Having good quality water while living on the road can be pretty challenging. If you have done extensive travel on the road, you may know that campground water doesn’t always taste that great. However, the taste and preferences are not just something that you need to think about, but you also have to think about the health consequences of drinking unfiltered water. This is why finding the right RV water filter is important for you to have in your RV.
| Product | Pros | Cons |
| Camco 4063 EVO Premium | Five-micron barrier Rated to last for a full season Versatile | May leave a chlorine taste behind |
| Essential Premium | Spare filter Heavy-duty fittings Flow rate Mounting bracket | Installation is a bit difficult Fitting compatibility |
| Hydro Life 52700 | Cheap Adaptability KDF granules to protect the filter Easy installation | Not a permanent solution for filter |
| Aqua Crest | Affordable Anti-kink hose Comes with two cartridges | Threading connection is weak Not a permanent solution Hose connector is ineffective |
| Clearsource Premium | Three-cycle filtration system 2,000-gallon rating, extremely durable Five-micron barrier | Expensive |
| Waterdrop TSU | Easy filter replacement Smart technology Integrated waterway Can last up to two years | Expensive Under the sink installation can harm your pipes and have sediment buildup |
Camco 4063 EVO Premium: Great for One Full Season
The Camco 4063 EVO Premium RV water filter features a five-micron barrier that eliminates the bad taste, chlorine, bacteria, and sediment that is in the water. This water filter is also in full compliance with low lead laws to make sure that you will have a safe drinking experience.
You don’t have to worry about versatility either when it comes to this RV water filter. In addition to hooking this to your RV, you can also attach it effortlessly to most hoses. When doing this, you can use it for cleaning your rig or even for gardening. As I have mentioned above, the filter does such a great job of eliminating calcium deposits and excessive chlorine.
When you buy this filter, the package comes with the filter housing, attachment hose, Teflon tape, and an installation wrench. It also comes with one replaceable premium spun polypropylene filter cartridge. Another great thing about the Camco 4063 EVO Premium is the replaceable filter, which you can replace when it is no longer effective.
The Camco 4063 EVO Premium can last a full camping season, but the actual life expectancy will depend on how you often use it.
When you first attach the filter to your water source, it will allow the water to run free for a couple of minutes to flush the initial loose carbon out of the filter. Once the water runs clear, the filter is ready to use. You can use the Camco 4063 EVO Premium to improve the taste and smell of your drinking water during the entire season.
Now, there are some people who reported that the filter leaves a noticeable chlorine taste, but this is a subjective consideration and may depend mostly on the location that you live in.
The Camco 4063 EVO Premium is available on Amazon
for $44.36.
Essential Premium RV Water Filter: Best Sediment Filter
When you are looking for a heavy-duty sediment filter that provides a permanent filter in your rig, the Essential Premium RV Water Filter is the best choice for you since it comes with the requisite 12-inch mounting bracket that will help you secure it inside your RV.
The Essential Premium RV Water Filter also has heavy-duty NPT fittings that are much more durable than the standard hose fittings. It does take a while to install this water filter since it is a bit more complicated than other filters. The fittings are much more durable over time and will less likely leak when they bend slightly under the weight of your hose of filter unit itself.
The fact that this filter comes with a spare one-micron filter is great so that you can have it in hand when the replacement is needed. Now, the filter should be replaced every six months, as recommended. With the Essential Premium RV Water Filter, you will get at least one full year out of the filter, as well as all the components that will arrive at your door when you order it.
The sediments on this filter can also remove giardia, chemicals, and cysts from your water before it enters your rig. It will not only give you cleaner drinking water, but this RV water filter can also protect the pipes in your water system from the buildup of chemicals or sediments over time.
The filtration system of the Essential Premium RV Water Filter also provides a flow rate of three to four gallons per minute and 60 PSI (pounds per square inch). With these features, it won’t compromise the effectiveness of your dishwashing or make it hard to wash the soap out of your hair whenever you are showering.
The Essential Premium RV Water Filter also comes with a limited lifetime warranty where your system is 100 percent covered from defects and failure. Now, parts such as filters that are meant to be replaced and any systems that were not installed in compliance with the instructions would not be covered by this warranty.
Aside from the challenging installation, another downside is the fitting compatibility. It is important that you know that the fittings of this filter are more durable and not compatible with the standard garden hose.
The Essential Premium RV Water Filter is available on Amazon for $159.99.
Hydro Life 52700: The Best Budget Filter for Your RV
If you are looking to purchase an RV water filter and are under the budget, it is best to go with the Hydro Life 52700. It is affordable, adaptable, and very easy to use. It has a catalytic carbon filter that is perfect for reducing the amount of chlorine and chloramines in your water. This feature will improve the taste as well as the odor of the water that comes into your rig.
