Broadest certified reduction here, with zero plumbing
Aquasana Countertop Filter
Reviewed by
Dr. Yocheved Yorkovsky · Science Editor, Health, Chemistry & Environment
The no-plumbing, most-certified pick. Claryum cartridges are certified to NSF 42/53/401 for up to 77 contaminants including 99% lead and PFAS, with no drilling and 6-month filters. Key caveat: it does NOT fit pull-out or pull-down sprayers, only standard and touchless faucets.
When a clip-on filter is awkward and you can't drill, a countertop diverter is the renter-friendly route, and the Aquasana Claryum is the most thoroughly certified filter in this lineup. It connects to your faucet through a diverter valve, runs water through a multi-stage Claryum cartridge, and sends it out a dedicated spout. That cartridge is certified to NSF/ANSI 42, 53 (including P473), and 401, cutting up to 77 contaminants, over 97% chlorine, 99% lead, 96% PFOA/PFOS, plus cysts, mercury, and asbestos, while keeping beneficial minerals, and a set lasts about 450 gallons or six months, far longer than any clip-on. One compatibility point matters and it's health-adjacent: the diverter attaches at the aerator, so it fits standard and many touchless faucets but NOT pull-out or pull-down sprayers, for those Aquasana's under-sink system is the answer. The other costs are literal counter space, a second spout, and a modest ~0.5 GPM flow. For broad certified reduction with zero plumbing, just confirm your faucet isn't a sprayer first.
$100
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Last reviewed Jun 13, 2026
What we like
- ✓Works with pull-down and specialty faucets a clip-on can't fit
- ✓Multi-stage cartridge certified for a broad contaminant list
- ✓No drilling — renter-friendly and removable
- ✓Much longer filter life than clip-on faucet filters
- ✓Dedicated filtered-water spout
Trade-offs
- −Does NOT fit pull-out or pull-down sprayer faucets (use Aquasana under-sink for those)
- −Unit plus hose takes counter space and looks cluttered
- −Modest ~0.5 GPM flow rate
- −Filter swaps can be slightly fiddly
Best for
Renters and small-kitchen buyers who want a dedicated filtered-water spout without drilling — it sits on the counter and connects to the faucet via a diverter.
Avoid if
your faucet is a pull-out or pull-down sprayer (the diverter attaches at the aerator and won't fit those, only standard and many touchless faucets) — go under-sink instead — or counter space is tight and you want the filter hidden.
The three lenses
How we grade →- 8.2/10
Value & Longevity · Eran Yorkovsky
Score breakdown
- quality9.1/10
- fit9.0/10
- ease8.5/10
- value8.2/10
Specs
- flow
- ~0.5 GPM rated
- type
- Countertop diverter filter (no plumbing)
- price
- ~$100
- install
- No-drill; diverter at the aerator; retains minerals
- reduces
- Up to 77: 97%+ chlorine, 99% lead, 96% PFOA/PFOS, cysts, mercury, asbestos
- filter life
- ~450 gallons / ~6 months (AQ-4035)
- compatibility
- Standard/many touchless faucets; NOT pull-out/pull-down sprayers
- certifications
- NSF/ANSI 42, 53 (incl P473), 401
How we know
High confidenceLast checkedThe Aquasana Claryum Countertop is PickGrade's no-plumbing pick — a countertop system that sits beside the sink and connects to your faucet with a diverter, so there's no drilling and nothing under the cabinet, which makes it renter-friendly and a good route when a bulky clip-on filter is awkward. It's also the most thoroughly certified filter in this lineup: its Claryum cartridges are tested and certified to NSF/ANSI 42, 53 (including P473), and 401, reducing up to 77 contaminants — over 97% of chlorine and chloramine, 99% of lead, 96% of PFOA/PFOS (PFAS), plus cysts, mercury, asbestos, pesticides, and pharmaceuticals — while deliberately keeping beneficial minerals in the water. A cartridge set lasts about 450 gallons or six months, far longer than any clip-on here. One important compatibility caveat, and it's health-adjacent so worth stressing: the diverter attaches where your aerator screws in, and Aquasana states it does NOT fit pull-out or pull-down sprayer faucets — for those, their under-sink system is the right answer. It works on standard and many touchless faucets, just not sprayers. Other trade-offs: flow is a modest ~0.5 GPM, the unit plus its hose takes up counter space and looks cluttered, and filter swaps can be slightly fiddly. For broad, certified contaminant reduction with zero plumbing, it's the standout — just confirm your faucet isn't a pull-out sprayer first.
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Video reviews
YouTube — Aquasana Claryum Countertop (AQ-4000) - Install & Overview
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