Chlorine is commonly found in tap water as it's added by cities to disinfect their water supplies. While this kills harmful bacteria like E. coli and salmonella, it can also result in an unpleasant taste and dry, itchy skin after showering. To avoid this, many people turn to bottled water, but this can be an expensive habit and also harms the environment.
An alternative solution is to install a chlorine filter for your water supply. This not only improves the taste of your tap water, but also helps to reduce the use of single-use plastic.
If you're looking for the best water filters to remove chlorine in 2023, there are many options available – you can find the perfect solution to suit your needs and budget. These filters come in various forms, including whole-home purification systems or simple faucet or showerhead-mounting filters.
The Best Water Filters to Remove Chlorine in 2023
1. Springwell CS1 Filtration System – Best Point-Of-Entry System For Chlorine Removal
If you're looking for a filter to remove chlorine, the Springwell CS1's whole house system may be more than you need. Its 1,000,000-gallon capacity is designed for point-of-entry filtration and is able to remove 99.6% of chlorine. However, it also filters out other contaminants.
- 1,000,000 gallon capacity
- Removes 99.6% of chlorine
- Long-lasting filters and low maintenance system
- Eliminates the need for multiple filters around the house
- Customizable flow rate for up to 7 bathrooms!
- A few added extras should really be included in the price
- No NSF certification – although it is third-party tested
The Springwell CS1s four-stage filter system tackles a wide range of contaminants, but when it comes to chlorine, you’ve got two active stages. Stage 1 is a KDF media that removes harmful chemicals, chlorine included, whilst stage 2 features a catalytic carbon filter which again removes chlorine as well as other organic compounds.
The third stage is designed to improve your water’s contact time with the filter media through a unique anti-channeling design, whilst the fourth stage features a fine-meshed sediment filter removing grit, silt, and more.
If you’re worried about the impact of chlorine on your skin and hair as well as in your drinking water, then Springwell CS1 system does it all. By purifying every drop before it enters the home, it eliminates the need for filters on your faucets and showerheads.
And with an impressive 1,000,000 gallon capacity, it’s built to last. You’ll have to change the sediment filter every 6 months or so, but the KDF and carbon stages will last around ten years for the average family! Once installed, Springwell CS1’s super low maintenance.
While installation is designed to be DIY-friendly, with so many click-on chlorine filters on the market, this has to rank as one of the more complex. If you’re a hands-off character then Springwell, and I, recommend professional installation.
2. SoftPro® Whole House Chlorine+ Filter – Best Value Whole House System
Although whole-house filter systems eliminate the need for a filter on every faucet, they often cost a pretty penny. But SoftPro’s Whole House Filter proves that there’s great value in point-of-entry filters.
- Filter media should last 6-10 years (600,000 – 1,000,000 gallons)
- Effective at removing chlorine and a whole lot more
- Flow rate customizable for your water usage
- Lifetime warranty on valve and tank
- Six-month satisfaction guarantee
- 1 stage filtering is basic for a whole-house system
- Installation is complex compared to POU systems
The primary filter media in SoftPro’s whole house system is activated carbon. This effectively removes chlorine as well as a wide range of organic compounds, pesticides, and heavy metals. You’ll have great-tasting water that’s also free from health concerns.
It’s also certified to NSF 61 standards – an evaluation that commends its ability to remove health hazards from water.
For up to three bathrooms it offers a peak flower rate of 9 GPM – something that might feel inadequate at peak water consumption times. But there’s always the option to upgrade to a 14 GPM flow rate which should be more than adequate for most families.
With a 600,000 – 1,000,000 gallon capacity, it;s a long-term, low maintenance option. Whilst the filter’s lifespan will depend on your water’s quality, you’ll have peace of mind for years. The only maintenance required is an annual cleaning – simply flush with a half cup of bleach.
Installation is straightforward compared to many whole-house filters, but as with all point-of-entry systems, it requires some plumbing knowledge as a prerequisite.
3. Big Berkey Water Filter – Best Countertop Filter For Chlorine Removal
For our next filter, we zoom in, going from the very big whole-house systems to the Big Berkey countertop water filter.
- Effective at removing chlorine
- Eliminates a wide range of other health-harming contaminants
- And includes the option of fluoride filtering
- NSF 53 certification
- Portable – great for camping, touring, or trips
- Long-lasting filters
- Expensive price point
- Plastic spigot is prone to leaking
If you’re after great-tasting purified water without the hassle of installation, then a countertop filter is a great choice. The Big Berkey filter features two activated carbon filters and lets gravity do the work to draw water from the upper chamber, through the filters, to the purified tank below.
While it comes with two filters as standard, there’s actually room for four in the system. So you can upgrade your filtering for a faster flow rate or add fluoride filters if that’s a concern. That makes it especially good for treated city water.
