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Best Countertop Water Filter 2020 (Reviews and Buying Guide)

Last Updated December 24, 2019

Best Countertop Water Filter

Even if the tap water in your area is particularly good, you can still benefit from a good water filter. There really is no way to replicate the taste and purity that you get from a high-quality water filter.

But whole house water filters can be extremely expensive and time-consuming to install. So, many decide to opt for a countertop water filter instead. Contrary to what you might believe, countertop water filters can deliver the same sort of high-quality filtration that other kinds of water filters can.

In this article, we are going to make your life a lot easier by looking at a wide variety of really high-quality countertop filter options. We will do an in-depth review of each one and let you know what our opinion is on it.

While we aren’t officially going to crown one as the “best” as that is highly subjective, if you want our opinion on the best countertop water filter, we would say that the Brondell H630 H2O+ Cypress Countertop Water Filter System deserves the honors.

A Spotlight On Some of The Best Countertop Water Filter 2020:

Apex Countertop
Removes Ordor: Yes
Removes Chlorine: Yes
Removes Mercury: Yes
Removes Volatile Organic Compounds: Yes
Check Price
Brondell H630 H2O+
Removes Ordor: Yes
Removes Chlorine: Yes
Removes Mercury: Yes
Removes Volatile Organic Compounds: Yes
Check Price
iSpring CKC1C Countertop
Removes Ordor: Yes
Removes Chlorine: Yes
Removes Mercury: Yes
Removes Volatile Organic Compounds: Yes
Check Price
Cleanwater4less Countertop
Removes Ordor: Yes
Removes Chlorine: Yes
Removes Mercury: Yes
Removes Volatile Organic Compounds: Yes
Check Price
AlcaPure RO Countertop
Removes Ordor: Yes
Removes Chlorine: Yes
Removes Mercury: Yes
Removes Volatile Organic Compounds: Yes
Check Price

 

Best Countertop Water Filter Reviews:

Apex Countertop Drinking Water Filter


To start off our search for the best countertop water filter, we are going to be looking at something a bit different. The Apex Countertop Drinking Water Filter, even though it doesn’t say it in the name, isn’t your average water filter.

This is what is commonly referred to as an “alkaline” filter or a “remineralization” filter. These filters do the same thing that other filters do, which is remove contaminants. However, they also do something unique, which is to add extra healthy minerals into your water.

Like a lot of the filtration systems that you are going to see reviewed on our best countertop water filter list, the Apex Countertop Drinking Water Filter uses multi-stage filtration to help keep your water pure and healthy.

Each filter is made using activated carbon, which is an extremely effective method for filtration. Activated carbon is good at removing any kind of contaminant, but it especially excels at getting out things like chlorine, fluoride, and other chemical substances that may still be present in your drinking water.

Where the Apex differs from a lot of the other filtration systems that you are going to be seeing on this list, is that it doesn’t just take things out of the water, it actually adds them in. The filter adds in alkaline minerals to the water.

Alkaline water tastes a bit different and it is very healthy for you. It can also be useful for those who live in an area where the tap water has an uneven pH level. If you just want pure tap water, then this isn’t really the filter for you. If, however, you have looked into remineralization and want to give it a try, then the Apex Countertop Drinking Water Filter is as good a remineralization filter as any.

In terms of how much space the filter takes up and how easy it is to install, the Apex scores quite highly in both respects. The whole filtration system is shaped like a long tube, so it doesn’t take up much space at all and it should comfortably fit beside most faucets. Getting it connected to your faucet shouldn’t take more than a minute or two either.

Pros
  • Quick, hassle-free setup.
  • Doesn’t take up much space.
  • 3-stage filtration that uses activated carbon.
  • Great at removing chemicals like chlorine and fluoride.
Cons
  • Some may dislike the mineralization of their water.

h2>Brondell H630 H2O+ Cypress Countertop Water Filter System


For the next review on our best countertop water filter list, we are going to be taking a look at what is undoubtedly one of the highest-end countertop filtration systems on the market right now. The Brondell H630 H2O+ Cypress Countertop Water Filter System is an extremely high-quality filter system that is the perfect option for those who want to give their family the absolute best when it comes to drinking water.

If you take a look at the price of this filter system, then you will see that it is quite pricey as far as countertop systems go. So, you may be curious as to why the price is so high. Well, one of the biggest reasons for the high price is the very impressive filtration setup that the Brondell is equipped with.

You can always tell that a filter is good when it offers multi-stage filtration and that is exactly what the Brondell does. It is equipped with 3 different filters. Each filter is made using special “nanotechnology.” What that means is that filter is extremely small, meaning it catches a lot more potential contaminants.

Each filter has a sort of “specialty,” so that it can catch contaminants that might have slipped past the other filters. So, for example, one filter excels at catching things like bacteria and other microorganisms, while another filter will specialize in getting rid of sediment. The end result of this multi-stage filtration is extremely pure, filtered water. You won’t ever get perfect water, but with the Brondell, you will be getting as close as possible.

In terms of installation, the Brondell H630 H2O+ Cypress Countertop Water Filter System is a bit of a mixed bag. On the one hand, the actual process of installing the water filter isn’t difficult or complex in the slightest.

Essentially, there is a tube that you hook up to your faucet and then you hook up the other end to the filtration system. On the other hand, the setup can end up looking a bit awkward. The box-shaped filter takes a bit more space than most other countertop filters and the long tube connecting the faucet to the filter can be a bit out of place as well.

On the plus side, we did find that the Brondell had a minimal impact on the flow rate of your water, so if you hate the idea of having to wait slightly longer for your water, then this is a good option for you.

Pros
  • Extremely thorough filtration.
  • Not too difficult to install.
  • Next to no impact on flow rate.
  • Multi-stage filtration system that removes 99.9% of all contaminants.
Cons
  • Pretty expensive as far as countertop water filters go.
  • Has a bit of an awkward setup.

h2>iSpring CKC1C Countertop Water Filter


Moving on with our search for the best countertop water filter, we are going to be taking a look at yet another really good water filtration system that also happens to be a much more affordable option as well. The iSpring CKC1C Countertop water filter isn’t the most durable or well-made filtration system around, but it provides effective filtration at a good price, which is why we feel that it deserves to be highlighted on this list.

The iSpring opts for a very tried and tested method of filtration. It only has one filter, which is made out of activated carbon. If you will think back to an earlier review on our best countertop water filter list (the review of the Apex Water Filter), then you will remember that we already discussed the benefits of carbon filtration.

For those who don’t remember, let’s briefly talk about it again. Carbon is an amazing filter in general. It does a great job of removing large amounts of sediments, contaminants, and much more. Of particular note is carbon’s ability to remove chemicals.

If you have issues with overly chlorinated tap water that tastes of nothing but chemical (this is a big problem that impacts a lot of municipal water systems in the USA), then this is going to be a great purchase for you. Activated carbon, like the kind found in the iSpring filter, is absolutely amazing at removing excessive chemicals from the water and leaving it pure.

iSpring personally guarantees that their filter will get rid of 95% of all contaminants in your water. While you can find companies that will guarantee higher percentages like 99.9%, what iSpring has going for it is its price.

At under $40, this is a very reasonably priced water filter. When you also consider that the replacement filters aren’t too expensive either, you end up with a very budget friendly option that is also still going to deliver the sort of pure, great tasting water that you want your family to have.

Getting the iSpring installed is super easy and very quick. Much like with the Apex, the filter on the iSpring is shaped like a sort of long tube, so it doesn’t take up a lot of space on your countertop.

Actually getting it installed is as simple as hooking up the tube to the filter and then taking the other end and screwing it onto your faucet. There are no tools required and it fits very nicely into basically any kitchen setup.

One major criticism that we do want to mention is the fact that this could afford to be a bit more durable. A lot of the components of this filtration system are made of plastic and can snap very easily, which is unfortunate.

Pros
  • Inexpensive.
  • Super simple installation.
  • Activated carbon filtration works very well.
  • Replacement filters don’t cost that much either.
Cons
  • Not the most durable model available.

h2>Cleanwater4less Countertop Water Filtration System


The next filtration system that we think deserves to be reviewed on this best countertop water filter list is the Cleanwater4less Countertop Water Filtration System. We will say right off the bat that there isn’t anything particularly special about this filtration system.

It doesn’t bring any particularly unique features to the table that you haven’t seen before (especially if you have been reading some other reviews on this list). However, it is a very well-made countertop filter and it has a lot of really good features that we have consistently praised in other reviews. So, it wouldn’t be fair to leave it off.

By now, you have probably noticed that a lot of high-end countertop filters use activated carbon filtration because of how effective it is. So, it probably isn’t much of a surprise that the Cleanwater4less Countertop Water Filtration System, which is a high-end filter, also uses an activated carbon filter system.

