Water filter recommendations?
We all know that good tea starts with good water. Currently my house uses bottled water but I have to resort to tap when we run out. I’m planning on buying an 18-cup PUR water filter on Amazon since that had the highest ratings, but I thought I’d check in here to see what everyone else is using.
Hi madametj,
1. What issues does your tap water have that causes you to currently use bottled water?
-http://water.epa.gov/drink/info/upload/2005_09_14_faq_fs_healthseries_bottledwater.pdf
2. Do you have:
– Municipal water: Ask for their annual water quality report, aka Consumer Confidence Report:
http://water.epa.gov/lawsregs/rulesregs/sdwa/ccr/index.cfm
http://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/drinking/public/index.html
http://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/drinking/public/water_quality.html
http://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/drinking/private/wells/
http://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/drinking/private/wells/testing.html
3. You may wish to assess any potential water quality issues before purchasing water treatment solutions: http://water.epa.gov/drink/info/upload/2005_11_17_faq_fs_healthseries_filtration.pdf
Additional links:
-http://water.epa.gov/drink/info/
-http://water.epa.gov/drink/guide/upload/book_waterontap_full.pdf
-http://www.epa.gov/enviro/facts/sdwis/search.html
-http://water.epa.gov/drink/info/well/index.cfm
Water safety issues aside, even the best municipal tap water is less than ideal for tea. I’ve made good tea from well water in a glacial region, but rarely find tap water suitable for anything but the brashest of teas.
We keep a filtered water cooler (aka “the Shrine”) solely for making tea, and refill 5 gallon bottles from the local market (reverse osmosis and carbon filtered). The quality is consistently quite good for tea.
Hi Brent,
Per David Duckler of Verdant Tea, reverse osmosis water is not the best for brewing tea:
“Putting aside for a moment the influences on tea before it is dried and finished, tea also goes through a second “flavoring” process as you brew it and sip it. First, you have to consider the water you use, and take into account all the flavors it offers. Straight reverse-osmosis water is never recommended in tea brewing, because it is so pure that it tastes flat. If you use a spring water or filtered tap water, the flavor of this water will come through, contributing sweetness, texture, or in undesirable cases, metal and chemical traces to your tea. No matter what, you are “blending” your tea with a water that you hope will help bring out the best that the tea has to offer.”
Published on April 26th, 2012 by David Duckler
http://verdanttea.com/what-is-unflavored-tea-anyway/
If an RO system is necessary for your residential water and you want to enjoy your tea without hauling bottled spring water, then you may wish to consider adding a re-mineralization filter (http://steepster.com/teas/teaware/39532-puregen-aptera-alkamag-water-filter) after your RO system to bring your TDS level into the following range:
“Water with 50 – 150 ppm total dissolved solids (TDS) or 1 to 3 grains hardness provides the best results, according to the Tea Association of the USA." http://www.teaandcoffee.net/0609/tea.htm
If you would prefer not to have to haul 5 gallon bottles from the local market, one can make reverse osmosis water at home with an RO system. Here’s one example that includes a re-mineralization filter: http://steepster.com/teas/teaware/37798-abundant-flow-water-6-stage-alkaline-zoi-zeta-reverse-osmosis-system
The PUR pitcher is the exact same as the Brita water filter, where they both use the same kind of carbon water filter, which is what I used to use for my water. I then purchased a reverse osmosis system, now about a year ago, and my tea has never tasted better. When it comes to getting the most flavor from your tea, you need the best water.
Consumer Reports
Water filter buying guide
Last updated: May 2013
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/water-filters/buying-guide.htm?pn=0
“What’s in your water?
One way to find out is to check your consumer confidence report, or CCR. The EPA requires utilities to provide a CCR to their customers every year. You may also find the CCR printed in your newspaper or posted on your local government website."
“Also, a CCR tells you about the water in your municipality, but not necessarily about what’s coming out of your particular tap. Only testing your home supply can do that. Homeowners with a well on their property face even greater uncertainty, because such water isn’t surveyed or reported on in CCRs. Call the EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791) for the names of state-certified testing labs or for your local health authority, which might offer low-cost or free test kits, or check out www.epa.gov/safewater. Ultimately, you might find that you don’t need a water filter.
It’s important to know what contaminants are in your water that so you can match the filter to the problem."
45 models tested
5 Types (# tested):
- Countertop water filters (5)
- Reverse osmosis (10)
- Faucet-mounted (7)
- Carafe (7)
- Undersink (16)
20 Recommended water filter models
(see May 2013 issue or their website if you’re an online subscriber)
We have a PUR pitcher and picked up a graviTEA from Adagio (http://www.adagio.com/teaware/graviTEA.html) back when they ran a promo giving one away with $39 of tea. We’ve pretty much switched to the Adagio model because it filters so much faster. Both work great at pulling all the cholorine-y flavor out of the water.
Selected Water Filter & Water Testing Suppliers:
- https://www.afwfilters.com/
- https://www.afwfilters.com/tds-meters/hm-digital-tds-ap1-testing-meter-200.html
- http://www.freshwatersystems.com/
- http://www.filtersfast.com/
- http://www.hach.com/total-hardness-test-kit-model-5-b/product?id=7640219508
- http://www.tdsmeter.com/products/ap1.html
Water Quality
Garret Sorensen, Mandala Tea
Uploaded on Sep 30, 2011
“The type of water you use makes a HUGE difference in both the aroma and flavor of your tea.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFuUAc7XcqY&feature=youtube_gdata
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