Some of the most expensive drinking water filters are the least valuable, particularly to homeowners, like me, that are serviced by public treatment facilities. A reverse osmosis step raises the price of a system, but I have learned that the step is unnecessary in my home.

The only real protection provided by reverse osmosis is cyst reduction. As it turns out, any system that is certified to filter down to one micron will reduce cysts by 99% or more. A submicron filter costs a lot less than reverse osmosis and is just as, if not more effective. The more you know, the easier it is to make a good selection.