This is our review of the Aquasana AQ-5300 Under-Sink Water Filter System.
We have considerable experience in water filtration systems, and we researched the best under-sink water filter systems to help you out. In this article, we will give an in-depth look at the Aquasana AQ-5300 Under-Sink Water Filter to support your decision if this is the right under-sink water filter for you and your family.
If you are looking for a conventional under-sink water filter, the Aquasana AQ-5300 is the right choice. This device comes with several NSF certifications, reduces up to 99% of the 77 common water contaminants through 3-stages of filtration, has a high-flow design, and it’s easy to install.
In this comprehensive Aquasana AQ-5300 Under-Sink Water Filter review, we will analyze the filtration capabilities, the system capacity & longevity, its flow rate, the installation & maintenance process, and discuss customer reviews and potential alternatives for this under-sink water filter system.
Let’s get started!
Aquasana AQ-5300 Under-Sink Water Filter Overview
The Aquasana AQ-5300 Under-Sink water filter is a point-of-use (POU) system installed under the sink, that filters the water that you will use to drink and cook in your kitchen faucet (or other division that you install this system).
This device is a conventional under-sink water filter as it connects to the cold water pipe and the filtered water flows through a specific faucet that needs to be installed as part of the installation process. The simple under-sink water filters don’t include a specific faucet as they are connected directly to the sink cold water line and filter all the water that passes through it before going into the regular faucet.
The Aquasana AQ-5300 included 3 stages of filtration that will ensure the removal of different types of contaminants, being able to filter out 97% of the chlorine and chloramines of the water and reduce 99% of other types of contaminants, without removing healthy minerals like calcium and magnesium from it.
But our favorite feature of this under-sink water filter is the NSF certifications it comes with (like NSF 42, NSF 53, NSF 401, and P473), ensuring that the system was properly tested to reduce the harmful contaminants that are found in the water.
Another nice feature of the Aquasana AQ-5300 under-sink water filter is that it comes with a higher flow rate than similar devices, so you will be able to fill a glass of filtered water in just a few seconds.
Aquasana AQ-5300 Under-Sink Water Filter Filtration Capabilities
The Aquasana AQ-5300 Under-Sink Water Filter removes 77 of the most common contaminants from the water, being able to remove up to 97% of chlorine & chloramine, up to 99% of VOCs, cysts, lead, and asbestos, and up to 95% of mercury, which should give you the confidence to drink the clean water it provides.
Like any under-sink system, this system won’t remove TDS (total dissolved solids) like the best Reverse Osmosis systems, but it will leave healthy minerals. The Aquasana AQ-5300 under sink water filter has a patented filter that ensures that healthy minerals like calcium and magnesium are kept in the filtered water, delivering clean and tasty water for you and your family.
The Aquasana AQ-5300 undersink water filter removes contaminants through a 3-stage process:
- 1st stage:20-micron pre-filter that removes sediments, rust, and silt
- 2nd stage: activated carbon filter that removes pesticides, herbicides, pharmaceuticals VOCs, chemicals, and improves the water taste & odor
- 3rd stage: ion-exchange and sub-micron filtration system that removes cysts and heavy metals, like mercury and lead
One of the factors that make this one of the best under-sink water filtration systems is that it’s NSF certified. The Aquasana AQ-5300 under-sink water filter has the following NSF/ANSI certifications:
- NSF 42: guarantees that the system can remove chlorine, bad taste & odors
- NSF 53: validates that the system can remove cysts, lead, asbestos, and VOCs
- NSF 401: certifies that the system can remove pesticides, herbicides, pharmaceuticals, and detergents
- P473: which ensures this system can remove PFOA and PFOS
Aquasana AQ-5300 Under-Sink Water Filter Capacity & Longevity
The Aquasana AQ-5300 Under-Sink Water Filter comes with different filters that need to be replaced from time to time to ensure they continue to function properly, removing all the harmful contaminants from your water.
The recommended timeline to change the filters is every 6 months, so each filter should process around 600 to 800 gallons of water before needing to be replaced.
