Aquasana vs Pelican [2022]: Comprehensive Filter Comparison

Aquasana vs Pelican Review : Which Is The Best?

The benefit of a whole-house water filter is that it eliminates the need to exert effort in order to obtain clean drinking water. You can simply turn on any faucet in your home, fill a glass with pure, delicious H2O, and enjoy. That is, if your whole-house water filters do not need regular maintenance.

That’s why selecting a dependable, cost-effective whole-house filter is crucial. Aquasana and Pelican, as two of the most well-known brands, frequently fit this description. Both manufacturers provide a variety of whole-house filtration and water conditioning solutions.

Looking at Pelican vs Aquasana filters, each company has a lot to offer for consumers. However, the goal here is to figure out what makes these whole home water filtering systems so different from one another, and how to select which one is best for you.

Company Background of Pelican vs Aquasana

Aquasana

Aquasana is a Texas-based firm that has built an outstanding reputation for their very strong water filters, which often go above and above the standards for safe, good-tasting water throughout many years of operation.

Salt-free softening solutions and cost-effective techniques to minimise the presence of microorganisms in drinking water are among the customised filtration methods created by the business and exclusively accessible in their products. Aquasana’s whole product line is committed to ecologically responsible manufacturing, including reusable outer filter casings and recyclable cartridges.

Pelican

Pelican Water, situated in Florida, is a smaller, but nonetheless popular, water filtration brand owned and run by parent firm Pentair. Pelican is a customer-focused company that offers a variety of filtration solutions to suit different families and water sources.

Each Pelican system is designed to be DIY-friendly as part of this commitment, however many people choose to have their entire home systems installed by a professional plumber.

Pelicana vs Aqusana Whole House Filter Comparison

Depending on your filtration needs to purchase the right filter among so many whole house water filters, the Aquasana Rhino as shown on the left is available in two capacities: 600,000 gallons for 6 years of filtration and 1,000,000 gallons for 10 years of filtration.

The Pelican PC600 whole house filter as shown on the right is a low-maintenance and simple-to-install whole-house water filter system. You may have the Pelican with a 600,000 or 1,000,000 gallons filter capacity, just as the Aquasana, depending on your filtering demands. In this case, the filter capacity is definitely one of the most attractive aspect for this Pelican water filter.

Filter Media

Aquasana utilises a variety of filter media in each of its filtering phases when it comes to their whole house filters. The two main filters are activated carbon and copper-zinc and mineral stone, which capture pollutants during the adsorption process. There’s also a pre-filter and a post-filter, and while there’s no information on the specific materials utilised in these filters, granular activated carbon media is commonly employed.

The Pelican whole house filter uses a variety of filter media, including a pre-sediment filter with 5-micron pores to trap larger contaminants, granulated activated carbon media that uses adsorption to bind contaminants to the filter surface, and a KDF zinc-copper media that exchanges electrons with harmful contaminants, similar to Aquasana.

What Contaminants Can They Remove?

The pre-filter on the Aquasana Rhino removes sediment such as dust and rust; the water conditioner removes scale; the copper-zinc and mineral stone filter reduces heavy metals and chlorine while also effective in the inhibition of algae growth; the activated carbon filter removes chemicals such as pesticides and herbicides; and the post-filter removes any remaining sediment and organic matter.

The Pelican water filter eliminates sediment like sand, silt, and debris in the first stage; chemicals like chlorine, chloramines, pesticides, and herbicides are removed in the second and third GAC stages; and algae and bacteria are prevented in the fourth stage.

Performance comparison of Aquasana and Pelican Whole House Filter

The Aquasana whole home filter has an NSF certification for chlorine reduction, so you can drink water that tastes much better. With a filter, purifier, and descaler all in one, this whole house filter provides you a lot for your money in terms of performance.

The larger system can hold up to 1 million gallons of water, which is a very long time for any water filter. It has a maximum flow rate of 7 GPM, which is a decent flow rate for a whole house filter.

Pelican’s whole-house water filter is NSF certified to Standard 42 for chlorine removal and Standard 61 for material safety, ensuring high performance. The filter’s capabilities are extensive; it not only improves water taste and odour by eliminating chlorine, but it also filters out heavy metals and other pollutants.