As we have said many times on this list, activated carbon is great at removing contaminants, solids, and sediment. It is also very good at removing chlorine and other chemical contaminants which cause weird tastes and smells. So, on the filtration side of things, we don’t have any complaints about this filter.

As you might also have guessed, the Cleanwater4less Countertop Water Filtration System is not difficult to install. It follows the same procedure that many of the other countertop filters do. You just attach the tube and that’s it. You don’t need tools, nor do you need to disassemble anything.

This filtration doesn’t have a lot of flaws, but something that did bug us was the fact that the exterior was completely made of metal and there are no options to change it. This is an issue because you can’t see the filter (and thus know if it needs to be replaced or not) without disconnecting the filtration system and opening it up. For most, we imagine that this will be a relatively minor issue, but it is still something that we wanted to note.

Pros
  • Tool-free assembly and installation.
  • Uses very effective carbon filters.
  • Built to last for a long time.
  • Removes most sediments, solids, and chemicals from drinking water.
  • Large capacity filter that can handle 10,000 gallons before replacement.
Cons
  • Have to open it up to check on the filter.

AlcaPure Reverse Osmosis Countertop Water Filter


For the final review on our best countertop water filter list, we have a very unique water filter to review for you. The AlcaPure Reverse Osmosis Countertop Water Filter is a countertop filter, but it is very different from every other filter that we have looked at so far for a few reasons.

First off, the AlcaPure does not get hooked up to anything. There is absolutely no installation required. You just find some space for it on your counter, fill it up with water, and that’s it. You can then get access to filtered water whenever you want. Some may dislike having to fill it up, while others may like that they don’t have to connect it to their faucet at all.

Something else that sets this filter apart is the fact that it is a reverse osmosis filter. We don’t want to get too much into the science behind how this works since it isn’t that important. What you do need to know is that reverse osmosis filtration is one of the most effective filtration methods available.

It doesn’t go very fast, but it eliminates most every contaminant in the water. It produces probably the freshest and cleanest tap water that you are going to have. There is no chemical, bacteria, or solid that the filter doesn’t get out. It really is very impressive.

Pros
  • Best water quality on the list.
  • Doesn’t need to be connected to faucet.
  • Filter rarely needs to be changed.
Cons
  • Most expensive entry on list.
  • Some may not like that it can’t hook up to faucet.

Countertop Water Filter Buying Guide

Best Countertop Water Filter

After reading through all our in-depth reviews in our best countertop water filter review section, we bet that the last thing that you want to do is reading through more information about countertop water filters.

However, if you are still confused or unsure about any aspect of home water filtration, then we really would encourage you to read through this part of our article.

In this buying guide, we are going to give you all the information that you need about home water filtration. This includes talking about why you need a home water filter, the different kinds of water filtration systems available, and what goes into making a really good countertop water filter.

In other words, you are going to be getting all the information that you need to make an informed purchasing decision with regards to countertop water filters.

Do You Need A Water Filter?

Chances are good that most of you reading this best countertop water filter list live in an area with drinkable public water. Rich countries like the United States have amazing public water systems and very strict quality control systems in place that prevent contaminants from getting into the water supply.

In light of all this, it leads to the question of “do I actually need to invest in a water filtration system in the first place?” We would say that while water filters aren’t essential tools in most western countries, the benefits of getting one are still very noticeable and water filters are still a worthy investment for quite a few reasons.

The biggest reason to invest in a water filter, in our opinion, is purity. While governments do set safety standards, you have to remember that they are minimum standards.

So, while you are unlikely to find significant amounts of any harmful material in your water, you can still find small amounts of things like lead, dirt, debris, chlorine, mercury, and other potentially nasty and harmful contaminants.

For some, the idea of drinking any of this stuff may be too much. Others may have hang-ups over introducing these things into their body, even in small amounts, for health reasons. The only way to guarantee totally pure water is through the use of a home filtration system. Municipal filtration systems simply aren’t equipped to remove 100% of anything, so you have to invest in your system instead.

Another major consideration (and one of the main reasons why people choose to invest in filters) is taste. Again, municipal water systems aren’t too concerned with taste. When they filter the water that gets sent to your home, their main concern is filtering out large contaminants that could kill you or make you sick.

As a result, many people have tap water that tastes overly “chemical.” The chemical taste isn’t harmful, but for many, it can be extremely unpleasant. This leads to people spending lots of money on better tasting alternatives like soda or flavored water.

Pretty much every water filter out there (and certainly every water filter that was featured on our best countertop water filter list) will improve the taste of your water. The mere act of running the water through a filter will help to filter out unseen bits of sediment and chemical residue, both of which are usually the culprits behind bad or funny tasting water.

Finally, depending on how you currently consume water, a filter could save you money in the long-run. If you just drink tap water, you aren’t going to save much of anything obviously. If, however, you find that you are constantly resorting to bottled water or water alternatives like soda or flavored water to get around drinking your nasty tap water, then yes, a water filter can save you money.

As you saw from our best countertop water filter list, most countertop models aren’t all that pricey. Many can be bought in the $50-75 range and many others can be found for below that. Many people who invest in a filter find that it completely breaks them of the habit of buying things like soda, which is good for your wallet and your health.

The Different Kinds Of Filter Systems Available

Best Countertop Water Filter

Even though the purpose of this article is to help you find the best countertop water filter on the market right now, in this next section of our buying guide, we want to talk about all the different kinds of filtration systems that you might run across when shopping.

We aren’t going to go too in-depth, but we do want to go over the pros and cons of each. We also want to briefly explain why countertop water filters are the way to go.

Countertop Water Filters

Let’s start off by talking about the stars of the show, which are countertop filtration systems. These kinds of filters come in two kinds, as you saw from our review list. The first kind is filtration systems that attach directly to your sink. They end up acting almost as a secondary faucet. The other kind is physical filtration tanks that are simply compact enough to be placed on your countertop.

We think that these kinds of filters are the best option because they represent the best compromise between cost and ease of use on one hand and filtration quality on the other hand. Countertop filters often offer extremely good filtration quality that is almost on par with the quality offered by things like under the sink filters or whole house filters. At the same time, they aren’t as costly, as difficult to install, or as much of a hassle as those kinds of filters.

Pitcher Filters

By far the easiest and cheapest filtration system to use is the pitcher filter. As you can see from the name, this is essentially a pitcher with a built-in water filtration system. They are usually very inexpensive and of course, extremely simple to use. Just fill them up and the pitcher does the rest.

However, their benefits are offset by the fact that they have extremely small capacities and the fact that they tend to be the weakest when it comes to actual filtration quality. Many pitcher filters are little better than tap water in terms of quality of the water. Even top of the line pitcher filters will only remove a fraction of the contaminants that a good countertop filter would remove.

Under Sink Water Filters

Again, the name here is extremely self-explanatory. Under sink water filters are installed directly under the sink and are attached directly to the main water line. When it comes to the quality of the water produced by the filter, these kinds of filters are usually slightly better than countertop water filters. However, they come with significant downsides. For starters, they have a significantly negative impact on the water flow of the sink.

Since the filter is attached directly to the water line, all the water that comes out of the sink is filtered; which is a bit of a waste since there isn’t much point filtering non-drinking water. Also, under the sink filters require a lot more investment of both money and time (for installation and upkeep).

Whole House Water Filters

Finally, we have arrived at the highest-end home filters that you can buy, which are whole house water filters. Even though this is a best countertop water filter list, we have to admit that in terms of pure water quality, you simply can’t beat a whole house water filter.

At the same time, they do come with some major downsides. For starters, they are by the far the most expensive kind of filter. Secondly, they are extremely tricky to work with because they need to be attached directly to the main water line, which is a job that can often require a professional’s intervention to be done correctly.

Evaluating A Countertop Filter

Alright, so for the last part of this buying guide, we are going to be taking a look at exactly how you can go about picking out a very good countertop filter. In other words, we will be telling you the same criteria that we used to pick the filters that were reviewed on our best countertop water filter list.

Filter Quality

It goes without saying that when you are buying a filter, that your number one concern is the filtration quality of the device. Different water filters use different methods for filtering water. Generally, a good rule of thumb to follow is that the more filtration stages there are, the better the water will turn out. So, if you see a water filter that boasts about having multi-stage filtration, that is a very good sign.

Other things to keep an eye out for are reverse osmosis filtration or active carbon filtration. These two methods are among the most advanced and most effective filtration methods on the market right now. So again, if you see a filtration system advertising either of these things, then you can probably be pretty confident in the water quality that is going to be coming out of the filter.

Easy Installation

Something else that is very important is that you find a water filter that is easy to install. If you mess up when installing a water filter because it is a bit too tricky, then you are going to suffer for it later on; it could even cause damage to your sink if you don’t do it right.

