The home water filtration market is large and constantly growing, no doubt due to the desire of many informed consumers to improve their everyday drinking water quality. Studies have shown that it's easy to get sick from contaminated tap water, and that bottled water is not necessarily of any higher quality than what you get through your tap. So that leaves the average homeowner with a choice of installing a home water filter system to improve their drinking water.

But which filter system will work best for you? Let's review the advantages and disadvantages of each major filter type to help you make your choice.

The easiest water filter to use also happens to be the most portable as well, the carafe or water pitcher filter. These are extremely simple in design, as you just pour in the water and let it filter out the impurities for you. These kind of simple water filters are especially good for folks who live in apartments where they can't make any permanent installations of a water filter. They also are a good choice for homeowners who just don't want to have to install anything, or change the look of their faucets. The disadvantages to these units are that the filters have to be replaced frequently, and they are the slowest filtration method available.

Faucet mounted filter systems attach to the end of your faucet, and allow you to choose whether you wish to use straight tap water or filtered water by simply turning a lever. They are also very good choices for apartment dwellers who are allowed to change their faucets, and homeowners who don't want the hassle of installing filtration equipment. They are very inexpensive and work much faster than water pitcher filters. The average person can have one installed in no time with very little difficulty. These units also use cartridge filters that need to be replaced frequently, sometimes even every month or so.

Undersink water filters are among the more expensive options to take in this field, and they provide excellent water filtration results. They would not be good for most apartment dwellers because of the need for installation, and homeowners should consider the cost of installation by a qualified technician before making their final purchase. The filter cartridges that come with these units are very effective and long-lasting, many of them only needing to be replaced every six months or so.

Whole house water filter systems do pretty much what the name indicates, they provide water filtration for the entire house at once without having to be installed on each faucet. An obvious benefit is that you receive filtered water at every tap throughout the home simultaneously, and the filter cartridges that are used for these units also lasts a long time, up to six months or so. However, the installation for this kind of water filtration system is more involved than any of the other filter systems, usually requiring the services of a plumber for correct installation.

Reverse Osmosis water filter systems have been very popular with homeowners in the past as they do a superior job of filtering out even the smallest of pollutants including arsenic. However, in order to get 1 gal. of filtered water a reverse osmosis water filter has to use and waste 5 gal. of tap water. They can also be fairly bulky filters when installed, and so many consumers are opting for one of the first four water filtration systems mentioned instead.

There are several different ways to get filtered water these days, and which filtration system you choose is entirely up to you. One recommendation though is before you buy any water filtration system, check on the cost of replacement water filter cartridges. Sometimes the cost of the cartridges can add up significantly over a very short period of time.

Thad Pickering writes on many consumer related topics including home improvement. You can find home water filter systems and water filter reviews by visiting our Home Improvement website.