Moreover, this Pelican water filter system has an average flow rate of 8 GPM and a peak flow rate of 12 GPM, just topping the flow rate for Aquasana whole house filter system.

Replacement Costs and Filter Lifespan of Aquasana vs Pelican Water Filters

The Aquasana 6,000 gallon, which costs approximately $650 and lasts for 6 years, or the Aquasana 1,000,000 gallon, which costs around $800 and lasts for 10 years, are the two options. The pre-filter in both whole-house water filters can last up to three months, while the post-filters have an average lifespan of six months. Every 6 to 10 years, the essential filters must be changed.

When comparing the upfront costs of the Aquasana and Pelican whole home water filters, the Aquasana comes out on top. The filter on the Pelican 600,000, which costs approximately $800, will need to be replaced after 5 years; the Pelican 1,00,000, which costs little over $1,000, has a larger filter capacity and should last you much longer than regular system’s filter capacity.

Every 6 to 9 months, the pre filter must be updated, and one costs little over $20.

Customer Reviews: Which Water Filter System is The Favorite?

The majority of customers praised Aquasana’s whole house filters for their affordability and ability to descale and filter water, but some said it would be nice to have clear housing for the pre-filter and post-filters so they could see when they needed to be changed, and others said they wished the filters could remove fluoride.

On the other hand, the majority of clients were pleased with how simple the Pelican system was to install and how quickly their water quality improved. Some customers reported difficulty pre-soaking the carbon medium, while others had leakage concerns after the system was installed.

Pros and Cons

Pros – Pelican PC600

The Pelican’s Premium is known to be simple to install, and it is a good value for money. It is also NSF certified, so there is no need for consumers to worry about.

Cons – Pelican PC600

However, it is important to note that when compared to Aquasana, the Pelican Premium is worse value for money than Aquasana. It also uses plastic fitting, which lowers its durability. Moreover, the carbon media of this whole house filter needs to be pre-soaked before using it, which does not apply to all whole house filters in the market.

Pros – Aquasana Rhino

For Rhino, it has a limited lifetime warranty, and it is definitely a better value for money in comparison to the Pelican system. It also has the ability to filter water and remove limescale effectively.

Cons – Aquasana Rhino

With all the pros, it is only fair to have unpleasant aspects to balance it out. The Aquasana Rhino is known to be expensive in the whole house filters market, and its functionality is not as thorough as reverse osmosis. Apart from that, a professional is needed to do the installation process in order for you to validate the warranty of this product.

Pelican vs Aquasana Shower Filter Comparison

The Aquasana AQ-4100 as shown on the right employs two stages of water filtration, using KDF-55 and coconut shell activated carbon as filter media, to remove over 90% of chlorine from the water supply, as well as numerous other synthetic chemicals and VOCs.

The AQ-4100 has a filter capacity of 10,000 gallons, which is a large lifespan when you consider the unit’s flow rate of 2.5 GPM, providing for thorough water filtering without sacrificing your shower enjoyment, which is an ideal flow rate for shower filters.

On the left is the Pelican PSF-1, which is a shower head filter that is obviously meant to be simple to operate. Where you’d expect a shower head water filter to be installed below the shower head, Pelican has intelligently positioned its filter media above the shower outlet, freeing up space within the shower enclosure.

The PSF-1’s filter, which has a 15,000 gallon filter capacity, uses activated carbon media to remove 96 percent of chlorine, as well as sediments and other contaminants. The unit also has an adjustable flow rate, allowing you to reduce the flow rate to just 1 GPM, saving you a lot of water compared to a regular shower outlet, which is also an ideal flow rate adjustment.

Filter Media

The Aquasana shower head filter is made up of two filter media: a zinc/copper media and a coconut shell carbon filtering media. To cure chlorine and water pH, the coconut shell carbon utilises adsorption, whereas the zinc/copper uses KDF.

The Pelican shower filter uses copper and zinc media, GAC (granular activated carbon) filtering media, and far-infrared emitting volcanic material in three stages of water filtration. To enhance water quality, each of these filtering steps employs a slightly different method – KDF, adsorption, and the elimination of negative ions.

