Aquasana AQ-5300 / Claryum 3-Stage
- Under-sink
- Point of use
- City water
- Well water
- Complete system
- Listed
$154.99as of 2026-08-30
Secondary sourceVerified 2026-08-30Retailer listing
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Our verdict on the Aquasana AQ-5300 / Claryum 3-Stage
The Aquasana AQ-5300 is a 0.5-gpm point-of-use filter for cold, adequately disinfected water, installed below the sink with its own faucet.[1]
Best for
- Homes that want filtered cold water at a dedicated under-sink faucet with a rated 0.5-gpm service flow.
Not for
- Private-well or other supplies that are microbiologically unsafe or of unknown quality unless adequate disinfection is installed before or after the filter.
- Renters or kitchens without a 1/2-inch faucet hole when drilling or replacing a sprayer or soap dispenser is not allowed.
Primary sourceVerified 2026-08-30Manufacturer datasheet
Certification check: Aquasana AQ-5300 / Claryum 3-Stage
Listed by WQA under NSF/ANSI 401, NSF/ANSI 42, and NSF/ANSI 53, checked in the certifier directories as of 2026-08-30.
- WQA
- NSF/ANSI 401NSF/ANSI 42NSF/ANSI 53
IAPMO R&T and WQA certify products against the same NSF/ANSI standards as NSF, so a listing from either one is an equivalent third-party certification, not a lesser one.
| Directory | Result | Listing |
|---|---|---|
| NSF | No listing found (checked 2026-08-30) | View listing |
| IAPMO R&T | No listing found (checked 2026-08-30) | View listing |
| WQA | Listing found (checked 2026-08-30) | View listing |
Claimed vs. certified: Aquasana AQ-5300 / Claryum 3-Stage
| Contaminant | Status | Third-party listing | What the brand says |
|---|---|---|---|
| 78 contaminants | Marketed only | No entry |
|
| Chloramines | Marketed only | No entry |
|
| Chlorine | Marketed only | No entry |
|
| Cysts | Marketed only | No entry |
|
| PFAS (PFOA/PFOS) | Marketed only | No entry |
|
| Lead | Certified and marketed |
|
|
| Microplastics | Certified and marketed |
|
|
| Aesthetic Chloramine | Certified only |
| No entry |
| Aesthetic Chlorine | Certified only |
| No entry |
| Asbestos | Certified only |
| No entry |
| Atenolol | Certified only |
| No entry |
| Bisphenol A | Certified only |
| No entry |
| Carbamazepine | Certified only |
| No entry |
| Cyst | Certified only |
| No entry |
| DEET | Certified only |
| No entry |
| Estrone | Certified only |
| No entry |
| Ibuprofen | Certified only |
| No entry |
| Linuron | Certified only |
| No entry |
| Meprobamate | Certified only |
| No entry |
| Mercury | Certified only |
| No entry |
| Methyl Tert-Butyl Ether (MTBE) | Certified only |
| No entry |
| Metolachlor | Certified only |
| No entry |
| Naproxen | Certified only |
| No entry |
| Nominal Particulate Class I | Certified only |
| No entry |
| Nonyl Phenol | Certified only |
| No entry |
| Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS) | Certified only |
| No entry |
| Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) | Certified only |
| No entry |
| Phenytoin | Certified only |
| No entry |
| Taste and Odor | Certified only |
| No entry |
| TCEP | Certified only |
| No entry |
| TCPP | Certified only |
| No entry |
| Trimethoprim | Certified only |
| No entry |
| Turbidity | Certified only |
| No entry |
| VOC (as chloroform) | Certified only |
| No entry |
What the Aquasana AQ-5300 / Claryum 3-Stage does not do
Aquasana describes the AQ-C3-R output as filtered water, not purified water, and says purification uses reverse osmosis or distillation.
