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Brondell Coral UC300 Three-Stage Under-Sink Water Filter

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Brondell Coral UC300 Three-Stage Under-Sink Water Filter

A three-stage under-sink carbon filter that WQA lists for lead, PFOA/PFOS, chloramine and 16 emerging contaminants. Filters cost about $80 a year. No fluoride or arsenic reduction, and its PFAS test used the older 70 ng/L limit.

Best for Anyone who wants lead, PFOA/PFOS and chloramine reduced at a dedicated faucet without paying for reverse osmosis.

Our rating
Good (3.9 of 5)
Price range
Budget
Verified marks
WQA Gold Seal: NSF/ANSI 42, 53 and 401, WQA listing: NSF/ANSI/CAN 372 (lead-free) and CSA B483.1
Size
Under-sink, three carbon stages; filter set rated for 600 gallons; 0.5 gpm

approx. $180 for the system with its faucet

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

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

Also sold at Lowe’s ($180), The Home Depot ($180), Walmart ($180) .

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

    How we evaluated it

    How it scores Our rating, metric by metric Good, 3.9 of 5
    1. Proven reduction 35% of the rating 4 of 5

      WQA lists this model for lead, PFOA/PFOS, mercury, cysts, VOCs, chloramine and 16 emerging compounds. PFOA/PFOS were tested only against the older 70 ng/L limit. No fluoride, arsenic or nitrate.

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

      Plastic cartridges and a chrome faucet with a battery light. Brondell does not name its plastics and mentions no silver. The parts are certified lead-free.

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

      A paid WQA certification and a data sheet that prints the challenge and limit for every result. Consumer Reports tested it for taste, flow and clogging, not lead or PFAS, and its score is members-only.

    4. Trust 10% of the rating 4 of 5

      No recall or filter complaint investigation found, and a full data sheet. One 2015 Prop 65 notice named Brondell over phthalates in a bidet hose, not this filter.

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

      $180 plus an $80 filter set a year, about $500 over five years. The Aquasana Claryum costs about $930 to $1,100 (sale or list price) and the Multipure Aquaversa about $1,000 over the same time.

    The rating, 3.9 of 5, is the weighted average of these scores. See how we rank water filters and our standard.

    Where to buy Stores and the prices we saw 3 stores

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

    What it’s made of What touches your food, water, skin or air 4 materials
    1. Sediment filter, pre-carbon filter and carbon block filter (UF-35), in three plastic cartridges; Brondell does not name the plastic
    2. Chrome drinking-water faucet with an LED filter-change light (battery-powered)
    3. Hoses and fittings: not described on the product page or data sheet
    4. No silver or other antimicrobial is mentioned. WQA also lists the system under NSF/ANSI/CAN 372 for lead content of the parts that touch water
    Who tested it What each test found, and who paid for it 3 tests
    • Paid certification Water Quality Association (WQA)

      Lists the UC300 under NSF/ANSI 42, 53 and 401, with replacement element UF-35 rated 600 gallons at 0.5 gpm. Brondell’s data sheet shows lead cut by 99.2% to 99.7% against a 5 µg/L limit, PFOA/PFOS cut by 99.0% from a 1,500 ng/L challenge to under the older 70 ng/L limit, chloramine by 98.6% and microplastics by 99.5%. The maker pays for the program. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)

    • Paid certification Water Quality Association (WQA)

      Lists the UC300 under NSF/ANSI/CAN 372 (lead content of the parts) and CSA B483.1, the Canadian standard for drinking water treatment systems. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)

    • Independent Consumer Reports

      Tested the Coral UC300 Three Stage in its under-sink water filter program (ten models). It scores flavor and odor reduction, flow rate and clogging. It does not test lead or PFAS removal; it lists this model as certified for both. Its overall score is behind a membership wall. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)

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

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

    What people ask Worries raised online and elsewhere, and what we found 6 questions
    Has anyone with no stake tested it?
    Yes, in part. Consumer Reports put it through its under-sink tests for taste, flow and clogging (CR page (opens in a new tab)). That does not show lead or PFAS removal, and the score is members-only, so we cannot report it. No independent lab has published lead or PFAS results for this model.
    How strong is the PFAS result?
    Good but not the strictest. Brondell’s sheet tests PFOA and PFOS from 1,500 ng/L down to under 70 ng/L, the older limit; Aquasana tests to 20 ng/L, and EPA’s legal limit for each is 4 ng/L. Duke’s home study found under-sink dual-stage and reverse osmosis filters removed PFAS almost completely (abstract (opens in a new tab)). That study did not name this model.
    Does one filter set really last 12 months?
    Only at light use. The set is rated for 600 gallons, and at the data sheet’s 2.6 gallons a day that runs out in about eight months, so a busy kitchen pays nearer $125 a year.
    Does it leak, like some under-sink filters?
    We found no recall, and none of the ClassAction.org investigations into leaking under-sink filters names Brondell (2020 investigation (opens in a new tab)). Any housing under pressure can fail, so check under the sink after a filter change.
    Does the brand have a chemical record?
    One notice. In 2015 a California Prop 65 notice named Brondell and Bed Bath & Beyond over DEHP, a phthalate, in a Simple Spa bidet hose (notice 2015-00659 (opens in a new tab)). It concerned a different product. We found nothing on the filter.
    Who gets paid when people recommend it?
    Brondell runs an affiliate program and a “Give $20, Get $20” referral offer, so some reviews that recommend it earn money (Brondell (opens in a new tab)). We could not see the commission rate.
    Trade-offs What to weigh before you buy 4 points
    • PFOA/PFOS was tested against the older limit. The data sheet allows 70 ng/L in the filtered water, newer NSF testing uses 20 ng/L, and EPA’s legal limit is 4 ng/L. If PFAS is your main worry, compare the Aquasana Claryum or a reverse osmosis system.
    • It is not reverse osmosis. Nothing in the listing covers fluoride, arsenic, nitrate or dissolved minerals.
    • The 12-month interval assumes light use. At the data sheet’s 2.6 gallons a day, 600 gallons runs out in about 8 months, so a busy kitchen may pay about $125 a year for filters.
    • It needs a 7/16-inch hole in the sink or counter for its faucet. The system has a one-year limited warranty.
    What to know Details worth knowing first

