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Aquasana Claryum 3-Stage Under-Sink Water Filter

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Aquasana Claryum 3-Stage Under-Sink Water Filter

An under-sink carbon filter whose exact models WQA lists for lead, PFOA/PFOS (tested to the newer 20 ng/L limit), cysts and 16 emerging compounds. Pricey to run, about $168 a year in filters, and its plastic housings draw leak complaints.

Best for Anyone who wants lead and PFOA/PFOS reduced at a dedicated faucet, will keep up with six-month filter changes and will check under the sink now and then.

Our rating
Fair (3.2 of 5)
Price range
Mid-range
Verified marks
WQA Gold Seal: NSF/ANSI 42, 53, 401 (AQ-5300, AQ-6300), WQA listing: NSF/ANSI/CAN 372 (lead-free materials)
Size
Under-sink, three stages (5-micron sediment filter plus two Claryum carbon filters); filter set rated for 600 gallons or 6 months; 0.5 gpm

approx. $350 list for the AQ-6300; approx. $175 in Aquasana’s fall sale

See it on Aquasana’s site → (opens in a new tab)

We are not affiliated with Aquasana. This link goes to the maker’s own page, with no tracking code. How we're funded.

Also sold at Amazon ($175), The Home Depot ($175) .

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    Reviews are personal experiences, not research, and they never change our quality ratings. Every review is read by our team before it appears.

    How we evaluated it

    How it scores Our rating, metric by metric Fair, 3.2 of 5
    1. Proven reduction 35% of the rating 4 of 5

      WQA lists this model for lead, PFOA and PFOS (tested to the newer 20 ng/L limit), mercury, VOCs, cysts and 16 emerging compounds, with chlorine and chloramine for taste. Carbon only: no fluoride, arsenic or nitrate.

    2. What touches the water 20% of the rating 3 of 5

      Plastic housings, which are the part owners report cracking, two carbon cartridges and an all-metal faucet. Aquasana says nothing is added and mentions no silver. WQA also lists the parts as lead-free.

    3. Independent testing 15% of the rating 3 of 5

      A paid WQA certification, with a published data sheet that tests PFOA/PFOS to the strictest limit we saw (20 ng/L). We found no independent test of this model.

    4. Trust 10% of the rating 3 of 5

      No recall found. But lawyers investigated cracked and leaking Claryum housings (an investigation the site marks complete in February 2026, with no suit reported), “78 contaminants” is a best-case headline, and Aquasana pays affiliates at least 10% to promote it.

    5. Running cost & value 20% of the rating 2 of 5

      $350 list ($175 in the fall sale) plus two $83.99 filter sets a year, about $930 to $1,100 over five years, roughly double the Brondell Coral, which has a similar WQA listing.

    The rating, 3.2 of 5, is the weighted average of these scores. See how we rank water filters and our standard.

    Where to buy Stores and the prices we saw 2 stores
    • Amazon (opens in a new tab) approx. $175. The AQ-6300-BN (brushed nickel faucet), shipped and sold by Amazon.com, at 50% off its $349.99 list price. Amazon also sells the earlier AQ-5300.55 for about $155; WQA lists it with the same filter.
    • The Home Depot (opens in a new tab) approx. $175. Home Depot’s own listing for the AQ-6300-BN, with free delivery or store pickup. The same price as Aquasana’s sale price.

    Prices as we saw them on October 23, 2026. They change often. These links carry no tracking code and earn us nothing.

    What it’s made of What touches your food, water, skin or air 5 materials
    1. Stage 1: 5-micron sediment pre-filter (material not stated)
    2. Stages 2 and 3: two Claryum cartridges combining activated and catalytic carbon, ion exchange, sub-micron filtration and an “organic adsorbent booster”
    3. Plastic filter housings and cartridge bodies (plastic type not stated)
    4. All-metal dedicated faucet in brushed nickel, chrome, matte black or oil-rubbed bronze
    5. Aquasana says nothing is added to the water and the system has no BPA; it does not mention silver or any antimicrobial
    Who tested it What each test found, and who paid for it 2 tests
    • Paid certification Water Quality Association (WQA)

