Does Hydroviv actually remove PFAS?

For some under-sink configurations it is certified to, and the claim varies by configuration. IAPMO's NSF/ANSI 53 file W-16781 (certificate read 2026-09-11) lists PFOA/PFOS and total PFAS for specific Hydroviv configurations, not all of them, and no source we hold says which configuration ships as the retail Undersink. The brand's ISO 17025 lab reports separately show 99%+ PFOA/PFOS reduction at controlled challenge levels. The shower, pitcher and fridge filters have no listing for PFAS. Match the model number on your cartridge to the W-16781 model table at pld.iapmo.org. For one fixed certified PFOA/PFOS claim: Countertop or under-sink, listed: AquaTru Classic ($475, IAPMO W-10193, PFOA/PFOS under NSF/ANSI 53), Brondell Capella ($215-$269, WQA, NSF/ANSI 42 + 53 + 58 + 401 + 372), or Brondell Coral UC300 ($143-$179, WQA, NSF/ANSI 42 + 53 + 401 + 372 + CSA B483.1), both Brondells with PFOA/PFOS under 53. Pitcher, listed: Brita Elite OB06 ($25-$40), IAPMO R&T-listed under NSF/ANSI 53 for PFOA/PFOS. See filters certified for PFAS for the listed alternatives.

How long do Hydroviv filters last (and how often do you change them)?

Service life varies by SKU, and Hydroviv's cartridges cost more per year than most rivals. The figures below are the brand's own published ratings and prices, checked 2026-05-24. Undersink — 6 months / 720 gal; $89-$120 each, ~$178-$240/year. Tool-free twist-and-seal swap (~5 min). Shower Filter — 6 months / 10,000 gal; $39-$59. Pitcher — ~3 months / 100 gal; $40-$55 (~$160-$220/year). Refrigerator — 6 months / 720 gal; $69-$89. IAPMO's certificates list capacities of 360-600 gallons across the ZIP-specific models (checked 2026-09-11), so check your cartridge against its listed row. Hard water and heavy use shorten these; soft water stretches them. The Undersink runs shorter and pricier than peers — Aquasana Claryum 2-Stage AQ-5200 is 6 months / 800 gal at $70-$90 (~$140-$180/year), and Brondell Coral UC300 lasts a full 12 months ($80-$100/year). The premium is the ZIP-customization overhead: each replacement is re-tuned to your current utility CCR instead of pulled from stock.

Is Hydroviv better than Clearly Filtered or Aquasana?

On cert evidence, Aquasana's fixed claims win, and Hydroviv's certification is broader than Clearly Filtered's. vs Aquasana Claryum 2-Stage AQ-5200 ($150-$200): Aquasana is WQA-listed under NSF/ANSI 42 + 53 + 401 (PFOA/PFOS under 53, pharmaceuticals under 401), cheaper, and backed by parent A. O. Smith. Hydroviv ($349-$399) is IAPMO-listed too, but its PFOA/PFOS claim applies only to specific configurations; it counters with ZIP-customized cartridges and founder-chemist credibility. For one fixed certified PFAS claim under-sink, Aquasana is the clearer pick. vs Clearly Filtered Pitcher ($80-$100): Hydroviv's IAPMO listings cover lead and, on specific configurations, PFOA/PFOS, while Clearly Filtered's only listing (NSF/ANSI 42 + 372) covers just chlorine and lead-free material. Clearly Filtered adds zero-install convenience and a lower price; Hydroviv brings ZIP customization and the under-sink form factor. See lead-certified filters and PFAS-certified filters for the listed landscape, or See the full Aquasana comparison below.

What is Hydroviv's ZIP-code-customized cartridge composition?

Hydroviv says it tunes each cartridge to your address's water before shipping it. On the brand's account, two customers in Philadelphia and Phoenix get structurally different cartridges under the same SKU. How the brand describes it: you give your shipping ZIP at checkout, Hydroviv pulls that area's utility CCR (the EPA-mandated annual water-quality report), and the media stack is tuned to that profile — more KDF-55 for chlorine-heavy water, more ion-exchange resin for lead, more catalytic carbon for chloramine. The cartridge is assembled in-house and re-tuned to your current ZIP at every reorder. No other consumer brand (Brita, PUR, Aquasana, Brondell, APEC, iSpring, Waterdrop) claims this. Trade-offs: the model is tied to single catalytic-carbon cartridges, so Hydroviv makes no whole-house, RO, or gravity systems. Customization can beat a standardized cartridge when your local water has off-profile contaminants, but it costs more ($89-$120 per Undersink cartridge vs $40-$70 for rivals). Certification follows the configurations: IAPMO lists fifteen ZIP-specific models as separate rows, with claims that differ between them, so a certified claim holds for your cartridge only if its model's row carries it.

Did Hydroviv appear on Shark Tank, and what happened?

Yes, on Season 10 (aired January 13, 2018) — but no deal closed. Founder Dr. Eric Roy sought $400,000 for 8% equity (a $5 million valuation). Mark Cuban countered $400,000 for 25% ($1.6 million); Roy didn't accept on-air, and the deal fell through in due diligence. Hydroviv went on without the investment; it is now sold under Culligan ownership (Culligan's corporate 'Our brands' page lists it, read 2026-09-11). The appearance still drives brand awareness eight years on, but the real foundation is the IAPMO-certified under-sink family, the ZIP-customized cartridges, and the PFAS focus — not the TV moment.

Hydroviv Water Filters

Q: Where are Hydroviv filters made?

Hydroviv says designed and assembled in the USA, at its Washington D.C. / Arlington VA base — that is the brand's own account, and nobody independent has checked it. Because each cartridge is ZIP-tuned to the buyer's local utility CCR, it's assembled after the order is placed rather than shipped from generic stock like Brita, PUR, Aquasana, Brondell, or APEC. Housings, catalytic carbon, KDF-55, and ion-exchange resin are described as sourced from US water-treatment suppliers, per the brand's 'designed and assembled in the USA' framing. Component-level country of origin isn't disclosed per SKU — US final assembly doesn't require US sub-components. Worth knowing what verification exists: IAPMO R&T audits the certified under-sink family as a condition of listing, but the listings we read do not name an assembly location, so the US-assembly claim itself is the brand's word.

Hydroviv sells ZIP-code-customized under-sink and shower cartridges. The under-sink family is IAPMO R&T-certified, with claims that vary by configuration; the shower, pitcher and fridge filters have no listing.

Best for

PFAS-impacted households wanting a single-cartridge under-sink filter (IAPMO W-16781 lists PFOA/PFOS for some configurations)
Households wanting chromium-6 addressed too — the brand's lab reports claim 95%+, though no Hydroviv listing names it
Buyers attracted to the ZIP-code-customized cartridge differentiator — media stack tuned to the destination ZIP's utility CCR data
Buyers who weight founder-as-technical-voice credibility — Dr. Eric Roy's PhD water chemistry background and active media presence
Households wanting under-sink and shower filters from one brand — the shower filter is lab-tested, without a listing

Not recommended for

Buyers who need a PFOA/PFOS claim confirmed for their unit — W-16781's claims vary by configuration
Budget-conscious buyers wanting the lowest entry price into PFAS reduction — the Undersink at $349-$399 sits above certified budget options
Households needing whole-house, RO, faucet-mount, or gravity formats — Hydroviv is single-cartridge under-sink only
Buyers wanting the longest service-life cartridges — the Undersink cartridge is ~6 months / 720 gallons at ~$178-$240/year
Buyers wanting NSF/ANSI 401 on the ZIP cartridge — W-29902 lists only the 'Drinking Water System' rows

Premium tier — typically $500+

Certs:NSF/ANSI 42, 53, 372, 401
4 SKUs
$89–$399
Parent:Culligan — its corporate 'Our brands' page lists Hydroviv (read 2026-09-11); no…

Certification Reality: What's Actually Tested

This table shows the NSF/IAPMO/WQA-listed certifications for each Hydroviv SKU we tracked, alongside the contaminants the brand markets but which do not appear on the third-party listing. Green chips are third-party verified; amber chips are marketing claims without a corresponding listing. Every row links to the live certifier database so you can verify the listed claim set yourself.

