Compare Water Filters
AquaTru Classic Countertop Reverse Osmosis scores higher on safety - here's why.
R3 scored the AquaTru Classic Countertop Reverse Osmosis 9.9/10 and the Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher with Affinity Filtration Technology 6.4/10 on the same water filters scoring system, weighing safety, efficacy, and usability. The AquaTru Classic Countertop Reverse Osmosis comes out ahead, led by its safety score (9.9/10 vs 6.7/10).
The most important dimensions, side by side.
See which one actually scores higher — and why
Free account unlocks full safety scores, spec-by-spec breakdown, and the R3 verdict on AquaTru Classic Countertop Reverse Osmosis vs Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher with Affinity Filtration Technology.
Unlock the full AquaTru Classic Countertop Reverse Osmosis vs Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher with Affinity Filtration Technology breakdown
Free account unlocks all safety scores, complete spec comparison, scoring rationale, and the R3 verdict on which one to buy.
Everything you need to make the call - who each one is for, and who should skip it.
Go for it if you...
You want the highest available certification for PFAS and lead removal in a countertop unit — no plumber needed.
You're a renter or can't do under-sink installation and still want RO-level protection.
You want NSF 401 microplastics certification on top of PFAS and lead — only AquaTru covers all three.
Institutional certification and ongoing audit obligations matter to you, not just one-time lab results.
You want certified PFAS protection from a pitcher without an under-sink installation.
PFAS removal performance is your primary concern and lab results matter to you.
You're comfortable with 13-minute fill times and can track filter replacement manually.
You have no known lead contamination in your water.
The main thing to know
At $449 upfront, AquaTru is the most expensive unit in this category by a wide margin. Budget for it.
No certified lead reduction. If your water has lead contamination from aging pipes, Clearly Filtered doesn't provide institutional verification for that — wait for the in-progress lead certification or choose ZeroWater.
Skip this if you...
The $449 upfront cost is out of reach — ZeroWater or Clearly Filtered offer strong certified protection at far lower cost.
You already have an under-sink RO system installed — AquaTru would duplicate it.
Counter space is limited and you'd prefer a fridge-door pitcher format.
Your home has lead in the water supply — Clearly Filtered doesn't have a certified lead reduction claim yet.
You fill your pitcher frequently and slow fill speeds frustrate your household's routine.
You want a filter life indicator rather than manual gallon tracking.
Neither of these quite what you're looking for?
I've reviewed all Water Filters options at every price pointEvery Water Filters in our database is scored using R3's deterministic scoring system - the same inputs always produce the same score. For this comparison, we evaluated AquaTru and Clearly Filtered across 3 independent criteria: Safety (91%), Efficacy (6%), Usability (3%). No sponsored rankings. No paid placements.
Straight answers - no sponsored content, no filler.
I'd start with AquaTru AquaTru Classic Countertop Reverse Osmosis - it scored 9.9/10 overall in our scoring system. Safety is our top-weighted scoring pillar, followed by efficacy, and usability. Check which pillar matters most to your family and compare those specific scores.
R3 uses a deterministic scoring system - the same inputs always produce the same score. We evaluate each Water Filters across Safety, Efficacy, Usability using independently verified data. No sponsored rankings. No paid placements. Every score is fully reproducible.
Not necessarily. The overall score reflects how we weight those three pillars, but your priorities may differ. If you care most about safety, compare the safety scores directly. If budget drives your decision, the prices tell a clearer story. The "right" pick is the one that matches what matters most to your family.
Not the right match? Explore these alternatives in the same category.