Aquasana describes the AQ-C3-R output as filtered water, not purified water, and says purification uses reverse osmosis or distillation.[1]
Primary sourceVerified 2026-08-30Brand official
Do not buy it for these situations
Well waterDo not use with water that is microbiologically unsafe or of unknown quality without adequate disinfection before or after the system.[1]
Primary sourceVerified 2026-08-30Manufacturer datasheet
RentersInstallation requires an existing faucet hole at least 1/2 inch in diameter, replacement of a sprayer or soap dispenser, or drilling a new hole; it will not fit a kitchen where those options are unavailable or prohibited.[1]
Primary sourceVerified 2026-08-30Manufacturer datasheet
Water pressureThe feed-water pressure must remain between 20 and 80 psi.[1]
Primary sourceVerified 2026-08-30Manufacturer datasheet
Fit and sizing: Aquasana AQ-5300 / Claryum 3-Stage
The Aquasana AQ-5300 / Claryum 3-Stage is a under-sink unit installed at the point of use, for city water and well water. It is rated for 0.5 gpm of service flow, verified 2026-08-30.
| Form factor | Under-sink |
|---|---|
| Installed at | Point of use (one fixture) |
| Water source | City water and Well water |
| Service flow | 0.5 gpm[1] Primary sourceVerified 2026-08-30Manufacturer datasheet |
| Operating pressure | 20–80 psi[1] Primary sourceVerified 2026-08-30Manufacturer datasheet |
| Operating temperature | 40–90 °F[1] Primary sourceVerified 2026-08-30Manufacturer datasheet |
| Needs electricity | No[1] Primary sourceVerified 2026-08-30Manufacturer datasheet |
| Needs a drain | No[1] Primary sourceVerified 2026-08-30Manufacturer datasheet |
What the Aquasana AQ-5300 / Claryum 3-Stage really costs
The Aquasana AQ-5300 / Claryum 3-Stage costs $154.99 as of 2026-08-30. Over ten years, including installation and replacement elements, the recorded total is $1,834.79.
DIY install[1]
Primary sourceVerified 2026-08-30Manufacturer datasheet
Replacement schedule
| Element | Replace | Cost per year |
|---|---|---|
| AQ-C3-R | every 6 months, or every 600 gallons | $167.98 |
EstimatedVerified 2026-08-30Brand official
Ten-year cost of ownership
| Purchase price (as of 2026-08-30) | $154.99 |
|---|---|
| Replacement elements, 10 × $167.98/year | $1,679.80 |
| Sum of the lines above (as of 2026-08-30) | $1,834.79 |
| Recorded ten-year total | $1,834.79 |
Warranty: 1-Year Limited Warranty (1 years)[1]
Primary sourceVerified 2026-08-30Manufacturer datasheet
Money-back guarantee: 90-day trial with a refund of the purchase price for systems bought directly from Aquasana; the customer pays return shipping. (90 days)[1]
Primary sourceVerified 2026-08-30Brand official
Installing the Aquasana AQ-5300 / Claryum 3-Stage
DIY install, verified 2026-08-30.
Tools required
- Variable-speed drill with 1/8-inch or 7/32-inch bit
- Level
- Bucket
- Adjustable wrench
- Pencil
- Hammer
- Phillips-head screwdriver
- Measuring tape
- Safety glasses
Primary sourceVerified 2026-08-30Manufacturer datasheet
Manufacturer documentation
- Install manual: https://www.aquasana.com/on/demandware.static/-/Sites-aquasana-Library/default/dw458c8ca7/PDF/AQ-5100-5200-5300_Install.pdf (accessed 2026-08-30)
- Install video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLaYNoyQ12A (accessed 2026-08-30)
Ongoing maintenance
- Replace the AQ-C3-R filter set when the alert reaches 95% capacity, about every 6 months. — every 6 months
- Replace the CR2450 battery whenever the filters are replaced. — every 6 months
- Flush the system for 10 minutes after replacing filters.