SKU / Model	Standards held	What’s certified	Brand claims but NOT certified	Listing
Hydroviv Undersink Hydroviv Undersink — ZIP-code-customized single-cartridge under-sink filter; the brand's flagship and most-reviewed product, with cartridge composition tuned to the destination ZIP's utility CCR profile. IAPMO R&T lists it as a family of ZIP-specific 'HYDROVIV-US-SRS-*ZIP' configurations	Performance NSF/ANSI 42 NSF/ANSI 53 Material & component safety NSF/ANSI 372	Chlorine, Taste & Odor Lead	PFAS / Forever Chemicals Chromium-VI Mercury Volatile Organic Compounds Chloramine taste-and-odor Trihalomethanes Pesticides and Herbicides Arsenic Bacteria / Viruses Why these aren’t certified ↓Hide details ↑ PFAS / Forever Chemicals (PFOA, PFOS) — Hydroviv's headline claim on the Undersink; the brand's lab reports show 99%+ reduction at controlled challenge concentrations. IAPMO's NSF/ANSI 53 file W-16781 lists PFOA/PFOS and Total PFAS for specific configurations only (certificate read 2026-09-11), and no source we hold says which configuration ships as the retail Undersink. Match the model number on your cartridge to the W-16781 model table at pld.iapmo.org. For one fixed certified claim, cross-shop AquaTru Classic (IAPMO file W-10193 NSF/ANSI 53), Brondell Capella (WQA Gold Seal NSF/ANSI 53), or Brondell Coral UC300 (WQA Gold Seal NSF/ANSI 53) Chromium-VI (Hexavalent Chromium) — the brand's lab reports claim 95%+ reduction (relevant in chromium-6-impacted areas), but chromium-6 is not among the claims IAPMO lists on W-16780 or W-16781 (read 2026-09-11). For a certified option, cross-shop AquaTru Classic (IAPMO file W-10194 lists Chromium under NSF/ANSI 58, read 2026-08-30) Mercury — a lab-report claim; not among the claims IAPMO lists on W-16781 Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) — TCE, PCE, Benzene, MTBE; IAPMO's W-16781 lists a VOC claim for specific configurations only, so confirm your configuration Chloramine taste-and-odor — IAPMO's W-16780 lists chloramine only for specific 'Hydroviv Drinking Water System' rows; chlorine, taste and odor is listed for every configuration Trihalomethanes (THMs) — a lab-report claim; not a separately named claim on the certificates as read 2026-09-11 Pesticides and Herbicides — Atrazine, Lindane, 2,4-D, per the lab report; not separately named claims on the certificates as read 2026-09-11 Arsenic — when the ZIP-customized formulation includes arsenic-targeted media for destination ZIPs with documented elevated arsenic in the CCR; a lab-report claim, not among the claims IAPMO lists Bacteria / Viruses (microbiological reduction) — Hydroviv's catalytic-carbon design is not built for microbiological reduction (no UV stage, no sub-micron pore size); the brand does not claim it in the lab reports, but broader marketing occasionally bundles microbiological language that should not be read as actual capability The Hydroviv Undersink is IAPMO R&T-certified, which is why a search of NSF's directory finds nothing: NSF International and WQA list no Hydroviv product, while IAPMO R&T lists HYDROVIV, LLC under W-16780 (NSF/ANSI 42), W-16781 (NSF/ANSI 53), W-16782 (NSF/ANSI 372) and W-29902 (NSF/ANSI 401). An IAPMO listing has the same standing as an NSF listing under the same standard. The catch is configuration. The certificates (read 2026-09-11) list fifteen ZIP-specific 'HYDROVIV-US-SRS-*ZIP' models plus a 'Hydroviv Drinking Water System' line item, and the claims differ between them: Chlorine, Taste & Odor is listed for every configuration and Lead for 17 of 18, but PFOA/PFOS, Total PFAS, VOC, Cyst and Turbidity apply only to specific configurations, and the NSF/ANSI 401 file W-29902 lists only the Drinking Water System rows. That follows from the ZIP-customization model, since each configuration is its own listed row, but no source we hold says which configuration ships as the retail Undersink. So the certified PFAS claim is real for some Hydroviv configurations and unconfirmed for any one order. To check yours, search 'Hydroviv' as the listee at pld.iapmo.org and match the model number on your cartridge to the W-16781 model table. The brand's ISO 17025 lab reports (99%+ PFOA/PFOS at controlled challenge levels) add measurements but no certifier's audit. Buyers who want one fixed certified PFOA/PFOS claim can cross-shop AquaTru Classic (IAPMO file W-10193 NSF/ANSI 53), Brondell Capella (WQA Gold Seal NSF/ANSI 42 + 53 + 58 + 401 + 372), Brondell Coral UC300 (WQA Gold Seal NSF/ANSI 42 + 53 + 401 + 372), or Aquasana Claryum 2-Stage AQ-5200 (WQA Gold Seal NSF/ANSI 42 + 53 + 401), each with PFOA/PFOS on its NSF/ANSI 53 listing. Read more	View IAPMO listing
Hydroviv Shower Filter Hydroviv Shower Filter — ZIP-code-customized chlorine + heavy-metal shower filter; wall-mount handheld unit for the chlorine-skin-irritation use case, with cartridge composition customized per shipping ZIP	No active certifications	No third-party listing for this SKU in our certification data	Chlorine taste-and-odor Chloramine Heavy metals Hydrogen Sulfide Skin-irritation chlorine byproducts Why these aren’t certified ↓Hide details ↑ Chlorine taste-and-odor — tested against NSF/ANSI 177 (Shower Filters) methodology per the brand's datasheet, with reduction documented at or above the NSF/ANSI 177 50% threshold. Not independently certified Chloramine — tested per the lab report but not certified. Chloramine reduction is harder than free chlorine reduction at the shower form factor (chloramine bonds are more chemically stable and need catalytic carbon rather than plain activated carbon) Heavy metals (Lead, Copper) — tested per the lab report but not certified Hydrogen Sulfide (sulfur smell) — tested per the lab report but not certified Skin-irritation chlorine byproducts — a broader marketing claim about reduced skin, hair, and eye irritation; not certified The Hydroviv Shower Filter is positioned as a shower-segment alternative to AquaBliss ($40-$60) at a higher evidence tier — Hydroviv's ISO 17025-accredited lab testing against NSF/ANSI 177 methodology is stronger evidence than AquaBliss's brand-published lab data. Even so, no NSF, IAPMO R&T or WQA listing carries a reduction claim for the Hydroviv Shower Filter, unlike the brand's IAPMO-certified under-sink family. For an independently certified shower filter at the NSF/ANSI 177 standard, cross-shop Sprite Slim-Line 2 (IAPMO-certified) or Culligan ISH-200 (NSF International-certified). The evidence ladder for shower filters: (a) independently certified (Sprite, Culligan) beats (b) ISO 17025 lab testing against NSF/ANSI 177 methodology (Hydroviv), which beats (c) brand-published lab data without third-party accreditation (AquaBliss). Hydroviv sits in the middle — clearly stronger than AquaBliss's tier (c), but weaker than independent certification (tier a). Read more	View IAPMO listing
Hydroviv Pitcher Hydroviv Pitcher — ZIP-code-customized pour-through pitcher; a newer countertop SKU extending the brand's ZIP-customization model into the entry-price tier and smaller pour-through form factor	No active certifications	No third-party listing for this SKU in our certification data	PFAS / Forever Chemicals Lead Chlorine and Chloramine taste-and-odor Chromium-VI Mercury, Cadmium, Copper Why these aren’t certified ↓Hide details ↑ PFAS / Forever Chemicals (PFOA, PFOS) — tested against NSF/ANSI 53 methodology per the brand's Pitcher datasheet, with 99%+ reduction documented at controlled challenge concentrations. Not certified. The difference vs Brita Elite OB06 (IAPMO R&T lists it under NSF/ANSI 53 for PFOA/PFOS, read 2026-08-30): Brita Elite OB06 is certified for PFOA/PFOS; the Hydroviv Pitcher is tested against the standard but not certified Lead — tested against NSF/ANSI 53 methodology per the lab report but not certified Chlorine and Chloramine taste-and-odor — tested against NSF/ANSI 42 methodology per the lab report but not certified Chromium-VI (Hexavalent Chromium) — tested per the lab report but not certified Mercury, Cadmium, Copper — tested per the lab report but not certified The Hydroviv Pitcher carries Hydroviv's PFAS focus into the entry-price tier as an alternative to Brita Elite OB06 — but the evidence is different. Brita Elite OB06 is certified under NSF/ANSI 53 for PFOA/PFOS by IAPMO R&T, while NSF lists it under 53 for lead (data/products/records/brita-elite.json, read 2026-08-30). The Hydroviv Pitcher's PFAS reduction is tested against NSF/ANSI 53 methodology by ISO 17025-accredited independent labs per the brand's datasheet, but it is not certified. The evidence ladder for pitcher PFAS reduction: (a) independently certified (Brita Elite OB06, listed by IAPMO R&T under NSF/ANSI 53 for PFOA/PFOS) beats (b) ISO 17025 lab testing against NSF/ANSI 53 methodology (Hydroviv Pitcher), which beats (c) brand-published lab data without third-party accreditation (Clearly Filtered Pitcher's IAPMO New Jersey ISO 17025 lab testing for 365+ contaminants without an NSF/ANSI 53 certification). The Hydroviv Pitcher sits in tier (b) — stronger than Clearly Filtered's unaccredited tier (c), but weaker than Brita Elite OB06's certification (tier a). Buyers who want an independently certified entry-price pitcher should pick Brita Elite OB06 ($25-$40); buyers who want the ZIP-customization differentiator with broader contaminant scope (lead, chromium-6, VOCs alongside PFAS) and accept lab reports in place of certification should pick the Hydroviv Pitcher. The Hydroviv Pitcher costs much more than the Brita Elite ($69-$99 vs $25-$40), reflecting the ZIP-customization overhead. Read more	View IAPMO listing

Hydroviv Undersink

Hydroviv Undersink — ZIP-code-customized single-cartridge under-sink filter; the brand's flagship and most-reviewed product, with cartridge composition tuned to the destination ZIP's utility CCR profile. IAPMO R&T lists it as a family of ZIP-specific 'HYDROVIV-US-SRS-*ZIP' configurations

Standards held

Performance

NSF/ANSI 42

NSF/ANSI 53

Material & component safety

NSF/ANSI 372

What’s certified

Chlorine, Taste & Odor
Lead

Brand claims but NOT certified

PFAS / Forever Chemicals
Chromium-VI
Mercury
Volatile Organic Compounds
Chloramine taste-and-odor
Trihalomethanes
Pesticides and Herbicides
Arsenic
Bacteria / Viruses

Why these aren’t certified ↓

PFAS / Forever Chemicals (PFOA, PFOS) — Hydroviv's headline claim on the Undersink; the brand's lab reports show 99%+ reduction at controlled challenge concentrations. IAPMO's NSF/ANSI 53 file W-16781 lists PFOA/PFOS and Total PFAS for specific configurations only (certificate read 2026-09-11), and no source we hold says which configuration ships as the retail Undersink. Match the model number on your cartridge to the W-16781 model table at pld.iapmo.org. For one fixed certified claim, cross-shop AquaTru Classic (IAPMO file W-10193 NSF/ANSI 53), Brondell Capella (WQA Gold Seal NSF/ANSI 53), or Brondell Coral UC300 (WQA Gold Seal NSF/ANSI 53)
Chromium-VI (Hexavalent Chromium) — the brand's lab reports claim 95%+ reduction (relevant in chromium-6-impacted areas), but chromium-6 is not among the claims IAPMO lists on W-16780 or W-16781 (read 2026-09-11). For a certified option, cross-shop AquaTru Classic (IAPMO file W-10194 lists Chromium under NSF/ANSI 58, read 2026-08-30)
Mercury — a lab-report claim; not among the claims IAPMO lists on W-16781
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) — TCE, PCE, Benzene, MTBE; IAPMO's W-16781 lists a VOC claim for specific configurations only, so confirm your configuration
Chloramine taste-and-odor — IAPMO's W-16780 lists chloramine only for specific 'Hydroviv Drinking Water System' rows; chlorine, taste and odor is listed for every configuration
Trihalomethanes (THMs) — a lab-report claim; not a separately named claim on the certificates as read 2026-09-11
Pesticides and Herbicides — Atrazine, Lindane, 2,4-D, per the lab report; not separately named claims on the certificates as read 2026-09-11
Arsenic — when the ZIP-customized formulation includes arsenic-targeted media for destination ZIPs with documented elevated arsenic in the CCR; a lab-report claim, not among the claims IAPMO lists
Bacteria / Viruses (microbiological reduction) — Hydroviv's catalytic-carbon design is not built for microbiological reduction (no UV stage, no sub-micron pore size); the brand does not claim it in the lab reports, but broader marketing occasionally bundles microbiological language that should not be read as actual capability

The Hydroviv Undersink is IAPMO R&T-certified, which is why a search of NSF's directory finds nothing: NSF International and WQA list no Hydroviv product, while IAPMO R&T lists HYDROVIV, LLC under W-16780 (NSF/ANSI 42), W-16781 (NSF/ANSI 53), W-16782 (NSF/ANSI 372) and W-29902 (NSF/ANSI 401). An IAPMO listing has the same standing as an NSF listing under the same standard. The catch is configuration. The certificates (read 2026-09-11) list fifteen ZIP-specific 'HYDROVIV-US-SRS-*ZIP' models plus a 'Hydroviv Drinking Water System' line item, and the claims differ between them: Chlorine, Taste & Odor is listed for every configuration and Lead for 17 of 18, but PFOA/PFOS, Total PFAS, VOC, Cyst and Turbidity apply only to specific configurations, and the NSF/ANSI 401 file W-29902 lists only the Drinking Water System rows. That follows from the ZIP-customization model, since each configuration is its own listed row, but no source we hold says which configuration ships as the retail Undersink. So the certified PFAS claim is real for some Hydroviv configurations and unconfirmed for any one order. To check yours, search 'Hydroviv' as the listee at pld.iapmo.org and match the model number on your cartridge to the W-16781 model table. The brand's ISO 17025 lab reports (99%+ PFOA/PFOS at controlled challenge levels) add measurements but no certifier's audit. Buyers who want one fixed certified PFOA/PFOS claim can cross-shop AquaTru Classic (IAPMO file W-10193 NSF/ANSI 53), Brondell Capella (WQA Gold Seal NSF/ANSI 42 + 53 + 58 + 401 + 372), Brondell Coral UC300 (WQA Gold Seal NSF/ANSI 42 + 53 + 401 + 372), or Aquasana Claryum 2-Stage AQ-5200 (WQA Gold Seal NSF/ANSI 42 + 53 + 401), each with PFOA/PFOS on its NSF/ANSI 53 listing.

