CulliganFM-25 Faucet-Mount Advanced Water Filtration System, 200 Gallon, Chrome

I want to start out by saying after reading all the reviews (negative and positive), I'm not at all surprised by how amazing this Culligan faucet filter is.During a typical day, I drink well more than the recommended 64 ounces of water. I live in Arizona and, while they say our tap water is "safe" to drink, I'm not entirely sure. Even if it is technically "safe", I can't say I'd want to drink it. The straight tap water out of my faucet is usually cloudy, there's stuff that can be seen floating in it and the strong aroma of chlorine is nauseating. Even when brewing very strong coffee with straight tap water, it had an under taste of chlorine. That being said, I've been buying 20+ bottles of water from Walmart every week or so for many years.Recently, I saw a commercial for a PUR faucet filter and decided I should really consider getting one. I checked them out at the store and they start at $40. Not bad if it meant I'd do away with buying (and, conversely, having to carry) several gallons of water regularly. Before making a purchase, I decided to read some reviews online to make sure I got the best brand and model. I figured I'd be buying either a PUR or Brita (name brands). After checking the reviews at Amazon, I was shocked to see how badly they were reviewed. Then I came across this Culligan filter. It had 300+ reviews with an average 4 out of 5 star rating (while PUR and Brita were the exactly opposite).Upon further research, I found that the Culligan filters tap water identically, if not better, as the 'name brands', but the big difference is that a.) the filter is good for 200 gallons, b.) it's built to last and c.) it's less expensive! That's correct... the sturdier, higher quality filter is the least expensive. Awesome.I purchased it figuring that if it didn't live up to my now huge expectations, it's not as if it broke the bank. After it arrived, installation took probably 20 seconds (no kidding... I unscrewed the aerator from my faucet and then screwed on the filter.... done). I let the filter rinse for the recommended 10 minutes and then poured a glass of water. I was hesitant since I've been living off bottled water for so long and have such a bad view of tap water. Before drinking any, I first noticed that the water had absolutely no smell! Not only that, but it was crystal clear. Now the biggest test.... how did it taste. Like nothing! That's right, water should not have a taste and through this filter, it does not! If I poured two glasses of water, 1 from the Culligan filter and 1 from my store bought water bottle, put on a blindfold and tasted each, I would not be able to tell you which was which.For those few who claim the filter does nothing, you've either done something horribly wrong or you had incredibly good water prior to installing the filter. Another "complaint" I've read is that the water flow from the filter itself is very weak. Well what did you expect? Any water filter (faucet, under the sink or from the fridge door) that I've ever used comes out at exactly the same rate, perhaps even slower. Anyone giving the filter a bad rating because of that should seriously reconsider. The flow from the filter is no worse than any other filter on the market. Period.In conclusion, if you're leery of your tap water and don't want to deal with (or pay for) bottled water, pick up the Culligan FM-15A Level 3 Faucet Filter, you won't be disappointed.

[UPDATE 11/27/2017]4 years later and this thing is still working great. I've changed the filter every two months and it keeps going and going. There is only 1 small problem. The pin that you pull to switch from faucet to filter does not go back after you turn off the water anymore. I have to push the pin back in. Other than that, no problems and no cracks.[Original review]I bought this so I could stop lugging giant gallon bottles from my local water store. For the most part it works and filters out particles from the water. Now, I live in a city and the tap water is deemed safe for drinking, but it doesn't hurt to be extra cautious. I do notice that the water does taste a little better after it's been filtered. I haven't actually tested the tap water vs the filtered water but just going by taste I think it's working.INSTALLATION: It couldn't be more simpler. Assuming your faucet has threads on the outside, you can just screw this on. If you have threads on the inside, you need to use the adapter that it comes with. Or if you are like me and your faucet doesn't have any threads at all, it gives you an excuse to go out and buy a new faucet.USAGE: This is also fairly simple but many people tend to ignore it.First, this is for COLD WATER ONLY. No hot water, not even warm water. According to the manufacturer warm or hot water can damage the filter and shorten it's life. How or why I don't know.Second, do not use high pressure. You see many 1 star reviews about this unit cracking or breaking. This is because the unit housing is made of plastic. I would recommend not using anything more powerful than turning your handle 1/2 way. If the water is taking too long to fill up your container, it's supposed to take that long. If the water is coming out as fast as it's going in then it's not filtering anything. Remember the I Love Lucy chocolate scene? Well, the filter is Lucy and the water is the chocolate. The faster it goes, the harder it is to do its job.Third, if the filter is slowing down after a week or two then I have good news and bad news. Good news: your filter is working! It's taking out the bad stuff from your water. Bad news: your tap water has so many particles in it that it's clogging the filter too fast.FILTER REPLACEMENT: Many people have problems here too as so did I. After using the filter for 2 months or more, it becomes stuck and hard to twist out. Do not use tools like pliers or wrenches to take it out. That would only scratch and break your filter. I found that using a rubber gripper that you would use for a jar makes life much easier.Overall this water filter will make your semi-clean water cleaner but it won't make magic happen. It's not going to turn mud into fresh drinking water. However if you need a filter for peace of mind or want better tasting water and are patient enough to wait then this filter would fit your bill.