- Wipe the system exterior with a damp cloth; do not use strong, abrasive, or solvent cleaners.
Primary sourceVerified 2026-08-30Manufacturer datasheet
Track record: Aquasana AQ-5300 / Claryum 3-Stage
Amazon shows 4.2 out of 5 from 2,961 reviews as of 2026-08-30.
| Source | Rating | Reviews | As of |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon | 4.2 out of 5 | 2,961 | 2026-08-30 |
What owners praise
Amazon's review summary shows installation and water taste as recurring areas of praise, with most tagged mentions in both topics positive.[1]
Secondary sourceVerified 2026-08-30Amazon review
What owners complain about
Amazon's review summary identifies leakage, slow flow, and durability or plastic-canister concerns as recurring negative themes.[1]
Secondary sourceVerified 2026-08-30Amazon review
One browser-verified owner thread reported that a newly installed AQ-5300.55 produced water with an objectionable taste.[1]
Secondary sourceVerified 2026-08-30Reddit thread
The Aquasana AQ-5300 / Claryum 3-Stage against its family and its rivals
The Aquasana AQ-5300 / Claryum 3-Stage has 2 siblings in its family: AQ-5200, AQ-5300+.
WQA lists AQ-5300 and AQ-5300+ as separate models; this record does not extend the AQ-5300 listing claims to the Max Flow sibling.[1]
Primary sourceVerified 2026-08-30WQA listing
The rest of the family
| Model | What differs |
|---|---|
| AQ-5200 | Two-stage sibling rated for 500 gallons at the same 0.5-gpm service flow. |
| AQ-5300+ | Three-stage Max Flow sibling rated for 800 gallons and 0.72 gpm. |
Aquasana AQ-5300 / Claryum 3-Stage questions, answered
Is the Aquasana AQ-5300 the Max Flow model?
No—the AQ-5300 is the 600-gallon, 0.5-gpm Claryum 3-Stage model, while AQ-5300+ is the 800-gallon, 0.72-gpm Max Flow sibling.
Sources: [1]
How often do you replace Aquasana AQ-5300 filters?
Replace the AQ-C3-R set about every 6 months or at its 600-gallon rated capacity.
Sources: [1]
Is the Aquasana AQ-5300 certified?
Can AQ-5300 treat unsafe well water?
Verified health claim
Not by itself; the manual says not to use it with microbiologically unsafe or unknown-quality water without adequate disinfection before or after the system.
Sources: [1]
Does AQ-5300 produce purified water?
Verified health claim
No; Aquasana calls the output filtered water rather than purified water and says purification uses reverse osmosis or distillation.
Sources: [1]
Does AQ-5300 need electricity or a drain?
No mains-electric or drain connection is shown; the filter alert is powered by a replaceable CR2450 3V coin battery.
Sources: [1]
What faucet hole does the AQ-5300 need?
It needs a faucet hole at least 1/2 inch in diameter for the supplied dedicated faucet.
Sources: [1]
Sources and data report: Aquasana AQ-5300 / Claryum 3-Stage
Every figure above is taken from the highest-trust source that carries it and re-derived from that source by a separate check. How we verify product data.
