Full flow, 78 contaminants gone, its own dedicated tap
Aquasana Claryum 3-Stage Under-Sink
Reviewed by
Dr. Yocheved Yorkovsky · Science Editor, Health, Chemistry & Environment
The homeowner's step up. It mounts under the sink with its own fast tap, and three stages are NSF 42/53/401 certified to cut up to 78 contaminants, including 99% lead and PFAS. It needs plumbing and won't remove fluoride, but for full-flow certified filtering, it's the pick.
When clip-on faucet filters stop keeping up — high daily use, a desire for the broadest certified reduction, or just frustration with weak flow — the Aquasana Claryum 3-Stage is the natural step up. It mounts under the sink and feeds a dedicated filter faucet, with a three-stage cartridge certified to NSF/ANSI standards for a long contaminant list including chlorine, lead, and many others, while leaving beneficial minerals in (unlike reverse osmosis). Flow is full-strength because nothing's clipped onto your aerator, and filter life is measured in hundreds of gallons. The honest trade-offs are real: it needs under-sink installation and usually a spare faucet hole, so it's a homeowner's choice, not a renter's.
$349.99
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Last reviewed Jun 13, 2026
What we like
- ✓Broad NSF/ANSI-certified contaminant reduction including lead
- ✓Full flow rate — nothing restricting the aerator
- ✓Long cartridge life measured in hundreds of gallons
- ✓Leaves beneficial minerals in, unlike reverse osmosis
- ✓Dedicated filter faucet keeps filtered and unfiltered separate
Trade-offs
- −Needs a plumbing connection and a faucet hole - not for renters who can't modify plumbing
- −Does NOT remove fluoride or TDS (reverse osmosis needed for those)
- −Some reviewers found cartridges didn't seat as solidly as premium rivals
- −Flow can vary between filter sets per user reports
Best for
Homeowners with high daily water use who've outgrown clip-on filters and want the broadest certified reduction with full flow and long cartridge life.
Avoid if
You rent or want a five-minute clip-on install — this needs under-sink mounting and a dedicated faucet hole, so the PUR or Brita fit better.
The three lenses
How we grade →- 8.1/10
Value & Longevity · Eran Yorkovsky
Score breakdown
- quality9.4/10
- fit9.2/10
- ease8.2/10
- value8.1/10
Specs
- flow
- Full flow from dedicated faucet
- type
- 3-stage under-sink filter (dedicated faucet)
- price
- ~$249
- install
- Plumbing connection; DIY ~30-45 min
- reduces
- ~78: 99% lead, ~99.7% PFAS, 99.99% cysts, 97%+ chlorine, mercury, asbestos
- minerals
- Retains beneficial minerals (not reverse osmosis)
- filter life
- ~600 gallons / ~6 months; twist-off swap
- certifications
- NSF/ANSI 42, 53 (incl P473), 401
How we know
High confidenceLast checkedThe Aquasana Claryum 3-Stage Under-Sink is PickGrade's premium pick and the real step up from a clip-on faucet filter — the choice for homeowners who want the most certified protection with full, unrestricted flow. It installs under the cabinet (a 30-45 minute DIY job) and comes with its own dedicated faucet, so filtered water pours fast from a separate tap. Three stages — a sediment pre-filter plus dual Claryum cartridges combining activated and catalytic carbon, ion exchange, and sub-micron filtration — are tested and certified to NSF/ANSI 42, 53 (including P473), and 401, reducing up to 78 contaminants: 99% of lead, about 99.7% of PFAS, 99.99% of cysts, 97%+ of chlorine and chloramine, plus mercury, asbestos, microplastics, pesticides, and pharmaceuticals. Like all Claryum filters it deliberately keeps beneficial minerals (calcium, magnesium, potassium) rather than stripping everything the way reverse osmosis does. A cartridge set lasts about 600 gallons or six months and swaps in via twist-off with no tools. The honest caveats: it needs a plumbing connection and a spare hole (or replaced faucet) at the sink, so it's not for renters who can't modify plumbing; it does NOT remove fluoride or total dissolved solids — you'd need a reverse-osmosis system for those; and some reviewers found the cartridges didn't seat as solidly as premium rivals and noted flow varying between filter sets. For broad, certified, full-flow filtration short of RO, it's the homeowner's pick.
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