[1] The narrow footprint of the Aquasana Clean Water Machine fits on most kitchen counters. This style, which dispenses from the unit, is available in black (photo courtesy Aquasana).

[2] This style, which we have, dispenses filtered water into a removable half-gallon pitcher. It is available in black or white (photo courtesy Aquasana).

[3] We pour our water from the Aquasana dispenser (photo #1) into reusable plastic bottles (photo courtesy FreeImagesLive.co.uk | Gratuit).

April 22nd is Earth Day, and each year we take a few minutes to think about what else we can [easily] do to help save the planet.

An alternative to buying and tossing plastic water bottles is a good way to start.

Last week we recommended SodaStream as a way to do the same with soft drinks and sparkling water. Today, we present the Aquasana Clean Water Dispenser, a countertop filtration system.

If you prefer filtering your tap water to purchasing water—whether to please your palate or to eliminate contaminants—you may have tried a Britta or ZeroWater pitcher filtration device, or even a larger countertop unit.

But if you’re kitchen-space-challenged as we are, you have neither space in the fridge nor on the counter top for one—without sacrificing something else.

THE AQUASANA CLEAN WATER MACHINE

Thanks to Aquasana, we no longer have that limitation. The company, which specializes in water filters for sinks and showers—plus handsome individual water bottles with built-in filters—has come up with a space saver countertop unit that nicely hugs the side of the kitchen counter next to our fridge (photo #1).

Plus, truth to tell, the filter yields better-tasting water (i.e., flavorless water) than other brands we’ve tried. Often, guests think we’re serving Fiji Water.

The Clean Water Machine has the same Aquasana professional filtration system that keeps the good minerals dissolved in your tap water (calcium, magnesium, potassium).

 
 
IT FITS INTO TIGHT SPACES

Just 4.5 inches wide and 17 inches long, the Aquasana Clean Water Machine dispenses a half gallon of filtered water by the glassful or the pitcherful. Choose from the self-dispensing model that holds a gallon (photo #1), or the model with a removable pitcher that holds a half gallon (photo #2).

The device is electric, and claims to remove “10x more contaminants than leading gravity pitchers.”

Instead of slowly trickling through the filter via gravity, Aquasana’s electricity-driven motor filters a half gallon in a minute.

Two filters, each making 320 gallons of clean, flavorless water, are included with each machine.

 
Aquasana Clean Water Machine is available in black or white, and is sold at retailers including Costco, e-tailers and from the company website.

The list price is $129.99 ($124.99 at Costco).

*PFOA/PFOS are two contaminants of emerging concern, perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid. (1) Here’s are more about them.