The gravity-fed system is easy to set up and requires zero plumbing or electricity. So it works anywhere you want to go, from your kitchen counter to the campsite. Before it’s filled, the Big Berkey weighs just 7 lbs, so it’s easy to bring with you, and there’s a 2.25-gallon capacity, providing enough water for two people each day – but it’s easy to refill the upper chamber.
With two filters, the Big Berkey purifies 3.5 gallons of water an hour (and will purify a full tank in around 45 minutes). But you can double that with additional filters if you want to keep the water flowing.
The filters are NSF 53 certified – assuring a high standard of reduction in health-harming contaminants. And as well as chlorine, they remove viruses, bacteria, heavy metals, and pesticides.
Replacement filters are pretty expensive, adding a long-term cost to the initial price point of the unit. But with a 3,000-gallon capacity each, they’re impressively long-lasting. To hit this maximum lifespan, they’ll require regular cleaning – so don’t forget to add filter maintenance to your list of chores.
4. PUR PLUS Faucet Mount PFM400H – Best Point-Of-Use Filter For Chlorine-Free Drinking Water
PUR’s easy-mounting faucet filter is a great choice if taste is your number one concern. It’s highly affordable and instantly effective.
PUR has packed an activated carbon filter and an ion exchange system into a petit filter system that really packs a punch. The activated carbon stage is effective at removing chlorine and will ensure you have great-tasting water on tap.
The whole system also removes a decent range of contaminants – including lead, which is another common concern in city water. That’s an added bonus for this faucet filter.
It’s exceptionally easy to install – if you’ve got a compatible faucet. Check to see if your faucet has a screwed-on aerator and if so, you can simply screw this faucet filter on where the aerator is attached. It’s a process that literally takes minutes.
PUR’s filter has a capacity of around 100 gallons – so you could realistically be replacing it frequently. Fortunately, it was pretty cheap – but if you’re using this filter for all your drinking water and cooking water, expect to stock up on filters.
But of course, it’s always going to be cheaper than buying bottled water in bulk at the store!
Cleverly, PUR has added a bypass valve to let you extend the lifespan of your filters. If you’re using your tap water for cleaning or watering the plants, then you can bypass the valve.
And it’s got a solid flow rate of 2 liters (around half a gallon) per minute. For an average bottle of water, you’ll wait just 15 seconds to fill it up. Time well spent to save on plastic!
5. AquaBliss Revitalizing Shower Filter – Chrome (SF100) – Best Chlorine Filter For Your Shower
While we’re often more concerned about our drinking water, the water you bathe and shower in shouldn’t be overlooked. A top tip for skin care is to never put anything on your skin you wouldn’t put in your body – as it’s absorbed either way!
So a filter in your showerhead is a great way to put hair and skincare first. AquaBliss’s Revitalizing Shower Filter doesn’t just remove harmful contaminants, it also adds beneficial minerals!
The SF100 filter uses calcium sulfite and redox media to eliminate a range of contaminats, including chlorine, dirt, and trihalomethanes (THMs). It makes your shower water feel softer and neutralizes unpleasant odors.
And then it remineralizes your water, adding oxygen and vitamin C to nourish your skin and hair while you shower. The result is a blissful sensation of cleanliness and self-care!
Of course, there’s nothing blissful about a shower with a flow rate reduced to a trickle. So you can be sure AquaBliss has prioritized flow rate – the filter system won’t reduce the flow rate of your regular shower head.
It’s super easy to install and compatible with almost all shower designs – it simply screws into the system before your showerhead. It comes with ½” fittings, so it will pay to check your pipes before you buy,
Your Ultimate Guide to Buying the Best Water Filters for Chlorine Removal
It’s time to cut the chlorine. But which water filter for removing chlorine is right for you? There are lots of factors that will guide your purchase so let’s dive into the buying guide.
Why Invest in a Water Filter for Chlorine Removal?
Chlorine is added to city water almost everywhere, so it’s prevalent in our water supplies. And while it’s not necessarily harmful in small quantities, there are some serious downsides to chlorinated water.
Showering in chlorinated water can cause skin issues – increasing sensitivity, and causing itchiness and irritability. It also dries out your hair, leaving it brittle and prone to breaking.
And when it comes to your tap water, chlorine contributes to an unpleasant chemical tang that turns you onto bottled water. If you want your water to taste crisp, clean, and pure then a chlorine filter is right for you.
Filter Style: Which One is Right for You?
When it comes to chlorine, there is a range of filter styles to choose from. Simply put, filters are either point-of-entry (POE) or point-of-use (POU). They either filter your whole home’s water supply or they hit water where you’re using it, whether that’s at the sink or the shower.
Whole House Solutions
A whole house filter is the big daddy of water filter systems. As well as eradicating chlorine, these filters will remove a wide range of contaminants, from bugs and bacteria to sediment and heavy metals. They’re significantly more expensive than the other options, but you’ll know that every faucet, showerhead, and other source of water in your home is chlorine-free – and much more.
