Buying the Best Water Filters in Malaysia? This is the Guide You Need
Water quality is a significant concern in Malaysia, making water filters essential for households across the country. Incidents like the 2020 Sungai Gong water pollution, which affected around 5 million people in the Klang Valley, highlight the need for reliable water filtration solutions.
Water filters can transform unsafe water into safe, drinkable water for you and your loved ones. If you’re in the market for the best water filters in Malaysia, it’s crucial to know what to look for. That’s why the xam max kitchen product team has created this comprehensive guide to help you make an informed decision.
Do You Really Need to Filter Your Water?
In short, YES.
Understanding what’s in your water can be eye-opening. Often, we assume our water is clean, but the journey it takes to reach our homes can introduce various contaminants.
Water’s Journey to Your Home:
Stage 1: Source Collection
Water is collected from sources like groundwater, lakes, or rivers. These sources are vulnerable to contamination from factors such as fertilization runoff and other pollutants, leading to bacterial buildup that poses long-term health risks.
Stage 2: Initial Treatment
To remove contaminants, water undergoes an intensive cleaning process. Chlorine is commonly used to kill bacteria, but it can also react with organic matter to form suspected carcinogens.
Stage 3: Final Treatment and Distribution
Further treatment aims to eliminate carcinogenic potential. However, if your home’s water pipes are old or compromised, contamination and bacterial buildup can reoccur. Generally, older areas are more prone to this issue.
There are 3 common types of water filters in Malaysia. Let’s take a look at the picture:
If you are living in a landed house, we recommend you have an outdoor water filter for maximum results and peace of mind.
If you like most people nowadays who want to save the hassle of boiling water, a water dispenser like 3M Filtered Water Dispenser HCD-2 is recommended.
Now, you might be asking…
“There are so many water filter brands in Malaysia. How are they different?”
When evaluating any company offering to sell you a water filter, we recommend you look closely at the following factors to help you make a positive decision you can be happy with.
Let’s dive in…
1) NSF
With so many water filter brands in Malaysia, perhaps the first thing you need to look into when buying a water filter is “NSF“.
NSF is a non-profit organization founded in 1944, whose objective was to create standards for food safety and sanitation to promote public health. NSF is a major part of the water industry, and it’s a vital part of making sure you get a credible water filtration system.
NSF is going to provide you with a safe way to filter the water in and out of your home without any issues. In terms of credibility, the NSF is seen as the de facto international voice of experience when it comes to water filtration. If you are looking to buy a filter that you know can do the job, then you should look at the NSF.
NSF offers you the simplest proof yet that your chosen water filter just like 3M, can handle filtration to an international standard.
2) Technology
Another factor to take into account when looking at potential water filtration systems is to look at the technology.
For example, 3M uses Integrated Membrane and Pre-Activated Carbon Technology, otherwise known as IMPACTechnology. This is a major factor in giving you the proof and the answers you need about the consistency and safety of your technology.
Dual Technology, such as Carbon Block Technology and UV Lamp Filtration, are other effective technologies to further make your water cleaner:
This helps to not only prevent the build-up of carbon in your water, but UV lamp filtration helps to further kill off contamination and pollutants that might lessen the quality of your water.
It’s these important and decisive actions that can make your water filtration system as safe and as effective as it should be for you moving forward.
3) The Brand
Just like buying anything else, though, you want to have confirmation that the brand you are buying from is honest and legitimate. Legitimacy comes from a long history of providing quality water filters in Malaysia that do the intended job.
For example, one of the most popular names in the industry for Malaysians is 3M. 3M has a vast level of experience in the industry and has been around for 80 years or more making them a company you can legitimately trust.
On top of that, 3M water filters are used worldwide – not only in residential venues but in commercial settings.
Don’t be surprised if you see healthcare and industrial companies out there using 3M water filtration systems.
4) Maintenance
The maintenance factor is a major consideration as some less ethical companies will make water filter maintenance needlessly complex – forcing you to turn to their recurring maintenance fees.
Who wants to buy a water filter that needs to be fixed, repaired, and/or replaced every few months?
Instead, make sure that you invest in a water filter that saves you money down the road.
For example, 3M uses what is known as the Sanitary Quick Change (SQC) system. SQC allows for easier, faster, and simpler filter changes without any stress.
If you are using an SQC-fitted filter system, then you should be able to self-change the filter easily within 10 seconds!
Now watch this video of how every ethical company should make their cartridge replacement as simple as this:
This is cheaper than having to call out a company to make the change, and also much quicker.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which water filter is the best in Malaysia?
There is no straight answer to this but a few factors you should consider are NSF certification, the technology, the brand and the ease of maintenance. 3M water filters would certainly fit those criteria.
What is the water filter used for?
To help clean out your water and make it safe for usage and consumption. Filters remove needless contaminants and other issues that make your water dangerous.
How much does a water filter cost in Malaysia?
It depends on the type of water filters you are investing in. A common under-sink water filter would cost around RM700, while a hot cold water dispenser might cost RM3000. More importantly, you should look at the cartridge replacement cost in the long term.