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Best RV Water Filter • Reviews & Buying Guide (November 2024)

Updated: October 22, 2024

Best RV Water Filter • Reviews & Buying Guide (November 2024)

When you’ve embarked on an adventure in an RV, there’s normally one common gripe which people have during their vacation: access to clean water.

You could get bottled water from a store, but this damages the environment. To save cash and the planet, an RV filter is the way to go.

Whether you’re at home or enjoying a vacation, the safeness and quality of our drinking water has long been a source of national debate.

A dependable RV filter can eliminate unpleasant odors, tastes and unwanted sediment in tap water.

In the past decade, more than 60 million people have drunk water which contained harmful contaminants and chemicals, according to one New York Times report.

However, a dependable RV filter – which boasts high capacity and large cartridges – can eliminate unpleasant odors, tastes and unwanted sediment in tap water quickly and accurately – keeping your family safe.

Best RV Water Filter

Watts 520022 RV/Boat Duo Exterior Water Filter

Watts 520022 RV/Boat Duo Exterior Water Filter

According to Watts, this exterior water filter for boats and RVs has been tested to remove 99.9% of the traces of giardia cysts and cryptosporidium which may have been manifesting itself in your drinking source.

When it comes to purchasing replacement filters, you should find that your total overheads are just a few bucks a month – about the equivalent of 10 bottles of water – especially if you take the initiative to buy in bulk. Although it might seem to take a dent out of your wallet at first, it’s worth it if you’re going to be using the cartridges anyway.

This exterior water filter for boats and RVs has been tested to remove 99.9% of the traces of giardia cysts and cryptosporidium.

Although many people who have used this water filter had no problems whatsoever when it came to leaking, do be warned that some of the fittings – including screws – can begin to rust as time goes on.

As you can imagine, this does become rather frustrating – not least because your filter has to start working harder! In terms of price, this RV water filter is one of the more affordable we’ve come across.


Culligan RVF-10 Level 1 Recreational Vehicle External Water Filter

Culligan RVF-10 Level 1 Recreational Vehicle External Water Filter

The most impressive feature about Culligan’s RVF-10 Level 1 RV filter is its capacity. With just one cartridge, the appliance can ably treat up to 250 gallons of water – that’s in excess of 1,000 liters.

And, better still, you won’t notice that the cartridges outlast the container it’s housed in, which has been made out of durable plastic.

As we were mentioning earlier, it’s important to check the wording of a water filter’s status with the NSF. This Culligan product has been “certified” by the foundation, meaning its scientists and laboratory experts have concluded it safe to use.

This Culligan product has been “certified” by the foundation: its laboratory experts have concluded it safe to use.

In the box, impressively, is a replacement cartridge – meaning that you’ll be able to enjoy several weeks or months of use before it’s time to get purchasing additional filters.

And, if the external water filter begins to malfunction for any reason, always remember that you can rely on the five-year limited warranty, which shows that the manufacturer cares about the experience you have with their product.


CAMCO 40043 TastePURE Water Filter with Flexible Hose Protector

CAMCO 40043 TastePURE Water Filter with Flexible Hose Protector

According to the manufacturer, the TastePURE water filter boasts unrivaled capacity – and better still, it’ll eliminate common chemicals such as chlorine, which generally tend to make drinking water and even food very, very unpleasant.

If you’ve been dreading the possibility that a good travel water filter will need complicated assembly, think again. This CAMCO model can be installed effortlessly – and you won’t need to read an instruction manual where you’re constantly second guessing which parts need to go where.

The TastePURE should be connected onto the end of the hose which you use for drinking water.

The TastePURE should be connected onto the end of the hose which you use for drinking water, and the only thing to bear in mind is that water should be allowed to flow unencumbered through the filter for several minutes after it is first fitted.

This simply helps to flush out any carbon particles which may have come loose in the water, and failing to do this could mean that you notice unsightly flecks when you pour water into a glass.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which filtration methods are used?

As replacement cartridges for some RV water purification systems can be expensive, buying products which boast the longest lifespan will prove beneficial.

Normally, as the name suggests, these products contain a filter which catches unwanted contaminants as water seeps its way through. Typically, the cartridge is going to be made of carbon – and some filters have a wide surface area to prolong its lifespan and help clean, ready to drink water become accessible faster.

As replacement cartridges for some RV water purification systems can be expensive, buying products which boast the longest lifespan will prove beneficial. Also, double-check to see how much new filters will cost – and whether buying RV water filters in bulk will help you to make some serious savings.

Is it approved by the National Sanitation Foundation?

If a product has been certified by the NSF, the filter will have been put through its paces by the organization itself.

Next up, let’s tackle a major concern for many shoppers on the hunt for their first travel trailer water filter – whether it has been independently tested as a safe and effective product. The body to rely on is the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF,) as they will have examined your chosen RV filter to see if the manufacturer’s claims on the front of the box are true.

If a product has been certified by the NSF, the filter will have been put through its paces by the organization itself. However, products “tested to NSF standards” can be rather dubious because in some cases, their claims can’t be backed up.

What about dealing with hard water?

You should be using a dedicated softener which works through an ion exchange mechanism.

Although a common gripe of taking your RV on the road is having to deal with hard water, you’ve got to remember that most products may not be able to soften liquids in the way you’d expect. And, if you do place hard water into an RV water filter, it’s possible that lime scale will begin to build.

Instead – to prolong your investment in a plumbing system for the RV – you should be using a dedicated softener which works through an ion exchange mechanism. And, to save some cash, you might just want the hot water to be treated.

In Summary

RV water filters are incredibly convenient – cutting down on the trips you have to make to stores for heavy tanks containing gallons of clean water.

You’ll save money too, and believe us, the difference that you’ll see in the taste and visual appearance of treated water is remarkable.

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