      Lists the AQ-5300 and AQ-6300 under NSF/ANSI 53 for lead, PFOA, PFOS, mercury, MTBE, cysts, asbestos, turbidity and VOCs (as chloroform), with replacement element AQ-C3-R rated 600 gallons at 0.5 gpm. Aquasana’s data sheet shows lead cut by 99.6% to 99.7% against a 5 µg/L limit and PFOA/PFOS cut by 99.7% against the newer 20 ng/L limit. The maker pays for the program. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)

    • Paid certification Water Quality Association (WQA)

      Lists the same models under NSF/ANSI 401 (16 emerging compounds including BPA, ibuprofen and microplastics), NSF/ANSI 42 (chlorine, chloramine, taste and odor) and NSF/ANSI/CAN 372 (lead content of the parts). Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)

    Who paid, and why it matters
    • Independent The tester took no money from the maker for it: a consumer group, a journalist, a university or a regulator.
    • Paid certification An outside lab or certifier tested or listed it, and the maker paid for that.
    • Maker’s own test A lab report or certificate of analysis the maker commissioned and published.

    A certification is a floor, not a verdict: it checks what its program checks and nothing else. We weigh tests by someone with no stake in the result most.

    What people ask Worries raised online and elsewhere, and what we found 5 questions
    Do the housings crack and leak?
    Some owners say so. ClassAction.org ran an investigation into cracked, leaking Claryum housings and reposted owners’ accounts of floods and ruined floors; the page, last updated in February 2026, says the investigation is complete and reports no lawsuit (investigation (opens in a new tab)). A 2020 investigation covered under-sink filters from several makers, Aquasana among them (earlier one (opens in a new tab)). We found no CPSC recall. These are customer complaints, not a count of failures.
    Does it really remove “78 contaminants”?
    On paper, yes, but the headline is a best case. Many of the 78 are VOCs certified as a group through a chloroform stand-in, and the data sheet’s lowest figure is 83.5% (MTBE). Chlorine and chloramine are taste-and-odor claims.
    Has anyone with no stake tested it?
    Not this model. Consumer Reports rates a Claryum 2-Stage (AQ-5200) in its under-sink tests, which cover flavor and odor, flow and clogging, not lead or PFAS; its score is members-only (CR (opens in a new tab)).
    Does it handle fluoride, arsenic or nitrate?
    No. It is a carbon system, so it leaves dissolved minerals and these contaminants in. For them you need reverse osmosis (choosing a filter).
    Who owns Aquasana, and who gets paid to recommend it?
    A. O. Smith, the water-heater maker, bought it in 2016. Aquasana runs an affiliate program that pays “starting at 10%” on sales through Rakuten’s LinkShare, so many “best filter” lists that recommend it earn money when you buy (program page (opens in a new tab)).
    Trade-offs What to weigh before you buy 4 points
    • Filters cost about $168 a year at the 6-month interval, about $143 with Aquasana’s Water for Life auto-ship (15% off). Brondell’s comparable set is about $80 a year.
    • The list price of the current AQ-6300 is $349.99. On 2026-10-23 Aquasana’s fall sale had it at $174.99, the same price as on Amazon and Home Depot. The earlier AQ-5300 is on Amazon for about $155, with the same listed standards and the same filter. A Max Flow version ($449.99 list) adds 800-gallon filters and 44% faster flow under a similar WQA listing.
    • The housings are plastic and owners report leaks. Fit a leak alarm or tray and change filters on schedule.
    • It is not reverse osmosis, so it does not reduce fluoride, arsenic or nitrate. It needs a 1/2-inch faucet hole and has a one-year limited warranty.
    What to know Details worth knowing first

    The Claryum 3-Stage is Aquasana’s mainstream under-sink filter. A 5-micron sediment filter sits in front of two carbon-based Claryum cartridges, and the water comes out of a small dedicated faucet. Our guide to choosing a filter shows where carbon fits next to reverse osmosis.

    What earns it a place here is the paper trail. WQA’s directory lists both the AQ-5300 and the newer AQ-6300 for NSF/ANSI 42, 53 and 401, and Aquasana publishes a data sheet for each. The AQ-6300 sheet tests PFOA and PFOS against the newer 20 ng/L requirement, which is stricter than the 70 ng/L used on some older sheets. For why that matters, see avoiding PFAS.