So, the easier the filter is to install, the better off you are going to be. The good news is that generally speaking, countertop water filters are a lot easier to install than other kinds of filtration systems like under the sink filters or whole house filters. So, finding a countertop filter that is easy to get installed isn’t too difficult.

Water Flow

Something else that you might want to think about when picking out a water filter is how much water flow speed matters to you. Different filters have a different impact on how quickly the water comes out of the unit. A general rule of thumb (although it can vary quite a lot) is that the more thorough the filtration, the slower the water comes out.

This is a lot more noticeable on things like under the sink water filters or whole house filtration systems, but you will notice a bit of slowdown in the flow rate with countertop filters as well. If this matters to you, then make sure to spend some time looking around for different filtration systems.

There are countertop water filter systems out there that have less of an impact on your faucet’s flow rate. Some are so good that you will barely notice a difference at all. In fact, there are a few entries on our best countertop water filter list that have a negligible impact on the flow rate of your faucet.

Commenting

If you still have some lingering questions regarding how you can get the best countertop water filter, we would encourage you to make use of the comment section down below.

Apex Countertop
Removes Ordor: Yes
Removes Chlorine: Yes
Removes Mercury: Yes
Removes Volatile Organic Compounds: Yes
Check Price
Brondell H630 H2O+
Removes Ordor: Yes
Removes Chlorine: Yes
Removes Mercury: Yes
Removes Volatile Organic Compounds: Yes
Check Price
iSpring CKC1C Countertop
Removes Ordor: Yes
Removes Chlorine: Yes
Removes Mercury: Yes
Removes Volatile Organic Compounds: Yes
Check Price
Cleanwater4less Countertop
Removes Ordor: Yes
Removes Chlorine: Yes
Removes Mercury: Yes
Removes Volatile Organic Compounds: Yes
Check Price
AlcaPure RO Countertop
Removes Ordor: Yes
Removes Chlorine: Yes
Removes Mercury: Yes
Removes Volatile Organic Compounds: Yes
Check Price

 

Like this guide? Then you’d definitely love our other guides on best faucet water filter and best masticating juicer.

Filed Under: Product Reviews

Best Faucet Water Filter 2020 Buying Guide

Last Updated October 30, 2019

Best Faucet Water Filter

Even if you think that your tap water is okay, there is a good chance that it could actually be quite contaminated with minerals, lead, chlorine, bacteria, and much more. This is why it is such a good idea to invest in a filter of some sort. By far the easiest and most cost-effective kind of filter is the faucet water filter.

In this article, we are going to review a list of five different faucets and tell you what is good about each one. If you want our opinion on the best faucet water filter, we recommend the Engdenton Faucet Water Filter.

 

The Best Faucet Water Filter in the Market 2020

PUR FM-3700 Faucet Water Filter
Remove Chlorine: Yes
Remove Lead: Yes
Remove Mercury: Yes
Remove Pesticides: Yes
Check Price
Brita Tap Water Filter System
Remove Chlorine: Yes
Remove Lead: Yes
Remove Mercury: Yes
Remove Pesticides: Yes
Check Price
Engdenton Faucet Water Filter
Remove Chlorine: Yes
Remove Lead: Yes
Remove Mercury: Yes
Remove Pesticides: Yes
Check Price
Hima Faucet Water Filter System
Remove Chlorine: Yes
Remove Lead: Yes
Remove Mercury: Yes
Remove Pesticides: Yes
Check Price
Lelekey Water Faucet Filter System
Remove Chlorine: Yes
Remove Lead: Yes
Remove Mercury: Yes
Remove Pesticides: Yes
Check Price

 

Best Faucet Water Filter Reviews:

PUR FM-3700 Advanced Faucet Water Filter


The first product that we are going to be reviewing on our best faucet water filter list is the PUR FM-3700 Advanced Faucet Water Filter, Chrome. This filter probably isn’t going to blow you away if you are at all familiar with other high-end faucet water filters.

At the same time, this is an incredibly well-made filter and it is a perfect option for those of you who are in the market for an easy to install filter that will give you and your family some great tasting, pure filtered water.

Obviously, when reviewing a water filter, the first thing that you need to consider is how good the actual filter is. Like all high-end filters, the PUR FM-3700 Advanced Faucet Water Filter, Chrome uses a three stage filter. As with most other filters of that kind, each stage is dedicated to removing a different kind of contaminant.

The first stage of the filter traps rocks, sediment, and other similar grainy material. The second stage is the part of the filter that removes toxic contaminants like bacteria or lead. Finally, there is the last stage of the filter. During this stage, the water is run through a mineral filter. This not only removes any leftover contaminants, but it also has the effect of improving the taste of the water.

So, when it comes to providing filtered water, the PUR FM-3700 Advanced Faucet Water Filter, Chrome excels at providing great tasting, clean water. It will make a noticeable difference in your household, especially if your home has a particularly bad water supply (as many residential areas do).

Of course, there are other factors that you need to consider when buying a faucet water filter. For example, you should definitely consider ease of installation. No one wants to have to spend hours trying to fiddle with a water faucet and get the filter into place.

Not only is this a massive pain, but it can also backfire if you don’t properly install the faucet filter. This is why it is such a good thing that the PUR has such a very easy installation method. To be more specific, the PUR FM-3700 Advanced Faucet Water Filter, Chrome has what is called “tool-free” installation.

As you can probably tell, this means that you can just easily snap the filter into place. No need to bust out the toolbox or fiddle for an hour with the sink. Just snap it into place and start tasting some great water.

It also has a very handy feature where it will tell you how much life is left on your filter before it needs to be changed. This isn’t a major feature or anything, but it does end up being quite handy since it means that you won’t ever be surprised when one day your water filter just stops working.

Pros
  • Let’s you know when filter needs to be changed.
  • Multi-stage filter system that works very well.
  • Tool-free installation takes minutes.
  • Filters last for a while.
Cons
  • Some components don’t last as long we would like.

Brita Tap Water Filter System


You can’t have a list looking for the best faucet water filter without mentioning Brita at least once. They are easily among the best and most recognizable brands of water filters out there. While they don’t tend to dabble too much in larger filters, when it comes to things like portable water filters and faucet water filters, they are a very well-respected brand. So, let’s take a more in-depth look at the Brita Tap Water Filter System.

Instead of opting for a multi-stage filtration system like many other filter systems, Brita has instead decided to equip their filter system with a custom-made filter that is designed to target over sixty of the most common household contaminants. By far the most dangerous contaminant that the filter removes is lead. The Brita Tap Water Filter System is capable of removing up to 99% of lead from your tap water.

In addition to lead, it also removes another very common contaminant, which is chlorine. Now, chlorine isn’t harmful to drink, but it can really mess with the quality of the water. It can make it taste, smell, and look very odd, which is obviously not what you want your tap water to be like. We could keep going with the list of contaminants that the Brita Water Filter System removes, but you probably get the idea by now.

Besides filtration quality, the Brita has two other major features that really make it worth considering in our opinion. Firstly, there is the fact that this is not an expensive water filter in the slightest. Given how good of a job it does of providing really tasty, clear filtered water, you would expect it to cost a lot more than it really does.

You can get this filter for under $30, which is very impressive and definitely worth noting in this review. The second feature that we want to discuss is how easy it is to install this filter. Much like a couple of other filters on our best faucet water filter list, the Brita can be quickly snapped onto any faucet without tools or much hassle.

Pros
  • Fairly affordable.
  • Very easy to install.
  • Filters out over sixty common household contaminants.
  • Comes with multiple spray options.
  • Lets you know via light when to change filter.
Cons
  • Very bulky; takes up a lot of space on faucet head.

Engdenton Faucet Water Filter


The next review on our best faucet water filter list is going to be the Engdenton Faucet Water Filter. This is one of the overall best water filters that we have looked at so far on our list. It really does seem to have every kind of feature that you could want in a water filter.

It installs easily, it is made out of very durable material, it filters out lots of different kinds of contaminants, and it produces crystal clear water. What else could you possibly want?

The type of filtration that the Engdenton uses is made of Japanese carbon fiber. This is a new type of filtration technology and it does very well and removing contaminants from water. The great thing about carbon fiber is that it is a general-purpose filtration tool.

What does that mean? It means that it does equally well at filtering everything, and we do mean everything. It doesn’t matter whether it is sediment, bacteria, minerals, chemicals, you name it. The carbon fiber does an equally good job at neutralizing all of them equally.

The filtration system is housed in a very durably built house. The exterior of this filter is built out of extremely tough stainless steel that is designed to never rust or break down. It is also incredibly resistant to physical damage. What does this mean for you?