Listing

View IAPMO listing

Hydroviv Shower Filter

Hydroviv Shower Filter — ZIP-code-customized chlorine + heavy-metal shower filter; wall-mount handheld unit for the chlorine-skin-irritation use case, with cartridge composition customized per shipping ZIP

Standards held

No active certifications

What’s certified

No third-party listing for this SKU in our certification data

Brand claims but NOT certified

Chlorine taste-and-odor
Chloramine
Heavy metals
Hydrogen Sulfide
Skin-irritation chlorine byproducts

Why these aren’t certified ↓

Chlorine taste-and-odor — tested against NSF/ANSI 177 (Shower Filters) methodology per the brand's datasheet, with reduction documented at or above the NSF/ANSI 177 50% threshold. Not independently certified
Chloramine — tested per the lab report but not certified. Chloramine reduction is harder than free chlorine reduction at the shower form factor (chloramine bonds are more chemically stable and need catalytic carbon rather than plain activated carbon)
Heavy metals (Lead, Copper) — tested per the lab report but not certified
Hydrogen Sulfide (sulfur smell) — tested per the lab report but not certified
Skin-irritation chlorine byproducts — a broader marketing claim about reduced skin, hair, and eye irritation; not certified

The Hydroviv Shower Filter is positioned as a shower-segment alternative to AquaBliss ($40-$60) at a higher evidence tier — Hydroviv's ISO 17025-accredited lab testing against NSF/ANSI 177 methodology is stronger evidence than AquaBliss's brand-published lab data. Even so, no NSF, IAPMO R&T or WQA listing carries a reduction claim for the Hydroviv Shower Filter, unlike the brand's IAPMO-certified under-sink family. For an independently certified shower filter at the NSF/ANSI 177 standard, cross-shop Sprite Slim-Line 2 (IAPMO-certified) or Culligan ISH-200 (NSF International-certified). The evidence ladder for shower filters: (a) independently certified (Sprite, Culligan) beats (b) ISO 17025 lab testing against NSF/ANSI 177 methodology (Hydroviv), which beats (c) brand-published lab data without third-party accreditation (AquaBliss). Hydroviv sits in the middle — clearly stronger than AquaBliss's tier (c), but weaker than independent certification (tier a).

Listing

View IAPMO listing

Hydroviv Pitcher

Hydroviv Pitcher — ZIP-code-customized pour-through pitcher; a newer countertop SKU extending the brand's ZIP-customization model into the entry-price tier and smaller pour-through form factor

Standards held

No active certifications

What’s certified

No third-party listing for this SKU in our certification data

Brand claims but NOT certified

PFAS / Forever Chemicals
Lead
Chlorine and Chloramine taste-and-odor
Chromium-VI
Mercury, Cadmium, Copper

Why these aren’t certified ↓

PFAS / Forever Chemicals (PFOA, PFOS) — tested against NSF/ANSI 53 methodology per the brand's Pitcher datasheet, with 99%+ reduction documented at controlled challenge concentrations. Not certified. The difference vs Brita Elite OB06 (IAPMO R&T lists it under NSF/ANSI 53 for PFOA/PFOS, read 2026-08-30): Brita Elite OB06 is certified for PFOA/PFOS; the Hydroviv Pitcher is tested against the standard but not certified
Lead — tested against NSF/ANSI 53 methodology per the lab report but not certified
Chlorine and Chloramine taste-and-odor — tested against NSF/ANSI 42 methodology per the lab report but not certified
Chromium-VI (Hexavalent Chromium) — tested per the lab report but not certified
Mercury, Cadmium, Copper — tested per the lab report but not certified

The Hydroviv Pitcher carries Hydroviv's PFAS focus into the entry-price tier as an alternative to Brita Elite OB06 — but the evidence is different. Brita Elite OB06 is certified under NSF/ANSI 53 for PFOA/PFOS by IAPMO R&T, while NSF lists it under 53 for lead (data/products/records/brita-elite.json, read 2026-08-30). The Hydroviv Pitcher's PFAS reduction is tested against NSF/ANSI 53 methodology by ISO 17025-accredited independent labs per the brand's datasheet, but it is not certified. The evidence ladder for pitcher PFAS reduction: (a) independently certified (Brita Elite OB06, listed by IAPMO R&T under NSF/ANSI 53 for PFOA/PFOS) beats (b) ISO 17025 lab testing against NSF/ANSI 53 methodology (Hydroviv Pitcher), which beats (c) brand-published lab data without third-party accreditation (Clearly Filtered Pitcher's IAPMO New Jersey ISO 17025 lab testing for 365+ contaminants without an NSF/ANSI 53 certification). The Hydroviv Pitcher sits in tier (b) — stronger than Clearly Filtered's unaccredited tier (c), but weaker than Brita Elite OB06's certification (tier a). Buyers who want an independently certified entry-price pitcher should pick Brita Elite OB06 ($25-$40); buyers who want the ZIP-customization differentiator with broader contaminant scope (lead, chromium-6, VOCs alongside PFAS) and accept lab reports in place of certification should pick the Hydroviv Pitcher. The Hydroviv Pitcher costs much more than the Brita Elite ($69-$99 vs $25-$40), reflecting the ZIP-customization overhead.

Listing

View IAPMO listing

Check Certification for a Hydroviv Filter

This widget shows the third-party-listed certifications for Hydroviv SKUs only. Type a model number to filter the list below — every result links to the full breakdown. To search across every brand we track, use the global certification tool. For the standards Hydroviv holds and the certifier behind each listing in one place, see Is Hydroviv NSF certified?

NSF/ANSI 421 modelNSF/ANSI 531 modelNSF/ANSI 3721 modelNSF/ANSI 4011 model

Search Hydroviv models

W-16780
HYDROVIV, LLC
NSF/ANSI 42
View details
W-16781
HYDROVIV, LLC
NSF/ANSI 53
View details
W-16782
HYDROVIV, LLC
NSF/ANSI 372
View details
W-29902
HYDROVIV, LLC
NSF/ANSI 401
View details

Listings as of Oct 5, 2026.

About Hydroviv

Hydroviv's under-sink filters are IAPMO R&T-certified, with claims that vary by configuration; its shower, pitcher and fridge filters have no listing. It's a Washington D.C. / Arlington VA under-sink and shower brand founded ~2015 by Dr. Eric Roy (PhD water chemistry, ex-Dartmouth research scientist), who still fronts the brand on YouTube and in press.

Its hook is ZIP-code-customized cartridges: Hydroviv tunes the media stack (catalytic carbon, KDF-55, ion-exchange resin) to each shipping address using local utility CCR + USGS / EPA data, so a customer in Philadelphia and one in Phoenix get different cartridges under the same SKU. The lineup is the Undersink ($349-$399), Shower Filter ($89-$129), Pitcher ($69-$99), and Refrigerator inline ($169-$229).

The certification detail: NSF and WQA list no Hydroviv product, but IAPMO R&T lists HYDROVIV, LLC under four active files — W-16780 (NSF/ANSI 42), W-16781 (NSF/ANSI 53), W-16782 (NSF/ANSI 372) and W-29902 (NSF/ANSI 401) — across its plumbed-in under-sink configurations (checked 2026-09-11). Chlorine taste and odor is listed for every configuration and lead for 17 of 18; PFOA/PFOS appears on W-16781 only for specific configurations, and no source we hold says which one ships as the retail Undersink. Hydroviv also publishes ISO 17025 lab reports showing 99%+ PFOA/PFOS reduction at controlled challenge levels. The brand appeared on Shark Tank (Season 10, January 13, 2018): Roy sought $400,000 for 8%, Mark Cuban countered $400,000 for 25%, and the deal didn't close. ~3,500+ reviews at 4.5 stars.

Founded:Approximately 2015 (Hydroviv was founded by Dr. Eric Roy in the Washington D.C. / Arlington VA area; the company is privately held and not publicly traded so no SEC filings document the founding date; the 2015 founding is the widely-cited industry attribution across third-party press coverage including the Shark Tank Season 10 appearance in January 2018, where Roy was identified as the founder pitching his ~3-year-old company at the time of the appearance, plus subsequent Inc. / Forbes / The Washington Post profiles of Roy as a PhD water chemist turned consumer-brand founder). The founder Dr. Eric Roy holds a PhD in water chemistry / environmental geochemistry and is documented as a former Dartmouth College research scientist before founding Hydroviv. The founder-as-brand-face approach remains active across the brand's YouTube channel, blog posts, and interview-circuit press coverage as of 2026-05-24.

Headquarters:Washington D.C. / Arlington, Virginia metropolitan area, USA — Hydroviv is consistently identified as a Washington D.C.-area water-chemistry consumer brand across third-party press coverage, including the Shark Tank Season 10 appearance where Roy was introduced as a Washington D.C. area founder. No specific street address or ZIP code is publicly disclosed, which is typical for privately-held direct-to-consumer brands whose corporate footprint is operational rather than retail. Manufacturing and fulfillment are understood to run from the same DC / Arlington footprint, since each cartridge is assembled to the destination ZIP after the order is placed.