The filter longevity of the Aquasana AQ-5300 under sink water filter is in line with the top under-sink water filters, but there are other competitors which have better capacity and longevity.
Aquasana AQ-5300 Under-Sink Water Filter Flow Rate
When choosing an under-sink water filter for your household, it is important to consider its flow rate to know how much time it will take to filter the amount of water that you and your family will need.
The Aquasana AQ-5300 under-sink water filter, also known as the Aquasana Claryum 3-stage under-sink water filter, has a flow rate of 0.5 gallons per minute, so you will only need to wait a few seconds to fill a glass of water.
If you need a higher flow rate, you can consider a similar model with a better flow rate. The Aquasana AQ-5300+ 3-Stage Max Flow has slightly larger filters to deliver a higher flow rate of 0.72 gallons of water per minute.
Aquasana AQ-5300 Under-Sink Water Filter Installation & Maintenance
Installing an under sink water filter is not as simple as installing a countertop water filter or a faucet water filter but is not terribly difficult either, and if you have basic DIY skills you should be able to do the installation by yourself in around 45 minutes to 1 hour.
If you don’t like this type of task, the best option is to hire a plumber to install the device to avoid the hassle.
In the video below you can check how to install the Aquasana AQ-5300 Under-Sink Water Filter:
You can also find the installation manual on the link below:
Regarding maintenance of the Aquasana AQ-5300 under-sink water filter, you just need to make sure that you replace the filter cartridges according to the manufacturer’s guidelines, to ensure the filter works properly and to avoid a drop in water pressure.
You should replace the filters every 6 months, and this undersink filter includes an alert system that will beep when it’s time to change the filters.
And the process couldn’t be easier as you only need to twist off the cartridge, take off the old filter and insert the new one, and twist on the filter cartridge. Just 4 easy steps, as you can see in the image below.
You can also find the filter replacement manual on the link below:
Aquasana AQ-5300 Under-Sink Water Filter Reviews
On the Aquasana website, the Aquasana AQ-5300 undersink water filter has an average rating of 4.5 stars with more than 1.600 reviews.
On Amazon, this product has an average rating superior to 4 stars, with 3 quarters of the customers rating this product with 4 or 5 stars, showing that they are happy with the purchase.
Looking at the reviews in detail, we noticed that while lots of customers mentioned the water taste improvement, some customers complained about O-ring issues and leaks.
Aquasana AQ-5300 Under-Sink Water Filter Alternatives
If the Aquasana AQ-5300 under-sink water filter system isn’t the ideal solution for your household, there are other alternatives that you can consider.
Waterdrop G3 Reverse Osmosis Under-Sink Water Filter
A great alternative is the Waterdrop G3 Reverse Osmosis Under-Sink Water Filter system.
This is one of the best Reverse Osmosis systems on the market, and it is installed under the sink. This tankless NSF-certified system removes up to 99% of the water contaminants and comes packed with several smart features like a TDS meter or a filter life indicator in-built on a designer faucet.
Note: You can use our code WFPG3 on Waterdrop to save $55
CuZn UC-200 Under-Sink Water Filter
Another nice alternative is the CuZn UC-200 under-sink water filter.
This simple under sink water filter has an amazing longevity of 5 years or 50.000 gallons of filtered water, can be installed in 5 minutes, and removes most of the contaminants found in municipal water through a 3-stage filtration system.
Frizzlife MK99 Under-Sink Water Filter
If you are looking for a good value simple under sink water filter, the Frizzlife MK 99 is the best choice.
This affordable under-sink water filtration system can remove up to 99.9% of 58 contaminants common in city water, is NSF certified, has a nice flow rate, and it is really quick and easy to install.
Our Verdict
We highly recommend the Aquasana AQ-5300 Under-Sink Water Filter system, and we nominated this device as our best Conventional Under Sink Water Filter choice for the best Under Sink Water Filters.
This under-sink water filter reduces up to 99% of the common contaminants typically found in water, is NSF certified, has a good flow rate, and it is easy to install and maintain.