Tell me you’re 37 without telling me you’re 37! The things that spark joy these days amiright?
We’ve officially been in our new home for almost a year and a half if you can believe it! We’ve accomplished a lot in the way of home upgrades in a short amount of time, but today I’m reviewing one of our favorites: our undersink water filter – Culligan’s Aquasential® Reverse Osmosis System with Total Defense. (More on what that means in a second!)
Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, I was spoiled by the incredible tap water. It forever ruined drinking tap water everywhere else! (Sorry to sound high maintenance, but it’s true.)
Chicago’s tap water? It leaves a LOT to be desired. There was an existing carbon-based filtration system in our kitchen already, but the water still tasted a lot like regular tap water, and it didn’t filter out as many contaminants as I wanted. Specifically, I wanted the highest reduction of PFAS – also known as “forever chemicals” – I could find!
Ready for the full circle moment? The first account I ever worked on in my first PR internship way back in college was–you guessed it–Culligan! So I basically have gone half my life at this point knowing they are one of the best go-to’s when it comes to water. In a kismet moment, as I was pouting over my tap water, they reached out and asked if I’d ever be interested in working together!
Thus-here we are! They were kind enough to partner with me in exchange for my honest review, so here it goes! I hope this is helpful if you’re looking to upgrade your water filtration in your home. After using it for several months, we are really happy with it.
Do You Need a Water Filter in Chicago?
First, if you’re in the Chicagoland area, you may be wondering, “do I really need filtered water?” and I think it really depends on your own personal preferences. However, here are some considerations that matter to me:
Chicago has more lead service lines than any other city in the nation:
This of course affects the city but also many surrounding suburbs. Please note the city of Chicago does in fact provide free resources to help ensure its residents are consuming lead-free water, and you can see more information here. (Not trying to fear monger!) However, a water filtration system does provide extra peace of mind when consuming drinking water.
Chicago tap water just doesn’t taste good:
Here’s the thing, even if I didn’t care about contaminants like heavy metals, pharmaceuticals, and forever chemicals like PFAS–Chicagoland tap water just tastes bad. For me, that’s reason enough all on its own to warrant a filtration system!
If you’re in a suburb that has well water:
Such as Western Springs, Barrington, etc—it often comes with its own considerations. In addition to mineral buildup, which can affect skin and hair, well water may have a higher likelihood of containing bacteria, iron, sulfur, PFAS, nitrates, and other substances. Many of you with hard water also told me you’re really happy with your Culligan water softener, too! (More on that below!)
Why I Went with Culligan:
When I started looking into water filters, the Culligan Smart Reverse Osmosis filtration system stood out for several reasons.
First, I started by scheduling Culligan’s free in-home water test, where my local rep, Dennis, came to the house and did both a tap water assessment test (they actually tested my water and found that it had a higher level of Total Dissolved Solids than was ideal) and a hard water assessment and a demonstration of what my current vs. softened water feels like on the skin.
As a side note–the water softener demonstration my rep Dennis did was MIND BLOWING! My skin was so much softer after just one wash with the softened water. We really wanted to install a softener, but because of the plumbing setup in our house, it wasn’t in the cards sadly! However, many of you did tell me you absolutely love yours, that you can tell a difference in your skin and hair, and that it was worth the investment.
Anyway, here’s why we decided to go with the Culligan Smart Aquasential Reverse Osmosis System with Total Defense for our drinking water:
Culligan can filter out 90 contaminants + 99% PFAS reduction
This system is the real deal and certified to reduce over 90 different contaminants. But what really got my attention was the PFAS reduction – AKA “forever chemicals.” (You know, just one of the many things that keep me up at night. 🙃)
With Culligan’s Total Defense filter add-on, the system is one of the few third-party certified to reduce over 99% of PFAS, which is important since these chemicals are *everywhere* and don’t break down naturally! Tap water is one of the most prominent sources of PFAS consumption, so this was really important to me!
If you need a refresher, according to the EPA website:
Current scientific research suggests that exposure to certain PFAS may lead to adverse health outcomes. However, research is still ongoing to determine how different levels of exposure to different PFAS can lead to a variety of health effects. Research is also underway to better understand the health effects associated with low levels of exposure to PFAS over long periods of time, especially in children. Current peer-reviewed scientific studies have shown that exposure to certain levels of PFAS may lead to:
- Reproductive effects such as decreased fertility or increased high blood pressure in pregnant women.
- Developmental effects or delays in children, including low birth weight, accelerated puberty, bone variations, or behavioral changes.
- Increased risk of some cancers, including prostate, kidney, and testicular cancers.
- Reduced ability of the body’s immune system to fight infections, including reduced vaccine response.
- Interference with the body’s natural hormones.
- Increased cholesterol levels and/or risk of obesity.
Why I care about this personally: Again, even if things like lead, taste, etc., were not a concern of mine, the PFAs reduction alone would be worth the investment in my opinion! I realize there is so much I realistically cannot control when it comes to PFAS exposure, but this is one big way I can make a difference for my family, so that gives me a lot of peace of mind!
The taste difference is dramatic:
The Culligan RO system addresses chlorine (a main driver of that bleh taste in Chicago tap water), dissolved minerals that make water taste metallic or salty, and other contaminants through multiple filtration stages including a carbon filter and a reverse osmosis membrane. The result is cleaner, crisp-tasting water without any of the chemical or mineral aftertastes you get from regular tap water. The best way to describe it is that it “tastes like it dripped off a glacier.” Tastes like expensive bottled water, but minus the harmful plastic!
No messing with constant filter changes and monitoring:
You only need to change the filters every one to two YEARS, plus, your local Culligan tech handles filter changes for you!
Local service + supporting a local business:
Many Culligans are locally owned and have even been passed down through families over the generations, so you’re working with people who live in your area and have years of experience with water solutions. My local Culligan reps were SO kind, knowledgeable, and not remotely pushy. They weren’t just trying to make a sale – they genuinely really believe in the company and their products, and want to help their customers. When you’re investing in something for your home, having actual people to call who care about your experience makes a huge difference.
Optional smart features:
They also have a Smart RO version of this filter that comes with live app monitoring, tells you when you need a filter change, and even alerts you if there is a leak under your sink! They also have a smart button that allows you to use your main kitchen faucet and simply touch the button to toggle the filtered water on and off!
Culligan Reverse Osmosis System Installation Process:
The installation process was easy and took about two hours, and they walked me through how everything works.
Do I need a separate faucet? This was my biggest question! You have three options:
- Use their ClearLink PROTM wireless button that lets you get filtered water from your regular faucet at the toggle of a button. (No extra holes in your counter! 🤯)
- Use your own existing water tap faucet OR
- Use one of Culligan’s water filtration faucets that they can install for you!
We already had a pretty water tap faucet I wanted to keep, so I loved that they offered lots of flexibility with this! However, if you don’t already have a separate faucet, the ClearLink PRO technology is SUPER revolutionary and I haven’t seen any other filtration system that offers this!)
Is a Culligan Reverse Osmosis System worth it?
In our opinion, absolutely yes and I would definitely recommend it! I love how much better my tap water tastes now, and love the peace of mind knowing we’re drinking cleaner, safer water. I received overwhelmingly positive responses from you all who are happy with your Culligan filters and softeners as well! (Including a screenshot of your responses below!)
Schedule your free Culligan in-home water test:
If you’re interested in exploring Culligan as an option, you can click here to connect with your local Culligan team and schedule your free in-home water test!
This review is based on my genuine experience as a Culligan partner. All opinions about this water filter are completely my own, and I only recommend products I truly use and love in our home.