    An under-sink carbon filter is the simplest way to get a certified lead and PFAS filter at the tap. The Coral UC300 has three stages: a sediment filter, a pre-carbon filter and a carbon block. It comes with its own small faucet, so filtered water never mixes with the rest of your plumbing. Our guide to choosing a filter explains where carbon sits next to reverse osmosis.

    We opened WQA’s own directory, and it lists this exact model for NSF/ANSI 42, 53 and 401. That is why it is here. Brondell’s data sheet then gives the numbers, and they are strong for lead (99%+). Consumer Reports has tested it for taste, flow and clogging, but no one without a stake has published lead or PFAS results. The caveat is PFAS. The test limit on this data sheet is 70 ng/L, an older figure, so read our note on avoiding PFAS if your water has a known PFAS problem.

    Filters are $79.99 a set, and the maker says to change them every 12 months or 600 gallons. Heavy drinkers and cooks will reach the gallon limit first. Check your tap first with a water test, because carbon will not help with fluoride or arsenic.

    What we checked Each claim, and how sure we are of it 7 checks
    Third-party tested
    Yes
    Tested by
    WQA (Water Quality Association), paid for by the maker
    How Brondell Coral UC300 Three-Stage Under-Sink Water Filter measures up against our water filters criteria
    What we checked What we found
    Certified, not just claimed Verified WQA’s own directory lists the UC300, as “Brondell H2O+ Coral UC300 Three-Stage Under Counter Water Filtration System”, for NSF/ANSI 42, 53 and 401, plus 372 and CSA B483.1. Opened 2026-10-23. WQA tests to the same NSF/ANSI standards that NSF does.
    Matched to your water Not verified Not something we can check for you. Read your utility’s water report or test your tap, then compare it with the list on the WQA page.
    The contaminants you care about Verified Listed under NSF/ANSI 53: lead, PFOA, PFOS, mercury, MTBE, cysts, asbestos, turbidity and VOCs (as chloroform). Under 401: 16 compounds including BPA, ibuprofen and microplastics. Chloramine and chlorine are listed under 42 as taste-and-odor claims.
    Data sheet results Maker’s claim Percent reductions come from Brondell’s own data sheet, which cites the NSF/ANSI test limits: lead 99.2% and 99.7%, PFOA/PFOS 99.0%, chloramine 98.6%.
    Independent test of this model Not verified Consumer Reports tested it for taste and odor, flow rate and clogging; the score is members-only. No independent lead or PFAS result found.
    Flow and waste Maker’s claim 0.50 gpm rated service flow on the data sheet. A carbon block, so no water goes to the drain.
    Replacement cost Maker’s claim $79.99 per set (sediment, pre-carbon and carbon block) every 12 months or 600 gallons. About $80 a year at light use; nearer $125 at the data sheet’s 2.6 gallons a day. Price from Brondell’s site, 2026-10-23.
    What the labels mean
    • Verified We opened an independent record that confirms it: a certifier’s listing, a regulator’s list or a lab report. It is linked under Sources.
    • Maker’s claim The maker says so on its own page or label. We read it but found no independent record.
    • Not verified We looked and could not confirm it, or the maker does not say. Treat it as unknown.
    Sources Where our facts come from 10 sources
    1. Brondell Coral UC300 product page: price, filters, certifications. Maker’s page. $179.99 system, $79.99 filter set, 1-year limited warranty, as seen 2026-10-23. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    2. Coral UC300 performance data sheet (Brondell). Maker’s page. Published by Brondell. Lists each test result against the NSF/ANSI limit. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    3. WQA directory: Brondell, NSF/ANSI 53 (health effects). Certifier or regulator listing. Lists the UC300 with replacement element UF-35, 600 gallons, 0.5 gpm. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    4. WQA directory: Brondell, NSF/ANSI 401 (emerging compounds). Certifier or regulator listing. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    5. WQA directory: Brondell, NSF/ANSI 42 (aesthetic effects). Certifier or regulator listing. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    6. WQA directory: Brondell, NSF/ANSI/CAN 372 (lead content). Certifier or regulator listing. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    7. Consumer Reports: Brondell Coral UC300 Three Stage (under-sink test program). Independent source. Says the model was tested by CR’s experts and lists what CR scores. The overall score is members-only. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    8. California Attorney General: Prop 65 notice 2015-00659 (Brondell, Bed Bath & Beyond). Certifier or regulator listing. DEHP in a Simple Spa bidet hose, filed 13 July 2015. Not a filter. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    9. ClassAction.org: leaking under-sink water filters (closed 2020). Independent source. Names other makers; Brondell is not among them. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    10. Assessing the Effectiveness of Point-of-Use Residential Drinking Water Filters for Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs) (Duke University, 2020). Test report. Abstract read via Crossref. The publisher blocks automated access, so we could not read the data tables. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
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