Parent company:Culligan — its corporate 'Our brands' page lists Hydroviv (read 2026-09-11); no…

Ownership history

Approximately 2015
Hydroviv founded by Dr. Eric Roy (PhD water chemistry / environmental geochemistry, former Dartmouth College research scientist) in the Washington D.C. / Arlington VA metropolitan area as an independent consumer water-filtration brand. The original mission framed by Roy: bring chemistry-informed, ZIP-code-customized water filtration to consumers as a structural alternative to one-size-fits-all mass-market pitcher / under-sink filtration. The founding product was the Hydroviv Undersink with ZIP-code-customized cartridge composition based on destination ZIP's utility CCR + USGS / EPA datasets.
January 13, 2018
Hydroviv appeared on ABC's Shark Tank Season 10 Episode 17 (broadcast January 13, 2018). Dr. Eric Roy pitched the company seeking $400,000 for 8% equity, valuing the company at $5 million. Mark Cuban initially offered $400,000 for 25% equity (valuing the company at $1.6 million) — Roy did not accept the offer on-air. Per subsequent press coverage, the deal was not consummated post-broadcast (typical Shark Tank outcome rate is ~50% of on-air deals actually closing in due diligence). The Shark Tank appearance remains a load-bearing brand-awareness driver for Hydroviv eight years later, with the episode airing in repeats and the Hydroviv brand featured in Shark Tank retrospective content.
2018-2020
Post-Shark Tank exposure, Hydroviv expands the under-sink product line and adds the Shower Filter as the brand's second product category. The Shower Filter targets the chlorine-skin-irritation shower segment as an alternative to AquaBliss at a higher evidence tier (ISO 17025 lab testing against NSF/ANSI 177 methodology). The brand's media presence intensifies during this period — Dr. Eric Roy actively builds the YouTube channel and blog presence as the technical voice explaining PFAS / lead / chromium-6 reduction methodology.
2020-2023
Hydroviv extends the water-filtration product line beyond Undersink + Shower into newer pitcher and refrigerator-connection inline formats. The Pitcher ($69-$99) and Refrigerator ($169-$229) extensions extend the ZIP-customization model into the entry-price-tier and fridge form factors respectively. During this period the PFAS regulatory environment intensifies — EPA's 2022 Health Advisories for PFOA / PFOS and the 2024 final National Primary Drinking Water Regulation for six PFAS strengthen the PFAS-focused brand positioning that has been Hydroviv's centerpiece marketing claim since founding.
2024-2026
Hydroviv is sold under Culligan ownership: Culligan's corporate 'Our brands' page lists it (read 2026-09-11). NSF International and WQA list no Hydroviv product, but IAPMO R&T lists HYDROVIV, LLC under four active files — W-16780 (NSF/ANSI 42), W-16781 (NSF/ANSI 53), W-16782 (NSF/ANSI 372) and W-29902 (NSF/ANSI 401) — covering its plumbed-in under-sink configurations, with claims that vary by configuration (checked 2026-09-11). The brand also publishes ISO 17025-accredited independent-lab datasheets against NSF/ANSI 42 + 53 methodology. Dr. Eric Roy remains active as the founder-as-technical-voice across the brand's YouTube channel, blog, and interview-circuit press coverage. ~3,500+ aggregate brand-direct + Amazon consumer reviews across the Undersink + Shower + Pitcher + Refrigerator lineup at a 4.5-star aggregate rating.

Hydroviv Undersink (ZIP-Code-Customized Single-Cartridge Under-Sink Filter)

The flagship and most-reviewed Hydroviv. Single cartridge in a wall-mount bracket, tuned per shipping ZIP from local utility CCR + USGS / EPA data.

Certified: IAPMO R&T — W-16780 (NSF/ANSI 42), W-16781 (NSF/ANSI 53), W-16782 (NSF/ANSI 372), W-29902 (NSF/ANSI 401). Claims vary by configuration: chlorine taste/odor on every one, lead on 17 of 18, PFOA/PFOS, total PFAS and VOCs on specific ones; the 401 file covers only the 'Hydroviv Drinking Water System' rows. Which configuration ships as the retail Undersink isn't confirmed.
Removes: PFAS is the headline claim — the brand's lab reports show 99%+ PFOA/PFOS at controlled challenge levels — plus lead, chromium-6, VOCs, mercury, and cysts. Chromium-6 and mercury are lab-report claims only; no listing names them.
Price: $349-$399; cartridges $89-$120 every ~6 months (720 gal); tool-free swap (~5 min).
Cross-shop for a fixed certified PFOA/PFOS claim: AquaTru Classic ($475, IAPMO file W-10193, NSF/ANSI 53), Brondell Capella ($215-$269, WQA, NSF/ANSI 42 + 53 + 58 + 401 + 372), or Brondell Coral UC300 ($143-$179, WQA, NSF/ANSI 42 + 53 + 401 + 372).

Hydroviv Shower Filter (ZIP-Code-Customized Chlorine + Heavy-Metal Shower Filter)

Wall-mount handheld shower filter for chlorine skin irritation, ZIP-tuned like the Undersink.

Certified: no certified listing — none of IAPMO's four HYDROVIV, LLC files lists it, and NSF and WQA list no Hydroviv product. The brand says it is lab-tested against NSF/ANSI 177 by ISO 17025 labs, which is stronger evidence than AquaBliss ($40-$60), which holds no NSF/ANSI 177 listing at all.
Removes: chlorine, chloramine, and heavy metals (lead, copper).
Price: $89-$129; cartridges $39-$59 every ~6 months (10,000 gal).
Cross-shop for listed: Sprite Slim-Line 2 (IAPMO, NSF/ANSI 177) or Culligan ISH-200 (NSF, NSF/ANSI 177).

Hydroviv Pitcher (ZIP-Code-Customized Pour-Through Pitcher)

The entry-price pour-through pitcher, ZIP-tuned like the rest of the line.

Certified: no certified listing — IAPMO's HYDROVIV, LLC files list plumbed-in configurations only. The brand says it is lab-tested against NSF/ANSI 42 + 53 by ISO 17025 labs.
Removes: PFAS / PFOA / PFOS, lead, chlorine, and chromium-6.
Price: $69-$99; cartridges $40-$55 every ~3 months (100 gal).
Cross-shop for listed PFAS: Brita Elite OB06 ($25-$40) is IAPMO R&T-listed under NSF/ANSI 53 for PFOA/PFOS (NSF lists it under 53 for lead; read 2026-08-30) — much cheaper, though without ZIP customization.

Hydroviv Refrigerator (ZIP-Code-Customized Inline Refrigerator-Connection Filter)

Inline filter for the fridge ice-and-water dispenser, ZIP-tuned like the rest of the line. Installs on the 1/4-inch water line.

Certified: no certified reduction claim — IAPMO's NSF/ANSI 372 file W-16782 (lead-free materials only) names a 'HYDROVIV IN-LINE FILTER' that no source we hold ties to this product. The brand says it is lab-tested against NSF/ANSI 42 + 53.
Removes: PFAS / PFOA / PFOS, lead, and chromium-6.
Price: $169-$229; cartridges $69-$89 every ~6 months (720 gal).
Cross-shop for listed: Whirlpool EveryDrop EDR3RXD1 (NSF-listed, NSF/ANSI 42 + 53 + 401) or PUR's fridge filters (Helen of Troy, NSF-listed via Kaz USA Inc.).

Hydroviv describes its filters as designed and assembled in the USA, at its Washington D.C. / Arlington VA base — that is the brand's own account, and no independent record confirms it. Because each cartridge is ZIP-tuned to the buyer's local utility CCR, assembly happens after the order is placed rather than shipping from generic stock like Brita, PUR, Aquasana, Brondell, or APEC.

Housings, catalytic carbon, KDF-55, and ion-exchange resin are described as sourced from US water-treatment suppliers. Component-level country of origin isn't disclosed per SKU — US final assembly doesn't require US sub-components. IAPMO R&T audits the certified under-sink family as a condition of listing, but the listings we read do not name an assembly location, so the US-assembly claim itself rests on the brand's word.

Which Hydroviv Filter Is Right for You?

We mapped each Hydroviv SKU’s NSF-listed certifications against the 10 contaminants people search for most. Where Hydroviv doesn’t have a certified SKU, we say so.

Lead

Best pick: Hydroviv Undersink — ZIP-code-customized single-cartridge under-sink filter; the brand's flagship and most-reviewed product, with cartridge composition tuned to the destination ZIP's utility CCR profile. IAPMO R&T lists it as a family of ZIP-specific 'HYDROVIV-US-SRS-*ZIP' configurations — certified for Lead (Hydroviv).

PFAS

Not the right choice if PFAS is your priority — no certified Hydroviv SKU for PFAS. Consider an NSF/ANSI 53-listed filter.

Fluoride

Not the right choice if Fluoride is your priority — no certified Hydroviv SKU for Fluoride. Consider an NSF/ANSI 53-listed filter.

Arsenic

Not the right choice if Arsenic is your priority — no certified Hydroviv SKU for Arsenic. Consider an NSF/ANSI 53-listed filter.

Nitrate

Not the right choice if Nitrate is your priority — no certified Hydroviv SKU for Nitrate. Consider an NSF/ANSI 53-listed filter.

Chromium-6

Not the right choice if Chromium-6 is your priority — no certified Hydroviv SKU for Chromium-6. Consider an NSF/ANSI 53-listed filter.

Mercury

Not the right choice if Mercury is your priority — no certified Hydroviv SKU for Mercury. Consider an NSF/ANSI 53-listed filter.

Atrazine

Not the right choice if Atrazine is your priority — no certified Hydroviv SKU for Atrazine. Consider an NSF/ANSI 53-listed filter.

Chloroform

Not the right choice if Chloroform is your priority — no certified Hydroviv SKU for Chloroform. Consider an NSF/ANSI 53-listed filter.

Cysts

Not the right choice if Cysts is your priority — no certified Hydroviv SKU for Cysts. Consider an NSF/ANSI 53-listed filter.

How Hydroviv Compares

Hydroviv Undersink ($349-$399 MSRP, ZIP-code-customized single-cartridge under-sink filter — IAPMO R&T-certified to NSF/ANSI 42 + 53 + 372, with claims that vary by configuration) vs Clearly Filtered Filtered Water Pitcher (IAPMO New Jersey / formerly QFT ISO 17025 lab-tested for 365+ contaminants — NSF International-certified to NSF/ANSI 42 + NSF/ANSI/CAN 372 only)