What Contaminants Can Aquasana and Pelican Remove?

With its coconut shell carbon filtration, the Aquasana shower filter eliminates chlorine from water, eliminating more than 90% of the chemical for enhanced air quality when showering. It also raises the pH of the water, resulting in smoother skin and hair after a shower.

The Pelican water shower filter eliminates chlorine pollutants, smells, and allows for cleaner, fresher air when bathing, resulting in healthier hair and skin.

Performance Comparison

The Aquasana’s media is unable to channel and clog due to its unique upflow design, which helps to maintain a good water pressure while extending the water contact time in the filter, resulting in the purest water possible. The system also works with most 2.5 GPM shower heads, making it simple to maintain your preferred water flow.

The Pelican shower filter has been tested for NSF/ANSI Standard 177 for chlorine reduction by a third-party laboratory, so you can be confident in its effectiveness. However, this does not imply that it has received formal certification. The system’s flow rate is 1.5 GPM, which is somewhat less than the Aquasana flow rate but still adequate for a shower head filter.

Replacement Costs and Filter Lifespan

The Aquasana has a filter life of 6 months, or about 10,000 gallons, which is about as excellent as it gets for this type of filter. The replacement Aquasana filter is a little over $40, which isn’t inexpensive, but you only need it once every six months or so.

When comparing the Pelican water shower filter to the Aquasana water shower filter in terms of longevity, the Pelican comes out on top with a filter capacity of 15, 000 gallons against 10, 000 gallons for the Aquasana. Replacement filters are $50, which is a little more expensive than Aquasana’s.

Customer Reviews: Which is Favored?

Customers were generally pleased with the improvement in their skin and hair that the Aquasana had produced, as well as the water flow and simplicity of installation. Some customers suggested that a filter life indicator would be helpful in determining when the filter needs to be replaced, while others stressed the need of using plumbing tape to avoid leaks.

Next, customers also complimented the Pelican for enhancing their hair and skin, as well as aiding in the treatment of certain skin diseases. Some consumers thought the Pelican needs to be redesigned since it is too huge and cumbersome to tilt and adjust to your specifications, while others thought the installation instructions were a bit unclear.

Aquasana vs Pelican: Pros and Cons for Shower Filters

Pros – Pelican Premium

The Pelican’s Premium has a longer lifespan in comparison with the Aquasana shower filter. It has also gone through third-party testing to NSF standard, so it is definitely safe to use, along with multiple finish options available for consumers.

Cons – Pelican Premium

However, this Pelican Premium shower filter is not a water softener. The installation manual for this unit is also not as clear, which may cause unnecessary confusion. The unit is also relatively more bulky in comparison to others.

Pros – Aquasana Premium

For Aquasana, it is known to be easy to install with good water flow, which makes it a very good option as it won’t be annoying when showering, as the shower water will flow smoothly. It also has a relatively longer lifespan. Therefore, it is definitely a long term investment that is worth it.

Cons – Aquasana Premium

Unfortunately, for this unit by Aquasana, the replacement filters are expensive, plus it doesn’t target hard water so it is not as ideal. Moreover, without plumbing tape, leaking may often occur.

Comparing Aquasana Water Countertop Filters Against Pelican

The system’s filter cartridge is an Aquasana Claryum® filter, which combines multiple distinct media into one. The activated carbon media comes first, followed by the catalytic carbon media. To capture pollutants in water, both employ adsorption. A sub-micron filtering medium and an ion exchange media are also included.

The Pelican’s water filtration medium is carbon block, which binds pollutants to the filter via adsorption and prevents them from passing through the small filter holes.

What Contaminants Can They Remove?

The Aquasana can remove a surprising number of pollutants, which is about 70 in total, including pesticides, herbicides, medicines, VOCs, chlorine, chloramines, heavy metals, and asbestos, despite its tiny size.

When it comes to pollutant removal, the Pelican is one of the finest countertop water filtering systems, eliminating more than 60 toxins – but this falls short of the Aquasana’s 70 contaminants. Chlorine and chloramines, lead, mercury, cysts, PFOA, and PFOS are among the pollutants filtered.

