Which Water Filters Remove PFAS? Certified Options by Type

Short answer: filters that use activated carbon, ion exchange or reverse osmosis can reduce PFAS, but only some models are certified to do it. Look for a PFOA/PFOS or “Total PFAS” reduction claim under NSF/ANSI 53 or 58, then confirm that exact model in the certifier’s listing. On October 10, 2026, we found certified options in every format: Culligan ZeroWater pitchers and PUR pitchers and faucet filters with the PUR PLUS filters (Total PFAS), the Aquasana Claryum under-sink filters (PFOA/PFOS), countertop and under-sink reverse osmosis systems such as the AquaTru Classic and Waterdrop G3P600 (PFOA/PFOS), and whole-house systems from Aquasana and Culligan. Many popular filters had no PFAS claim, including Brita’s pitcher filters and PUR’s basic pitcher filter.

We don’t run lab tests. Everything below comes from the certifiers’ own listings, the makers’ pages and the EPA, and every claim is labeled with what we could confirm.

First: do you need a PFAS filter at all?

Maybe not. The EPA’s home filter guidance says to find out which PFAS, if any, are in your water first, and that “if PFAS have not been measured in your water, or if PFAS have been measured but are below federal limits, a filter may not be useful to you.”

• City water: your utility, your annual water quality report and the EPA’s monitoring data can tell you. Here’s how to read your water quality report.
• Private well: nobody tests it for you. See well water testing for how to get a lab test that includes PFAS.

The yardstick is the EPA’s 2024 rule: legal limits of 4.0 parts per trillion (ppt) each for PFOA and PFOS, with water systems due to comply by 2029, according to the EPA’s PFAS rule page as of October 10, 2026. In May 2026 the EPA proposed keeping those two limits but giving systems the option of more time (to 2031), and rescinding the limits for four other PFAS. Those are proposals, not final rules; our PFAS guide explains what PFAS are and what the health research shows, and our news piece covers the 2026 proposal.

What “certified for PFAS” actually means

The EPA advises checking the packaging for certification to NSF/ANSI 53 (filters) or NSF/ANSI 58 (reverse osmosis) for PFAS reduction, then confirming it in the certifier’s product directory. Five ANSI-accredited bodies certify filters for PFAS: CSA Group, IAPMO R&T, NSF, UL and WQA. We checked three of them for this guide: NSF, WQA and IAPMO R&T.

Two details matter more than the logo on the box:

• The claim, not just the standard. A filter can be certified to NSF/ANSI 53 for lead and nothing else. You need to see “PFOA”, “PFOS” or “Total PFAS” listed as a reduction claim for that model.
• PFOA/PFOS versus Total PFAS. NSF’s listings define Total PFAS as seven compounds: PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, PFNA, PFHpA, PFBS and PFDA. A PFOA/PFOS claim covers only those two, which the EPA noted in April 2024 were the focus of filter certifications.

And one honest limit: the EPA says the current certification standards “do not yet indicate that a filter will remove PFAS down to the levels EPA has now set for a drinking water standard,” and that it is working with standard-setting bodies to update them. A certified filter reduces PFAS; the certificate alone doesn’t prove your water ends up under 4 ppt. Our guide to checking a filter’s certification walks through the lookup step by step.

The research points the same way. A 2024 review of point-of-use filters found that only a handful of peer-reviewed studies have measured PFAS at the tap after a home filter, with just five in real-life conditions. Not all filters were shown to work, short-chain PFAS were harder to remove, and poorly maintained carbon filters might even raise PFAS levels. In a Japanese study of four pitcher filters, all reduced the six PFAS tested, but performance varied a lot by model: the best removed more than 90% through the cartridge’s rated life, while the worst fell below 50% by the end. Shorter-chain PFAS were removed less well in every model. The models weren’t named, so the study can’t tell you which brand to buy, but it shows why the specific model and the replacement schedule matter.

Certified

Listed for this contaminant under the named standard by an accredited certifier (NSF, WQA, IAPMO, CSA or similar).

