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Whole house filter

SpringWell CF1 Whole House Water Filter System

CF1 (1–3 bathrooms, 9 GPM, 1-inch connection), base filter system without the bypass valve or the UV and reverse osmosis upgrades

$1,160.25US price, checked Oct 13, 2026

Whole-house carbon and KDF filter for city water in 1–3 bathroom homes

Check price at SpringWell Full review →

Our whole-house pick for chlorinated city water

Aquasana Rhino Whole House Water Filter

Standard Rhino (model WH-1000), 1,000,000 gallons or 10 years, no add-ons

$999US price, checked Oct 13, 2026

No-power carbon and KDF whole-house tank for chlorinated city water

Check price at Aquasana Full review →

Criterion	SpringWell CF1 Whole House Water Filter System	Aquasana Rhino Whole House Water Filter
US price	$1,160.25Checked Oct 13, 2026 · Price details in the review	$999Checked Oct 13, 2026 · Price details in the review
Three-year ownership estimate	$1,296.96 Incomplete known subtotal. Not included: installation.	$1,442.88 Incomplete known subtotal. Not included: installation.
Choose if	A 1–3 bathroom city-water home with room for a 52 in tall tank on the main line, where you plan to stay and want chlorine and chloramine treated at every tap.	A home with up to 2.5 bathrooms on chlorinated city water that wants whole-house chlorine reduction with no electricity, drain line or backflushing.
Main trade-off	SpringWell names no NSF, WQA or IAPMO certification for any contaminant claim, an installed system can't be returned unless it's defective, and the lifetime warranty ends if you move it.	Aquasana publishes test data only for free chlorine, the pre-filter needs changing every two months, and the recommended plumber and extra valves aren't priced.
Key specifications	Service flow and connection: 9 GPM; 1-inch connection Home size: 1–3 bathrooms Filtration: Up-flow tank of KDF (copper-zinc) and catalytic carbon, then a 5-micron sediment cartridge Media life: 1,000,000 gallons, or 10 years according to the product page and 6 years according to the installation manual Sediment cartridge change: Every 6–9 months, though SpringWell's 10-inch replacement listing says the filter lasts up to 6 months Operating limits: 25–80 PSI; 36–120°F; pH range not given Certification: None named on the product page or in the manual; an NSF listings search for SpringWell returned no products	Rated capacity: 1,000,000 gallons or 10 years Flow rate: 7.0 GPM rated flow; 14.6 GPM peak in the product page's size chart Home size: Up to 2.5 bathrooms and 4 or fewer people Filtration stages: 20 in pre-filter, then an upright tank (copper-zinc KDF media in the top section, activated carbon in the bottom), then a 10 in post-filter Published test result: Free available chlorine: Aquasana reports more than 97.4% overall reduction from a 2.02 mg/L (±10%) challenge, against a 50% minimum, in NSF/ANSI 42 testing run to 1,000,000 gallons. Chlorine in the filtered water was non-detect through about half of rated capacity and 0.15 mg/L (91.94% and 92.82% reduction) in the last two samples. The test flow rate isn't stated. The data sheet says it's not certified for contaminant reductions by WQA Pressure drop: 23 psi in the NSF/ANSI 42 chlorine test, at 60 psi dynamic pressure. The data sheet doesn't give the flow rate Operating limits: 20 to 100 psi; 40 to 90°F; cold-water line only Connections: Fits 3/4 in or 1 in main lines. The 1 in PVC shut-off valve comes with reducer bushings for a 3/4 in line Power and drain: None: no electricity, drain line or backflushing
Exact variant	CF1 (1–3 bathrooms, 9 GPM, 1-inch connection), base filter system without the bypass valve or the UV and reverse osmosis upgrades	Standard Rhino (model WH-1000), 1,000,000 gallons or 10 years, no add-ons
Dimensions	The carbon tank is 9 in wide and 48 in tall, or 52 in with the head. The 9 in width is for the tank alone. SpringWell doesn't give the size of the separate sediment housing, the overall installed footprint or the system weight.	The base unit is 46 in tall with a 9 in diameter, according to the product page's size chart. The chart's length entry says "Please see chart below" instead of giving a number. The owner's manual says to allow at least 50 in of height clearance for the tank and at least 44 in of floor space. Aquasana doesn't state the weight or the assembled footprint.
Installation	It must go on a main water supply line, following all applicable plumbing codes. The manual highly recommends a 3-valve bypass around the system, which isn't included. It says a licensed plumber can install one using standard tee fittings and ball valves. The product page also adds a $78.74 bypass valve to the cart by default, which you can remove at checkout. Before installation, the carbon media must soak in water for at least 48 hours. Then you flush the tank until the water runs clear. SpringWell says not to install it on well water without first speaking to customer service. It also says not to use it where water is microbiologically unsafe. SpringWell lists no electrical connection.	It goes where the main water line enters the home, before the water heater, on cold-water lines only. It fits 3/4 in or 1 in main lines. Aquasana strongly recommends a licensed plumber. The manual says some local codes may require one and that installation could take 1 to 4 hours. Where pressure is high (for example above 60 psi), the manual recommends a pressure-reducing valve or regulator. It also recommends water hammer arrestors at the beginning and end of the system. It strongly recommends a check valve at the end of the system, before the water heater. On metallic plumbing, it says two grounding clamps and #4 copper wire are essential. Neither is in the kit's parts list. The manual recommends an indoor spot out of direct sunlight. Outdoors, the unit must be protected from sunlight and freezing. The tank must stand upright and be flushed before water enters the house. No electricity, drain line or backflushing is needed. The manual lists the Pro-Grade Bypass Kit (for 1 in PEX connections) among recommended tools, but it's a separate add-on and isn't included with the base unit.