Feature	Hydroviv Undersink ($349-$399 MSRP, ZIP-code-customized single-cartridge under-sink filter — IAPMO R&T-certified to NSF/ANSI 42 + 53 + 372, with claims that vary by configuration)	Clearly Filtered Filtered Water Pitcher (IAPMO New Jersey / formerly QFT ISO 17025 lab-tested for 365+ contaminants — NSF International-certified to NSF/ANSI 42 + NSF/ANSI/CAN 372 only)
Format	Under-sink single-cartridge filter — installs under the kitchen sink, plumbed to a dedicated countertop faucet; cartridge composition customized per shipping ZIP code based on local utility CCR + USGS / EPA datasets	Countertop pour-through pitcher — no installation; manually refilled from the tap; ~10-cup capacity
Independent certification	IAPMO R&T-certified: HYDROVIV, LLC files W-16780 (NSF/ANSI 42), W-16781 (NSF/ANSI 53), W-16782 (NSF/ANSI 372) and W-29902 (NSF/ANSI 401), checked 2026-09-11; no NSF or WQA listing. Claims vary by configuration — chlorine taste/odor on every one, lead on 17 of 18, PFOA/PFOS and VOCs on specific ones. The brand also publishes ISO 17025 lab datasheets	NSF International-certified to NSF/ANSI 42 (chlorine taste-and-odor reduction) + NSF/ANSI/CAN 372 (lead-free plumbing material) only, via the 'Clearly Filtered' entry in NSF's certification database. Notably not certified to NSF/ANSI 53 (lead, PFAS, chromium-6), NSF/ANSI 58 (RO scope, fluoride), or NSF/ANSI 401 (emerging contaminants). The 365+ contaminants claim rests on IAPMO New Jersey (formerly QFT) ISO 17025 lab testing — real third-party testing, but not certification
PFAS / PFOA / PFOS reduction	IAPMO's NSF/ANSI 53 file W-16781 lists PFOA/PFOS and Total PFAS for specific configurations (certificate read 2026-09-11); no source we hold says which one ships as the retail Undersink. The brand's lab reports show 99%+ PFOA / PFOS reduction at controlled challenge concentrations	Tested per Clearly Filtered's IAPMO New Jersey ISO 17025 lab data in the 365+ contaminants menu. Not certified to NSF/ANSI 53 (no NSF/ANSI 53 certification at all) or NSF/ANSI 401. Clearly Filtered rests on lab reports for PFAS reduction, while Hydroviv has a certified PFOA/PFOS claim on some configurations; the other differences are form factor (under-sink vs pitcher) and ZIP-customization (Hydroviv has it, Clearly Filtered does not)
Retail price (typical)	$349.99-$399.99 MSRP brand-direct (premium tier)	$80-$100 on clearlyfiltered.com (mid-tier pitcher pricing, materially above Brita Standard's $25-$40 but below Hydroviv Pitcher's $69-$99 entry-price tier)
Cartridge service life and annual cost	6 months / 720 gallons per cartridge at $89-$120 replacement cost; ~$178-$240/year annual maintenance cost	4 months / 100 gallons per cartridge at $50-$60 replacement cost; ~$150-$180/year annual maintenance cost
ZIP-code customization	Yes — Hydroviv's signature differentiator; cartridge composition tuned per destination shipping ZIP based on local utility CCR + USGS / EPA datasets. The only consumer water-filter brand here with this feature	No — a single fixed cartridge composition ships to all customers regardless of destination ZIP. The Affinity Filtration cartridge is standardized across all customers
Founder / brand voice	Dr. Eric Roy (PhD water chemistry, former Dartmouth College research scientist) is active as the founder-as-technical-voice across the brand's YouTube channel, blog, and interview-circuit press coverage. The Shark Tank Season 10 January 2018 appearance reinforces founder visibility	Founded 2011 by Andy Schlosser; the brand voice is less founder-centric than Hydroviv. The Affinity Filtration trademark is presented as proprietary technology rather than founder credentials
Main point of confusion	Certifier and configuration — an NSF search finds nothing because the certifier is IAPMO R&T, and certified claims differ across the listed ZIP configurations. Secondary: reading a 99%+ lab figure as if it were the listed claim	Auditing the 99% / 365+ contaminants claim — 1 NSF-certified claim against ~122 marketed contaminant categories on the pitcher datasheet, roughly 0.8%. Secondary: lab reports treated as certification, and 'reduces' read as 'removes'

Format

Hydroviv Undersink ($349-$399 MSRP, ZIP-code-customized single-cartridge under-sink filter — IAPMO R&T-certified to NSF/ANSI 42 + 53 + 372, with claims that vary by configuration)

Under-sink single-cartridge filter — installs under the kitchen sink, plumbed to a dedicated countertop faucet; cartridge composition customized per shipping ZIP code based on local utility CCR + USGS / EPA datasets

Clearly Filtered Filtered Water Pitcher (IAPMO New Jersey / formerly QFT ISO 17025 lab-tested for 365+ contaminants — NSF International-certified to NSF/ANSI 42 + NSF/ANSI/CAN 372 only)

Countertop pour-through pitcher — no installation; manually refilled from the tap; ~10-cup capacity

Independent certification

Hydroviv Undersink ($349-$399 MSRP, ZIP-code-customized single-cartridge under-sink filter — IAPMO R&T-certified to NSF/ANSI 42 + 53 + 372, with claims that vary by configuration)

IAPMO R&T-certified: HYDROVIV, LLC files W-16780 (NSF/ANSI 42), W-16781 (NSF/ANSI 53), W-16782 (NSF/ANSI 372) and W-29902 (NSF/ANSI 401), checked 2026-09-11; no NSF or WQA listing. Claims vary by configuration — chlorine taste/odor on every one, lead on 17 of 18, PFOA/PFOS and VOCs on specific ones. The brand also publishes ISO 17025 lab datasheets

Clearly Filtered Filtered Water Pitcher (IAPMO New Jersey / formerly QFT ISO 17025 lab-tested for 365+ contaminants — NSF International-certified to NSF/ANSI 42 + NSF/ANSI/CAN 372 only)

NSF International-certified to NSF/ANSI 42 (chlorine taste-and-odor reduction) + NSF/ANSI/CAN 372 (lead-free plumbing material) only, via the 'Clearly Filtered' entry in NSF's certification database. Notably not certified to NSF/ANSI 53 (lead, PFAS, chromium-6), NSF/ANSI 58 (RO scope, fluoride), or NSF/ANSI 401 (emerging contaminants). The 365+ contaminants claim rests on IAPMO New Jersey (formerly QFT) ISO 17025 lab testing — real third-party testing, but not certification

PFAS / PFOA / PFOS reduction

Hydroviv Undersink ($349-$399 MSRP, ZIP-code-customized single-cartridge under-sink filter — IAPMO R&T-certified to NSF/ANSI 42 + 53 + 372, with claims that vary by configuration)

IAPMO's NSF/ANSI 53 file W-16781 lists PFOA/PFOS and Total PFAS for specific configurations (certificate read 2026-09-11); no source we hold says which one ships as the retail Undersink. The brand's lab reports show 99%+ PFOA / PFOS reduction at controlled challenge concentrations

Clearly Filtered Filtered Water Pitcher (IAPMO New Jersey / formerly QFT ISO 17025 lab-tested for 365+ contaminants — NSF International-certified to NSF/ANSI 42 + NSF/ANSI/CAN 372 only)

Tested per Clearly Filtered's IAPMO New Jersey ISO 17025 lab data in the 365+ contaminants menu. Not certified to NSF/ANSI 53 (no NSF/ANSI 53 certification at all) or NSF/ANSI 401. Clearly Filtered rests on lab reports for PFAS reduction, while Hydroviv has a certified PFOA/PFOS claim on some configurations; the other differences are form factor (under-sink vs pitcher) and ZIP-customization (Hydroviv has it, Clearly Filtered does not)

Retail price (typical)

Hydroviv Undersink ($349-$399 MSRP, ZIP-code-customized single-cartridge under-sink filter — IAPMO R&T-certified to NSF/ANSI 42 + 53 + 372, with claims that vary by configuration)

$349.99-$399.99 MSRP brand-direct (premium tier)

Clearly Filtered Filtered Water Pitcher (IAPMO New Jersey / formerly QFT ISO 17025 lab-tested for 365+ contaminants — NSF International-certified to NSF/ANSI 42 + NSF/ANSI/CAN 372 only)

$80-$100 on clearlyfiltered.com (mid-tier pitcher pricing, materially above Brita Standard's $25-$40 but below Hydroviv Pitcher's $69-$99 entry-price tier)

Cartridge service life and annual cost

Hydroviv Undersink ($349-$399 MSRP, ZIP-code-customized single-cartridge under-sink filter — IAPMO R&T-certified to NSF/ANSI 42 + 53 + 372, with claims that vary by configuration)

6 months / 720 gallons per cartridge at $89-$120 replacement cost; ~$178-$240/year annual maintenance cost

Clearly Filtered Filtered Water Pitcher (IAPMO New Jersey / formerly QFT ISO 17025 lab-tested for 365+ contaminants — NSF International-certified to NSF/ANSI 42 + NSF/ANSI/CAN 372 only)

4 months / 100 gallons per cartridge at $50-$60 replacement cost; ~$150-$180/year annual maintenance cost

ZIP-code customization

Hydroviv Undersink ($349-$399 MSRP, ZIP-code-customized single-cartridge under-sink filter — IAPMO R&T-certified to NSF/ANSI 42 + 53 + 372, with claims that vary by configuration)

Yes — Hydroviv's signature differentiator; cartridge composition tuned per destination shipping ZIP based on local utility CCR + USGS / EPA datasets. The only consumer water-filter brand here with this feature

Clearly Filtered Filtered Water Pitcher (IAPMO New Jersey / formerly QFT ISO 17025 lab-tested for 365+ contaminants — NSF International-certified to NSF/ANSI 42 + NSF/ANSI/CAN 372 only)

No — a single fixed cartridge composition ships to all customers regardless of destination ZIP. The Affinity Filtration cartridge is standardized across all customers

Founder / brand voice

Hydroviv Undersink ($349-$399 MSRP, ZIP-code-customized single-cartridge under-sink filter — IAPMO R&T-certified to NSF/ANSI 42 + 53 + 372, with claims that vary by configuration)

Dr. Eric Roy (PhD water chemistry, former Dartmouth College research scientist) is active as the founder-as-technical-voice across the brand's YouTube channel, blog, and interview-circuit press coverage. The Shark Tank Season 10 January 2018 appearance reinforces founder visibility

Clearly Filtered Filtered Water Pitcher (IAPMO New Jersey / formerly QFT ISO 17025 lab-tested for 365+ contaminants — NSF International-certified to NSF/ANSI 42 + NSF/ANSI/CAN 372 only)

Founded 2011 by Andy Schlosser; the brand voice is less founder-centric than Hydroviv. The Affinity Filtration trademark is presented as proprietary technology rather than founder credentials

Main point of confusion

Hydroviv Undersink ($349-$399 MSRP, ZIP-code-customized single-cartridge under-sink filter — IAPMO R&T-certified to NSF/ANSI 42 + 53 + 372, with claims that vary by configuration)

Certifier and configuration — an NSF search finds nothing because the certifier is IAPMO R&T, and certified claims differ across the listed ZIP configurations. Secondary: reading a 99%+ lab figure as if it were the listed claim

Clearly Filtered Filtered Water Pitcher (IAPMO New Jersey / formerly QFT ISO 17025 lab-tested for 365+ contaminants — NSF International-certified to NSF/ANSI 42 + NSF/ANSI/CAN 372 only)

Auditing the 99% / 365+ contaminants claim — 1 NSF-certified claim against ~122 marketed contaminant categories on the pitcher datasheet, roughly 0.8%. Secondary: lab reports treated as certification, and 'reduces' read as 'removes'

Bottom line: Hydroviv has the broader certification. Its under-sink family is IAPMO-listed under NSF/ANSI 42 + 53 (lead on 17 of 18 configurations, PFOA/PFOS on specific ones), while Clearly Filtered's only listing is narrow (NSF/ANSI 42 + 372: chlorine taste/odor + lead-free material).

Pick Hydroviv Undersink if you want ZIP-customized cartridges, the under-sink form factor, and founder-chemist credibility ($349-$399).
Pick Clearly Filtered Pitcher if you rent or want zero install and a lower price ($80-$100) with a narrow-but-real NSF listing for chlorine.

For one fixed certified PFOA/PFOS claim, cross-shop AquaTru Classic (IAPMO W-10193, NSF/ANSI 53), Brondell Capella (WQA, NSF/ANSI 42 + 53 + 58 + 401 + 372), Brondell Coral UC300 (WQA, NSF/ANSI 42 + 53 + 401 + 372), or Aquasana Claryum 2-Stage AQ-5200 (WQA, NSF/ANSI 42 + 53 + 401).

