Updated September 30, 2026 · SmartHomeCue Editorial Team
Doulton vs Waterdrop（EU）
What sets them apart
| Compare | Doulton ReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives | Waterdrop（EU） ReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives |
|---|---|---|
| Filter system | Under sink | Reverse osmosis |
| Reference models | Doulton Kingfisher Under Sink Water Filter System with Biotect Ultra; Doulton Countertop Water Filter System with Biotect Ultra; Doulton HIP DUO Under Sink Water Filter System with Biotect Ultra; Doulton HIP TRIO Under Sink Water Filter System with Biotect Ultra | Waterdrop X Series Reverse Osmosis System X12, Waterdrop G3P800 Tankless RO System, Waterdrop X16 Undersink Reverse Osmosis System |
| Price from | €26.45 | €20.99Lower |
| Cartridge price | €50.95 | €33.99Lower |
| Cartridge life (l) | 2,300 | 4,164Higher |
| Filter cost per year | €101.90 | €33.99Lower |
| Certification scope | Biotect Ultra cartridge certified in the Kingfisher Biotect Ultra Inline Water Filter System, plus NSF/ANSI/CAN 372; WRAS approved products | 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 | 5 yearsHigher | 1 to 2 years |
| Markets | GB | 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, TRCovers more |
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 9.3.
- Price from is lower at Waterdrop（EU）: €20.99 vs €26.45.
- Cartridge price is lower at Waterdrop（EU）: €33.99 vs €50.95.
- Cartridge life (l) is higher at Waterdrop（EU）: 4,164 vs 2,300.
- Filter cost per year is lower at Waterdrop（EU）: €33.99 vs €101.90.
- Warranty is higher at Doulton: 5 years vs 1 to 2 years.
- Support channels: only Waterdrop（EU） offers Chat.
- NSF/ANSI standards: only Doulton offers 53, 401.
- NSF/ANSI standards: only Waterdrop（EU） offers 58.
- Founded is lower at Doulton: 1826 vs 2015.
Our verdict on each
Doulton
Doulton suits households in the GB market that want a certified under-sink filter without paying reverse osmosis money. Entry prices start at €26.45, and the strength is that opening cost plus stated certification, while replacement cartridges at €50.95 each are the running cost to plan for.
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 | Doulton | Waterdrop（EU） |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.2Entry at €26.45 is low, but €50.95 per cartridge and €101.90 a year push the running cost up. | 9.8HigherFilter running cost is €33.99 a year, ranking 2 of 46, and the entry price is €20.99. |
| Offer | 9.3Reference models span under sink and countertop Biotect Ultra systems, and lead and PFAS reduction is stated. | 9.5HigherReverse osmosis system, PFAS lead reduction stated as yes, and a replacement filter rated at 4,164 litres. |
| Trust | 9.6HigherNSF/ANSI 42, 53 and 401 certification and WRAS approvals, a 5 year warranty, and support on email, phone and help centre. | 8.8Founded 2015, support on email, chat and phone, warranty of 1 to 2 years, and IAPMO R&T and SGS certification on the replacement filter. |
Where each is licensed and available
| Country | Doulton | Waterdrop（EU） |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | Not confirmed |
Additional countries for Doulton: 1. Additional countries for Waterdrop（EU）: 30.
How the counts compare
| Fact | Doulton | Waterdrop（EU） |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | €26.45 | €20.99 |
| Cartridge price | €50.95 | €33.99 |
| Cartridge life (l) | 2,300 | 4,164 |
| Filter cost per year | €101.90 | €33.99 |
| Warranty | 5 years | 1 to 2 years |
Positions in our rankings
| Ranking | Doulton | Waterdrop（EU） |
|---|---|---|
| Water filters | 8 of 68 | 4 of 68 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Doulton | Waterdrop（EU） |
|---|---|---|
| NSF/ANSI standards | 42, 53, 401 | 42, 58 |
| Legal entity | Doulton Water Filters Limited | Not confirmed |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | Not confirmed |
| Founded | 1826Lower | 2015 |
| Support channels | Email, Phone, Help centre | Email, Chat, Phone, Help centreCovers more |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Doulton | Waterdrop（EU） | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price from | €26.45lowest quarter | €20.99lowest quarter | €77.77 |
| Cartridge price | €50.95highest quarter | €33.99below the median | €35 |
| Cartridge life (l) | 2,300below the median | 4,164above the median | 2,862.5 |
| Filter cost per year | €101.90above the median | €33.99lowest quarter | €99.99 |
| Warranty | 5 yearshighest quarter | 1 to 2 yearsat the median | 2 years |
Median across 47 listed brands.
Pros and cons
Doulton
Pros
- Entry price of €26.45 ranks at position 6 of 52 brands, so the opening outlay is low.
- Certification is stated: NSF/ANSI 42, 53 and 401 standards on the cartridges, plus WRAS approved products in the range.
- Lead and PFAS reduction is claimed for the cartridges, which is the reason many households look at a filter at all.
Cons
- Renewal cost is the catch: the Biotect Ultra cartridge is €50.95 and the yearly filter cost is €101.90, ranking 29 of 46 brands.
- Cartridge life of 2,300 litres sits below the site median 2,512.5 litres, so swaps arrive sooner than with the longer lived filters listed here.
- Installation is required for the under sink format, so it is not a countertop drop in.
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
Doulton
Who it suits
- Households in the GB market that want a under sink filter and care about stated certification.
- Buyers who budget for the running cost, since cartridge price and the yearly figure set the refill bill from the start.
- People who want phone and written help, as support runs on email, phone and help centre.
Who should look elsewhere
- Not for anyone set on reverse osmosis: Culligan Consumer Products runs reverse osmosis systems, so that buyer should compare there instead.
- Not for kitchens without a plumbed spot, since installation is required for the under sink formats; IBBL offers a countertop setup that needs no fitting.
- Not for buyers who prefer the reverse osmosis route Waterdrop（EU）takes, which filters differently from the Biotect Ultra cartridges Doulton uses.
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.
Current offers
Doulton
Current offer
Discount code
20% off replacement filters with Subscribe & Save: 20%
Discount applies to subscription orders for replacement filters
Source, checked September 30, 2026
Discount code
Sign up to the newsletter and get 10% off: 10%
Email newsletter signup offer shown site-wide in the footer; no end date stated
Source, checked September 30, 2026
Country by country
| Country | Doulton | Waterdrop（EU） |
|---|---|---|
| Austria | No | Yes |
| Belgium | No | Yes |
| Bulgaria | No | Yes |
| Croatia | No | Yes |
| Cyprus | No | Yes |
| Czechia | No | Yes |
| Denmark | No | Yes |
| Estonia | No | Yes |
8 of 31 countries where either is available.
Questions about each
Doulton
How much does a Doulton water filter cost to start with?+
Doulton's range starts at €26.45, and that entry figure sits at position 6 of 52 brands listed, so the opening outlay is among the lower ones here. The systems sold are under sink units built around Biotect Ultra cartridges, so the starting cost buys the housing and the filtration cartridge.
What do Doulton replacement cartridges cost over a year?+
A Biotect Ultra replacement cartridge is €50.95, and the yearly filter cost for the range is €101.90. That running figure is the one to plan for, and it ranks 29 of 46 brands listed, which puts Doulton toward the dearer end once refills are counted.
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.