When 14 water filters go head to head

When Italy’s largest consumer organisation chooses your water filter

There are many water filters on the market. And almost every manufacturer claims to be the best. That is why independent comparison tests are so important – they provide clarity on where marketing ends and facts begin.

Altroconsumo is Italy’s largest and most influential consumer organisation – comparable to Stiftung Warentest in Germany, with millions of members and a decades-long tradition of independent product testing. When Altroconsumo tests, it does so thoroughly, impartially and according to strict scientific criteria. When Altroconsumo pitted 14 different water filter jugs against one another in a comprehensive laboratory test, the result was clear: the MAUNAWAI Kini received the highest overall rating of all the products tested and was crowned the test winner.

For us, this was a special endorsement – not because we needed the award to be convinced of our quality, but because an independent, international test confirmed exactly what our own long-term studies and customer feedback have been showing for years.

What was tested

The Altroconsumo test was not a quick test, but a systematic long-term assessment carried out between 2019 and 2022. The testing methodology was rigorous: tap water was deliberately enriched with pollutants to test the filter’s performance under realistic conditions. The assessment was based on five weighted categories: removal of heavy metals (20%), reduction of solvents (20%), reduction of trihalomethanes (20%), reduction of microorganisms (20%), and reduction of nitrates and chlorides (15%).

Particularly noteworthy: the Kini removed 100% of the tested solvents and trihalomethanes – pollutants that are produced during water chlorination and are considered harmful to health. For nitrates, it achieved a 79% reduction – the second-highest figure in the entire test field, surpassed only by the Zerowater carafe, which, however, performed significantly worse in other categories. The Kini also performed well in removing heavy metals – an area where many competing products showed weaknesses. And all this without stripping the water of its natural minerals.

Why the Kini won

Altroconsumo’s verdict sums it up: “An optimal filter system that does not overly compromise the water’s beneficial properties.” That is precisely where the difference lies. Whilst some competing products – such as the Zerowater carafe – removed all minerals from the water, resulting in a water hardness of virtually zero, the Kini retained the important calcium and magnesium salts in the water. This is no coincidence, but rather a deliberate choice: at MAUNAWAI, the aim is not to remove as much as possible from the water, but to find the right balance between purification and preservation.

In its test report, Altroconsumo explicitly pointed out that excessively softened water deprives the body of beneficial mineral salts. The Italian Drinking Water Act recommends a minimum hardness of 15 °f – carafes falling below 10 °f were not recommended. The Kini fell squarely within the optimal range in this respect.

14 jugs in direct comparison

The test field included the most popular brands on the European market, including Brita, Laica, Aquaphor and Zerowater. The Kini therefore did not have to compete against no-name products, but against established competitors, some of which are significantly better known. This makes the result all the more significant: despite the higher purchase price – which Altroconsumo cited as the Kini’s only drawback – the MAUNAWAI jug came out on top in the overall ranking. Quality comes at a price, but it also delivers measurably better results.

Another important aspect: bacterial safety

Three of the carafes tested showed increased bacterial levels during the weeks of laboratory testing. The Kini was not among them. Altroconsumo did note that the Kini does not use a bacteriostatic system – meaning it does not use silver as a preservative. This is a conscious choice at MAUNAWAI: we rely on natural filter media rather than chemical additives. This requires regular cleaning and adherence to the recommended replacement intervals – which should go without saying for any water filter.

The limescale misconception

An important aspect highlighted by Altroconsumo in its test report concerns the widespread misconception surrounding limescale in water. Many people regard limescale as an enemy of their body. The truth is more nuanced: water hardness – that is, the content of calcium and magnesium salts – is mistakenly associated with negative health effects. Although hard water does lead to limescale marks on pots and build-up in kettles, calcium and magnesium salts do not have a negative effect on our health – on the contrary, they are important minerals that our bodies need every day.

Altroconsumo therefore explicitly criticised jugs that excessively soften the water. The most extreme case was the Zerowater cartridge, which, together with the Aquaphor Provence, removed all the limescale from the water. Such systems were not recommended in the test. The Kini, on the other hand, struck exactly the right balance: out with the harmful substances, in with the minerals.

What being a test winner means for you

An independent comparison test can provide guidance that no marketing promise can replace. The Altroconsumo award confirms what we have known for almost 30 years: a good water filter is not measured by how much it removes – but by how natural and vibrant the water is afterwards. The Kini reliably filters out pollutants whilst retaining the minerals your body needs. Just as nature intended.

If you’d like to find out more about the difference between MAUNAWAI and reverse osmosis systems – and why removing all minerals isn’t a good idea – read on in the ‘Our Technology’ section, particularly the ‘MAUNAWAI vs. Reverse Osmosis’ section.