Sources for facts in this comparison

[1]
Brand officialaccessed: 2026-05-24
https://www.clearlyfiltered.com/
- Clearly Filtered brand-official site documents the 365+ contaminants claim supported by IAPMO New Jersey (formerly QFT) ISO 17025 lab testing — comparison source for the tested-against vs certified contrast
[2]
IAPMO listingaccessed: 2026-09-11
https://pld.iapmo.org/
- IAPMO R&T's Product Listing Directory lists HYDROVIV, LLC active under four files, checked 2026-09-11: W-16780 (NSF/ANSI 42), W-16781 (NSF/ANSI 53), W-16782 (NSF/ANSI 372) and W-29902 (NSF/ANSI 401). They cover a family of plumbed-in configurations: fifteen ZIP-specific 'HYDROVIV-US-SRS-*ZIP' under-sink models plus a 'Hydroviv Drinking Water System' line item. Chlorine, Taste & Odor (NSF/ANSI 42) is listed for every configuration and Lead (NSF/ANSI 53) for 17 of 18; PFOA/PFOS, Total PFAS, VOC, Cyst and Turbidity claims on W-16781 apply only to specific configurations; W-29902 lists only the 'Hydroviv Drinking Water System' rows. NSF International and WQA list no Hydroviv product
[3]
NSF listingaccessed: 2026-05-24
https://info.nsf.org/Certified/DWTU/Listings.asp?CompanyName=Clearly+Filtered
- A search of NSF's certification database returns 1 matching manufacturer / 1 matching product for Clearly Filtered — the Filtered Water Pitcher + Replacement Pitcher Filter certified to NSF/ANSI 42 + NSF/ANSI/CAN 372 (chlorine taste-and-odor reduction + lead-free plumbing material) only. A single certified claim covering chlorine reduction / taste-and-odor

Hydroviv Undersink ($349-$399 MSRP, ZIP-code-customized single-cartridge under-sink filter — IAPMO R&T-certified to NSF/ANSI 42 + 53 + 372, with claims that vary by configuration) vs Aquasana Claryum 2-Stage AQ-5200 ($150-$200, under-sink dual-stage carbon filter, WQA Gold Seal-certified to NSF/ANSI 42 + 53 + 401 — the parallel premium DTC competitor)

Feature	Hydroviv Undersink ($349-$399 MSRP, ZIP-code-customized single-cartridge under-sink filter — IAPMO R&T-certified to NSF/ANSI 42 + 53 + 372, with claims that vary by configuration)	Aquasana Claryum 2-Stage AQ-5200 ($150-$200, under-sink dual-stage carbon filter, WQA Gold Seal-certified to NSF/ANSI 42 + 53 + 401 — the parallel premium DTC competitor)
Format	Under-sink single-cartridge filter with a wall-mount bracket; ZIP-code-customized cartridge composition tuned per shipping address	Under-sink dual-stage filter with 2 cartridges (Claryum Carbon + Catalytic Carbon + Ion Exchange + Sub-micron Filtration); standardized cartridge composition across all customers
Independent certification	IAPMO R&T-certified: HYDROVIV, LLC files W-16780 (NSF/ANSI 42), W-16781 (NSF/ANSI 53), W-16782 (NSF/ANSI 372) and W-29902 (NSF/ANSI 401), checked 2026-09-11; no NSF or WQA listing. Claims vary by configuration — chlorine taste/odor on every one, lead on 17 of 18, PFOA/PFOS and VOCs on specific ones. The brand also publishes ISO 17025 lab datasheets	WQA Gold Seal-certified to NSF/ANSI 42 (Aesthetic Effects), NSF/ANSI 53 (Health Effects, including PFOA / PFOS), and NSF/ANSI 401 (Emerging Compounds including pharmaceuticals), per the brand's 'Aquasana Certified Products' page stating 'WQA tested and certified to NSF/ANSI 42/53/401.' A real WQA Gold Seal certification — equivalent to NSF International or IAPMO R&T certifications under the same standards, indexed at find.wqa.org
PFAS / PFOA / PFOS reduction	IAPMO's NSF/ANSI 53 file W-16781 lists PFOA/PFOS and Total PFAS for specific configurations (certificate read 2026-09-11); no source we hold says which one ships as the retail Undersink. The brand's lab reports show 99%+ PFOA / PFOS reduction at controlled challenge concentrations	WQA Gold Seal-certified for PFOA / PFOS under NSF/ANSI 53 and for pharmaceuticals under the NSF/ANSI 401 emerging-compounds standard. The difference: the Aquasana Claryum 2-Stage AQ-5200's PFOA/PFOS listing is one fixed claim; the Hydroviv Undersink's applies only to specific configurations
Retail price (typical)	$349.99-$399.99 MSRP brand-direct	$150-$200 on aquasana.com (materially below Hydroviv Undersink)
Cartridge service life and annual cost	6 months / 720 gallons per cartridge at $89-$120 replacement cost; ~$178-$240/year annual maintenance cost	6 months / 800 gallons per dual-cartridge set at $70-$90 replacement cost; ~$140-$180/year annual maintenance cost
ZIP-code customization	YES — Hydroviv's centerpiece differentiator; cartridge composition algorithmically tuned per destination shipping ZIP	NO — single fixed cartridge composition shipped to all customers regardless of destination ZIP
Brand corporate context	Consumer water-filtration brand sold under Culligan ownership (Culligan's 'Our brands' page lists it, read 2026-09-11), founded approximately 2015 by Dr. Eric Roy (PhD water chemistry, former Dartmouth College research scientist) in the Washington D.C. / Arlington VA metropolitan area; Shark Tank Season 10 January 2018 appearance	Owned by A. O. Smith Corp (NYSE: AOS) since August 8, 2016 acquisition for $87M cash from L Catterton; Aquasana operates as a consumer water-filtration brand within the broader A. O. Smith residential water-treatment portfolio; HQ Haltom City, TX
Main point of confusion	Certifier and configuration — an NSF search finds nothing because the certifier is IAPMO R&T, and certified claims differ across the listed ZIP configurations	Tested against vs certified to — Aquasana's own 'Aquasana Certified Products' page uses three different phrasings on one page: 'WQA tested and certified to NSF/ANSI 42/53/401' (a real WQA certification — where the Claryum 2-Stage AQ-5200 sits), 'IAPMO certified to NSF/ANSI 42/53/401' (a real IAPMO certification — Claryum Direct Connect AQ-MF-1), 'IAPMO tested to NSF/ANSI 53 ...' (an IAPMO testing record, not certification — OptimH2O whole-house EQ-OPTM), and 'Independently tested to NSF/ANSI 42' (brand-published lab data, not certification — Rhino whole-house family). The Claryum 2-Stage AQ-5200 is in the cleanest WQA-certified tier

Format

Hydroviv Undersink ($349-$399 MSRP, ZIP-code-customized single-cartridge under-sink filter — IAPMO R&T-certified to NSF/ANSI 42 + 53 + 372, with claims that vary by configuration)

Under-sink single-cartridge filter with a wall-mount bracket; ZIP-code-customized cartridge composition tuned per shipping address

Aquasana Claryum 2-Stage AQ-5200 ($150-$200, under-sink dual-stage carbon filter, WQA Gold Seal-certified to NSF/ANSI 42 + 53 + 401 — the parallel premium DTC competitor)

Under-sink dual-stage filter with 2 cartridges (Claryum Carbon + Catalytic Carbon + Ion Exchange + Sub-micron Filtration); standardized cartridge composition across all customers

Independent certification

Hydroviv Undersink ($349-$399 MSRP, ZIP-code-customized single-cartridge under-sink filter — IAPMO R&T-certified to NSF/ANSI 42 + 53 + 372, with claims that vary by configuration)

Aquasana Claryum 2-Stage AQ-5200 ($150-$200, under-sink dual-stage carbon filter, WQA Gold Seal-certified to NSF/ANSI 42 + 53 + 401 — the parallel premium DTC competitor)

WQA Gold Seal-certified to NSF/ANSI 42 (Aesthetic Effects), NSF/ANSI 53 (Health Effects, including PFOA / PFOS), and NSF/ANSI 401 (Emerging Compounds including pharmaceuticals), per the brand's 'Aquasana Certified Products' page stating 'WQA tested and certified to NSF/ANSI 42/53/401.' A real WQA Gold Seal certification — equivalent to NSF International or IAPMO R&T certifications under the same standards, indexed at find.wqa.org

PFAS / PFOA / PFOS reduction

Hydroviv Undersink ($349-$399 MSRP, ZIP-code-customized single-cartridge under-sink filter — IAPMO R&T-certified to NSF/ANSI 42 + 53 + 372, with claims that vary by configuration)

Aquasana Claryum 2-Stage AQ-5200 ($150-$200, under-sink dual-stage carbon filter, WQA Gold Seal-certified to NSF/ANSI 42 + 53 + 401 — the parallel premium DTC competitor)

WQA Gold Seal-certified for PFOA / PFOS under NSF/ANSI 53 and for pharmaceuticals under the NSF/ANSI 401 emerging-compounds standard. The difference: the Aquasana Claryum 2-Stage AQ-5200's PFOA/PFOS listing is one fixed claim; the Hydroviv Undersink's applies only to specific configurations

Retail price (typical)

Hydroviv Undersink ($349-$399 MSRP, ZIP-code-customized single-cartridge under-sink filter — IAPMO R&T-certified to NSF/ANSI 42 + 53 + 372, with claims that vary by configuration)

$349.99-$399.99 MSRP brand-direct

Aquasana Claryum 2-Stage AQ-5200 ($150-$200, under-sink dual-stage carbon filter, WQA Gold Seal-certified to NSF/ANSI 42 + 53 + 401 — the parallel premium DTC competitor)

$150-$200 on aquasana.com (materially below Hydroviv Undersink)

Cartridge service life and annual cost

Hydroviv Undersink ($349-$399 MSRP, ZIP-code-customized single-cartridge under-sink filter — IAPMO R&T-certified to NSF/ANSI 42 + 53 + 372, with claims that vary by configuration)

6 months / 720 gallons per cartridge at $89-$120 replacement cost; ~$178-$240/year annual maintenance cost

Aquasana Claryum 2-Stage AQ-5200 ($150-$200, under-sink dual-stage carbon filter, WQA Gold Seal-certified to NSF/ANSI 42 + 53 + 401 — the parallel premium DTC competitor)

6 months / 800 gallons per dual-cartridge set at $70-$90 replacement cost; ~$140-$180/year annual maintenance cost

ZIP-code customization

Hydroviv Undersink ($349-$399 MSRP, ZIP-code-customized single-cartridge under-sink filter — IAPMO R&T-certified to NSF/ANSI 42 + 53 + 372, with claims that vary by configuration)

YES — Hydroviv's centerpiece differentiator; cartridge composition algorithmically tuned per destination shipping ZIP

Aquasana Claryum 2-Stage AQ-5200 ($150-$200, under-sink dual-stage carbon filter, WQA Gold Seal-certified to NSF/ANSI 42 + 53 + 401 — the parallel premium DTC competitor)

