Hillside Homestore review

Updated September 30, 2026 · SmartHomeCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 30, 2026

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Our verdict

Hillside Homestore suits US households that want a countertop well with a genuinely long cartridge life and care about taste and odor. The Stillwater Well costs $550 and the yearly filter spend is $109, so the outlay is higher than most rivals.

Key facts

Best for
US households wanting a countertop filter with a long cartridge life and no installation.
Filter system
Countertop (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Reference models
The Stillwater Well, The Pleated Filter, The Ceramic Filter (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Price from
$550 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Cartridge price
$109 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Cartridge life (l)
4,164 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Filter cost per year
$109 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Certification scope
NSF Standard 42 certification of the Pleated Filter inside the Stillwater Well: material safety plus reduction of aesthetic contaminants (chlorine, taste, odor) (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
PFAS and lead reduction
Yes (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Installation required
No (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Markets
US (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Headquarters
United States (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Support channels
Email, Community (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
NSF/ANSI standards
42
Official website
hillsidehomestore.com

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Cartridge life of 4,164-litre sits well above the 2,512.5-litre figure for water filters in this ranking.
  • Installation is not required, so the countertop unit is ready to use at the counter.
  • The Stillwater Well carries 42 certification covering material safety and reduction of aesthetic contaminants such as chlorine, taste and odor.
  • PFAS and lead reduction is claimed, and the The Stillwater Well, The Pleated Filter, The Ceramic Filter range lets buyers compare a pleated and a ceramic option.
  • Sold in a single market, US, with the company based in the United States.

Cons

  • The Stillwater Well carries 42 certification for the Pleated Filter inside it, scoped to material safety and reduction of aesthetic contaminants such as chlorine, taste and odor, so buyers after a wider contaminant scope need a different system.
  • Support runs on email and community only, a narrower set of routes than a phone based service.
  • Price from ranks 46 of 52 brands on $550, so the opening outlay is the weak point.
  • The countertop format fixes the unit on the counter, which leaves buyers set on the reverse osmosis design of Waterdrop (EU) looking elsewhere.

Ready to try Hillside Homestore?

Scored 8.6 / 10 by SmartHomeCue.

See alternatives

Who it suits

  • US households replacing tap water at a single kitchen counter without calling an installer.
  • Buyers who filter mainly for chlorine, taste and odor and value cartridge life of 4,164 litres.
  • Shoppers who want a well format and are willing to pay $550 up front to avoid ongoing service visits.

Who should look elsewhere

  • Buyers set on reverse osmosis, since Waterdrop (EU) and Culligan Consumer Products both use that filter system.
  • Readers in markets outside US, since the range covers a single market.
  • Anyone who needs phone support, as support runs on email and community only.

How it compares on our data

On cartridge life the brand places well up the list, ranking 7 of 26 brands on 4,164 litres, a figure above the 2,512.5-litre recorded across this ranking. The picture is mixed elsewhere. Cartridge price ranks 42 of 50 brands, so $109 per replacement is not the cheapest on the list. Yearly filter cost sits at 26 of 46 brands at $109, and entry price ranks 46 of 52 at $550. The pattern is clear: a long lasting cartridge bought at a higher upfront price, with recurring spend in the middle of the field.

Plans and prices

The Stillwater Well, the countertop unit, sets the entry price at $550. Hillside Homestore does not split its pricing into an introductory figure and a renewal figure, so the entry price is the number to plan around. The recurring cost is the filter itself. The Pleated Filter is sold at $109 per cartridge, and the yearly filter cost for the system works out at $109. For a countertop system bought outright there is no contract and no subscription to renew, so the two figures that matter are the price on day one and the cartridge price after that. Buyers who keep the same cartridge for 4,164-litre spread that cost over a long period, which is where this brand earns its place.

Core features

Cartridge life is the headline number, at 4,164 litres for the pleated cartridge. The claim set covers PFAS and lead reduction, which the brand states for the system. Installation is not required, so a countertop unit can be set on the counter and connected without a plumber or a permit. The reference range is The Stillwater Well, The Pleated Filter, The Ceramic Filter, giving a pleated and a ceramic option rather than a single format. Certification is the caveat worth reading closely: the 42 certification applies to the Pleated Filter inside the Stillwater Well and covers material safety plus reduction of aesthetic contaminants, meaning chlorine, taste and odor, rather than a broad contaminant reduction claim across the range.

The company behind it

Hillside Homestore is a US company, based in the United States, and sells into a single market listed as US. That focus keeps the range tight at The Stillwater Well, The Pleated Filter, The Ceramic Filter rather than spreading across borders, and the products are priced in the US market. Support is the part to note before buying: help runs on email and community, which is a narrower set of routes than a phone based service would offer. Buyers who expect to call a number during setup or troubleshooting should weigh that against the appeal of a system that needs no installation at all.

How Hillside Homestore compares

Where Hillside Homestore is available

Available
United States

Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 30, 2026)

Frequently asked questions

How much does the Stillwater Well cost?+

The Stillwater Well is listed at $550, which is the entry price for the range. Hillside Homestore does not publish a separate introductory price and a renewal price, so that figure is the one to budget for. You also need $109 for a replacement pleated cartridge once the current one is used up.

What does the filter cost each year?+

The yearly filter cost for the system is $109, based on a cartridge price of $109. Because the cartridge is rated at 4,164 litres, that spend stretches over a long period of use. A countertop unit bought outright has no subscription to renew after purchase.

Does it need installation?+

Installation is not required. The countertop design sits on the counter and can be connected without a plumber, which suits renters and anyone without a suitable tap. That also means no plumber fees or permit costs to add on for this product type.

What does the NSF certification cover?+

The Stillwater Well carries 42 certification, and its scope is specific: it applies to the Pleated Filter inside the well and covers material safety plus reduction of aesthetic contaminants, meaning chlorine, taste and odor. It is not a broad contaminant reduction claim, so buyers filtering for other substances should check the specification closely.

Which contaminants does it reduce?+

Hillside Homestore states that the system reduces PFAS and lead. Aesthetic reduction for chlorine, taste and odor sits inside the 42 certification scope, covering the Pleated Filter inside the Stillwater Well. Claims for the ceramic option in The Stillwater Well, The Pleated Filter, The Ceramic Filter are separate from that certified scope.

Which models are available?+

The reference range is The Stillwater Well, The Pleated Filter, The Ceramic Filter, so there is a well, a pleated cartridge and a ceramic filter to compare. The Stillwater Well is the countertop unit at $550. Choosing between the pleated and ceramic cartridge matters most for running cost, since the pleated cartridge is priced at $109.

Where can I buy it?+

It sells into a single market listed as US, and the company is based in the United States. Buyers in other countries will not find stock or shipping for these models. The tight range means the The Stillwater Well, The Pleated Filter, The Ceramic Filter options are the full lineup rather than a trimmed selection.

How do I get support?+

Support runs on email and community, so contact is by email or through the community. There is no phone line listed, which is worth checking before buying if you prefer to talk someone through setup. The counter system needs no installation, which reduces the sort of troubleshooting that often prompts a call.

Sources

Compiled from 6 source pages, checked September 30, 2026. We did not open an account.

Hillside Homestore

US households wanting a countertop filter with a long cartridge life and no installation.

8.6/10See alternatives

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