What we could not establish, and why
| Field | Why it is blank |
|---|---|
| identity.upc | The exact official manual, Aquasana support pages, WQA listings, and opened Amazon AQ-5300.55 page did not publish a UPC for the exact system. |
| mechanism.treatmentMethods | Aquasana names a 5-micron prefilter and a combined Claryum media blend, but does not publish an ordered treatment train that can be mapped to the schema's one-method-per-stage vocabulary without guessing. |
| fit.bathroomsServed | The point-of-use AQ-5300 manual and official support material publish no bathroom-serving range; that sizing field is intended mainly for point-of-entry systems. |
| fit.householdSize | The manual, replacement page, and exact Amazon listing publish no supported household-size range for the AQ-5300. |
| fit.roOutputGpd | The AQ-5300 is not a reverse-osmosis system, so the manual provides no RO membrane-output rating. |
| fit.roTankCapacity | The AQ-5300 is not a reverse-osmosis tank system, so no RO storage-tank capacity applies or is published. |
| fit.dimensions | The official AQ-5100/AQ-5200/AQ-5300 manual gives a 12-inch service-clearance instruction but does not publish a complete AQ-5300 height, width, and depth; retailer dimensions were not substituted for the omitted OEM specification. |
| fit.connectionSize | The manual uses multiple tube sizes in the installation rather than publishing one system connection-size specification, so no single value was inferred. |
| cost.msrp | Aquasana no longer exposes an exact AQ-5300 system product page with a current MSRP; the current direct page is for a different Max Flow model. |
| cost.wasteRatio | The AQ-5300 is not a reverse-osmosis system and its manual includes no wastewater ratio. |
| install.difficulty | Aquasana provides installation steps but does not assign an easy, moderate, or hard difficulty rating, and customer sentiment was not converted into a technical rating. |
| install.estimatedHours | The official manual and installation video metadata do not publish an installation duration; anecdotal retailer timing was not used as a specification. |
| seo.verification | The independent verification loop has not run; this research stage must leave its verification stamp null. |
Every source behind this page
- Retailer listingaccessed: 2026-08-30https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CHYLXLW
- The exact AQ-5300.55 listing was in stock on the access date.
- Amazon displayed $154.99 for the exact AQ-5300.55 listing.
- Amazon summarized 234 positive installation mentions out of 264 and 213 positive taste mentions out of 252.
- Amazon summarized 132 negative leakage mentions out of 156, 75 negative flow mentions out of 105, and 85 negative durability mentions out of 89.
- Brand officialaccessed: 2026-08-30https://www.aquasana.com/owners-manuals/
- Aquasana's current owners-manual page continues to list Claryum 3-Stage as model AQ-5300.
- Manufacturer datasheetaccessed: 2026-08-30https://www.aquasana.com/on/demandware.static/-/Sites-aquasana-Library/default/dw458c8ca7/PDF/AQ-5100-5200-5300_Install.pdf
- AQ-5300 has a 0.5-gpm service flow and installs under the sink with a dedicated faucet.
- The manual requires an existing faucet hole at least 1/2 inch in diameter or modification of the sink or countertop.
- The manual prohibits use with microbiologically unsafe or unknown-quality water without adequate disinfection before or after the system.
- The manual gives the microbiologically unsafe or unknown-quality water restriction.
- The manual requires at least a 1/2-inch faucet hole and describes using an existing sprayer or soap-dispenser hole or drilling a new hole.
- The AQ-5300 specifications give a 20-80 psi operating-pressure range.
- The AQ-5300 specification row gives a 0.5-gpm service flow.
- The AQ-5300 operating-pressure range is 20-80 psi.
- The AQ-5300 operating-temperature range is 40-90 °F.
- The installation uses water tubing and a CR2450 3V coin battery for the alert; the manual shows no mains-electric connection.
- The complete installation connects the cold-water supply to the filter and dedicated faucet and includes no drain connection.
- Aquasana provides a complete owner installation procedure; it strongly recommends a professional only when drilling a new faucet hole.
- The AQ-5300 manual includes a 1-Year Limited Warranty running for 12 months from consumer purchase.
- The manual's recommended-tools list names the drill and bits, level, bucket, adjustable wrench, pencil, hammer, Phillips-head screwdriver, measuring tape, and safety glasses.
- Official installation and owner's manual covering AQ-5300.
- The manual gives the filter, battery, flushing, and exterior-cleaning maintenance instructions.
- The manual's separate specification rows identify AQ-5300 as 600 gallons and 0.5 gpm and AQ-5300+ as 800 gallons and 0.72 gpm.
- The manual provides the microbiologically unsafe or unknown-quality water warning.