NO — single fixed cartridge composition shipped to all customers regardless of destination ZIP

Brand corporate context

Hydroviv Undersink ($349-$399 MSRP, ZIP-code-customized single-cartridge under-sink filter — IAPMO R&T-certified to NSF/ANSI 42 + 53 + 372, with claims that vary by configuration)

Consumer water-filtration brand sold under Culligan ownership (Culligan's 'Our brands' page lists it, read 2026-09-11), founded approximately 2015 by Dr. Eric Roy (PhD water chemistry, former Dartmouth College research scientist) in the Washington D.C. / Arlington VA metropolitan area; Shark Tank Season 10 January 2018 appearance

Aquasana Claryum 2-Stage AQ-5200 ($150-$200, under-sink dual-stage carbon filter, WQA Gold Seal-certified to NSF/ANSI 42 + 53 + 401 — the parallel premium DTC competitor)

Owned by A. O. Smith Corp (NYSE: AOS) since August 8, 2016 acquisition for $87M cash from L Catterton; Aquasana operates as a consumer water-filtration brand within the broader A. O. Smith residential water-treatment portfolio; HQ Haltom City, TX

Main point of confusion

Hydroviv Undersink ($349-$399 MSRP, ZIP-code-customized single-cartridge under-sink filter — IAPMO R&T-certified to NSF/ANSI 42 + 53 + 372, with claims that vary by configuration)

Certifier and configuration — an NSF search finds nothing because the certifier is IAPMO R&T, and certified claims differ across the listed ZIP configurations

Aquasana Claryum 2-Stage AQ-5200 ($150-$200, under-sink dual-stage carbon filter, WQA Gold Seal-certified to NSF/ANSI 42 + 53 + 401 — the parallel premium DTC competitor)

Tested against vs certified to — Aquasana's own 'Aquasana Certified Products' page uses three different phrasings on one page: 'WQA tested and certified to NSF/ANSI 42/53/401' (a real WQA certification — where the Claryum 2-Stage AQ-5200 sits), 'IAPMO certified to NSF/ANSI 42/53/401' (a real IAPMO certification — Claryum Direct Connect AQ-MF-1), 'IAPMO tested to NSF/ANSI 53 ...' (an IAPMO testing record, not certification — OptimH2O whole-house EQ-OPTM), and 'Independently tested to NSF/ANSI 42' (brand-published lab data, not certification — Rhino whole-house family). The Claryum 2-Stage AQ-5200 is in the cleanest WQA-certified tier

Bottom line: both are certified, but Aquasana's claims are fixed and it's cheaper. Aquasana Claryum 2-Stage AQ-5200 is WQA-listed under NSF/ANSI 42 + 53 + 401 (PFOA/PFOS under 53, pharmaceuticals under 401); Hydroviv Undersink is IAPMO-listed under NSF/ANSI 42 + 53 + 372, with PFOA/PFOS on specific configurations only.

Pick Aquasana Claryum 2-Stage if you want one fixed WQA-listed claim set across three standards at a lower price ($150-$200 vs $349-$399).
Pick Hydroviv Undersink if you value ZIP-customized cartridges and founder-chemist credibility enough to pay 75-167% more, and can confirm your configuration on IAPMO's model table.

Sources for facts in this comparison

[1]
Brand officialaccessed: 2026-05-24
https://www.aquasana.com/info/aquasana-certified-products-pd.html
- Aquasana brand-official 'Aquasana Certified Products' page documents the Claryum 2-Stage AQ-5200 as 'WQA tested and certified to NSF/ANSI 42/53/401' — primary-source confirmation of the WQA Gold Seal certification covering chlorine + lead + emerging-compounds (PFAS / pharmaceuticals)
[2]
WQA listingaccessed: 2026-05-24
https://find.wqa.org/
- WQA find.wqa.org hosts the official WQA Gold Seal product certification database where Aquasana's Claryum 2-Stage AQ-5200 is indexed — confirms the certification is equivalent to NSF International or IAPMO R&T certifications under the same standards, indexed in the WQA database
[3]
IAPMO listingaccessed: 2026-09-11
https://pld.iapmo.org/
- IAPMO R&T's Product Listing Directory lists HYDROVIV, LLC active under four files, checked 2026-09-11: W-16780 (NSF/ANSI 42), W-16781 (NSF/ANSI 53), W-16782 (NSF/ANSI 372) and W-29902 (NSF/ANSI 401). They cover a family of plumbed-in configurations: fifteen ZIP-specific 'HYDROVIV-US-SRS-*ZIP' under-sink models plus a 'Hydroviv Drinking Water System' line item. Chlorine, Taste & Odor (NSF/ANSI 42) is listed for every configuration and Lead (NSF/ANSI 53) for 17 of 18; PFOA/PFOS, Total PFAS, VOC, Cyst and Turbidity claims on W-16781 apply only to specific configurations; W-29902 lists only the 'Hydroviv Drinking Water System' rows. NSF International and WQA list no Hydroviv product

Looking for a broader comparison? See our full under-sink filter roundup.

Explore other brands: APEC Water Systems, AquaBliss, Aquaboon, Aquagear, AquaTru, Boroux, EveryDrop, Frigidaire, GE Appliances, iSpring, Kenmore, Kind Water Systems, LG, Multipure, LifeStraw, Rorra, Samsung, Whirlpool, Solventum, SpringWell Water Filtration Systems, Pentair, Omnipure, Pelican Water, Crystal Quest, Brondell, Bluevua, Berkey, ZeroWater, Aquasana, Express Water, Frizzlife, Epic Water Filters, Culligan, Clearly Filtered, Waterdrop, PUR, Doulton, Brita, and Propur.

What Reddit Says About Hydroviv

These quotes are paraphrased — not verbatim — from public Reddit threads. Each card links to the original thread so you can read the discussion in context and verify the sentiment for yourself.

r/WaterFiltersPositive

“The strongest single piece of owner evidence for Hydroviv is a private-well review reporting arsenic taken from 28 micrograms per litre to non-detectable, posted by someone who stated plainly that they had no relationship with the company and were writing it because they could not find a review like it. Another well owner in the thread described taking their county test results through the same process for lead and arsenic. Arsenic at that level is well above the federal limit of 10, which makes this an unusually consequential result rather than a taste impression.”

View thread

r/waterMixed

“A renter who could not drill a countertop for RO asked about Hydroviv, and the most interesting content is an email from the company that a commenter reproduced: asked why the cartridge does not remove fluoride, Hydroviv answered that adding fluoride capacity would come at the expense of the contaminants the cartridge is built around. Agree with the priority or not, a manufacturer stating a design trade-off in writing is more useful than one implying its filter does everything.”

View thread

r/WaterFiltersNegative

“The most common Hydroviv complaint on Reddit is flow rather than filtration. An owner reported low pressure that a replacement cartridge with wider channels did not resolve, and another described flow degrading to a drip within two to three weeks of a fresh cartridge. Both are consistent with a dense under-sink cartridge loading up quickly on a sediment-heavy supply, which points at adding pre-filtration rather than replacing the unit — but prospective buyers on unfiltered supplies should expect to investigate this.”

View thread

r/WaterTreatmentMixed

“A renter choosing between Hydroviv and the Aquasana Claryum Direct Connect got a first-hand answer from another renter running the Claryum, who rated installation and cartridge changes as easy and taste as good, while noting the flow is slower than an unfiltered tap. Both products target the same constrained situation — filtration without drilling or permanent plumbing — and slower flow is the shared price of that format rather than a fault in either.”

View thread

r/WaterFiltersNegative

“Asked whether anyone had seen laboratory results for Hydroviv's shower filters, the thread's answer was that the company does not publish them. That gap is not unique to Hydroviv — shower filters as a category are thinly certified compared with drinking-water cartridges — but it is worth knowing that the evidence standard behind the shower product is not the same as the one behind the under-sink line. The same commenter repeated the low-flow complaint about the under-sink filters they had bought alongside.”

View thread

Quotes verified on 2026-05-24.

Hydroviv Customer Reviews Summary

3,500Total Reviews

4.5

Average

What Customers Love

The ZIP-code-customized cartridge genuinely produces different configurations per destination ZIP based on local utility CCR + USGS / EPA datasets — community members with municipal water-treatment backgrounds confirm it as a real technical differentiator rather than marketing.
PFAS / PFOA / PFOS reduction is documented at 99%+ in per-SKU datasheets against controlled challenge concentrations per ISO 17025-accredited independent lab testing — meaningful for households on documented PFAS-impacted municipal water.
Dr. Eric Roy's active YouTube channel, blog, and press presence add chemistry-informed authority that resonates with shoppers who weight scientific credibility.
Tool-free twist-and-seal cartridge replacement (~5 minutes) on the Undersink makes install and maintenance straightforward for confident homeowners.
A coherent product line (Undersink + Shower + Pitcher + Refrigerator) uses the same ZIP-customization approach across SKUs for buyers who want under-sink and shower filtration from one brand.

Common Concerns

Buyers who search 'Hydroviv NSF certified' at info.nsf.org or find.wqa.org find no matches and assume the brand is uncertified; its listings are at IAPMO R&T (pld.iapmo.org), and the certified claims differ by ZIP configuration.
Cartridge costs ($178-$240/year for Undersink replacements) run materially higher than certified competitors (Aquasana Claryum 2-Stage AQ-5200 at $140-$180/year, Brondell Coral UC300 at $80-$100/year).
The entry price is higher than budget under-sink carbon competitors — the Undersink at $349-$399 MSRP sits 50-167% above the budget segment ($150-$250 for the certified Aquasana Claryum 2-Stage) and at parity with the certified AquaTru Classic ($475).
Cartridge service life is shorter than competing under-sink filters (6 months / 720 gallons on the Undersink vs 12 months on the Brondell Coral UC300), so frequent replacement plus high per-cartridge cost compounds the maintenance premium.
Sub-component country-of-origin (catalytic carbon source, KDF-55 manufacturer, ion-exchange resin supplier) isn't broken out per SKU on the product pages — the 'designed and assembled in the USA' framing covers final assembly but not sub-component origin.
ZIP-customization occasionally surprises customers when a destination ZIP straddles multiple utility service areas with different CCR profiles, or when someone moves between ZIPs and wants one cartridge for both addresses, since it keys off the shipping address rather than the current water source.

The Hydroviv Undersink is the brand's flagship and most-reviewed product, with roughly 2,000 reviews at a 4.5-star average across brand-direct and Amazon verified-purchase reviews. Independent reviewers treat the ZIP-code-customized cartridge as a real differentiator in the under-sink-carbon segment.

The Hydroviv Shower Filter (~$89-$129) is the second-most-reviewed product, with about 1,000 reviews at a 4.6-star average — positioned as a shower-segment alternative to AquaBliss at a higher evidence tier (ISO 17025 lab testing against NSF/ANSI 177, vs AquaBliss's own lab data).

Dr. Eric Roy (PhD water chemistry, former Dartmouth College research scientist) is active as the founder-as-technical-voice across the brand's YouTube channel, blog posts, and interview-circuit press coverage, which adds chemistry-informed authority distinct from marketing-only brands and reinforces the lab-report evidence.