Well, it means that you can have this particular filter for a very long time. If you continue to perform upkeep and change the internal filters out, then you could potentially use it for decades. Given that this isn’t too pricey (roughly $50), that is a pretty good investment.

In addition to being very durable, the Engdenton Faucet Water Filter also doesn’t inhibit the water flow from your faucet all that much. Obviously, as with any water filter, there will be some slowdown. But, the Engdenton manages to do a fairly good job of keeping the slowdown to a minimum.

Pros
  • Very durable, should last for a respectably long time.
  • Great carbon filtration system.
  • Solid stainless steel exterior.
  • Doesn’t impact water flow all that much.
Cons
  • Requires frequent cleaning.
  • No way to tell how long filter has left.

Hima Faucet Water Filter


Are you looking for a really good budget option for your kitchen? If so, then you need to invest in the Hima Faucet Water Filter. This is by far the most affordable option that we are going to be reviewing on our best faucet water filter list.

We have reviewed some affordable filters already (such as the Brita), but the Hima simply blows them all out of the water when it comes to affordability. If you want to save money and still drink some pretty high-quality filtered water, then the Hima Faucet Water Filter is the way to go.

Despite being so cheap, the Hima actually manages to deliver pretty decent filtration quality. It is equipped with an 8-layer filtration system. As with all layered filtration systems that you have seen on our best faucet water filter list, each layer is dedicated to filtering out something different. All-together, the Hima is capable of filtering out a diverse set of contaminants, including chlorine, metals, sediment, and other very common contaminants that are found in household tap water.

Something else to note is that, despite the price, the Hima Faucet Water Filter is also surprisingly well-built. The outer components are made of some solid steel and it is fairly well-made overall. It isn’t the most durable faucet water filter around, which you probably could have guessed based on its price. But it isn’t going to stop working after a few weeks, as the price might indicate.

One major complaint that we do have with the Hima is with its installation. It is, in our opinion, a bit too tricky to install. You will eventually get it in place, but it is a bit more difficult than it needs to be. It is certainly a lot more difficult than other filters that we have looked at so far.

Pros
  • Very affordable.
  • Surprisingly well-built.
  • Good filtration system.
  • 8-layers of filtration.
Cons
  • Doesn’t last all that long.
  • Installation could be a lot easier.

Lelekey Water Faucet Filtration System


The final review on this list is going to be of the Lelekey Water Faucet Filtration System. This is a nice, well-made, affordable faucet to end off our review list. Is it our choice for the title of best faucet water filter? No, but it is still a very good entry and you should consider giving it a try if you like what you hear in the review.

The Lelekey Water Faucet Filtration System uses a filtration system that you may already be familiar with if you have read other reviews on this list. It uses an active carbon filtration system. This is the same sort of filtration system used by the Engdenton Faucet Water Filter that we reviewed earlier on in our list.

As we said in that review, active carbon filtration is great because of how consistent it is. It does an amazing job of getting rid of all sorts of contaminants, ranging from bacteria to chemicals and everything in-between. It also does a great job of getting rid of larger contaminants like sediment.

In general, this is a nice, compact faucet filter. It doesn’t take up too much space on your faucet and it doesn’t really cost all that much either. So, you should definitely give the Lelekey Water Faucet Filtration System some consideration if you are in the market for a faucet water filter.

Pros
  • Not too pricey.
  • Uses active carbon filtration.
  • Not difficult to install.
  • Relatively compact; fits nicely on faucet.
Cons
  • Noticeable flow slowdown.

Faucet Water Filter Buying Guide

Best Faucet Water Filter

For the second part of this article, we are going to be focusing on something besides reviews. See, there are a lot of other types of water filters out there.

For example, there are under the sink water filters, water filters that get attached directly on the waterline (often called whole house water filters), and there are portable water filters (those jugs that you fill up with water and that have a filter at the top). This probably leads many of you to question why exactly you should go for the best faucet water filter over another kind of water filter.

This is exactly what we are going to be answering in our buying guide. We are going to explain the various benefits associated with faucet water filters when compared to the other kinds of water filters out there.

Ease Of Installation

Alright, let’s say that you want to compare faucet water filters and whole house water filters, what is one of the advantages of faucet water filters? Well, we would say that easily the main benefit of a faucet water filter is how easy they tend to be to install. As you saw from our best faucet water filter review list, a lot of faucet filters are basically just snap-on models. You don’t need any tools or anything like that. You just attach the filter to the faucet, and you are ready to go.

With whole house water filters, you need to know at least a bit about how your home’s water system works. This can cause issues if you aren’t skilled at working with water systems. You probably don’t have to stretch your imagination to guess what kind of problems could pop up if an inexperienced person were to start poking around a water system.

Cost

In terms of cost, faucet filters tend to strike a good balance between portable water filters and whole house water filters or under the sink filters. Portable water filters are cheaper, but in terms of filtration quality, they are far inferior.

On the other hand, faucet water filters are not nearly as expensive as under the sink filters or whole house water filters. While those options are better filters, the quality of filtration that you get from faucet water filters is still pretty high.

Convenience

Something else to consider is that faucet filters only filter your drinking water, which is what most people want. The problem with things like whole house water filters or under the sink filters is that they filter all the water in your house.

While some may like the idea of showering and washing dishes with filtered water, we feel that most would agree that that is a bit on the extreme side. If you are one of those people, then going for the best faucet water filter is easily the best option as it is the most efficient when it comes to using water.

Let Us Know What You Think

If you have your opinion on what the best faucet water filter list is, we would love to hear it. You can let us know what your thoughts are by leaving a comment down below.

Filed Under: Product Reviews

Best Masticating Juicer 2020 – Buyer’s Guide and Reviews

Last Updated October 30, 2019

Best Masticating Juicer

Are you looking to make a real change in your life? If so, then you need to invest in a good juicer. You will be amazed at just how easy it is to stay healthy when you can drink fresh, healthy juice at any time. But not all juicers are built alike.

There are masticating juicers, centrifugal juicers, and twin gear juicers. Why is one kind better than the other? In this article, we are going to review a bunch of masticating juicers and we will also tell you why they are the best kind.

If you want to know what the best masticating juicer is, it is the Aobosi Slow Masticating juicer Extractor.

 

A Spotlight On Some of The Best Masticating Juicer 2020

Aobosi Juice Extractor
Motor: 150 Watts
RPM: 80 RPM
Weight: 11 Pounds
Dimensions: 14 x 11 x 11 Inches
Check Price
Mueller Austria Ultra
Motor: 150 Watts
RPM: 60 RPM
Weight: 13 Pounds
Dimensions: 14 x 13 x 12 Inches
Check Price
Omega J8006HDS
Motor: 200 Watts
RPM: 80 RPM
Weight: 13 Pounds
Dimensions: 14 x 6 x 15 Inches
Check Price
KOIOS Juice Extractor
Motor: 200 Watts
RPM: 80 RPM
Weight: 10 Pounds
Dimensions: 15 x 10 x 9 Inches
Check Price
Ventray Juice Extractor
Motor: 150 Watts
RPM: 60 RPM
Weight: 14 Pounds
Dimensions: 14 x 13 x 16 Inches
Check Price

 

Masticating Juicer Reviews

Aobosi Slow Masticating Juicer Extractor


The first candidate for the title of best masticating juicer that we want to present to you is the Aobosi Slow Masticating juicer Extractor. This is a very high-quality juicer option that is sure to become a key feature of any kitchen that it finds itself in. Not only does it provide really great juice, but it is also well-built, and it isn’t as noisy as your standard masticating juicer.

The number one thing that we are sure that all of you are curious about is the quality of the juice that this juicer gives you. On that front we have some very positive news; the Aobosi Slow Masticating juicer Extractor gives you some very high-quality juice.

The auger inside the juicer spins at around 80 RPM, which helps to extract the maximum amount of juicer and vitamins out of fruits and vegetables. We can’t verify whether this really does provide exactly 30% more juice than other masticating juicers. However, we can say that it does provide noticeably more juice than many other masticating juicers out there at a similar price point.

Something else that we think sets the Aobosi Slow Masticating juicer Extractor ahead is the fact that it is extremely easy to clean. As much as it sucks to admit, cleaning out a juicer is something that you have to deal with if you own one. Thankfully, this juicer makes your life a lot easier by being fairly simple to take apart. You can pretty easily clean out pulp and seeds that get stuck in the juicer.

Before ending the review, we absolutely have to talk about how quiet this juicer is. Masticating juicers tend to be noisier than other kinds of juicers, but this one juicer goes a long way to mitigating this issue. It operates pretty quietly (there will be some noise obviously) and it isn’t too annoying, which is nice.

