Sherry and I are serious water drinkers. We refill our Klean Kanteens multiple times a day and usually order water at restaurants (I gave up soda years ago), so staying well hydrated is a priority. Even though our local tap has decent water quality, we decided it made sense to add a filtration system since we consume so much water. Faucet-mounted filters felt awkward to us, and we never adopted pitcher filters—they’re plastic, and Sherry prefers glass or stainless steel—so an under-sink solution seemed ideal.

Recently someone gifted us an under-sink system from Filtrete, which was a pleasant surprise. Filtrete is better known for air filters, but their under-sink water filter promised a neat, out-of-sight installation and a straightforward setup with minimal tools. That sounded perfect, so I took the installation on as a weekend project.

To start, I cleared everything out from under the sink, shut off the cold water supply, and gathered the tools listed in the instructions: screwdriver, adjustable wrench, drill and a knife for cutting tubing. The Filtrete kit included the filter cartridge, the filter head, tubing, and mounting screws. I also found plumber’s tape useful for the fittings.

The first installation step was mounting the filter head to the cabinet wall. I held the head in place, marked the screw locations with a pencil, drilled pilot holes, and installed the screws. I left the filter head slightly loose while I attached the tubing so I could make adjustments before final tightening.

Next I removed a section of the existing piping to connect the new tubing. The factory fittings on our plumbing were tight, so this was one of the trickier parts and required two people to steady and loosen the connections. Once disconnected, I cut two lengths of the supplied tubing to size and connected the first piece between the cold water supply and the inlet on the Filtrete head. The cold water side attached with a hex-nut fitting included in the kit, while the filter head used a push-in fitting that locks the tubing securely. The connection was firm and leak-resistant.

The second tube connects from the filter head outlet to the faucet adapter. That side also uses a push-in fitting at the filter head and a faucet adapter on the other end. The push-in fittings are convenient—just push the tubing into the port until it seats and it holds tight. After routing both tubes neatly and making sure there was enough clearance to insert and remove the filter cartridge, I tightened the filter head down in its final position.

Installing the cartridge itself is simple. The filter slips into the head and locks with a quarter turn. The system ships with an advanced filter that reduces sediment as well as chlorine taste and odors, similar to what a pitcher filter provides. Filtrete also offers a professional-grade cartridge that additionally targets parasitic cysts for those seeking a higher level of contaminant reduction.

To help remember replacement intervals, the kit included a reminder sticker. We wrote the install date on the filter with a black Sharpie and put the sticker in Sherry’s planner. The replacement schedule is every six months for the standard cartridge, and having clear reminders makes it easy to keep the system performing well.

Finishing up, we turned the water back on, ran the faucet for five minutes to flush the lines and clear any air, and inspected every connection for leaks. Everything held perfectly—no leaks and a smooth, steady flow. With the system tucked under the sink, we now have filtered water without a bulky faucet mount or a counter-top pitcher, which fits our kitchen aesthetic and lifestyle much better.

If you drink a lot of water like we do, an under-sink filter is worth considering. It keeps the filtration components out of sight, provides continuous filtered water at the tap, and is relatively simple to install with basic tools. We’ve been enjoying the cleaner taste and the peace of mind that comes from an extra layer of filtration. Do you use an under-sink system or another type of water filter? What has your experience been like with installation and maintenance?