Performance Comparison

The Aquasana countertop water filter is a fantastic value for money since it has a four-stage filtering capability in a single cartridge, making it one of the finest countertop water filtration systems when it comes to pollutant removal thoroughness.

With a flow rate of 0.4 GPM, you’ll have fast access to clean water, and the system has been tested and certified for chlorine and lead removal to NSF/ANSI Standards 42 and 53.

In terms of performance, there isn’t much of a difference between the Pelican and Aquasana countertop water filters. The Pelican is also NSF Standard 42 and 53 approved for chlorine and lead removal, and it employs a carbon-based filter to do so. The Pelican’s maximum flow rate is 0.5 GPM, which is just slightly more than the Aquasana’s.

Replacement Costs and Filter Lifespan

The filter life of the Aquasana is dependent on how much water you use, but it lasts for 400 gallons of water, or around 6 months. A two-pack replacement filter costs about $60.

In this scenario, the Pelican water filter has the same filter capacity as the Aquasana, lasting around 6 months or 450 gallons. Replacement filters for the Pelican are also available at a similar price, costing little under $70 for a box of two.

Customer Reviews

Customers complimented the Aquasana countertop water filtration system for enhancing the flavour of their water and making it safer to drink, as well as for being simple to set up. Some consumers complained that the device significantly reduces water flow, while others were disappointed that the filter did not eliminate fluoride.

The Pelican’s simplicity of installation and ability to remove chlorine and chloramines were praised by customers. Some customers were dissatisfied with the fact that replacing filters cost the same as the entire system, while others had problems with the O-rings leaking water while in operation.

Pros & Cons For Countertop Filters Between Pelican vs Aquasana

Pros – Pelican

One of the advantages of the Pelican’s countertop filter is that it is very simple to install, along with it’s high quality filtration process. Moreover, to put into comparison, it actually has a slightly faster maximum flow rate than Aquasana. It is definitely a must buy for you that are looking for a quality countertop filter.

Cons – Pelican

On the other hand, this Pelican filter does not remove as many contaminants as the Aquasana countertop filter that is mentioned in this article. It also does not filter out fluoride which can be a dealbreaker for some. Moreover, the replacement filters for this model are a tad more expensive than Aquasana filters.

Pros – Aquasana

For Aquasana, it has a money back guarantee for authorized returns, which is a bonus for consumers. Plus, it is NSF/ANSI certified and is capable of removing more than 70 contaminants that can be detrimental for your health.

Cons – Aquasana

In this case, it is the same as the Pelican water filter, where the Aquasana unit equally does not have the ability to remove fluoride from water. The lifespan of the filter is not the best as well, where consumers can find better long-term options in the market.

This Pelican water filter also may reduce water flow, which isn’t the best if you wanted something that wouldn’t affect the performance of your water flow.

Conclusion: Which is The Best?

It is undoubtedly difficult to choose between Pelican and Aquasana for the finest whole-house water filtration system, countertop treatment system, and shower filter.

Both have products with a limited lifetime warranty and a money-back guarantee, both have customer service that the majority of people are satisfied with, both have a satisfaction guarantee of some sort, and both have high-quality products that provide customers with the peace of mind they seek with a filtered water system.

Pelican Water’s collection is unsurpassed for the price if you’re on a limited budget yet want to improve the water quality in your house. You may also rest easy knowing that the manufacturer will always be there to assist you if you have any problems, and the optional DIY installation kits let you save even more money while safeguarding your family’s safety.

However, Aquasana, on the other hand, is our overall winner. Their products are more cost-effective, have longer lifespans, and provide more complete filtration than Pelican’s. However, the difference is minimal, and given that both manufacturers provide excellent water filtration solutions, you’ll be satisfied with any of the filtered water systems listed in this review.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How Long Do Aquasana Filters Last?

The lifespan of Aquasana’s water filters vary accordingly to models and usage. As for whole house water filters, Aquasana 6,000 gallon can lasts about 6 years whereas Aquasana 1,000,000 gallon about a decade as discussed above. Contrastingly, the Aquasana’s shower filters have a filtration capacity of 400 gallons of water as stated above which is equivalent to half a year until you’d be required to change your water filters for your shower.

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