Updated September 30, 2026 · SmartHomeCue Editorial Team
Alb Filter vs Waterdrop（EU）
Alb Filter vs Waterdrop（EU）: the differences
| Compare |  Alb Filter | Waterdrop（EU） ReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives |
|---|---|---|
| Filter system | Tap | Reverse osmosis |
| Reference models | Alb Filter Duo Active, Alb Filter Duo Active Plus, Alb Filter Untertisch Element Active, Alb Filter Untertisch Element Fusion | Waterdrop X Series Reverse Osmosis System X12, Waterdrop G3P800 Tankless RO System, Waterdrop X16 Undersink Reverse Osmosis System |
| Price from | €118.90 | €20.99Lower |
| Cartridge price | €25.90Lower | €33.99 |
| Cartridge life (l) | 3,000 to 5,000Higher | 4,164 |
| Filter cost per year | €77.70 | €33.99Lower |
| Certification scope | Nano cartridge certified to ASTM F838-15A, permitted even in public facilities with acute Legionella contamination | X12 certified NSF/ANSI 42, 58 and 372 for reduction of TDS, PFOA, PFOS, chlorine, fluoride, barium, salt, chromium-VI, lead, heavy metals, taste and odor; F1A filter certified by IAPMO R&T (NSF/ANSI 58 & 372) and SGS |
| Warranty | 10 yearsHigher | 1 to 2 years |
| Markets | DE, AT, BE, DK, LU, NL, PL, FR, ES, IT, HU, SK, SI, SE, AD, SM, VA, BG, HR, CY, EE, FI, GR, IE, LV, LT, MT, PT, RO, CH, GB, LI, NO, UA | AT, BE, BG, CH, CY, CZ, DE, DK, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HR, HU, IE, IT, LT, LU, LV, MT, NL, NO, PL, PT, RO, SE, SI, SK, TR |
Same on both: PFAS and lead reduction (Yes), Installation required (Yes).
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Key differences
- Waterdrop（EU） scores higher overall: 9.5 vs 9.2.
- Price from is lower at Waterdrop（EU）: €20.99 vs €118.90.
- Cartridge price is lower at Alb Filter: €25.90 vs €33.99.
- Cartridge life (l) is higher at Alb Filter: 3,000 to 5,000 vs 4,164.
- Filter cost per year is lower at Waterdrop（EU）: €33.99 vs €77.70.
- Warranty is higher at Alb Filter: 10 years vs 1 to 2 years.
- Support channels: only Waterdrop（EU） offers Chat.
- Founded is lower at Waterdrop（EU）: 2015 vs 2016.
- Alb Filter is available in 4 more countries.
- Markets: only Alb Filter offers AD, SM, VA.
Our verdict on each
Alb Filter
Alb Filter suits households that want a fixed tap unit with a long warranty and a cartridge they can reorder, and the fit is strongest across the European markets it ships to. It scores 9.2, with the value sitting in the cartridge at €25.90 and a 10 year warranty rather than the ticket price.
Waterdrop（EU）
Waterdrop's EU store suits European households that want certified reverse osmosis and a cheap annual filter bill. Filters come to €33.99 a year, which ranks 2 of 46 brands compared, and support answers by phone, live chat and email if a fitting ever leaks.
Score breakdown
| Area | Alb Filter | Waterdrop（EU） |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.4Entry at €118.90 and €77.70 a year in cartridges, for a cost part of 9.4. | 9.8HigherFilter running cost is €33.99 a year, ranking 2 of 46, and the entry price is €20.99. |
| Offer | 9.4A 3,000 to 5,000 litre cartridge with PFAS and lead reduction, and a 10 year warranty, for an offer part of 9.4. | 9.5HigherReverse osmosis system, PFAS lead reduction stated as yes, and a replacement filter rated at 4,164 litres. |
| Trust | 8.5A named legal entity in DE with support on email, phone and help centre, for a trust part of 8.5. | 8.8HigherFounded 2015, support on email, chat and phone, warranty of 1 to 2 years, and IAPMO R&T and SGS certification on the replacement filter. |
The numbers side by side
| Fact | Alb Filter | Waterdrop（EU） |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | €118.90 | €20.99 |
| Cartridge price | €25.90 | €33.99 |
| Cartridge life (l) | 3,000 to 5,000 | 4,164 |
| Filter cost per year | €77.70 | €33.99 |
| Warranty | 10 years | 1 to 2 years |
How they place
| Ranking | Alb Filter | Waterdrop（EU） |
|---|---|---|
| Water filters | 11 of 68 | 4 of 68 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Alb Filter | Waterdrop（EU） |
|---|---|---|
| NSF/ANSI standards | Not confirmed | 42, 58 |
| Legal entity | Blaufaktor GmbH & Co. KG | Not confirmed |
| Headquarters | Germany | Not confirmed |
| Founded | 2016 | 2015Lower |
| Support channels | Email, Phone, Help centre | Email, Chat, Phone, Help centreCovers more |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Alb Filter | Waterdrop（EU） | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price from | €118.90above the median | €20.99lowest quarter | €77.77 |
| Cartridge price | €25.90below the median | €33.99below the median | €35 |
| Cartridge life (l) | 3,000 to 5,000highest quarter | 4,164above the median | 2,862.5 |
| Filter cost per year | €77.70below the median | €33.99lowest quarter | €99.99 |
| Warranty | 10 yearshighest quarter | 1 to 2 yearsat the median | 2 years |
Median across 47 listed brands.