Materials	The up-flow tank holds a bed of KDF copper-zinc alloy and catalytic carbon. The 2020 installation manual describes coconut catalytic carbon and doesn't mention KDF. After the tank, water passes through a 5-micron sediment cartridge in a separate housing with mount. The kit includes the carbon filter tank, tank head, sediment housing and filter, MNPT fittings, spanner wrench, gasket and lube, and a hose bib. SpringWell doesn't say what the tank and housing are made of.	The tank is molded from food-grade HDTE (high density, tri-extruded) material. Aquasana says it's WQA certified to NSF/ANSI/CAN 61, for materials safety only. The data sheet adds CSA B483.1 for materials safety and structural integrity. The media is copper-zinc (KDF) in the top section and activated carbon in the bottom section. Aquasana doesn't say what form the carbon takes. The assembly kit uses Schedule 80 PVC components, a 1 in PVC shut-off valve and a 1/2 in brass drain valve.
Warranty	SpringWell gives a lifetime warranty against defects in material and workmanship on covered items, starting on delivery. It covers the registered owner who owns or lives in the home where the system was first installed. The warranty is void if the system is removed from its original location. The covered-parts clause names fittings, "FutureSoft media", tanks, housings, bypass, valves and in/out heads. It doesn't name the CF1's KDF or carbon media. Exclusions include freezing, fire, misuse and neglect, such as not replacing filters or media on time. Plumber fees aren't covered, and liability is capped at the product's cost. On a private well, the water must be free of hydrogen sulfide and oils, with copper at or below 1.30 mg/L. SpringWell says iron or manganese will oxidize the media. A separate performance guarantee says SpringWell's carbon can reduce chlorine and chloramine below minimum detection levels for 6 years or 1 million gallons.	The Rhino WH-1000 system has a limited warranty of 10 years or 1,000,000 gallons against defects in materials or workmanship. The installation kit bought with the system and the pre- and post-filter housings get 12 months. Coverage applies only if the system is installed, operated and maintained according to the instructions. Filter cartridges aren't covered. Neither is damage from non-genuine parts, a filter moved from its original installation location, clogging from not replacing the pre-filter, iron or sediment build-up, misuse, freezing, direct sunlight, over-pressurization, or fire and flood. The warranty applies only to products bought from authorized Aquasana resellers. The document also notes that water conditions and use rates may limit the filter's functional lifespan. You need proof of purchase, but you don't need to register. The remedy is replacement of the defective part, or a replacement that covers the remaining estimated life. You pay labor plus all freight, shipping and handling, including returning the defective unit.
Returns	You can return unused, uninstalled SpringWell items in undamaged original packaging within 6 months of purchase. You pay return shipping, and original shipping isn't refunded. Approved non-defective returns carry a 10% restocking fee. It can be up to 25% for refused deliveries or returns that need extra handling. Installed systems can't be returned unless SpringWell finds them defective. The product page advertises a "6-month money-back guarantee". The policy page instead describes a 6-month Performance Promise focused on service resolution rather than full refunds for installed systems. Under the Performance Promise, SpringWell pays for defective product returns and refunds them in full, excluding installation-related costs. Report defective or faulty items to customer support within 30 days of delivery to request an exchange. Claims for damaged or lost small-package shipments are due within 10 days of delivery. Freight damage must be noted on the delivery receipt.	Aquasana's 90-Day Satisfaction Guarantee covers products bought directly from Aquasana. Returns are accepted within 90 calendar days of the order date, with prior authorization and a Return Authorization Code. The return must reach Aquasana within 21 calendar days of the code being issued. Filtration systems go back as complete units, and partial returns aren't accepted. You pay return shipping and insurance. The refund is the purchase price, excluding shipping and handling. It goes to the original payment method within 15 business days of receipt. The policy mentions no restocking fee and doesn't say whether an installed system can be returned.
Unresolved questions	Whether to replace the media at 6 or 10 years, since the product page and manual disagree System weight, sediment-housing size, overall installed footprint and tank material Replacement media price Plumber cost for main-line installation and a 3-valve bypass How much pressure the CF1 loses at full flow, since SpringWell claims no pressure drop but publishes no figure Independent lab data for the PFAS, PFOA, PFOS, heavy-metal and pesticide claims Which sediment cartridge size the current CF1 ships with (the 10-inch replacement listing names the CF1 as compatible, but says systems bought before April 2019 most likely need the 20-inch filter) Operating pH range Whether the lifetime warranty covers the KDF and carbon media, since the covered-parts clause names "FutureSoft media" instead	Installed cost, including plumber labor and any pressure regulator, check valve, water hammer arrestors, grounding parts or bypass Shipping cost and system weight Prices of the replacement tank (WH-1000R) and the filter housings Micron ratings of the pre- and post-filters, which neither the product page nor the manual gives How this model performs on chloramine, lead, PFAS or other contaminants The flow rate behind the 23 psi pressure drop and the NSF/ANSI 42 chlorine test (the data sheet doesn't say) Which laboratory ran the NSF/ANSI 42 chlorine test Whether WQA's public listing shows the tank materials certification, which wasn't checked for this review Whether an installed system qualifies for the 90-day return

These comparisons use published specifications, not head-to-head tests. Prices and terms are dated. Unknown costs are not zero. Check the exact variant before you buy.