Let’s talk about water filters, because apparently, everyone’s an expert these days.
On one side, you’ve got the reverse osmosis evangelists who act like tap water is a chemical weapon. On the other, the raw water zealots who think drinking unfiltered pond scum will align their chakras or some other nonsense. And then there’s social media, where every self-proclaimed wellness guru has diagnosed your water with 17 different imaginary diseases based entirely on vibes and a suspiciously blurry photo.
It’s enough to make you want to give up and start drinking exclusively paint thinner.
So what’s a sane person to do? How do you navigate this circus without getting conned into buying a $2,000 filtration system that also moonlights as a Wi-Fi router?
Here’s the revolutionary idea: Test your damn water.
Not with a free strip from some company that also sells healing crystals. A real test. The kind from National Testing Labs or TapScore, because unlike Instagram influencers, they actually use science. Once you’ve got your results, you can match them to filters certified by NSF, which is the closest thing we have to a guarantee that a filter won’t just be an expensive paperweight.
Shocking, I know. Facts instead of fear.
Now, let me tell you about Simon.
Simon, a sensible guy from Florida, sent me his TapScore results and asked, “What should I get?” So I called him up, we went through the numbers, talked about his concerns, and figured out what he really needed, which, in his case, turned out to be a whole-house system. Definitely too much for some people, but in his case, just the right filtration for him.
I did the research, emailed him a few options, and we had another chat. We narrowed it down: the must-haves vs. the “you can add this later if you still care” extras. A few weeks later, the gear showed up at his doorstep. Now, with the help of his handyman, he’s getting it installed, no guesswork, no fear, just cleaner water.
Now, Simon’s solution isn’t everyone’s solution. Maybe you just need an undersink filter. Maybe a pitcher’s enough. But the point is, you won’t know until you test. Then you can pick a filter that’s actually proven to remove what’s in your water, not just what some influencer on tiktok insists you should be terrified of. Without data, you’re just throwing money at the problem without actually solving it. And I don’t know about you, but I don’t have that kinda money.
Fear-based marketing is a scam. It preys on uncertainty, cranks up the anxiety, and then sells you the only possible solution. And yeah, that approach makes money. It’s the oldest marketing trick in the book. Scare people, then offer them the only solution, preferably at a markup so high it should come with a parachute. That’s why I started The Right Filter. I don’t believe in a “best” filter. I believe in the right filter, the one that fits your water, your budget, and your actual needs.
So before you let some company terrorize you into buying bottled water by the pallet or a reverse osmosis system that wastes more water than it filters, test your water. Then find the filter that fits your situation.
Not because you’re afraid. Because you’re informed.