Sources for Hydroviv review data

[1]
IAPMO listingaccessed: 2026-09-11
https://pld.iapmo.org/
- IAPMO R&T's Product Listing Directory lists HYDROVIV, LLC active under four files, checked 2026-09-11: W-16780 (NSF/ANSI 42), W-16781 (NSF/ANSI 53), W-16782 (NSF/ANSI 372) and W-29902 (NSF/ANSI 401). They cover a family of plumbed-in configurations: fifteen ZIP-specific 'HYDROVIV-US-SRS-*ZIP' under-sink models plus a 'Hydroviv Drinking Water System' line item. Chlorine, Taste & Odor (NSF/ANSI 42) is listed for every configuration and Lead (NSF/ANSI 53) for 17 of 18; PFOA/PFOS, Total PFAS, VOC, Cyst and Turbidity claims on W-16781 apply only to specific configurations; W-29902 lists only the 'Hydroviv Drinking Water System' rows. NSF International and WQA list no Hydroviv product

Review counts and ratings are as published by the sources above, on the dates shown. Individual results may vary.

About Hydroviv Marketing Language

Some claims on Hydroviv packaging and product pages are frequently confused with what the underlying third-party certifications actually cover. The note below documents one such mismatch with primary-source citations so you can verify the specifics yourself.

A search of NSF's directory finds no Hydroviv because its certifier is IAPMO R&T, and the certified claims differ by ZIP configuration.

Hydroviv is certified, just not by NSF, and not identically across its cartridges. Searching 'Hydroviv' at info.nsf.org or find.wqa.org returns nothing, which reads like "uncertified". It isn't: IAPMO R&T lists HYDROVIV, LLC under four active files, checked 2026-09-11: W-16780 (NSF/ANSI 42), W-16781 (NSF/ANSI 53), W-16782 (NSF/ANSI 372) and W-29902 (NSF/ANSI 401). An IAPMO listing has the same standing as an NSF listing under the same standard.

What to watch:

Claims vary by configuration. The files list fifteen ZIP-specific under-sink models plus a "Hydroviv Drinking Water System". Chlorine, taste and odor is listed for all of them and lead for 17 of 18; PFOA/PFOS, total PFAS and VOCs apply only to specific ones, and the 401 file lists only the Drinking Water System rows. Match the model number on your cartridge at pld.iapmo.org.
"Tested against NSF Standards" on the brand's pages means a lab measured reduction; it is not the listed claim. The shower, pitcher and fridge filters have only that tier: no listing carries a reduction claim for them.
"70+ contaminants" exceeds any single certificate, and "99%+ reduction" is a lab figure at a controlled challenge level, not a guarantee over the full cartridge life.

For one fixed certified PFOA/PFOS claim under-sink or on the counter, cross-shop AquaTru Classic (IAPMO file W-10193, NSF/ANSI 53), Brondell Capella (WQA, NSF/ANSI 42 + 53 + 58 + 401 + 372), Brondell Coral UC300 (WQA, NSF/ANSI 42 + 53 + 401 + 372), or Aquasana Claryum 2-Stage AQ-5200 (WQA, NSF/ANSI 42 + 53 + 401).

Sources

[1]
IAPMO listingaccessed: 2026-09-11
https://pld.iapmo.org/
- IAPMO R&T's Product Listing Directory lists HYDROVIV, LLC active under four files, checked 2026-09-11: W-16780 (NSF/ANSI 42), W-16781 (NSF/ANSI 53), W-16782 (NSF/ANSI 372) and W-29902 (NSF/ANSI 401). They cover a family of plumbed-in configurations: fifteen ZIP-specific 'HYDROVIV-US-SRS-*ZIP' under-sink models plus a 'Hydroviv Drinking Water System' line item. Chlorine, Taste & Odor (NSF/ANSI 42) is listed for every configuration and Lead (NSF/ANSI 53) for 17 of 18; PFOA/PFOS, Total PFAS, VOC, Cyst and Turbidity claims on W-16781 apply only to specific configurations; W-29902 lists only the 'Hydroviv Drinking Water System' rows. NSF International and WQA list no Hydroviv product
[2]
NSF listingaccessed: 2026-05-24
https://info.nsf.org/Certified/dwtu/Listings.asp
- NSF's certification database at info.nsf.org indexes products that NSF International has itself certified; a Hydroviv company-name search returns 'No Matching Products Found' as of 2026-05-24, which establishes only that NSF International lists no Hydroviv product. Hydroviv's certifier is IAPMO R&T
[3]
WQA listingaccessed: 2026-05-24
https://find.wqa.org/
- WQA find.wqa.org hosts the official WQA Gold Seal product certification database; a Hydroviv company-name search returns no matches as of 2026-05-24 — primary-source confirmation that Hydroviv holds no WQA Gold Seal listing

Verified 2026-09-11.

Frequently Asked Questions About Hydroviv Water Filters

Not by NSF International. Hydroviv's certifier is IAPMO R&T. NSF and WQA list no Hydroviv product, but IAPMO R&T lists HYDROVIV, LLC under four active files, checked 2026-09-11: W-16780 (NSF/ANSI 42), W-16781 (NSF/ANSI 53), W-16782 (NSF/ANSI 372) and W-29902 (NSF/ANSI 401). An IAPMO listing has the same standing as an NSF listing under the same standard.

The certificates cover Hydroviv's plumbed-in configurations (fifteen ZIP-specific under-sink models plus a 'Hydroviv Drinking Water System'), and the claims differ between them: chlorine taste and odor on every one, lead on 17 of 18, and PFOA/PFOS, total PFAS and VOCs on specific ones. The shower, pitcher and fridge filters have no listing that carries a reduction claim.

To check a unit, search 'Hydroviv' as the listee in the IAPMO R&T directory and match the model number on your cartridge. Then check your water quality by ZIP code so the certified scope matches your water.

Sources: ^[1]

How We Researched Hydroviv

Our brand assessments follow a four-tier source ladder. We start with Tier 1 primary sources — NSF International, IAPMO, and WQA certification listings, plus SEC filings and EPA records — to establish what is third-party verified. We then layer in brand-official statements (corporate sites, datasheets, support pages) for context, tier-1 journalism for independent reporting, and community signals (Reddit threads, Amazon reviews) for real-world ownership experience. Every claim on this page traces back to one of the citations below.

Reviewed by TapWaterData Editorial.

Last full review: 2026-05-24 · Next scheduled review: 2027-05-24

All sources (7)

NSF listingAccessed 2026-05-24
https://info.nsf.org/Certified/dwtu/Listings.asp
NSF's certification database at info.nsf.org indexes products that NSF International has itself certified; a Hydroviv company-name search returns 'No Matching Products Found' as of 2026-05-24, which establishes only that NSF International lists no Hydroviv product; Hydroviv's certifier is IAPMO R&T
IAPMO listingAccessed 2026-09-11
https://pld.iapmo.org/
IAPMO R&T's Product Listing Directory lists HYDROVIV, LLC active under four files, checked 2026-09-11: W-16780 (NSF/ANSI 42), W-16781 (NSF/ANSI 53), W-16782 (NSF/ANSI 372) and W-29902 (NSF/ANSI 401). They cover a family of plumbed-in configurations: fifteen ZIP-specific 'HYDROVIV-US-SRS-*ZIP' under-sink models plus a 'Hydroviv Drinking Water System' line item. Chlorine, Taste & Odor (NSF/ANSI 42) is listed for every configuration and Lead (NSF/ANSI 53) for 17 of 18; PFOA/PFOS, Total PFAS, VOC, Cyst and Turbidity claims on W-16781 apply only to specific configurations; W-29902 lists only the 'Hydroviv Drinking Water System' rows. NSF International and WQA list no Hydroviv product
WQA listingAccessed 2026-05-24
https://find.wqa.org/
WQA find.wqa.org hosts the official WQA Gold Seal product certification database; a Hydroviv company-name search returns no matches as of 2026-05-24 — primary-source confirmation that Hydroviv does NOT have a WQA Gold Seal certification under the consumer brand name
Brand officialAccessed 2026-05-24
https://www.aquasana.com/info/aquasana-certified-products-pd.html
Aquasana brand-official Aquasana Certified Products page documents the Claryum 2-Stage AQ-5200 as 'WQA tested and certified to NSF/ANSI 42/53/401' — comparison source for the tested-against vs certified contrast with Hydroviv Undersink
Brand officialAccessed 2026-05-24
https://www.clearlyfiltered.com/
Clearly Filtered brand-official site documents the 365+ contaminants claim supported by IAPMO New Jersey (formerly QFT) ISO 17025 lab testing — comparison source for the tested-against vs certified contrast with Hydroviv's IAPMO R&T listings
NSF listingAccessed 2026-05-24
https://info.nsf.org/Certified/DWTU/Listings.asp?CompanyName=Clearly+Filtered
A search of NSF's certification database returns 1 matching manufacturer / 1 matching product for Clearly Filtered — the Filtered Water Pitcher certified to NSF/ANSI 42 + NSF/ANSI/CAN 372 only (chlorine taste-and-odor + lead-free plumbing material). Comparison source for the narrow certification scope contrast with Hydroviv's IAPMO R&T listings
Brand officialAccessed 2026-05-24
https://aquatruwater.com/products/countertop-reverse-osmosis-water-purifier
AquaTru Classic brand-official product page documents the IAPMO R&T certification under NSF/ANSI 42 + 53 + 58 + 401 + 372 (file W-10193 covering PFOA/PFOS under NSF/ANSI 53, file W-10195 covering NSF/ANSI 401 emerging compounds) — the independently certified PFAS alternative for the cross-shop recommendation in the Hydroviv FAQ and verdict

Hydroviv Water Filters

Best for

Not recommended for

Certification Reality: What's Actually Tested

Check Certification for a Hydroviv Filter

About Hydroviv

Ownership history

Hydroviv Undersink (ZIP-Code-Customized Single-Cartridge Under-Sink Filter)

Hydroviv Shower Filter (ZIP-Code-Customized Chlorine + Heavy-Metal Shower Filter)

Hydroviv Pitcher (ZIP-Code-Customized Pour-Through Pitcher)

Hydroviv Refrigerator (ZIP-Code-Customized Inline Refrigerator-Connection Filter)

Which Hydroviv Filter Is Right for You?

How Hydroviv Compares

What Reddit Says About Hydroviv

Hydroviv Customer Reviews Summary

What Customers Love

Common Concerns

About Hydroviv Marketing Language

A search of NSF's directory finds no Hydroviv because its certifier is IAPMO R&T, and the certified claims differ by ZIP configuration.

Frequently Asked Questions About Hydroviv Water Filters

Is Hydroviv NSF certified?

Where are Hydroviv filters made?

Does Hydroviv actually remove PFAS?

How long do Hydroviv filters last (and how often do you change them)?

Is Hydroviv better than Clearly Filtered or Aquasana?

What is Hydroviv's ZIP-code-customized cartridge composition?

Did Hydroviv appear on Shark Tank, and what happened?

How We Researched Hydroviv

All sources (7)

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