Best filter to remove microplastics: the ones with a rated pore size

How the 91/100 was earned.

1. 01

   Best overall92

   AquaTru Classic Reverse Osmosis

   A four-stage countertop reverse osmosis system that needs no under-sink plumbing, which is why it is our top pick for most households and renters. The RO membrane rejects particles down to roughly 0.0001 micron, far below the size of any measured microplastic, so removal is not incidental but structural. It is NSF-certified across standards 42, 53, 58, and 401, covering chlorine, lead, PFAS, and emerging contaminants alongside the physical particle removal. The honest tradeoffs are the countertop footprint, the electricity it uses, and some water sent to drain during purification. For a verifiable microplastics barrier you can set up in ten minutes, nothing here beats it.

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2. 02

   Best pitcher90

   Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher

   The strongest pour-through option, and the one to choose if a countertop RO unit is more than you want. Clearly Filtered publishes third-party testing against more than 200 contaminants, and its multi-stage media block is dense enough to physically capture the great majority of microplastic particles rather than only adsorbing the largest. It reduces PFAS, lead, and chromium-6 as well. The tradeoffs are the slow gravity pour and a cartridge that lasts about 100 gallons and costs more than a supermarket refill. For a no-plumbing, no-electricity microplastics filter, it is the pitcher we trust most.

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3. 03

   Best for homeowners91

   AquaTru Under Sink Reverse Osmosis

   The same reverse-osmosis mechanism as our top pick in a permanent, tankless under-sink form for people who own their home and want filtered water on demand from a dedicated tap. It is NSF-certified across standards 42, 53, 58, and 401, so the microplastics removal comes with broad chemical reduction including PFAS and fluoride. It costs more than the countertop unit and requires a simple installation under the sink, which is the reason it sits just below the Classic for the average reader rather than above it. If you are staying put and want RO out of the way, this is the format to buy.

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4. 04

   Best value88

   Epic Pure Water Pitcher

   Epic Pure delivers most of the Clearly Filtered result for less money per cartridge, which is why it is our value pick. Its published test data shows strong PFAS, fluoride, and lead reduction, and the dense carbon-block media captures microplastic particles on the same principle as our higher picks. The pour is a touch faster than Clearly Filtered and the cartridges are US-made. It stops short of the sheer length of Clearly Filtered's tested-contaminant list, which is the only reason it ranks below it. For a budget-conscious pitcher that still does the real job, start here.

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5. 05

   Best off-grid84

   Big Berkey Gravity Filter

   A gravity-fed countertop system whose sub-micron ceramic-composite elements block particles well below microplastic size, with no electricity or plumbing, which makes it the pick for wells, travel, and power-independent setups. Berkey publishes lab data for lead, fluoride, and PFAS reduction, and the physical element rating is what does the microplastics work. We treat its self-published figures with the usual caution and note it is a larger countertop presence than a pitcher. For a filter that works in a blackout or a cabin, it earns its place.

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What people ask us most.

Which type of filter actually removes microplastics?

The mechanism matters more than the brand. Two approaches remove microplastics reliably: reverse osmosis, whose membrane rejects particles down to roughly 0.0001 micron, far below any measured microplastic; and physical filters with a stated absolute pore size of 1 micron or finer, such as good carbon-block and sub-micron ceramic elements. Most measured drinking-water microplastics are larger than 1 micron, so a filter rated at or below that size blocks the great majority. A standard taste-and-chlorine carbon pitcher has no absolute micron rating and captures only some larger particles incidentally. Before buying, look for reverse osmosis, a stated absolute micron rating, or NSF/ANSI 401 certification for emerging contaminants.

Is reverse osmosis the best option, and do I need under-sink plumbing?

Reverse osmosis is the most thorough single mechanism, because it removes microplastics as a category alongside dissolved contaminants like PFAS and lead, and you no longer have to check a pore rating. You do not need plumbing to get it: countertop units like the AquaTru Classic run on a standard outlet and need no installation, which is why we rank the countertop version first for renters. Under-sink RO is the better long-term fit if you own your home and want filtered water from a dedicated tap. The tradeoffs of RO are a countertop or cabinet footprint, some water sent to drain during purification, and the fact that it also strips beneficial minerals, which some systems add back.

Does a Brita or a basic carbon pitcher remove microplastics?

Only partly, and not by design. A standard Brita or PUR cartridge is built to improve taste and reduce chlorine, and it uses granular activated carbon with no absolute micron rating. It will trap some larger microplastic fragments that get caught in or adsorbed onto the carbon, but it is not engineered as a physical microplastics barrier and does not publish a removal figure for the basic pitcher. If microplastics are your specific concern, treat a basic carbon pitcher as a taste upgrade rather than a particle filter and choose a pore-rated carbon block or reverse osmosis instead.

What pore size or certification should I look for?

Look for one of three things on the spec sheet. First, an absolute micron rating of 1 micron or below, which physically blocks most microplastic particles; the word absolute matters, because a nominal rating lets some larger particles through. Second, reverse osmosis, which removes microplastics inherently through its membrane. Third, NSF/ANSI 401 certification, which covers emerging contaminants and is the closest independent signal available, since the US EPA notes there is still no single nationally certified test method specifically for microplastics in drinking water. A filter that advertises none of these, and only NSF/ANSI 42 for taste, is not a microplastics filter.

Is filtering tap water for microplastics actually worth it?

It is a reasonable, calm precaution rather than an emergency response. Microplastics have been measured widely in drinking water, and a 2024 study in PNAS reported that a litre of bottled water contained roughly 240,000 plastic particles on average, mostly nanoplastics, far more than the tap water it was compared against. The World Health Organization concluded in 2019 that microplastics in drinking water do not appear to pose a health risk at current levels on the limited evidence available, while explicitly calling the data thin and asking for more research. So the strongest, cheapest move for most people is switching away from bottled water toward filtered tap, and a pore-rated or RO filter is a sensible next step rather than a panic purchase.

How does this compare to just buying bottled water?

Filtered tap comes out ahead on the evidence. The 2024 PNAS study found bottled water carried far more plastic particles per litre than tap water in the same comparison, largely because the packaging and cap themselves shed nanoplastics, so bottled water can add microplastics rather than avoid them. A reverse osmosis or pore-rated filter on your tap removes particles and costs a fraction per litre over its life, with no plastic bottles to buy or discard. We walk through matching a filter to your water and format in our guide to how to choose a water filter, and rank general picks in our best water filters roundup.

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