Pros
  • Produces a lot of juice.
  • Fairly easy to take apart for cleaning.
  • Not that noisy.
  • Consistently produces great tasting, nutritious juice.
Cons
  • Small chute area means that you have to cut up food a lot.

Mueller Austria Ultra Juicer Machine Extractor


It seems like no matter what you are talking about, whether it be cars, machinery, etc., you can always trust German products to be of really good quality. The same is true when it comes to masticating juicers apparently.

The Mueller Austria Ultra Juicer Machine Extractor is, as you can probably guess from the name, a juicer from an Austrian manufacturer. As you would expect from a product that uses German engineering and German parts, the Mueller is a very well-made masticating juicer that is built to last. As you will see in our review, it easily deserves a spot on our best masticating juicer list.

One of the best things about the Mueller Austria Ultra Juicer Machine Extractor is how durable it is. For under $100, it is impressive just how well-built this juicer is. Each part of the machine, from the inside to the outside, is crafted with precision and care. Each part of the juicer is also made using very high-quality components, which means that the juicer will last for a long time. Again, given how reasonably priced the juicer is, being able to use it for years and years is very impressive. This will be a staple of your kitchen for a long time.

One small, but noteworthy feature on this juicer is its large feed chute. Typically, masticating juicers don’t have a very large feed chute, which means that you need to cut up the fruits and veggies that you try to put into the machine.

However, the Mueller Austria Ultra Juicer Machine Extractor has a fairly large feed chute, so you can easily fit in just about any small to medium sized fruit without cutting it up. You can also spend less time cutting up larger fruit as well.

If you hate cleaning up, the Mueller is a bit of a mixed bag. On the one hand, it does have a lot of parts to take out and clean from time to time. On the other hand, it does have a “pre-clean” system which is designed to make it easier for you to clean the machine. In general, we would say that this juicer falls on the easier to clean side of the spectrum.

Pros
  • Very easy to clean thanks to pre-clean function.
  • Extremely durable.
  • Well-made and built to stand the test of time.
  • Safe and easy to use.
  • Large feed chute that can handle whole pieces of fruit.
Cons
  • Can be time-consuming to take apart.

Omega J8006HDS Nutrition Center Quiet Dual-Stage Slow Speed Masticating Juicer


So far on our best masticating juicer review list, we have been reviewing some fairly moderately priced juicers (that still offer really great performance of course). However, what if you don’t want that? What if, instead, you want one of the best juicers that money can buy. That is where the Omega J8006HDS Nutrition Center Quiet Dual-Stage Slow Speed Masticating Juicer comes into play. We are going to say right off the bat that this is a pricey juicer to be sure. It is also a very well-made juicer that justifies the large price.

For starters, the Omega is equipped with an incredibly strong motor and auger combo. What does this mean exactly? Well, it means that you can easily put in larger or tougher pieces of fruit and trust that the juicer will have no issues grinding it up. You don’t have to worry about a tough piece of skin or a large piece of fruit jamming up your entire machine.

The juice that the Omega produces is actually so good that it lasts for up to 72 hours. This is impressive because it is a testament to just how high-quality the juice is. With many juicers, the final product can only last a day and a half or two days before it starts to separate. With the Omega, the juice is so fine and pure that it can actually last three whole days. This is very useful if you like to make your juice in bulk.

As you would expect from such a high-priced juicer, it is solidly built all-around. The internal components are made from durable material and the juicer as a whole will last you a fairly long time. So, while it is expensive upfront, when you consider just how much use you will be getting out of the Omega, it does help to alleviate the price somewhat in our opinion.

Something else that helps to alleviate the price is that this can be used for multiple jobs. For example, it can be used for diverse actions like making pasta, grinding up baby food, and much more.

Pros
  • Durable; will last for a long time.
  • Very powerful.
  • Produces high-quality juice that lasts for days.
  • Can be used for other things besides juice.
Cons
  • Operates very slowly.
  • Not for every budget.

KOIOS Juicer


We have already featured one German-made masticating juicier on our best masticating juicer list, so we figured that we should feature one more because of how well made they are. The KOIOS Juicer uses a lot of well-made, German components inside of the machine, so you know that it is definitely worthy of a spot on this list.

First off, this is a pretty powerful juicer. We have already reviewed some pretty powerful juicers on this list, but even by those standards, the KOIOS Juicer is pretty powerful. It boasts an RPM of around 80, which makes this among the most powerful juicers on our list and among the most powerful masticating juicers on the market today.

We should also say that the KOIOS boasts a mixture of a powerful motor and a powerful auger, which as we have said in other reviews, is helpful because it lets you grind up those tougher fruits and vegetables like beets and carrots. The auger also does such a good job of grinding up the produce that it actually increases the total vitamin yield from the fruits and vegetables.

Cleaning the machine isn’t too difficult, as it can be easily taken apart and every component can be put into the dishwasher for easy cleanup.

Pros
  • Dishwasher safe components make cleaning up easy.
  • Great auger and motor combination.
  • Powerful juicer that extracts a lot of great juice.
Cons
  • Pretty pricey.

Ventray Masticating Juicer


For the last review on this list, we want to present to you the Ventray Masticating Juicer. This isn’t a revolutionary juicer by any means. If you have read other reviews on our best masticating juicer list, then a lot of the features here are going to be things that you have seen before. Still, the Ventray is a well-crafted masticating juicer that we want to bring to your attention.

One unique feature that should be mentioned is the size of the Ventray. Unlike a lot of other masticating juicers, this one doesn’t take up much counter space. If we had to compare it to another common kitchen appliance, we would say that it takes up roughly the same amount of space as either a small coffee maker or a blender. It is very space efficient.

Something else that is notable about this juicer is the large food chute that it has. It has a chute with three different angles. This makes it possible to load multiple pieces of fruit in at once or you can choose to throw in whole fruits and vegetables without first cutting them up. This ends up being a lot more convenient for you and it saves you some valuable time in the mornings (or whenever you make your juice).

Pros
  • Doesn’t take up much counter space.
  • Good performance.
  • Large food chute makes filling the juicer easier.
  • Has various options to play around with (pulp or no pulp).
Cons
  • Difficult to clean.

Masticating Juicer Buying Guide

Best Masticating Juicer

We have reached the end of the review portion of our best masticating juicer article, and now we have come to the second part of our article, which is going to be focusing on why you need to be buying a masticating juicer.

If you think way back to the very beginning of our article, you may recall that there are three main kinds of juicers that you are likely to encounter online and on store shelves. This includes masticating juicers, centrifugal juicers, and twin gear juicers.

We want to explain why, of the three different kinds available, you should go for a masticating juicer. In particular, we are going to focus on the benefits of masticating juicers when compared to the other two kinds.

How Each Kind Works

First off, we want to make sure that we are all on the same page. To do this, we are going to be taking a look at each kind of juicer and how it works.

Centrifugal Juicers

Centrifugal juicers are pretty easy to explain because the way that they work is right there in the title. They use centrifugal force (which basically means spinning in a circle) to create juice. All centrifugal juicers are equipped with a single large blade that spins in a circle at a fast speed. Fruit is dumped in through a hole and the blade does the rest.

The obvious advantage here is power. A single blade spinning at high speeds is able to easily chop up even the toughest fruit and get some juice out of it. This is why with most centrifugal juicers, you don’t actually need to chop the fruit up all that much (maybe chop it in half to help fit it down the hole).

However, these juicers come with numerous disadvantages. For starters, the style of blade that they use is bad for things that aren’t solid pieces of fruit. Remember how on our best masticating juicer list we talked about how important it was to balance leafy greens and vegetables in your juice?

Well, with centrifugal juicers, that becomes a lot harder. Things like spinach and kale are very hard to grind with these kinds of machines. If you are buying a juicer to try and make getting healthy leaf vegetables into your diet easier, then a centrifugal juicer is easily the worst way to go.

Twin Gear Juicers

Twin gear juicers are really similar to masticating juicers because both use gears to grind up fruit and vegetables to extract the maximum amount of juice. Given how much we raved about masticating juicers, you may be curious as to why we aren’t recommending twin gear juicers, given how similar the two are.

Well, there are a few reasons. First off, twin gear juicers are incredibly expensive. As you saw from our best masticating juicer list, masticating juicers are already a bit on the pricier side. Adding even more cost to the equation makes them not really worth it in our opinion.

Another issue to consider is speed. Again, as we already mentioned a few times during our review list, masticating juicers are a bit on the slow side because they need to spend extra time grinding out as much juice as possible (if you want speed, go for a centrifugal juicer). However, twin gear juicers are even slower. They are so slow, that they really aren’t a good option for home use. Instead, they shine more in a commercial setting, where you can constantly be feeding in ingredients to make more juice.

