Best Water Filters for Students UK (2025)
Budget-friendly filters for halls, shared houses, and student life. No installation. Take them when you move. Better water from £15.
Quick Answer: Best Filters for Students
Best for Halls: BRITA Marella Jug (£29.99) - fits in mini fridge, no installation
Best for Lectures: BRITA fill&go Active Bottle (£14.99) - filter water on the go
Best for Shared Kitchen: Waterdrop WD-FC-06 (£32.99) - screws onto tap, split the cost
Best for House Share: Waterdrop Chubby Jug (£39.99) - 3.5L capacity for multiple people
Why Students Are Buying Water Filters
UK tap water is safe to drink - that's not the issue. But if you've moved from home to university, you've probably noticed the water tastes different. Maybe it's more chlorine-y. Maybe there's a metallic taste. Maybe the kettle's furring up faster than you can say "instant noodles."
After 24 years in water filtration, I've seen students waste money on bottled water (expensive and bad for the environment) or buy the wrong filter for their situation. Here's what actually works for student life.
Save Money
£35/year vs £200+ on bottled water
Better Taste
No more chlorine swimming pool taste
Portable
Take it home for holidays, move with you
Best Filter for Your Accommodation Type
🏢 University Halls (En-suite or Shared)
Best choice: Jug filter or filter bottle. No installation needed, fits in your room, easy to take home during holidays.
Avoid: Faucet filters (may not be allowed in shared kitchens)
🏠 Student House Share
Best choice: Faucet filter (split the cost with housemates) or large capacity jug. Everyone benefits, easy to remove when you move out.
Tip: Agree who takes the filter when you leave!
📚 On Campus / Library
Best choice: Filter water bottle. Refill from any tap on campus, filter as you drink. Perfect for long library sessions.
Saves buying expensive campus coffee shop water
Best Water Filters for Students (2025 Picks)
BRITA Marella Water Filter Jug
£29.99
The classic student choice. Fits in your mini fridge, removes that chlorine taste, and makes your tea taste better. Zero installation - just fill, wait 2 minutes, pour. Take it home during holidays.
Student budget: Works out to about £6/month including filters - cheaper than one coffee shop drink per week!
BRITA fill&go Active Water Bottle
£14.99
The cheapest way to get filtered water as a student. Fill from any tap on campus - library, lecture hall, gym - and the filter disc removes chlorine as you drink. 600ml capacity, fits in your bag.
Perfect for: Long library sessions, lectures, gym, anywhere on campus. Never buy overpriced campus bottled water again.
Waterdrop WD-FC-06 Faucet Filter
£32.99
Perfect for student house shares. Screws onto the kitchen tap in 2 minutes - no tools needed. Everyone in the house gets filtered water, and you can split the cost. NSF certified to remove chlorine, lead, and sediment.
House share tip: Split 4 ways = £8.25 each. Agree upfront who takes it when you move out!
Waterdrop Chubby Water Filter Pitcher
£39.99
If your tap doesn't suit a faucet filter, this large 3.5L jug is perfect for house shares. 7-stage filtration removes chlorine, lead, fluoride, and heavy metals - better than basic BRITA. Enough capacity for multiple housemates.
Quick Comparison: Student Water Filters
| Filter | Price | Best For | Annual Cost | Installation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BRITA fill&go Bottle | £15 | Lectures, library, gym | ~£20 | None |
| BRITA Marella Jug ⭐ | £30 | Halls, your room | ~£35 | None |
| Waterdrop Faucet | £33 | Shared kitchen | ~£25 | Screws on tap |
| Waterdrop Chubby | £40 | House share | ~£40 | None |
Water Quality by University City
Water quality varies across the UK. Here's what students in major university cities should know:
🏛️ London Universities
UCL, King's, Imperial, LSE, Queen Mary
Very hard water (300+ ppm). Chlorine taste common. Lead pipes in older buildings.
Read London guide →🎓 Manchester Universities
UoM, MMU, Salford
Soft water area. Less limescale but chlorine taste still present.
Read Manchester guide →🏫 Birmingham Universities
UoB, BCU, Aston
Moderately hard water. Good overall quality from Elan Valley reservoirs.
Read Birmingham guide →📚 Leeds Universities
Leeds, Leeds Beckett
Soft to moderately soft water. Good quality from Pennine reservoirs.
Read Leeds guide →🏴 Edinburgh Universities
Edinburgh, Heriot-Watt, Napier
Very soft water. Excellent quality. Minimal filtration needed.
Read Edinburgh guide →⚽ Liverpool Universities
Liverpool, LJMU
Soft water from Lake District. Good quality, some chlorine taste.
Read Liverpool guide →Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a water filter in university halls?
Yes! Jug filters and water filter bottles are perfect for halls - they need no installation, fit in your room's mini fridge, and you can take them home during holidays. Faucet filters may work in shared kitchens but check with your accommodation office first.
What's the cheapest water filter for students?
The BRITA fill&go Active bottle (£15) is the cheapest option - filter water on the go and refill from any tap on campus. For your room, a BRITA Marella jug (£30) is the best value with filters costing about £35/year.
Is tap water in student halls safe to drink?
UK tap water is safe to drink and meets strict quality standards. However, older university buildings may have older pipes, and the chlorine taste can be strong. A basic filter improves taste significantly without being necessary for safety.
What water filter is best for a student house share?
For shared houses, a faucet filter like the Waterdrop WD-FC-06 (£33) works well - everyone benefits, it's easy to split the cost, and you can take it when you move. Alternatively, a larger jug filter like the Waterdrop Chubby (£40) has 3.5L capacity for multiple housemates.
How much does a student water filter cost per year?
A BRITA jug costs about £30 upfront plus £35/year for filters (£6/month). A filter bottle costs £15 plus £20/year for filters. Faucet filters cost £33 upfront plus £20-30/year for replacement cartridges. Much cheaper than buying bottled water!
My Recommendation for Students
After 24 years helping people choose water filters, here's my honest advice for students:
First year in halls? Get the BRITA fill&go bottle (£15) for campus and a BRITA Marella jug (£30) for your room. Total: £45, and you're sorted.
Moving into a house share? Get the Waterdrop faucet filter (£33) and split the cost with housemates. Everyone benefits, and it's about £8 each.
On a really tight budget? Just get the filter bottle (£15). You can refill from any tap on campus and get filtered water all day.
🎯 Find Your Filter Level
From basic taste improvement to complete home protection — see what each level removes
Level 1: Jug Filters
£20-40Basic chlorine & taste improvement
Level 2: Undersink Carbon
£80-150Chlorine, taste & basic contaminants
Level 3: Multi-Stage Systems
£150-300Lead, PFAS, microplastics & more
Level 4: Reverse Osmosis
£200-400Near-complete contaminant removal
Level 5: Whole-House Systems
£500-2000+Every tap protected + appliance life
💡 Most UK homes benefit from Level 2-3. Lead pipes or health concerns? Consider Level 3-4.
About Keith
Mechanical engineer with 20+ years of water filtration experience
Keith has spent over two decades working with reverse osmosis and water filtration systems, helping families across the UK make informed decisions about their water quality. His engineering background and hands-on experience provide the technical foundation for Filter Authority's practical, no-nonsense guidance.
Read full bio and methodology