Lab-tested only

The maker publishes an independent lab report, but the product is not certified for this claim.

Maker claim only

No certification listing or independent lab report that we could find.

Pitchers and dispensers

Who they’re for: renters, small households, or anyone who wants a low-cost test of whether a filter fits their routine. Who they aren’t for: large households, because certified capacities are small.

On October 10, 2026, the IAPMO listings showed two major pitcher brands certified for Total PFAS under NSF/ANSI 53, and in both cases the claim depends on using the right filter.

Culligan ZeroWater. The IAPMO listing showed the Culligan ZeroWater pitchers and dispensers certified under NSF/ANSI 53 for Total PFAS, with lead, fluoride, hexavalent chromium and nitrate/nitrite among the other claims. The certification covers the newer Culligan ZeroWater filter (model ZEROF). Culligan still sells “Legacy ZeroWater” filters for older pitchers. Those aren’t on this certificate, but on October 11, 2026, IAPMO listed them on a separate one for PFOA and PFOS, with a capacity of only 15 gallons (see our pitcher comparison).

• Total PFASCertifiedNSF/ANSI 53-2024 · IAPMO R&T Listing
• LeadCertifiedNSF/ANSI 53-2024 · IAPMO R&T Listing
• FluorideCertifiedNSF/ANSI 53-2024 · IAPMO R&T Listing
• "99% of total PFAS"Maker claim only

Cost: $34.99 for the pitcher and $36.99 for two filters on Culligan’s site on October 10, 2026. The certified capacity is only 20 gallons per filter, so at a gallon a day you’d replace it about every three weeks: roughly 90 cents per gallon in filters. The listing doesn’t show a percentage reduction; the 99% figure comes from Culligan’s own page.

PUR. PUR’s pitchers and dispensers are listed for Total PFAS only with the PUR PLUS filter (PPF951K). The same pitchers with the basic PUR filter (PPF900Z) carry other claims but no PFAS claim, and PUR’s own data sheet marks Total PFAS “Not Certified” for that filter.

• Total PFASCertifiedNSF/ANSI 53-2024 · IAPMO R&T Listing
• LeadCertifiedNSF/ANSI 53-2024 · IAPMO R&T Listing

The certified capacity is 40 gallons, and PUR says to replace the filter every two months or 40 gallons. We didn’t record a price because it varies by retailer.

Brita: in the WQA and IAPMO listings we checked, Brita’s pitcher filters were certified for lead and other contaminants, but none listed PFOA, PFOS or Total PFAS. We didn’t search the CSA or UL directories, so if a box shows a PFAS claim from one of them, look the model up there.

Faucet-mount filters

These attach to the faucet and filter on demand, a middle ground between a pitcher and an under-sink filter. On October 10, 2026:

• PUR faucet systems with the RF-3375 or RF-9999 filters were listed by IAPMO under NSF/ANSI 53 for Total PFAS, lead, mercury and VOCs, with a certified capacity of 100 gallons. PUR says to replace the filter every three months or 100 gallons.
• Culligan (models CFM-300 and CULFM) and ZeroWater (ZFM-400) faucet filters were listed by WQA under NSF/ANSI 53 for PFOA and PFOS, with certified capacities of 300 to 400 gallons.

Under-sink filters

Who they’re for: households that drink and cook with a lot of tap water and can give up some cabinet space. Many, like the Aquasana models below, feed a separate faucet at the sink.

Aquasana’s Claryum line is listed by WQA under NSF/ANSI 53 for PFOA and PFOS, along with lead, cysts, mercury and VOCs. The current 2-Stage model is the AQ-6200 (the older AQ-5200 uses the same filters).

