Of course, even though it's obvious you need to buy one of these, what kind is best? There is a ton of info out there on the topic, and it can be hard to figure out which form of purification is the best.

Some say distillation systems are the best. Others say reverse osmosis. Still more people say carbon filtration. Which is really the right one?

There is no general consensus, so I'm not even going to throw in my two cents. I'm just going to let you know the difference between the major kinds of purification systems and leave that decision up to you.

The reverse osmosis and distillation systems have received a lot of attention simply because they are able to eliminate all the negative substances in water, which no other purifier does.

However, the drawbacks are, these home water filters are both very pricey. Also, they go through a lot of water before you are able to use it.

The most important thing, however, is that they take out the positive things in water, like the minerals and vitamins. Of course, some say the amount of vitamins and minerals you get from water is miniscule compared with what you get from food.

This is still a hotly contested topic how much this really effects your health. You need to read up on each kind of purification and decide which is right for you.

One thing many do to sidestep the issue and not have to buy a home water filter is to just drink bottled water, but the thing to keep in mind is that bottled water is not always pure. If you primarily drink this, you are not necessarily getting rid of the chemicals you'd find in ordinary tap water.

Once you've found the kind of purification you want, however, your job still isn't done-now you need to determine whether you want a whole house system, a faucet purifier, an under the sink system, or a countertop model. Which you get absolutely does matter.

The benefit of the whole house system is that it purifiers the water in every outlet, including your shower. The health benefits of this are enormous, as taking showers with unpurified water can have a very damaging effect on your health.

This is the ideal system to get, certainly. Of course, the whole house system is also the priciest by quite a wide margin, so you need to take this into consideration as well.

After that, there are the faucet, countertop, and under sink filters, and which you get really depends on your budget and individual preference. Each has their benefits and drawbacks.

When determining which home water filter to get, think first and foremost about what substances it takes out, and then consider how easy the installation process is. Don't ever take the company at their word for any of this.

Read reviews by either customers are unbiased experts in the industry who've reviewed the home water filters and find out which is the best. However, this should only be done after you've determined (a) the kind of purification you want and (b) kind of purifier you want (i.e. whole house, countertop, etc).