Finally, there is also the issue of cleanup to consider. While masticating juicers aren’t usually the easiest option to clean, twin gear juicers are on a whole other level when it comes to difficulty. They have a ton of different delicate parts that need to be taken out and cleaned. It really does make your life a lot more difficult.

Masticating Juicers

Finally, we get to the star of this article, which is the masticating juicer. These products, as we said many times during the course of our best masticating juicer list, work by using a gear to grind up fruits and vegetables. This grinding system is the best possible option as it ensures that you get the maximum amount of juice out of whatever it is that you have put into the juicer.

Masticating juicers aren’t perfect. For example, they are slow, they can be noisy, and they tend to require some prep work (you need to cut up the fruits and veggies before throwing them into the juicer). But on balance, it is difficult to beat the sheer quality of a good masticating juicer.

Conclusion

If you are still unsure about how you can find the best masticating juicer or if you would like to know more about why this is the best juicer option for you, we would recommend leaving us a comment.

Filed Under: Product Reviews

Best Electric Smoker 2020 (Reviews + Buying Guide)

Last Updated October 19, 2019

Best Electric Smoker

If you want to taste something unique and delicious, then you need to give food smoking a try.

There is nothing that can quite match the taste of freshly smoked brisket or the taste of perfectly smoked corn on the cob. However, propane smokers can be tricky to work with and are often more hassle than they are worth.

That is why, in this article, we will be looking for the best electric smoker. Electric smokers are a lot easier to manage, and still manage to deliver the same great taste, as you will see in our reviews.

If you want to skip all this, we recommend buying the Masterbuilt MB20073519 MES 130P Bluetooth Digital Electric Smoker.

 

The Best Electric Smokers 2020

Masterbuilt MB20073519 MES 130P
Bluetooth Smart: Yes
Meat Probe Thermometer: Yes
Chrome-Coated Racks: Yes
Side Wood Chip Loader: Yes
Check Price
Dyna-Glo DGU505BAE-D 30"
Bluetooth Smart: No
Meat Probe Thermometer: No
Chrome-Coated Racks: Yes
Side Wood Chip Loader: Yes
Check Price
LANDMANN MCO 32954 Landmann
Bluetooth Smart: No
Meat Probe Thermometer: No
Chrome-Coated Racks: Yes
Side Wood Chip Loader: Yes
Check Price
Masterbuilt MB20076718 Smoker
Bluetooth Smart: Yes
Meat Probe Thermometer: No
Chrome-Coated Racks: Yes
Side Wood Chip Loader: Yes
Check Price
Char-Broil Analog Electric Smoker
Bluetooth Smart: No
Meat Probe Thermometer: No
Chrome-Coated Racks: Yes
Side Wood Chip Loader: Yes
Check Price

 

Best Electric Smoker Reviews:

Masterbuilt MB20073519 MES 130P Bluetooth Digital Electric Smoker


If you are looking for a quality smoker, then one thing that you would definitely want to take a look at Masterbuilt. They are a brand with a really good track record when it comes to all sorts of barbecue and smoking products.

Given that if you were to go shopping on your own, you would almost certainly see several Masterbuilt products, we decided that the best way to start off our best electric smoker list was by reviewing a Masterbuilt smoker. The Masterbuilt MB20073519 MES 130P Bluetooth Digital Electric Smoker is a great product that works equally well for beginners as it does for experts.

As you might expect from such a well-known and well-respected brand, the Masterbuilt is an extremely powerful smoker. Although it only has a power output of around 600 watts (which isn’t too high in the grand scheme of things), it really is a powerhouse of a smoker. It heats up extremely quickly, so if you hate waiting around for things to get up to temperature, then this is the smoker for you.

Likewise, the Masterbuilt also provides a very good environment to cook in. The cooking racks are tough and made with a nonstick chrome coating. So, you can put delicate meat on it and not have to worry about losing half of it due to sticking. You also don’t have to worry too much about issues like rust either.

In terms of cooking space, this is also a pretty good option when you consider the overall quality of the smoker. You are able to fit a decently large amount of food into the smoker with relative ease.

With over 700 square inches of cooking space, this can easily fit half a dozen whole chickens in at once and it won’t lose any of its cooking effectiveness. You can find bigger smokers out there to be sure, but this is still a respectable option when it comes to how much you can cook at once.

One issue that we have with this smoker is that the built-in thermometer could be a bit better. Sadly, as you will see from some of the other reviews on our best electric smoker list, the built-in thermometers on many high-end smokers are surprisingly bad, and this one isn’t any exception.

Pros
  • Durable built.
  • Great chrome cooking racks.
  • Large amount of cooking space.
  • Powerful; heats up quickly.
Cons
  • Need to replace the thermometer ASAP.

Dyna-Glo DGU505BAE-D 30″ Analog Electric Smoker


The last review on our best electric smoker list was of a really famous brand (Masterbuilt) and this next review will be more of the same. The Dyna-Glo DGU505BAE-D 30″ Analog Electric Smoker is a very good, affordable smoker from the folks at Dyna-Glo. When it comes to smokers of all kinds, they are just as famous and respected as Masterbuilt, so you know that they had to make an appearance on this list.

The first thing of note when it comes to this smoker is the tremendously high power output. For comparison, let’s briefly flashback to the last review on this best electric smoker list, which was a review of the Masterbuilt MB20073519.

That was a powerful smoker and it was only rated for around 600 watts or so. The Dyna-Glo DGU505BAE-D 30″ Analog Electric Smoker is rated at a very impressive 1500 watts. In other words, this is an extremely powerful smoke that is going to heat up very quickly and that is going to be able to smoke food very quickly.

Another great thing about the Dyna-Glo is how precise it is. We have emphasized a lot (and will continue to emphasize) how important it is to have a really precise smoker. The Dyna-Glo comes equipped with both a very accurate temperature gauge and a very accurate dial. It really does make a difference when it comes to your cooking.

Before moving on, we also feel that we should mention how great the little side loader is. It lets you feed in fresh woodchips without having to open the front door of the smoker and lose all that valuable smoke.

Pros
  • Fairly affordable.
  • Extremely impressive power output (1500 watts).
  • Very precise temperature gauge and dial.
  • Side woodchip loader makes putting in woodchips even easier.
Cons
  • Lacks built-in mirror to check on your food.

LANDMANN MCO 32954 Landmann Smoky Mountain 26″ Electric Smoker


The next review on our best electric smoker list is a real treat if you want an extremely powerful smoker. The LANDMANN MCO 32954 Landmann Smoky Mountain 26″ Electric Smoker is one of the more powerful smokers that we have reviewed so far on this list. If you enjoy the prospect of short cooking times, then this is a good option.

Exactly how powerful is the LANDMANN? Well, it is rated for around 1500 watts, which means that it is tied with the Dyna-Glo DGU505BAE-D 30″ Analog Electric Smoker for the title of most powerful electric smoker that we have reviewed so far. By now, we have already talked a lot on this list about what having a powerful smoker can do for you, so we won’t go into that again.

Other aspects of this smoker are equally well-made. For example, the cooking grates are rust resistant and are designed to last just as long as the smoker itself, which is pretty impressive if you ask us.

Pros
  • An extremely powerful smoke.
  • Pretty durable and will last for a long time.
  • Nice, large viewing window.
  • Reasonable price.
  • Well-made cooking grates.
Cons
  • Temperature control could be more precise.

Masterbuilt MB20076718 Bluetooth Electric Smoker 240G Digital


We have already reviewed one Masterbuilt smoker on our best electric smoker list, but we feel that the Masterbuilt MB20076718 Bluetooth Electric Smoker 240G Digital, Black with SS Door deserves a review of its own because it does fall into its own distinct role.

We are going to say upfront, this is a pricey and bulky electric smoker, which is going to make it a non-starter for many of you. However, if those aren’t big issues for you, then you are going to be ending up with a fairly well-made electric smoker.

The size of this smoker is a bit of a drawback, but it is also a pretty big positive because it means that you get a ton of cooking space to work with. If you run a business, host large parties very often, or just enjoy cooking in mass, then the Masterbuilt MB20076718 Bluetooth Electric Smoker 240G Digital, Black with SS Door is likely going to be a great option because of just how much cooking space it brings to the table.

The Masterbuilt also boasts a fairly sleek, chrome design that does stand out quite a bit when compared to the dark, black steel design that most other electric smokers tend to go for.

Pros
  • Most cooking space of any entry on this list.
  • LED control panel for easy use.
  • Bluetooth integration makes controlling at a distance easy.
  • Can add woodchips without losing smoke or heat.
  • Sleek chrome design.
Cons
  • Extremely bulky.
  • Priciest smoker that we have reviewed so far.

Char-Broil Analog Electric Smoker


For the last review on our best electric smoker list, we are looking at a real tank of an electric smoker from the fine people at Char-Broil. The Char-Broil Analog Electric Smoker is not a perfect smoker by any means.