• PFOA and PFOSCertifiedNSF/ANSI 53 · WQA Listing
• LeadCertifiedNSF/ANSI 53 · WQA Listing
• PFOA/PFOS "tested down to 20 ppt"Maker claim only

Cost: $124.99 on sale (list $249.99) and $73.99 for a replacement filter set on Aquasana’s site on October 10, 2026. The certified capacity is 500 gallons, and Aquasana says to replace the set at 500 gallons or six months, whichever comes first: about 15 cents per gallon at full use. Aquasana says the system meets a stricter NSF/ANSI 53 PFAS requirement, with results “tested down to 20 parts per trillion.” The WQA listing doesn’t show the test level, so we label that part as the maker’s claim. Aquasana’s 3-Stage and 3-Stage Max Flow models carry the same PFOA/PFOS listing with larger capacities.

Reverse osmosis

Who it’s for: people who want to reduce PFAS along with other contaminants such as nitrate, arsenic or fluoride. Trade-offs: higher cost and some water sent to the drain. Our guide to how reverse osmosis works covers the wastewater.

On the two RO systems below, the PFOA/PFOS claim is certified under NSF/ANSI 53, not under the RO standard, so check the 53 listing as well as the 58 one.

• PFOA and PFOSCertifiedNSF/ANSI 53-2021 · IAPMO R&T Listing

• PFOA and PFOSCertifiedNSF/ANSI 53-2022 · IAPMO R&T Listing

Culligan’s Aquasential RO systems are also listed by WQA for Total PFAS. For prices, filter costs, wastewater and the other contaminants each system is certified for, see our reverse osmosis comparison, which also covers the Aquasana SmartFlow (WQA-listed for PFOA/PFOS) and two budget systems certified for TDS only.

Whole-house systems

Who they’re for: people whose water is well above the limits and who want every tap treated, for example on a well that tests high. Who they aren’t for: most people. ATSDR says that for most PFAS, exposure from showering, bathing or washing dishes would be low, so drinking and cooking water is what matters. A point-of-use filter at the kitchen sink handles that for a fraction of the price.

• PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, PFNA and PFHpACertifiedNSF/ANSI 53 · WQA Listing

• Total PFASCertifiedNSF/ANSI 53 · WQA Listing

Cost: the HealthShield was $2,099 on sale (list $4,198) on Aquasana’s site on October 10, 2026. The WQA listing gives it a capacity of 165,000 gallons and notes that the full tank is replaced at capacity: a replacement tank was $1,749 that day. The listing also says incoming water must have its aluminum level reduced before treatment. We didn’t find a published price for Culligan’s system; its WQA listing gives a capacity of 158,000 gallons.

Refrigerator filters

Some refrigerator filters carry PFAS claims too. NSF’s PFOA/PFOS listing on October 10, 2026, included Whirlpool refrigerator filters such as the EDR3RXD1. Fridge filters are matched to specific refrigerators, so look up your fridge’s filter model in the NSF listing rather than assuming a replacement has the same claims as the original.

How to check a filter yourself

1. Find the exact model number of the system and the replacement cartridge.
2. Search for it in the certifier’s directory named on the box: NSF, WQA, IAPMO, CSA Group or UL.
3. Look for PFOA, PFOS or Total PFAS in that model’s reduction claims, not just the standard number.
4. Note the certified capacity, and plan to replace the cartridge before it runs out. The EPA warns that a filter that isn’t replaced on schedule can increase your risk of exposure.

Bottom line

• Test or check your water first. If PFAS are below the federal limits, the EPA says a filter may not be useful to you.
• Certified PFAS filters exist in every format. On October 10, 2026, we found them from Culligan ZeroWater and PUR (pitchers, with the right filter), PUR, Culligan and ZeroWater (faucet mounts), Aquasana (under-sink and whole-house), AquaTru and Waterdrop (reverse osmosis), and Culligan (whole-house).
• The filter matters as much as the brand: PUR’s basic pitcher filter and Brita’s pitcher filters had no PFAS claim in the listings we checked.
• Certification shows a filter reduces PFOA and PFOS (or Total PFAS) under test conditions. It doesn’t yet prove your water gets below the EPA’s 4 ppt limits, and only regular cartridge changes keep it working.

Still deciding whether you need one? Start with our PFAS guide.