    Weigh the downsides. Owners have posted accounts of cracked plastic housings and flooded kitchens, and the real cost is the filters: two sets a year at $83.99 each. Aquasana has belonged to A. O. Smith since 2016 and pays affiliates to promote the line. The certificate is paid for by Aquasana, and no one without a stake has published results for this model. Start with a water test so you know what you need removed.

    What we checked Each claim, and how sure we are of it 7 checks
    Third-party tested
    Yes
    Tested by
    WQA (Water Quality Association), paid for by the maker
    How Aquasana Claryum 3-Stage Under-Sink Water Filter measures up against our water filters criteria
    What we checked What we found
    Certified, not just claimed Verified WQA’s own directory lists AQ-5300 and AQ-6300 (plumbed in to separate tap) for NSF/ANSI 42, 53 and 401, plus 372. Opened 2026-10-23.
    Matched to your water Not verified Not something we can check for you. Read your utility’s water report or test your tap, then compare it with the WQA list.
    The contaminants you care about Verified Listed under NSF/ANSI 53: lead, PFOA, PFOS, mercury, MTBE, cysts, asbestos, turbidity, VOCs. Listed under 401: 16 compounds including BPA and microplastics. Listed under 42: aesthetic chlorine and aesthetic chloramine, taste and odor.
    Data sheet results Maker’s claim AQ-6300 sheet: lead 99.7% (pH 6.5) and 99.6% (pH 8.5); PFOA/PFOS 99.7% against a 20 ng/L requirement; chlorine 97.3%; chloramine 91%. These are Aquasana’s published numbers.
    Independent test of this model Not verified None found. Consumer Reports tests a Claryum 2-Stage, a different model, and its scores are members-only.
    Flow and waste Maker’s claim 0.5 gpm rated flow and 600 gallons per filter set (data sheet; the WQA listing agrees). A carbon system, so no wastewater.
    Replacement cost Maker’s claim $83.99 per set (model AQ-C3-R), every 6 months or 600 gallons: $167.98 a year, or about $143 on Water for Life. Prices from Aquasana’s site, 2026-10-23.
    What the labels mean
    • Verified We opened an independent record that confirms it: a certifier’s listing, a regulator’s list or a lab report. It is linked under Sources.
    • Maker’s claim The maker says so on its own page or label. We read it but found no independent record.
    • Not verified We looked and could not confirm it, or the maker does not say. Treat it as unknown.
    Sources Where our facts come from 13 sources
    1. Aquasana Claryum 3-Stage (AQ-6300) product page. Maker’s page. Filter makeup, warranty and the BPA statement, as seen 2026-10-23. The page showed a fall sale price of $174.99 against a $349.99 list price. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    2. AQ-6300 performance data sheet (Aquasana). Maker’s page. Published by Aquasana. Lists each result against the NSF/ANSI limit. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    3. AQ-5300 performance data sheet (Aquasana). Maker’s page. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    4. Aquasana Claryum 3-Stage filter replacement (AQ-C3-R). Maker’s page. $83.99, or $71.39 on Water for Life. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    5. WQA directory: Aquasana, NSF/ANSI 53 (health effects). Certifier or regulator listing. Lists AQ-5300 and AQ-6300 with replacement elements AQ-C3-R and 600 gallons. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    6. WQA directory: Aquasana, NSF/ANSI 401 (emerging compounds). Certifier or regulator listing. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    7. WQA directory: Aquasana, NSF/ANSI 42 (aesthetic effects). Certifier or regulator listing. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    8. WQA directory: Aquasana, NSF/ANSI/CAN 372 (lead content). Certifier or regulator listing. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    9. ClassAction.org: Aquasana Claryum water filter leaks (investigation, updated 4 Feb 2026). Independent source. A law-firm lead site, so it reflects customer complaints and allegations, not findings. No lawsuit is reported on the page. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    10. ClassAction.org: leaking under-sink water filters (closed 2020). Independent source. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    11. Aquasana affiliate program. Maker’s page. Commissions starting at 10%, a 30-day cookie, run through LinkShare. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    12. Consumer Reports: Aquasana Claryum 2-Stage AQ-5200 (under-sink test program). Independent source. A sibling model. Scores are members-only; the page lists what CR tests. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    13. Aquasana acquired by A. O. Smith (press release, 8 August 2016). Maker’s page. Aquasana has been owned by A. O. Smith, the water-heater maker, since 2016. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
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