Countertop Convenience
A countertop water filter takes pride of place in your kitchen. It’s super easy to install and doesn’t require electricity to work. Gravity draws your unfiltered water down through filter media, leaving you purified water in a lower chamber. The downside is you have to keep the upper chamber topped up, so it’s not quite filtered water on-demand.
Faucet Filtration
If a countertop filter sounds like too much work, then a faucet filter might be for you. These easy-install filters click onto your existing filter and give you instantly purified water, at the source. They’re usually limited in the contaminants they target, but if it’s taste and odor you're concerned about then these affordable filters give you bottled-quality water on tap.
Showerhead Solutions
You don’t have to settle for showering in chlorinated water if a whole house filter is beyond your budget. Showerhead filters work similarly to faucet filters but in your shower! By purifying your shower water you can nourish your skin and hair, slow down signs of aging and reclaim that “ahh, bliss” feeling of the hot shower.
Capacity Matters: Choosing the Right Filter
One thing you have to factor into your budget is filter capacity – it tells you how long your filter will last before you’re shelling out on a new one.
Whole house water filtration systems have the biggest capacity, typically up to 1,000,000 gallons or around a year’s water supply. Point-of-use filters can’t compete with this capacity, but in some ways, they’re more efficient as you’re only filtering water where you’re using it (rather than, say, flushing it down the toilet!).
POU filter capacity typically ranges from 2 to 6 months. A larger filter capacity could save you big bucks in the long run.
Flow Rate: How Much Water Will You Need?
What’s the point of filtered water if it’s coming out in a trickle? You don’t want to wait an hour for a cup of water, or compromise your purified shower with a low flow rate!
For a shower, the standard flow rate is 2.5 gallons per minute (GPM), while faucet flow rates sit between 1 and 2 GPM.
NSF Certified: Quality You Can Trust
If you want to have faith in your water filter system then look out for NSF certification. These certificates, awarded by the National Science Foundation in collaboration with the American National Standards Institution (ANSI) guarantee third-party testing of your filter manufacturer’s claims.
When it comes to chlorine, NSF 42 is the standard for filters removing chlorine and other contaminants affecting taste and odor. For showerheads, look out for NSF 177 which is the standard for chlorine removal.
And you’ll often see NSF 53 and NSF 61 on water filters too. These standards are about the reduction of health hazards, and while they don’t specifically cover chlorine a filter with these certificates will effectively reduce a wide range of contaminants.
Consider Other Contaminants: Removing More Than Just Chlorine
While chlorine is the main concern in city water, it’s always nice if your filter system tackles a wide range of contaminants. For municipal water supplied, fluoride and lead are significant contaminants, and we’ve got filter systems to tackle both of these on our list. It’s a good idea to test your water to find out which contaminants you need to tackle.
Easy Installation: Get it Up and Running in No Time
Are you a DIY diva or a hands-off at all costs? Installation is an important consideration when considering a water filter for chlorine removal.
Countertop systems are almost installation-free, requiring nothing more than assembly. And point-of-use filter systems are designed for easy installation, usually installed with a simple twist-and-click if you have a compatible faucet or shower.
Whole house systems, of course, are a little more complicated. Whilst many are designed to facilitate self-installation, don’t be afraid of calling the plumber if you're unsure.
Also Read: How to Install a Whole House Filtration System
Low Maintenance: Keep Your Water Pure with Minimal Effort
Some whole-house systems might include water softener systems or UV-purification filters that require occasional cleaning – but for most water filters for chlorine removal, the main task of maintenance is replacing the filter on a regular basis. Point-of-use filters provide great-tasting water with almost no maintenance!
Wrapping Up: Making the Right Choice for Pristine Water
While chlorine has its uses in city water as a disinfectant, that chemical taste and odor can drive us to the bottle(d water).
We end up burning through single-use plastic, not to mention our paychecks with the cost of all that grocery-store water!
And chlorine dries out our skin and hair, exacerbating issues like eczema, causing rashes and general irritability – on our skin as well as in our attitudes!
So why not cut the chlorine out? A filter for removal doesn’t have to break the bank: targeting chlorine at its source with the PUR PLUS Faucet Mounting Filter or AquaBliss’s Revitalizing Shower Filter is cheap and effective.
Or take chlorine purification power everywhere with a gravity-fed countertop system. I loved the portability and capacity of the Big Berkey.
But for complete chlorine removal, you can’t look past a point-of-entry system that tackles your whole house. There’s nothing better than knowing that every faucet and showerhead is chlorine-free! Springwell’s Whole House Water Filter System, with its 1,000,000 gallon capacity is the most impressive all-rounder for a POE system.
Don’t let your drinking water give you flashbacks to the swimming pool. A water filter to remove chlorine can transform your tap water into crisp, clean, and refreshing hydration.