Pros and cons
Alb Filter
Pros
- The Nano cartridge at the centre of the range carries an ASTM certification, and that scope even permits use in public facilities with acute Legionella contamination.
- A cartridge at €25.90 ranks 9 of 50 on cartridge price, ahead of the same brand's entry price placement at 25 of 52.
- PFAS and lead reduction is specified for the cartridge at the centre of the range, so the reduction claim sits on the part you actually replace.
Cons
- Entry price of €118.90 ranks 25 of 52, so this is a mid range ticket rather than a low one.
- Yearly filter spend of €77.70 sits mid field at 17 of 46, which is a softer placement than the cartridge price alone would suggest.
- The tap format is not reverse osmosis, so readers set on Waterdrop (EU) or Culligan Consumer Products will find a different design.
Waterdrop（EU）
Pros
- Filter running cost of €33.99 a year ranks 2 of 46, among the cheapest supplies compared.
- PFAS lead reduction is stated as yes, and the certification scope names NSF/ANSI 42 and 58 plus IAPMO R&T and SGS certification for the replacement filter.
- An entry price of €20.99 ranks 4 of 52.
Cons
- Installation is required, so plan on fitting the unit before the first glass, which rules out a plug and play setup for renters.
- Warranty cover runs 1 to 2 years, which is brief for a fixed system with tubing and fittings.
- Cartridge life of 4,164 litres ranks 7 of 26, mid field on that measure.
Who each suits
Alb Filter
Who it suits
- Households in the markets Alb Filter ships to that want a permanent tap fitting rather than a unit they carry between flats.
- Readers who care what a certification actually covers, since the Nano cartridge carries an ASTM certification whose scope even reaches public facilities with acute Legionella contamination.
- People filtering at the tap for PFAS and lead, since reduction of both is specified for the cartridge at the centre of the range.
Who should look elsewhere
- Buyers set on reverse osmosis, because Waterdrop (EU) and Culligan Consumer Products both run that filter system while the range here is tap.
- Renters who cannot drill a tap fitting, since installation is required here and IBBL runs a countertop system instead.
Waterdrop（EU）
Who it suits
- Households that want certified reverse osmosis (reverse osmosis) and treat PFAS and lead reduction as a must have.
- Buyers who plan filters as a yearly line item, since the running cost is €33.99.
- People shopping in the markets the service policy covers: AT, BE and BG.
Who should look elsewhere
- Lifestraw, if a jug format fits your kitchen better than a plumbed reverse osmosis unit.
- IBBL, whose countertop format suits buyers who prefer equipment that stays on the counter.
- Culligan Consumer Products, whose reference models span reverse osmosis, tankless reverse osmosis and an under sink good water machine, if you want a wider second RO range to shortlist.
Country by country
| Country | Alb Filter | Waterdrop（EU） |
|---|---|---|
| Andorra | Yes | No |
| Czechia | No | Yes |
| Liechtenstein | Yes | No |
| San Marino | Yes | No |
| Turkey | No | Yes |
| Ukraine | Yes | No |
| United Kingdom | Yes | No |
| Vatican City | Yes | No |
8 of 36 countries where either is available.
Questions about each
Alb Filter
What does an Alb Filter tap filter cost to buy?+
There is a single purchase price for the hardware. Drinking water filter units in the range start at €118.90, and that covers the fitting itself. Nothing renews on a schedule, so the second figure a buyer meets is the replacement cartridge at €25.90, ordered only when the fitted cartridge nears the end of its life.
What does it cost to keep filtering year after year?+
The cartridge line is the real running cost. A replacement cartridge is €25.90, and the range works out at €77.70 a year of filtering. The Nano cartridge is rated for 3,000 to 5,000 litres, so the number of orders a year depends on how much your household runs the tap and on your local water quality.
Waterdrop（EU）
What do filters cost each year?+
A replacement filter costs €33.99, and the yearly filter cost is €33.99. The two figures match, so budgeting a replacement filter every year is the practical assumption rather than a saving. That running cost ranks 2 of 46 brands compared.
What does a Waterdrop system cost to start with?+
The lowest price in the EU store is €20.99, which is the cheapest item rather than a complete system. The reference models named by the brand are a reverse osmosis system, a tankless reverse osmosis unit and an undersink model, and each one is a fitted unit that needs installing.