- Benchtop: Cheapest, no installation, good for taste — not for serious contaminants
- Under-sink: Good all-rounder for drinking/cooking water. Requires plumber. $300–$850 installed.
- Reverse osmosis: Highest contaminant removal. Fluoride, PFAS, heavy metals, bacteria. $800–$1,600 installed.
- Whole house: Filters every tap, shower, appliance. Essential for tank/bore water. $900–$4,500 installed.
- UV filters: Kill bacteria and viruses. Essential for tank/bore water. Often combined with carbon filters.
Benchtop and countertop filters
The most accessible entry point for water filtration — no plumber required, no permanent modifications, and low upfront cost. Two main types: tap-attachment inline filters (connect to your existing tap and filter as you pour) and gravity-fed ceramic filters (water poured in the top filters through ceramic and carbon into a lower reservoir).
✓ Benchtop advantages
- No plumber — completely DIY
- Renters can take it when moving
- Lowest upfront cost ($50–$400)
- Gravity filters don't need mains pressure
- Good for chlorine, taste and odour removal
✗ Benchtop limitations
- Limited filtration — usually chlorine and sediment only
- Does not remove fluoride, heavy metals, or PFAS
- Takes up bench space
- Slow flow on gravity filters
- Not WaterMark regulated (not plumbed)
Best for: Renters, first-time filter users, tight budgets, those who primarily want taste improvement.
Under-sink filters
The most popular choice for Australian homeowners who want clean drinking and cooking water from a dedicated tap without the complexity of a whole house system. Installed under the kitchen sink, connected either to the cold water line of your existing mixer tap, or to a separate filtered-water tap installed in the benchtop.
Most under-sink systems use 1–3 filtration stages: a sediment pre-filter, a carbon block filter, and sometimes a carbon polishing post-filter. A good 3-stage system removes chlorine, chloramines, sediment, and with the right carbon block, some heavy metals.
Best for: Homeowners who want clean drinking and cooking water, don't need fluoride or PFAS removal, and want a permanent, hidden installation.
Installed cost: $300–$850 — see full cost guide
Reverse osmosis systems
Reverse osmosis is the most comprehensive point-of-use water filtration available for residential use. Water is pushed under pressure through a semi-permeable membrane with pores so small (0.0001 microns) that virtually nothing passes through except water molecules. The result is water with up to 99% of contaminants removed — including fluoride, heavy metals, nitrates, PFAS, bacteria, viruses, chlorine, and microplastics.
✓ What RO removes
- Chlorine and chloramines (100%)
- Fluoride (90–96%)
- Lead, arsenic, heavy metals (95–99%)
- PFAS / PFOA / PFOS (90–98%)
- Nitrates and nitrites (70–90%)
- Bacteria and viruses (99%+)
- Microplastics (virtually 100%)
⚠️ RO considerations
- Slower flow — fills a glass in 30–60 seconds
- Produces waste water (3–4L per L of filtered water)
- Removes beneficial minerals (some systems remineralise)
- Requires minimum 40 PSI water pressure
- Higher ongoing maintenance cost ($150–$300/yr)
- Requires a dedicated tap on your benchtop
Best for: Households concerned about fluoride, PFAS, heavy metals, or nitrates. Families replacing bottled water. Areas with known contamination issues. Anyone who wants the highest possible contaminant removal.
Installed cost: $800–$1,600 — read the full RO guide
Whole house (point-of-entry) filters
Installed at the mains water entry point to your home — typically in the garage, utility cupboard, or under the house — so every tap, shower, bath, dishwasher, and washing machine receives filtered water. The most comprehensive whole-home water quality solution.
✓ Who needs whole house filtration
- Homes using tank or rainwater (unregulated quality)
- Bore water with sediment, iron, or bacteria concerns
- Those who want filtered shower water (reduces chlorine skin absorption)
- Households with scale or hard water affecting appliances
- Properties in areas with high sediment levels
⚠️ Whole house limitations
- Does NOT typically include RO — not designed for drinking water purity
- Higher installation cost (mains plumbing work required)
- Cartridge changes more frequent (high flow volume)
- Not necessary for town mains water used only for drinking
- Requires accessible location for filter housing
Best for: Tank and bore water users, those wanting filtered shower water, areas with high sediment, households with multiple water quality concerns. Often combined with an under-sink RO for drinking water specifically.
Installed cost: $900–$4,500 depending on system stages and site complexity
UV filters
Ultraviolet filtration uses UV-C light to kill bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms in water. It does not remove chemical contaminants or sediment — it is a disinfection technology, not a filtration technology. UV is typically used as a final stage after carbon and sediment filtration in tank, bore, and rainwater systems.
Essential for: Tank water, bore water, rainwater — any water source that is not regulated and may contain biological contamination. UV is not necessary for town mains water, which is already disinfected.
Yes — and this is the recommended combination for tank or bore water users. The whole house system provides sediment and basic carbon filtration for all taps and appliances. The under-sink RO provides high-purity drinking and cooking water at the kitchen tap. Combining both costs $2,000–$5,000 installed but delivers the most complete home water quality solution.
Standard carbon filters do not remove fluoride. Reverse osmosis removes 90–96% of fluoride. Activated alumina filters are specifically designed for fluoride removal and can achieve 95%+ removal rates. If fluoride removal is your primary concern, an RO system or dedicated fluoride filter is required — a standard under-sink carbon filter will not achieve meaningful fluoride reduction.
Manufacturer guidelines are based on typical usage. A household cartridge rated for 6 months at "average" usage may last only 3 months in a high-use household or with high-sediment water. The simple test: taste the water regularly. When it starts to taste like unfiltered tap water again, the cartridge is spent. Most quality systems include a filter-change indicator. Never delay cartridge changes on an RO system — this damages the expensive membrane.