Best RV Water Filters
by Nancy Hearn, CNC

The best RV water filters provide high levels of contaminant filtration and water purification. 

Choosing one depends on your specific needs. The key factors are (1) how often you use the RV, (2) where you will be traveling (the source water), and (3) whether you want to filter all the water in the RV or just the drinking water.

If you use your RV a lot or if the water you typically find at sites tastes bad or has an odor, then you will most likely want to use at least an inline whole RV filter for sediment, taste and odor for all the water you use. Then you could add a drinking water filter at the point of use (sink) for additional filtration.

If you use your RV infrequently or if your main concern is drinking water, you have several good options, including most under sink and countertop water systems, as well as portable water filters such as the Berkey (see below).

Types of Whole RV Water Filters

In Line Filters – These types of filters can be used at the point of entry to the RV and are good for basic filtration of sediment and to remove bad taste or odor. 

Compact Canisters - These are similar to those used for whole house systems, but they are compact to fit in RVs.  They can be customized for your needs. 

Reverse Osmosis (RO)  - RO is effective at purifying water but we only recommend it for short term use, since RO also removes minerals in drinking water.

Ultraviolet (UV)  -  UV systems are effective at purifying water if your main concern is pathogens such as e-coli, giardia, and cryptosporidium. UV systems are best used in conjunction with a multi-stage filter that removes more contaminants.

Types of RV Drinking Water Filters

Inline – These can also be used at the point of use (the sink where you get your drinking water) and provide entry level filtration for sediment, taste and odor.  Multi-stage drinking water filters can provide high levels of filtration, including heavy metals, chemicals.  

Countertop  -  These systems come with single or multiple canisters that sit on the counter and attach to the faucet. The multi-stage canisters provide a high level of filtration. 

Under sink -  The under sink systems provide the same degree of filtration as the countertop systems and do not take up counter space.

Portable  - These systems can sit on the countertop or put on a table outside the RV or wherever clean drinking water is needed.

Best RV Water Filters We Recommend

Even though there are an array of RV water filters on the market, we recommend the following based on degree of filtration, certifications, ease of use, durability, value and customer service.

Crystal Quest Camping and RV Filters

Offers a full array of excellent water filters for whole RV and drinking water filters, including whole RV, inline, counter top and under sink. Most of the Crystal Quest water filter systems can be customized for your specific needs.

Aquasana Drinking Water Filters for RVs

Offers quality counter top and under sink water filter systems for high levels of filtration, as well as removal of biological contaminants such as coliforms, giardia, and cryptosporidium.

Berkey Portable Water Systems

One of the best RV water filters that can be used to provide purified water without the need for electricity. These systems can even purify untreated water from remote lakes and streams.

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