It is very heavy and difficult to move. It is a bit on the small side (though some may view that as a plus). Finally, it also lacks a window on the front for easy viewing of your food. At the same time, despite these flaws, it is still an incredibly well-built smoker that deserves to be mentioned on this list, as we are going to show you in this review.

By far the thing that we love the most about the Char-Broil Analog Electric Smoker and what really makes it worthy of being included on our best electric smoker is just how tough this smoker is. It is solidly built from the ground up and it is impossible to find any real weaknesses with the smoker’s design or construction. This smoker will definitely last you for a very long time.

Being very well-built doesn’t just make the smoker more durable either, it also makes cooking a lot easier as well. How exactly? Well, that thick construction helps to keep in smoke and heat, which makes it easier for you to keep a consistent temperature. This, in turn, helps to improve cooking times.

Pros
  • Great insulation that keeps heat and smoke in.
  • Very durable.
  • Solid construction that is designed to last.
  • Great heating and cooking capabilities.
  • Not too pricey, given the quality.
Cons
  • A bit heavy.
  • Lacks cooking space.
  • No window on front.

Why Electric Smokers Are Better

Best Electric Smoker

Not all of you are familiar with smokers, and that’s fine, however, because so many of you aren’t familiar with smoking, you may not know that not everyone likes electric smokers. There are quite a few smoking enthusiasts out there who maintain that propane smokers are the only way to go.

As you can tell from the subject of this article, we disagree. As we stated many times during the course of our best electric smoker article, we believe that electric smokers are by far the best option for consumers.

In this second part of our article, we want to explain exactly why that is. We are going to go through all the reasons why we believe that going with an electric smoker is the smartest option.

How Do Electric Smokers Work?

You probably got a good idea of how electric smokers work just by reading the reviews on our best electric smokers list, but if you are still a bit confused about it, let’s briefly go over it so that everyone who reads this buying guide is on the same page when it comes to knowledge.

Propane smokers work exactly like propane grills do. The propane provides a constant source of fuel and a heating element keeps the fuel lit. Fairly simple. What electric smokers do is replace the propane with electricity.

Electricity is used to power heating elements inside the smoker. When the power is turned off, the heating elements go off as well. There is no need to use gas or charcoal or anything like that, it is all clean power produced by an outlet.

We aren’t going to pretend that this is without faults. For example, some may find it difficult to find an outlet with enough juice to run a high-end electric smoker. At the same time, it has a number of advantages that we are going to be going over as part of this section.

Greater Heat Control

One of the most difficult things about work with propane (or charcoal for that matter) is how difficult it can be to achieve very precise temperatures and maintain those temperatures for a long period of time.

This more noticeable when dealing with lower temperatures. To illustrate what we are talking about, let’s take one thing that a lot of people with smokers try to make, which is beef jerky. Beef jerky takes a long time to make and it needs to be kept at a very specific temperature to come out just right (roughly 160 degrees Fahrenheit).

Cooking beef jerky in a propane smoker is extremely difficult because of how hard it is to keep a propane smoker at the exact temperature needed for the beef jerky. This applies to a lot of other meat as well.

For example, want to cook very savory ribs that fall right off the bone? Well, you need to cook your ribs for almost a whole day at a steady temperature rate of 225 degrees Fahrenheit.

Again, this pretty difficult to do with a propane smoker. The differences are less notable at higher temperatures, but in our experience, electric smokers still maintain a pretty sizeable advantage when it comes to consistency.

Cost in the Long Run

Something else that needs to be considered is long-term costs. Now, we find that upfront costs are generally the same for the two kinds of smokers. A high-end propane smoker and a high-end electric smoker will probably run you the same amount of money when you buy it from the store.

Where the advantage for electric smokers kicks in is if you use the smoker a lot. Depending on where you live, it is likely that electricity is cheaper than propane. Even though electric smokers do you use a lot of energy, it is still going to end up being cheaper to use electricity than it is top have to buy propane tanks constantly.

Which One Is Easier To Use

If one of your main priorities is finding an electric smoker that is easier to use, then without a doubt your best bet is to go for an electric smoker because they are the easiest of the two kinds of smokers to use.

Why exactly? Well, it goes back to that temperature control issue that has been mentioned quite a few times on our best electric smoker list. With electric smokers, you literally just have to put the temperature that you want on the keypad, and the smoker will do the rest. Propane smokers are a bit trickier. You have to be able to manage propane output and picking a temperature isn’t as simple as just punching your desired temperature into the keypad.

Taste

Taste is a controversial topic and it largely comes down to your own personal preferences. Contrary to what you might hear, propane smokers do not necessarily produce better tasting food. Propane smokers produce a unique taste that some like and some don’t.

Likewise, electric smokers also produce a unique taste that works for some, but that may work for others. Personally, we imagine that after you season your food (and who wouldn’t season smoked meat), you probably won’t notice too much of a difference either way.

Concluding Remarks

If you want to contribute your own personal thoughts to our best electric smoker list, then we would encourage you to go ahead and leave us a comment to let us, and others, know what is on your mind.

Filed Under: Product Reviews

Best Smoker Grill Combo 2020 Reviews (Buyer’s Guide Included)

Last Updated September 27, 2019

Best Smoker Grill Combo

One of the hardest decisions to make is whether you want to smoke your food for hours or grill it. Both are great options and it can be difficult to decide which route you want to go down. However, with the best smoker grill combo, you don’t have to actually decide.

As you can see from the name of this article, we are going to be looking for the best smoker grill combo. As you might have guessed, this refers to products that combine the two different cooking styles into one package.

If you are curious about our opinion on the best option, we recommend the Landmann 560202 Charcoal Grill.

 

A Spotlight On Some of The Best Smoker Grill Combo 2020

Char-Griller Grill and Smoker
Power Source: Charcoal
Smoking Space: 447 Square Inch
Grilling Surface: 314 Square Inch
Product Dimensions: 26 x 24 x 21 Inches
Item Weight: 98 Pounds
Check Price
Royal Gourmet Offset Smoker
Power Source: Charcoal
Smoking Space: 800 Square Inch
Grilling Surface: 438 Square Inch
Product Dimensions: 45 x 26 x 48 Inches
Item Weight: 57 Pounds
Check Price
Z Grills ZPG-450A Grill & Smoker
Power Source: Wood Pellet
Smoking Space: 800 Square Inch
Grilling Surface: 450 Square Inch
Product Dimensions: 45 x 28 x 49 Inches
Item Weight: 98 Pounds
Check Price
Landmann 560202 Charcoal Grill
Power Source: Charcoal
Smoking Space: 800 Square Inch
Grilling Surface: 450 Square Inch
Product Dimensions: 54 x 25 x 47 Inches
Item Weight: 79 Pounds
Check Price
PK Grills PK Original Grill & Smoker
Power Source: Charcoal
Smoking Space: 700 Square Inch
Grilling Surface: 300 Square Inch
Product Dimensions: 16 x 35 x 35 Inches
Item Weight: 45 Pounds
Check Price

 

Best Smoker Grill Combo Reviews:

Char-Griller E16620 Akorn Kamado Kooker Charcoal Barbecue Grill and Smoker


Kooker Charcoal Barbecue Grill and Smoker. This is a really well-made smoker grill combo for quite a few reasons. As you will see in this review, you shouldn’t miss out on this one.

Probably one of the best things about the Char-Griller is how well-made it is as a whole. Unlike a lot of other smoker grill combos, which are made from things like steel or aluminum, the Char-Griller E16620 Akorn Kamado Kooker Charcoal Barbecue Grill and Smoker is made with very tough cast iron. This not only helps the smoker grill combo to retain heat, but it also makes the product as a whole a lot more durable. The Char-Griller is definitely a smoker grill combo that will last you for a very long time.

It also brings a lot of cooking space to the table as well. It boasts a very respectable primary cooking space of over 300 square inches. While there are certainly bigger options out there, having over 300 square inches of cooking space is never a bad thing.

Despite being very bulky, it isn’t that difficult to move thanks to a very well-designed cart system that makes pushing the whole thing around simple and not too taxing.

Pros
  • Durable and well-made.
  • Good amount of cooking space.
  • Traps in a lot of smoke.
  • Cast iron cooking surface lasts for a long time.
  • Easy to transport cart system.
Cons
  • Very bulky.

Royal Gourmet CC1830F Charcoal Grill with Offset Smoker


For this next review on our best grill smoker combo list we are going to be reviewing the Royal Gourmet CC1830F Charcoal Grill with Offset Smoker. Much like with our last review, we are going to be looking at a smoker grill combo from a very well-known brand. Royal Gourmet makes some pretty good outdoor cooking appliances, and this includes both smokers and grills. So, we are excited to look at this product from them that combines the two.