- The full installation diagram has no mains-electric or drain connection, and the battery notice identifies a CR2450 3V coin battery.
- The manual specifies an existing faucet hole at least 1/2 inch in diameter.
- Brand officialaccessed: 2026-08-30https://www.aquasana.com/water-filter-replacements/under-sink-water-filter-replacements/claryum-3-stage-filter-replacements-100236384.html
- The brand FAQ says this is filtered rather than purified water and identifies reverse osmosis and distillation as purification processes.
- AQ-C3-R fits AQ-5300, is rated for 600 gallons or 6 months, and was priced at $83.99; annual cost is two replacements multiplied by $83.99.
- The AQ-C3-R page identifies AQ-5300 compatibility and a 600-gallon or 6-month life.
- The brand FAQ distinguishes this filtered water from water purified by reverse osmosis or distillation.
- Brand officialaccessed: 2026-08-30https://www.aquasana.com/on/demandware.static/-/Sites-aquasana-Library/default/dwba731534/PDF/guarantee_one.pdf
- Aquasana's guarantee terms give direct purchasers a 90-day trial, refund the purchase price, and assign return-shipping cost to the customer.
- Brand officialaccessed: 2026-08-30https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLaYNoyQ12A
- Aquasana's official installation video is titled How to Install Aquasana's 3-Stage Under Sink Water Filter (AQ-5300).
- Reddit threadaccessed: 2026-08-30https://www.reddit.com/r/WaterTreatment/comments/1q00dxt/aquasana_claryum_aq530055_tastes_awful/
- r/WaterTreatment thread titled Aquasana Claryum AQ-5300.55 Tastes Awful! discusses an owner's exact AQ-5300.55 taste complaint.
- Government agencyaccessed: 2026-08-30https://www.cpsc.gov/search?search_api_fulltext=Aquasana%20AQ-5300
- The CPSC site search returned no results for Aquasana AQ-5300.
- Unverifiedaccessed: 2026-08-30https://www.courtlistener.com/?q=%22AQ-5300%22&type=r&order_by=score%20desc
- The CourtListener case-law search returned zero results for the exact AQ-5300 model string.
- WQA listingaccessed: 2026-08-30https://find.wqa.org/find-products/ctl/detail/mid/1054/cid/aquasana_inc/sid/1
- WQA's NSF/ANSI 42 listing presents AQ-5300 and AQ-5300+ as distinct model entries with different rated capacities and service flows.
- WQA lists AQ-5300 under NSF/ANSI 42.
- WQA listingaccessed: 2026-08-30https://find.wqa.org/find-products/ctl/detail/mid/1054/cid/aquasana_inc/sid/3
- WQA lists AQ-5300 under NSF/ANSI 53.
- WQA listingaccessed: 2026-08-30https://find.wqa.org/find-products/ctl/detail/mid/1054/cid/aquasana_inc/sid/63
- WQA lists AQ-5300 under NSF/ANSI 401.
- WQA listingaccessed: 2026-08-30https://find.wqa.org/find-products/ctl/detail/mid/1054/cid/aquasana_inc/sid/29
- WQA lists AQ-5300 under NSF/ANSI 372.
- NSF listingaccessed: 2026-08-30https://info.nsf.org/Certified/DWTU/Listings.asp?TradeName=AQ-5300&Standard=&ProductType=&PlantState=&PlantCountry=&PlantRegion=&submit3=Search
- The live NSF directory query returned no matching AQ-5300 products.
- IAPMO listingaccessed: 2026-08-30https://pld.iapmo.org/
- The live IAPMO R&T directory returned zero results for AQ-5300 and the supplied aliases.
Cite this page
TapWaterData Editorial. "Aquasana AQ-5300 3-Stage Review: Specs, Cost & Cert Check." TapWaterData, verified 2026-08-30. https://www.tapwaterdata.com/filters/brand/aquasana/aq-5300
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