Updated September 30, 2026 · SmartHomeCue Editorial Team
BOROUX Water Filtration vs Glacierfresh
What sets them apart
| Compare | BOROUX Water Filtration ReviewVisitVisit |  Glacierfresh |
|---|---|---|
| Filter system | Countertop | Reverse osmosis |
| Reference models | BOROUX 3-Gallon Water Filter System, BOROUX 1.8-Gallon Water Filter System, BOROUX Proactive Fluoride Reduction Filter, Shower Filter System | GlacierFresh U03 800GPD Undersink Reverse Osmosis System; GlacierFresh U06 Under Sink Ultra Filtration System; GlacierFresh 2.25 Gallon Gravity Water Filter System (PC04); GlacierFresh AUQAGO 3-Stage RV Water Filter System |
| Price from | €245.95 | $39.99 |
| Cartridge price | €163.95 | $49.99 to $59.99 |
| Cartridge life (l) | 22,712Higher | 5,402 |
| Filter cost per year | €163.95 | $84.99 to $169.97 |
| Certification scope | WQA Gold Seal certification of BOROUX water filter systems and filters: NSF/ANSI 42 drinking water treatment units, aesthetic effects (Nominal Particulate Class I), NSF/ANSI/CAN 401 emerging contaminants (microplastics 0.5 um to under 1 um) and NSF/ANSI/CAN 372 lead-free materials | Filtration components meet NSF 42, 53, 58, 401, and 372 standards, with SGS and CSA testing |
| Installation required | No | YesHas it |
| Warranty | 1 year | 2 yearsHigher |
| Markets | US, CA, AU, FR, MX, GB | US, CA, DE |
Same on both: PFAS and lead reduction (Yes).
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Key differences
- Glacierfresh scores higher overall: 9.3 vs 8.8.
- Cartridge life (l) is higher at BOROUX Water Filtration: 22,712 vs 5,402.
- Installation required: only Glacierfresh.
- Warranty is higher at Glacierfresh: 2 years vs 1 year.
- Support channels: only BOROUX Water Filtration offers Phone.
- NSF/ANSI standards: only Glacierfresh offers 53, 58.
- BOROUX Water Filtration is available in 3 more countries.
- Markets: only BOROUX Water Filtration offers AU, FR, MX.
- Markets: only Glacierfresh offers DE.
Our verdict on each
BOROUX Water Filtration
BOROUX Water Filtration suits households that want certified filtration on a countertop with no plumbing work. The €245.95 entry price sits above the middle of this group, and the €163.95 cartridge is the line to watch, so running cost is the trade-off rather than the ticket.
Glacierfresh
Glacierfresh suits households that want component-certified under-sink reverse osmosis without a plumber-sized bill. The range starts at $39.99, the running filter cost settles at $84.99 to $169.97 a year, and the repeat purchase matters as much as the opening one for anyone comparing over a few years.
Score breakdown
| Area | BOROUX Water Filtration | Glacierfresh |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.4Filters at €163.95 and €163.95 a year sit at the expensive end, offset by a countertop system that needs no fitting. | 9.4HigherEntry at $39.99 and running filter costs of $84.99 to $169.97 keep the ownership total low for a reverse osmosis system. |
| Offer | 9.2A countertop system that needs no installation, sold across US, CA and AU, covers most homes without plumbing work. | 9.3HigherCartridges at $49.99 to $59.99 and 5,402 litres of life spread the cost, with 2 years warranty behind the unit. |
| Trust | 8.8WQA Gold Seal certification to 42 and 401 standards, PFAS and lead reduction, and support on email, chat and phone. | 9.3HigherComponents meet NSF standards with SGS and CSA testing, and support runs on email, chat and help centre for setup questions. |
How the counts compare
| Fact | BOROUX Water Filtration | Glacierfresh |
|---|---|---|
| Cartridge life (l) | 22,712 | 5,402 |
| Warranty | 1 year | 2 years |
Pick BOROUX Water Filtration if, pick Glacierfresh if
Pick BOROUX Water Filtration if cartridge life (l) matter most.
Pick Glacierfresh if trust, installation required, and warranty matter most.
If neither fits
SpringWell has cartridge life (l) at 3,785,411, against 22,712 for BOROUX Water Filtration and 5,402 for Glacierfresh.