Aside from that, the Hydro Life 52700 also removes sediments and heavy metals that come in the water. The KDF granules inside the filter also help prevent the growth of bacteria that are present inside the unit and on the filter itself.
The KDF feature improves the life of the entire unit and will also keep the carbon filter element working at its best over its lifetime. The filter is rated for up to 80,000 gallons at a maximum flow rate of 2.5 gallons per minute. It comes with a flexible hose protector, which reduces the amount of strain on the city water faucet or your rig’s water connection spigot.
The catalytic carbon will greatly reduce chlorine and chloramines as well as other contaminants that are present in the water. When you first attach this filter to your water source, it will allow the water to run free for a couple of minutes to flush out any initial loose carbon fines or dust out of the filter.
Since the Hydro Life 52700 is not a permanent installation, you will need to screw the filter onto your water hose whenever you need to use them.
The Hydro Life 52700 is available on Amazon for $24.99.
Aqua Crest RV Inline Water Filter: Another Budget-Friendly Choice
Another affordable water filter is the Aqua Crest RV Inline Water Filter which comes with two different filter cartridges. This filter utilizes GAC, KDF, and fluoride remover to produce a clean and tasty drinking experience. You can benefit from the 20-micron filtration rating, which will lead to the water that you need in your rig.
With this type of setup, you won’t have any trouble removing fluoride, chloride, dust, and other contaminants. It is also fairly adaptable where it features versatile threading. This feature will allow the unit to hook up to hoses for different uses of filtered water.
Now, the Aqua Crest RV Inline Water Filter comes with an anti-kink hose connection point which will help you avoid any snags and has been rated to last for approximately three months. Compared to the other RV water filters, Aqua Crest has an inline filter that will add fluoride reduction function to protect your bones, teeth, and digestive system effectively.
To meet your multiple water needs, you can easily connect this water filter to a standard hose or faucet. It can also be used for washing your rig and gardening if you have any. It also doesn’t deposit any harsh minerals, which are great for your health in the long run.
There is a couple of downside to the Aqua Crest RV Inline Water Filter, and the first one is the fixtures are not as good. Also, the threading connection point is pretty weak, and the flexible hose connection point is highly ineffectual. Also, it can’t be a permanent water filter solution since it only lasts for three months.
Don’t get me wrong, and this is not a bad filter. However, there are definitely other options that outperform it.
The Aqua Crest RV Inline Water Filter is available on Amazon for $24.99.
Clearsource Premium RV Water Filter: The Premium Choice for Your Rig
When you have the money to splurge, the Clearsource Premium RV Water Filter is the best choice for you. The package includes two filters which are mounted onto an extremely durable steel stand. The stand can be attached to the water source in your rig, where it uses a three-stage purity system for maximum results.
During the first stage of the filter process, it removes particles up to five microns in size. The next stage will then remove the contaminants and chemicals such as chlorine. The third stage is all about the flavor, where it utilizes a coconut shell carbon block to make sure you have an outstanding taste of water.
The Clearsource Premium RV Water Filter is rated to treat about 2,000 gallons of water. You can rest assured that you will get cleaner, safer water than the other systems on the market. Due to the tighter filter pores, it traps more contaminants.
This filter also has a bullet-proof construction where the manufacturer engineered the original system from the ground up and made it, especially for RVs. They also invented its powder-coated standalone chassis, which is an idea that had to change the industry.
The oversized canisters are made for the maximum water flow, and the filter is only made from stainless steel fittings for durable, sanitary plumbing.
Now, the main concern about the Clearsource Premium RV Water Filter is the price. It is more expensive than the other average water filter in the market. So, if you don’t have the money to spare, it is best to go with other brands, which can be just as good.
The Clearsource Premium RV Water Filter is available on Amazon for $349.99.
Waterdrop TSU Under Sink RV Water Filter: Best Under-Sink Filte
If you need a water filter that you can place under one or two sinks inside your rig, the Waterdrop TSU Under Sink RV Water Filter is a great option. This water filter is rated to last up to two years and will include one of the finest filter elements of any water filter model in the market.
It has a 0.01-micron filter element that filters out about 99.99 percent of all sediments, protozoa, bacteria, and other contaminants that are found in the water. Once it is installed under your sink, the filter element can be pulled and replaced easily without needing to take the entire unit out of place.
The Waterdrop TSU Under Sink RV Water Filter also features a smart technology that indicates water quality and working mode. It will allow you to monitor whether you need to replace the filter or not and how well the filter system is performing.
Aside from that, it can also give you some insight into the water quality in different campgrounds that you stay in. The integrated waterway that is inside the filter unit makes the installation process easy. The system adopts the cutting-edge integrated waterway to prevent any water leakage, which allows you to replace the filters without needing to cut off the water supply.
Since the Waterdrop TSU Under Sink RV Water Filter offers high-end features, it is a little bit pricey for a water filter. Also, since it is an under-the-sink water filter installation, it means that it won’t protect your rig’s water pipes from building up sediments or potentially harmful chemicals.
