What does a water filter actually cost once you count the cartridges, and does it beat bottled?
The filter is the cheap part. The cartridges are forever. Here's the real number.
Most people never run the numbers. Put in your setup, and watch the real per-year cost appear: filtering at home vs. buying bottled water, plus a straight answer on whether the filter is worth it. If it isn't, we'll say so.
Your setup
Fill in what you can. The numbers update as you type.
Bottled water costs you
Add the gallons you use and a bottled price to see the real annual number. It's usually bigger than people guess.
Estimate only: based on the assumptions below.
Filter vs. bottled, over your horizon
The upfront device cost is included in the filter column. This is where the recurring cartridge cost gets loud.
Straight cost math, no taste preference, fridge space, plastic waste, or convenience factored in. Real life varies.
- You go through the same gallons whether you filter or buy bottled. 365 Days a year.
- Filtered cost per gallon = cartridge price ÷ rated gallons per cartridge, plus any upkeep.
- Filter total = upfront device + (filtering + upkeep)/yr × years. Bottled has no device.
- No water/electricity cost modeled. It's a few dollars a year and rounds away.
1 · Here's what we found
2 · What to actually do (the decision, not a sales pitch)
3 · Resources
The cheapest filter that's certified for YOUR problem wins. Not the scariest ad.
If the payback math says a filter is worth it, don't let fear-marketing push you to an expensive system you don't need. A filter only removes what it's certified to remove (taste, lead, and PFAS are different certifications) so the right move is to read your water report and buy the cheapest filter certified for your actual concern.
We broke down which filter types remove what (lead, chlorine, PFAS, sediment), which certifications actually matter, and where the price-to-protection sweet spot really is.
Which filter actually removes what →Shopping for a water filter?
Get our one-page guide: what each filter type actually removes, which NSF certifications matter, and how to spot the cartridge cost that quietly doubles the price.