Aquasana Claryum lineup
Aquasana's drinking water filtration products center on the Claryum filter technology -- a five-stage filtration process (sediment, activated carbon, KDF, ion exchange, sub-micron) NSF certified to reduce 77 contaminants including lead, PFOA/PFOS, pharmaceuticals, and chlorine. Available in faucet-attached countertop format (AQ-CWS-D), full under-sink format (AQ-5200), and premium under-sink with reverse osmosis (AQ-RO-3).
Best for most households: AQ-CWS-D Claryum Direct Connect
The Claryum Direct Connect at $60-$90 attaches to any standard kitchen faucet via a diverter -- no installation beyond removing and replacing the aerator. 77 contaminant reduction including lead, NSF 42/53 certified, 450-gallon filter life. The right choice for renters and households that don't want under-sink installation.
When to upgrade to under-sink Aquasana
The Aquasana AQ-5200 under-sink system provides higher flow rate (full faucet pressure rather than the 0.5 GPM limitation of the countertop), a dedicated clean filtered-water faucet (no diverter switching), and higher annual filtered volume. For households that use more than 2 gallons of filtered water daily, the under-sink system is more convenient despite the installation complexity.