SpringWell reviewSources behind this comparison
BOROUX Water Filtration
- boroux.com: 16 facts, checked September 30, 2026
Glacierfresh
- glacierfreshfilter.com: 16 facts, checked September 30, 2026
How they place
| Ranking | BOROUX Water Filtration | Glacierfresh |
|---|---|---|
| Water filters | 11 of 80 | 3 of 80 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | BOROUX Water Filtration | Glacierfresh |
|---|---|---|
| NSF/ANSI standards | 42, 401 | 42, 53, 58, 401Covers more |
| Legal entity | James Enterprise Inc. | Crisol Technology HONGKONG Limited |
| Headquarters | United States | Hong Kong |
| Founded | 2015 | 2015 |
| Support channels | Email, Chat, Phone, Help centreCovers more | Email, Chat, Help centre |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | BOROUX Water Filtration | Glacierfresh | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cartridge life (l) | 22,712highest quarter | 5,402highest quarter | 2,862.5 |
| Warranty | 1 yearbelow the median | 2 yearsat the median | 2 years |
Median across 47 listed brands.
Pros and cons
BOROUX Water Filtration
Pros
- Cartridge life of 22,712 litres ranks at 2 out of 26 brands, so the pricey media goes further.
- WQA Gold Seal certification covers drinking water treatment units for aesthetic effects, emerging contaminants including microplastics, and lead-free material requirements.
- Installation required is listed as no, so a countertop system is set up where you already have a tap, with no plumber involved.
Cons
- Filters cost €163.95 each and €163.95 a year, and cartridge price ranks at 46 out of 50 brands.
- The entry price of €245.95 ranks at 35 out of 52 brands, above the middle of the group.
- Warranty cover of 1 year is short for a system most households expect to keep in place.
Glacierfresh
Pros
- Purchase price of $39.99 puts a reverse osmosis system inside a first filter budget
- Components meet NSF standards 42, 53 and 58, with SGS and CSA testing behind the claim
- Cartridge life of 5,402-litre helps hold the yearly filter cost to $84.99 to $169.97
Cons
- Replacement cartridges at $49.99 to $59.99 make the running bill $84.99 to $169.97 a year, so the low entry price is not the whole cost
- Installation is required, which adds a plumber or a careful fit to the cost of getting started
- Support runs on email, chat and help centre, and phone is not among the listed channels
Who each suits
BOROUX Water Filtration
Who it suits
- Households that want certified countertop filtration without booking an installer.
- Buyers in the United States, CA and AU who want both tank sizes, a fluoride reduction filter and a shower filter in one range.
- People who filter a lot of water each week and can plan around a €163.95 cartridge.
Who should look elsewhere
- Reverse osmosis shoppers, since Waterdrop (EU) and Culligan Consumer Products both run reverse osmosis and reverse osmosis systems where BOROUX is countertop.
- Anyone set on a plumbed kitchen purifier, because the IBBL range is built around compressor purifiers such as the IBBL E-Due Eletrônico Prata Bivolt and the IBBL Viváx Touch.
Glacierfresh
Who it suits
- Homeowners in the US, Canada and Germany who want filtered tap water from a reverse osmosis unit under the sink
- Buyers who read certificates, since the components meet NSF standards 42, 53 and 58 with SGS and CSA testing
- Families that budget for running costs and can plan around $84.99 to $169.97 a year in cartridges
Who should look elsewhere
- Buyers who want a countertop unit: IBBL lists countertop systems, while Glacierfresh is reverse osmosis
- Anyone who needs to talk a fault through by phone, since support runs on email, chat and help centre
- Households outside US, CA and DE, where shipping does not reach
Current offers
Glacierfresh
Current offer
Discount code
10% off your first order: 10% off first order
Email newsletter signup on the brand's own site; no end date stated
Source, checked September 30, 2026
Country by country
| Country | BOROUX Water Filtration | Glacierfresh |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | Yes | No |
| France | Yes | No |
| Germany | No | Yes |
| Mexico | Yes | No |
| United Kingdom | Yes | No |
| Canada | Yes | Yes |
| United States | Yes | Yes |
Questions about each
BOROUX Water Filtration
What does a BOROUX water filter cost to buy?+
BOROUX lists its entry price at €245.95 for the system itself, paid once rather than as a subscription. That ranks at 35 out of 52 brands in this group, so it sits above a basic jug or tap filter in the same set. The next price to check is the replacement media.
What do the replacement filters cost?+
A replacement cartridge is €163.95, and the annual filter spend on the range is €163.95. The cartridge price ranks at 46 out of 50 brands and the yearly figure at 40 out of 46, which makes the media the line to weigh before the system price. It is the part of the cost that repeats.
Glacierfresh
What does a Glacierfresh water filter cost to buy?+
The Glacierfresh range opens at $39.99 for the opening unit. That is a purchase price rather than a plan fee, so a household can budget for the hardware once. The figure to keep in view afterwards is the replacement cartridge, priced at $49.99 to $59.99.
How much do Glacierfresh replacement cartridges cost?+
A replacement filter cartridge runs $49.99 to $59.99 at Glacierfresh. Buyers often look only at the price of the unit, but the cartridge is the repeat cost, and it is the number that decides the real running cost of a system across a few years of use.
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