This is an offset smoker and grill. What this means is that the two are somewhat “separate.” Unlike with the last product that we reviewed, where the two were combined into one, with the Royal Gourmet, you can see where the smoker starts and where the grill starts. On the side of the unit is the firebox, which is where you stoke the fire and add things like wood chips or coals. The grill is where the food is placed and cooked.

The whole thing is designed very well. The firebox can easily be tended to without opening it and losing all your valuable smoke. At the same time, the grill part does a great job of holding in heat and evenly cooking everything that you put in it. It is also very easy to control the temperature and the amount of smoke because of vents on the side and an adjustable charcoal pan, both of which are very easy to use.

Some other great features that we need to mention include the large cooking area (800 square inches in total), the really high-quality cooking grates (made from durable porcelain), and the portability of the smoker grill combo (wheels on the bottom make it easy to wheel it around your backyard.

Probably the biggest issue with this grill smoker combo is that it isn’t for everyone because the grill portion relies on charcoal. We understand that not everyone likes charcoal because it gives off a certain taste and it can be difficult to work with compared to propane.

Pros
  • Well-made exterior; heat resistant.
  • Surprisingly mobile, despite the weight.
  • Easy to adjust both smoker and grill temperature.
  • Comes with storage rack on bottom.
Cons
  • Requires charcoal; which can be difficult to work with.

Z Grills ZPG-450A 2019 Upgrade Model Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker


The next entry on our best smoker grill combo is the Z Grills ZPG-450A 2019 Upgrade Model Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker. This is a real beast of a smoker and grill that offers great performance. It is sure to end up being a staple of your backyard BBQs and parties for decades to come if you buy it.

The way that the Z Grills ZPG-450A 2019 Upgrade Model Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker works is very similar to the Royal Gourmet offset smoker that we just finished reviewing. Much like that smoker grill combo, the Z Grills has an offset smoker design. On the side of the grill is a feeder where you put in the wood chips that you want to smoke with. These are automatically fed into the bottom of the grill, making it easy to keep up a consistent temperature and level of smoke.

However, you shouldn’t be intimated even if this does sound complex because this smoker grill combo is surprisingly easy to use for a few different reasons. For starters, the Z Grills features a digital auto temperature control. So, maintaining a consistent temperature is super simple. Furthermore, the unit is powered with propane, which as we have mentioned in other reviews on our best smoker grill combo list is a lot easier to use than charcoal.

Another really notable aspect of the Z Grills is how well-made the entire thing is. The exterior is made from very hardened steel that is also resistant to rust as well. The interior cooking grates are also pretty well-made. Speaking of cooking grates, we should also mention that it gives you around 450 square inches of cooking space.

The unit isn’t perfect, however. For example, the solid construction of the Z Grills also makes it extremely heavy. This is a very difficult grill to move around, which can be cumbersome if you live in an area where it can’t be left in the same spot year-round.

Pros
  • Very easy to use thanks to auto temperature control and propane cooking method.
  • Solid and durable.
  • Large cooking surface.
  • Great wood chip feeder.
Cons
  • Extremely heavy and difficult to move.

Landmann 560202 Charcoal Grill


Moving on we have yet another really amazing smoker grill combo to show you. There are a lot of really impressive things about the Landmann 560202 Charcoal Grill that are worth mentioning (hence why it is being reviewed on our best smoker grill combo list). However, probably the thing that will most end up endearing you to the Landmann is how, despite having all these really great features, it actually isn’t all that pricey.

The Landman is yet another offset smoker-style product. It operates similarly to the Royal Gourmet and Z Grills that we reviewed earlier on our best smoker grill combo list.

The main grill is the biggest part of the product and the firebox on the side is where you put the material for smoking your food. This is all very standard by now and you can trust that it works well. We definitely don’t have any complaints in this area, and we don’t imagine that any of you will either.

While the Landmann isn’t the biggest smoker grill combo on this list, it still manages to offer just a hair under 400 square inches of cooking space. Unless you are cooking for very large parties very often, then you are probably aren’t going to miss the extra cooking space too much.

As an added bonus, the Landmann 560202 Charcoal Grill also comes equipped with some really well-made porcelain grates. These are durable and very easy to cook with, which of course helps to make this a much more attractive package overall.

Something that has been mentioned in quite a few reviews on our bets smoker grill combo list and deserves to be mentioned again is temperature control. If you have ever grilled or smoked meat before, then you know how crucial it is to get exactly the right temperature.

With charcoal grills, this is even more important because controlling the temperature is a bit harder. Thankfully, maintaining consistent temperature levels with the Landmann 560202 Charcoal Grill is easy for two reasons. First off, it has very effective vents that can be manipulated to achieve just the right amount of airflow. Secondly, there is a charcoal pan that can be adjusted into multiple positions, which helps to regulate the temperature.

In general, the exterior parts of the Landmann are tough and resistant to things like rust and chipping. However, some of the components on the outside, like the storage racks and wheels, aren’t quite as durable as we would like them to be.

Pros
  • Great temperature control.
  • Durable exterior.
  • Good vent system.
  • Not that expensive, especially given the quality.
Cons
  • Charcoal powered.
  • Certain components like the storage rack can break off easily.

PK Grills PK Original Outdoor Charcoal Portable Grill & Smoker Combination


For the last review on our best smoker grill combo list, we are going to take a look at the PK Grills PK Original Outdoor Charcoal Portable Grill & Smoker Combination. This is a very good smoker grill combo to end off our list for a few reasons. Above all else, it offers durability and great cooking potential.

Let’s start by talking about how durable this smoker grill combo is. The PK Grills PK Original Outdoor Charcoal Portable Grill & Smoker Combination is made primarily with aluminum. This may sound bad at first, but it is actually a good thing.

See, it is made from cast aluminum, which is a very durable material. This isn’t the weak kind of aluminum that you are thinking about. Another great benefit of cast aluminum is that it doesn’t rust, which helps to ensure that this smoker grill combo should last you for a very long time.

The second feature that makes the PK Grills PK Original Outdoor Charcoal Portable Grill & Smoker Combination worthy of being on this list is how easy it is to cook with. It features a dome design that helps to trap in lots of smoke and heat. It also has a variety of vents located around the unit to help make changing the temperature easier.

Pros
  • Lots of vents for good temperature control.
  • Dome design traps in a lot of smoke and heat.
  • Made from tough cast aluminum.
  • Won’t rust or degrade.
Cons
  • Can’t really grill and smoke at the same time.

Why You Need To Buy A Smoker Grill Combo

Best Smoker Grill Combo

Probably one of the biggest questions that some of you still have is why you should get a smoker grill combo in the first place. A lot of you may wonder if it isn’t a better idea to go for an individual version of each one instead of buying them as a combo.

However, as we have shown from this list, we think that it is better for everyone to get the best smoker grill combo that they can find instead of trying to find a good version of each. We think this for a few reasons.

Convenience

 

One of the biggest arguments in favor of a smoker grill combo is that it is undeniably more convenient. If you buy a smoker and a grill separately, that is two different items (both of which are going to be very heavy) that you have to bring into your backyard and find a spot for. Just that alone can be difficult enough.

But, in addition to having to find space for both cooking items, you also have to spend time learning how to use each one effectively. It can take a while to learn the intricacies of a new grill and a new smoker, so you are going to have to waste time using each one and probably burning or overcooking food before you master it. If you buy a smoker grill combo, that whole process will go a lot faster and a lot smoother as well.

Something else to consider is maintenance. Both smokers and grills require regular upkeep, even if you don’t happen to be using them all that much. You have to do things like clean out ash, scrape grates, and just perform general upkeep.

If you have both a smoker and a grill, then that means that you are doing double the amount of work. With a smoker grill combo, you really only have to perform upkeep on one product. It really does end up saving you a lot of time in the long run.

Cheaper

 

Another very good reason to invest in a smoker grill combo is that it is probably cheaper than the alternative, which is buying the two items separately. We don’t know if you have ever looked at how much smokers and grills cost these days, but it can be quite pricey.

Despite combining the two, smoker grill combos are actually quite affordable on average. As you saw from our best smoker grill combo list, the most expensive combo will still end up running you under $500 on average. There are cheaper options that still offer good performance in the $175-300 range as well. You would definitely end up spending a lot more if you bought each separately.

Concluding Remarks

 

We get that a few of you may still be curious as to how you can go about finding the best smoker grill combo for you. The good news is that you can still get your questions answered, even though the article is over. Simply head to our comment section and leave us a comment. We welcome all questions and concerns.

Filed Under: Product Reviews Tagged With: best smoker grill 2020, Best Smoker Grill Combo

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