How to Choose a Water Filter?

Water quality is an important aspect of coffee brewing, especially since around 98% of your final brew is the water itself.

Our goal is to offer everything you will need for your water filtration system – from replacement cartridges, refills, filter heads, water meters, water bottle pumps, water hardness kit and even all bundled together in one complete water system.

Finding the right water filter for your coffee machine means finding a balance between protecting the machine and producing great tasting water.

Water filters are designed to reduce unwanted particles from the water in order to reduce water hardness, unpleasant tastes, and odours. Not only will this result in a better tasting water, it will also reduce scale build-up and corrosion and prolong a life of your coffee machine.

There are five types of water filters all addressing different water issue.

1. Absorption
2. Mechanical
3. Sequestration
4.  Ion exchange
5.  Reverse osmosis

Absorption water filters - the most common absorption water filters are carbon filters. Carbon absorbs chlorine and related contaminants and hence improve the water taste.

Mechanical water filters - These water filters remove sediment, dirt and other particles using a barrier, e.g a basic mesh or ceramic filter. These filters are rated in microns – 5 microns (removes most particles visible to naked eye), 1 micron (removes particles visible with microscope) and 0.5 (removes giardia and cryptosporidium cysts). 

Sequestration - Sequestration is the action of chemically isolation a substance. The most common media is a food grade polyphosphate. It isolates magnesium minerals and calcium which cause limescale and corrosion. However, polyphosphate only reduces scale rather than removing it which means that though it is suitable for domestic use, it’s not suitable for commercial applications.

Ion exchange - the Ion exchange is a method of softening hard water by exchanging the ions that cause water harness such as magnesium and calcium with ions such as sodium and hydrogen. Ion exchange removes the hard minerals making water suitable for commercial coffee machines.

Reverse osmosis (RO) - the Reverse osmosis is the process that uses a partially permeable membrane to separate ions (such as magnesium and calcium).  The water pushes through the membrane, but the unwanted particles are left behind. The reverse osmosis is a highly effective way of purifying water and can be combined with other filers such as mechanical and activated carbon.

It is essential to find a correct water filer in order to produce a great tasting coffee and at the same time to protect your coffee machine from a lime scale build-up.

Besides commercial water filters, we also offer domestic water filters for bean to cup coffee makers. If you are looking for water filter for Sage, Melitta or Jura bean to cup coffee machine, we suggest you buy one suggested by the coffee machine maker as using a different one might violate the coffee machine warranty.

If you are looking for a new water filtration system for your commercial coffee machine you have couple of options - you can buy everything separately - the filter head, the cartridge, the flow meter (optional) or you can buy a complete system. However, whether you choose first or second option, either way it is essential to understand your water usage.  

You can work out your water usage by calculating the water you are using from the number of cups of coffees/hot drinks you are serving - say an espresso is around 40ml/50ml and an Americano/Cup of tea is around 200ml. If you are serving around 100 Espressos and 100 Americanos a day, that would equate to 25 Litres of water a day, and around 750 Litres a month.

The water filter should be changed every few months or quarterly. Based on the example of water usage above of 750 litres of water per month you would need water filter with capacity of 3000 litres. You could choose from the Everpure Claris Ultra 500 or the Brita Purity C300.

The iX Complete System includes everything and is what you need to get started - this is the same for all iX Filters: Filter, Carbon, Dispense, Ice & Vapour. The complete system also includes the filter head, cartridge and refill. The great thing about these filters is that instead of replacing the entire cartridge you only ever need to replace the refill insert.

The iX water filters are perfect for improving taste and quality of hot beverages whilst also being more Eco friendly. Ideal for commercial coffee machine usage, and coffee and food service applications. The numbers 01, 02, 03 distinguish the different sizes and which applications they suit. For better tasting coffee & tea, the iX Filter also contains a carbon block for additional taste and odour removal. Blended for premium beverage quality. The media insert reduces scale and provides superior taste for outstanding results.

iX Filter 01 - Used for small table top machines, low volume usage.

iX Filter 02 - used for 2 group traditional espresso machines, bean to cup machines, medium volume sites.

iX Filter 03 - used for 3 Group traditional espresso machines, large bulk brewers, high volume sites.

 * Capacity @ 180ppm indicates how much water can go through the filter in total before if need to be changed. PPM is parts per million and is used to measure water hardness - 180ppm is standard water hardness for most areas in England. You can find our map of water hardness in the UK here - generally speaking if you are in an area of harder water you may want to consider a larger sized water filter or change the filter more often.

iX Carbon 01 - for drinking water taps, medium use water coolers, coffee and tea

iX Carbon 02 - Large water coolers, coffee and tea, high volume sites

iX Ice 01 - for small ice cubers, dispensers producing 40/50kg (24 hours)

iX Ice 02 - for medium cubers producing 80/100kg (24 hours)

iX Dispense 03 - for large ice machines, flakers & cubers producing 150/200 kg (24 Hours) 

 The Claris filters are one of the leading brands in the industry. The Claris system is ideal for steam equipment such as combi ovens and the Claris Ultra is popular choice for speciality coffee and tea brewing including hot drinks vending.

Everpure Claris Ultra 

Available in 6 cartridge sizes with capacities ranging from 1,700 litres to 20,000 litres based on an influent water hardness of 180 ppm with standard bypass settings. The Everpure Claris Ultra range is designed to help find the best balance between protecting equipment and achieving the desired quality of brewed coffee, espresso or ice cubes by consistently maintaining an acceptable acidity level. 

If you are getting started with the Everpure Claris Ultra Water filters, you will also need to purchase the Claris system's filter head which is sold separately to the cartridges.

Evepure Claris Filters

Recommended for steam applications, the original Claris system provides excellent scale prevention for all steam equipment, including combi-ovens. The filters are approved by a number of catering equipment manufacturers and their service.

Brita are the leaders in manufacturing of water filters on the European market for both households and professional catering companies. To get started you will need the pressure housing, cartridge and the filter head. When the filter needs replacing you will need to purchase another cartridge. You can keep reusing the heads and pressure housing (as long as the pressure housing is the correct fit for the cartridge).

Brita Purity Aquaquell ST 450, ST 600 & ST 1200

The Brita Aquaquell Purity system provides this with four stage filtration and a display unit that gives all the information you need to keep the unit at peak efficiency. Unlike replacement pod systems, where the whole filter is replaced, with the Brita Aquaquell Purity system only the inner cartridge needs replacing.

The key to a long term solution is an efficient water filter system with timely filter exchange to keep the system at optimum efficiency.

The Brita Complete Systems include the pressure housing, cartridge and head.

Brita Purity C Quell C150, C300, C500

Specially developed for catering and vending sectors, the PURITY C Quell ST filter cartridges reduce carbonate hardness in drinking water and, therefore, reduce the danger of limescale deposits in equipment. In addition, the filter medium retains metal ions, such as lead or copper, and also reduces substances that can negatively affect taste and aroma (such as chlorine residues).

iX Water Filters Brochure

iX Filter Installation Guide

Everpure Claris Ultra Brochure

Everpure Claris Ultra 250 Data Sheet