The Waterdrop TSU Under Sink RV Water Filter is available on Amazon for $154.55.
Different Types of Filter Systems that You Should Know About
Almost all RV water filters fall into one of four major categories. It is best to start defining the easy types and talk about the advantages and disadvantages of the different types of filter systems.
Sediment Filters
The first type that we have is the sediment filter which works like a typical pasta strainer, where the water passes through is much smaller. As per its name, these filters are great at removing large sediments from your water as it passes through the said strainer.
Due to the design, the sediments often wind up staying in the filter and accumulating throughout time. With sediment filters, you may notice that the flow rate of the water diminishes over time. The sediment filters need to be cleaned and flushed more frequently if you want them to operate and maximize their lifespan efficiently.
Plenty of the best filters out there falls in this section and includes multiple filtration methods. However, having a sediment filter is the absolute baseline of protection you should consider when installing it in your RV for cleaner drinking water.
Carbon Filters
Carbon filters are the best choice for improving the taste and odor of the water in your rig. It isn’t something that you can expect from a sediment filter, and carbon filters types of water filters can also reduce the undesirable chlorine taste that comes with some water.
It is usually made of one of three substances which are granulated active carbon, modified carbon block, or a solid block of carbon. The filters with a granulated active carbon element are the most common and affordable when it comes to water filters. However, it is not as effective as the ones on the list.
They work by passing water through small grains of activated carbon which is similar to the charcoal that some people use for camp cooking. Filters that use a solid carbon block are more effective since water is not likely to form channels inside the filter.
The said elements are made by pulverizing activated carbon and then will use high pressure to form it into a solid block. The manufacturing process is the main reason why these filters are more expensive than the other types.
Lastly, the third type of carbon filter uses a modified carbon block which functions the same way as a solid carbon block filter.
Innovations such as these filters allow for an improved flow rate and better durability. As you can expect, it comes with a higher price tag than the other filters on this list. Also, it improves the taste and odor of your water, plenty of these filters are also effective at removing contaminants.
Contaminants include dangerous heavy metals like asbestos, mercury, and other volatile organic compounds that can be found in water.
Ceramic Filters
Ceramic filters are water filters that use ceramic elements with small holes in them. It filters the screen out such as bacteria, protozoa, giardia cysts, and sediments that provide clean drinking water for your rig. They are perfect for removing these types of substances but are not as effective when it comes to removing chemical contaminants.
These types of filters include a carbon component that improves their ability to filter chemicals and improve the taste as well as the odor of your water. When you find a particular ceramic filter that you are interested in, make sure that you check some sort of carbon filter component.
Reverse Osmosis Filter
Last but not least, we have the reverse osmosis filter, which is the most advanced type of filter technologically. They are capable of producing nearly 100 percent of pure water. These filters rely on the semi-permeable membrane that can block all particles that are larger than the size of a single water molecule.
It also makes them very effective at removing arsenic, perchlorate, fluoride, nitrates, and hexavalent chromium from your water.
The only thing that this filter cannot remove is chlorine. If you choose to go with a reverse osmosis filter, you need to make sure it also includes some type of carbon element for the removal of chlorine. You wouldn’t want your drinking water to taste like chlorine, of course.
Filter Placement Options
Aside from the filter system, you also have to consider the filter placement options that you have. These are options where you can place your water filter system, from inline filters to canister filters to countertop filters.
Inline Filters
An inline water filter system will likely influence where you would place it in your rig—one of the convenient designs that connect the RV water filtration system directly to your plumbing. If you don’t go this route, you can tuck your water filter next to your water supply tank or even under the kitchen sink.
Another option that you can do with inline filters is to place it outside your rig and connect the inline filter to the water inlet source that you have for your RV.
Canister Filters
The second opinion is the canister filter, where you can customize the filter based on your needs. It will allow you to drop in one, two, or three filters which would depend on their size and your needs. For example, you could run the water through a sediment filter in the first canister and a carbon filter on the second canister.
The filtration process could happen under the sink or outside the rig before the water comes into your storage tank. Reverse osmosis systems are available as a canister system since they are too complex to fit in the RV inline water filter.
Countertop Filters
Countertop filters use gravity to pull the water through their filter. It features nozzles like water coolers which are perfect for drinking and cooking water. A countertop gravity system can filter out 99.9999 percent of viruses, heavy metals, bacteria, and pharmaceuticals.
It is a bit less intense and more budget-friendly than other water filter systems on the market. However, they have limited capacity, and the filter lifespan is only a few months, but they are easy to replace. These types of filters are best if you are camping and you need clean water for brushing your teeth, showing, and washing dishes.
Countertop filters are perfect if you have space in your kitchen. If you don’t, it is best to go with other types of filters that are listed above.
