is a Whole House Fluoride Removal Filter?
A whole house fluoride removal filter is a type of whole house water filtration system that has the ability to reduce or remove fluoride.
📖 Types of Whole House Filters That Can Remove Fluoride
There are two common types of fluoride removal whole house water filters:
- Tank-based systems, which use a filtration media (such as charcoal carbon or activated alumina) to reduce or remove fluoride
- Reverse osmosis water filtration systems, which use a semi-permeable membrane to remove fluoride
👍 Benefits Of Whole House Fluoride Removal Water Filter Systems
Filter Whole-Home Water Supply
A whole house water filter doesn’t just remove fluoride from your drinking water – it also ensures you have a fluoride-free water supply for showering, bathing, cooking, washing your dishes and clothes, and watering your plants.
Numerous Filter Types Available
There are several types of fluoride filter systems to choose from, so you have some flexibility when it comes to budget and other contaminant removal preferences.
Easy To Maintain
Once you’ve installed a whole house water filter for fluoride removal, your only job will be to replace the filters or (even easier) program the filter media to backwash. You don’t have to manually clean the filters yourself.
Cost-Effective
Yes, the cost of a whole house water filter system is high – but once you’ve made the initial investment, your ongoing costs are low. Fluoride reduction whole home systems are cost-effective to run in the long term, requiring only the odd purchase of new filters or the cost of water use during regeneration.
Removes Numerous Contaminants
No matter what type of whole house water filter you’re interested in, it should remove more than just fluoride. Many fluoride filter systems combine multiple filter media or cartridges, and only one of these offers dedicated fluoride removal. Other contaminants commonly removed alongside fluoride are arsenic, chlorine, VOCs, and heavy metals.
📝 What to Consider When Buying the Best Whole Home Fluoride Reduction Water Filter
Before you spend your money on a fluoride whole house filtration system, consider the following factors:
Your Budget
You can’t begin your search before you know your budget.
If your budget is flexible and you’re looking for the most effective fluoride removal solution that will virtually purify your water, look at whole home reverse osmosis systems, which cost between $6,000 and $12,000 on average.
Otherwise, if fluoride removal is your main focus and you’re not particularly bothered about removing everything, you can find a non-RO whole house water filter system for around the $900-$1,800 mark. Make sure the system includes a dedicated fluoride filter cartridge or media.
Water Quality & Other Contaminants Removed
The contaminants in your water should determine the type of fluoride water filter system you buy.
Get your water tested to find out what it contains aside from fluoride. If you have chlorinated city water, for example, you’ll do best considering a whole house water filter that can reduce chlorine, PFOS, VOCs, and other harmful chemicals alongside fluoride.
📌 Another thing to consider is how your water quality might affect the performance and longevity of your fluoride filter. For instance, well water with high sediment or hardness might damage the membrane of an RO system, so additional pre-treatment will be required to protect the system.
The Filter Type
As we mentioned earlier in this guide, there are several different types of filters that are capable of removing fluoride, and they don’t all perform the same. That means their costs, maintenance requirements, and additional contaminant removal abilities are pretty different.
Reverse osmosis systems offer around 80%-90% fluoride reduction, so they’re not necessarily the best at removing fluoride – but they ARE a good choice if you want to remove as much as possible from your water. Just keep in mind that whole home RO filters are expensive to buy upfront, more challenging to install and maintain (due to their numerous filter stages), take up a lot of room (due to their large storage tanks), and waste water during the filtration process.
Other whole house water filter systems for fluoride reduction are more affordable upfront, easier to maintain, have more compact designs, and might even remove more fluoride than RO – but only remove tens, rather than hundreds, of other impurities.
System Size, Capacity & Flow Rate
Correctly sizing your fluoride whole house system will ensure that you have no issues with flow rate and water delivery.
Most whole house water filter systems come in at least two sizes: a smaller size for homes with 1-3 bathrooms (with a flow rate of around 9-12 GPM) and a larger size for homes with 4+ bathrooms (with a flow rate of 12-15+ GPM).
Make sure you buy the right size and capacity for your water usage and household size. Oversized systems may damage your plumbing, while undersizing may cause your flow rate to reduce significantly. Contact the manufacturer if you’re not sure what size you need.
Installaion & Maintenance
Do you plan to install your fluoride whole house filtration system yourself? Are you a confident DIY-er? Or are you happy to spend $100-$200 for a plumber to install the unit for you? These are all questions to ask yourself when choosing a whole house filter system for fluoride reduction.
Most standard whole home filters are designed for DIY installation (although you still need to have basic plumbing knowledge and the ability to follow instructions, and not everyone will feel confident hacking into their water line).
The most difficult-to-install systems are whole home RO systems, which require a drain connection and plenty of space to install the water tank.
Testing and/or NSF Certifications
There are no official certifications for filters that can remove fluoride, since fluoride is classed as a beneficial mineral by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and is deliberately added to many water supplies for its dental health benefits.
However, you can still find reassurance that a whole house water filter removes fluoride by looking for third-party test data. Many manufacturers share their laboratory test results online. If test results show that a filter offers 85%+ fluoride removal, this is a promising sign of good performance.
Also look for filters that have been certified to various NSF Standards, which also claim to remove or reduce fluoride. Likely, these filters would obtain an NSF certification for fluoride removal if such a thing was to exist.
Warranty & Guarantee
Whole house water filters aren’t cheap, so it’s essential that whatever system you spend your money on is backed by a decent warranty.
Look for systems with at least a 2-year warranty (tank-based systems should have 5-10-year warranties, or even limited lifetime warranties).
Some fluoride removal whole house water filtration system manufacturers also offer a money-back guarantee, allowing you to try a system for a period of time (usually 6 weeks to 6 months) with no commitment to keep it if it’s not for you.
❔ Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a whole house filter that removes fluoride?
Yes, there are several types of whole house water filters that remove fluoride. A few examples of these are reverse osmosis systems and filters containing special fluoride removal media, such as activated charcoal carbon media, activated alumina, and bone char carbon.
What water filter removes fluoride and chlorine?
Numerous types of water filters remove both chlorine and fluoride, including bone char carbon, activated carbon, and reverse osmosis systems. Activated alumina may also reduce some chlorine, although the main role of this media is to reduce fluoride and arsenic.
Does reverse osmosis remove fluoride?
Yes, reverse osmosis removes 80% to 90% of fluoride from drinking water. Reverse osmosis systems can be installed as point-of-use (such as countertop or under-sink) or point-of-entry (whole home) applications. Whole home RO systems are more expensive and waste more water, but protect your entire home’s water supply from fluoride.
How long does a whole home fluoride water filter system last?
A whole home fluoride water filter system has filters or media that last anywhere from 6 months to 10 years. Cartridge-based systems usually need filter changes every 6-24 months, while tank-based systems usually have a 6-10-year lifespan.
