I tried Bear Grylls’ Water2 filter and it’s every bit as good as Instagram says it is

Have you ever wished your tap water tasted better or wondered if it’s truly safe to drink in the first place? Me too, and it turns out we’re far from alone.

Although UK tap water is considered some of the most highly regulated in the world, Google Trends data reveals UK searches relating to “water filters” and “tap water filters” have reached an all-time high as concerns over water contamination increase and more Brits seek ways to reduce hard water limescale and chlorine while minimising potential exposure to microplastics and “forever chemicals” (BFAS).

But with so many different water filtration devices and technologies available for the home - think water jugs, faucet-mounted devices and under-sink purifiers using UV, reverse osmosis and activated carbon filtration systems to name a few – how do you choose which one is you?

Well, if you’re anything like me when overwhelmed with choice, you end up selecting the celebrity-endorsed water filter that’s been filling up your Instagram feed for the past year and is already installed in over 200,000 homes in the UK.

I'm talking about the Water2 filter, hailed as “the best water filter on the planet” by survival expert and co-founder Bear Grylls. But does it really deserve its 10,000+ five star reviews? Read on to find out.

Water2 review: price and availability

The Water2 Pod 2.0 Starter Kit is now available to buy for a recommended retail price of £129 from water2.com and Amazon. If you don’t love it, you can return the filter for a full refund within 100 days.

It's recommended you replace the filter every 12 months, with 2.0 Replacement Capsules costing £99.

Water2 review: unboxing and design

Water2 was founded by Charles Robinson in 2020 with the aim of revolutionising the quality of UK tap water. After Bear Grylls became customer #8420, the brand welcomed him as a co-owner and investor in 2024, and the former SAS trooper helped to develop the Water2 Pod 2.0 Starter Kit: an upgraded, more robust iteration of the Pod 1.0 that promises improved filtration, easier installation and stronger packaging.

Nestled within the sturdy cardboard box and protective firm foam you’ll find the Water2 Pod Filter already pre-fitted with a Filter Capsule, plus two long flexi hoses, a washer, a threaded bolt you may or may not need, and a printed welcome letter from Bear Grylls with a quick setup guide. There’s also a round double-sided sticker that fixes to the filter’s base to keep it upright and in place and a ‘smart buzzer’ to remind you to change the filter after 12 months.

My under sink area is a tiny black hole of pipes and household clutter accessed through a very narrow cupboard door, so I was relieved to see that the Water2 filter is a compact bit of kit that’s similar in shape and size to a tube of tennis balls (it measures 30cm long and has a diameter of 10cm).

Designed to last over 100 years and tested via multiple third-party labs, the Water2 Pod weighs only 800g and is CE and NSF approved to ensure it meets strict standards for public health protection. It also comes with a 5 year product warranty.

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Water2 review: features and setup

The Water2 is described as a powerful under-sink water filter that uses a proprietary activated carbon system to remove up to 99.99% of microplastics, 95.28% of chlorine, 85.4% of lead, 84.4% of chloroform, 84.4% of THMs (trihalomethanes) as well as other contaminants, including bacterial build-up and viruses, without stripping away all the beneficial minerals such as calcium and magnesium.

Because the Water2 stays hidden away under the sink, it remains virtually invisible and doesn’t take up valuable space on your worktop or in your fridge. Furthermore, you won’t require a separate tap to be fitted because it connects directly onto your cold tap water pipe to deliver great-tasting, filtered water straight from your existing tap.

Unlike water filter jugs that need constant refilling and regular filter changes every few months, the Water2 has a year-long lifespan, so you can fit it, set the smart buzzer, and forget about it for 12 months.

Water2 goes to great lengths in its marketing materials and videos to demonstrate just how easy the installation process is and says you should be able to set up your filter within 10 minutes.

I might be a seasoned DIYer, but I’m a complete novice when it comes to plumbing, so it’s fair to say I was a bit sceptical about this claim. However, after reading through the instructions, watching various installation videos and grabbing my spanner set (you don’t get one in the kit), I got stuck in.

It turns out I needn’t have worried at all, because I found the whole process quite simple once I worked out how to locate the cold water pipe under my sink and turn off the water supply (I’ve never even changed a washer on a leaky tap before, so this was a whole new ball game for me).

After draining excess water from the cold water pipe (it’s good to keep an old towel handy throughout the process), I used a spanner to unscrew the cold water inlet and attach the flexi hoses to either ends of the inlet. To finish, I then plugged the thin pointy ends of the flexi hoses into the Pod 2.0, which securely self-lock in place.

Although I found the installation process simple, being on my knees for 15 minutes while trying to untighten and tighten bolts in a very cramped space was awkward and uncomfortable, so once I’d turned the water back on and run the cold tap for five minutes as advised, I was more than was ready to taste my handy work.

Water2 review: performance

I’ve lived in South East London for most of my life, where the water is classified as very hard due to a high mineral content from the region’s chalk and limestone geology. This results in rapid limescale build-up that clogs up the best kettles and coffee machines, and sometimes gives my water a cloudy appearance that’s far from appealing, and often affects the texture and taste of hot drinks.

Talking of taste, my tap water usually tastes chalky and chlorinated with a metallic tang. I’m not saying it smells like a swimming pool, but there’s a distinct pong that’s not present in bottled water, and while I don’t want to come across as a water snob – I very much appreciate how lucky I am to have access to clean, running water – I absolutely drink less water at home as a result.

When I do drink tap water, I habitually run the tap for ages in the hope that it will somehow improve the taste, smell and appearance, and I’m probably guilty of not refilling my water bottle as often as I should before going out, opting instead to buy a bottle of water on the go.

Neither of the above practices are great for the environment, which explains why I’ve tried several water filter jugs over the years. But try as I might, I don’t get on with them – or rather, I don’t get on people who don’t refill them with water after they’ve emptied them (in my household, water filter jugs only mean rows).

Being able to have freshly filtered, great-tasting water on tap night and day for the whole family is something of a revelation, especially when it costs just £129 a year, or £10.75 a month (dropping down to just £8.25 a month when you buy a 2.0 Replacement Capsule for £99 in the years to follow).

Personally, I think that’s a small price to pay when you consider how much a single-use bottle of water costs these days, especially when the resulting tap water looks and tastes clean, pure, natural and free from chemicals.

Research from Water2 suggests 85% of their customers drink more water after installing the Pod 2.0, and after four months of testing the device, I think everyone in my household would concur with this stat. We’re all so much keener to reach for a glass of water when we’re thirsty without having to boil it first or add squash to make it more palatable.

It’s worth noting that the water pressure of your cold water tap can drop off slightly as soon as you install the Water 2 filter because the water is passing through the activated carbon system, but in my experience, it’s hardly noticeable, and I wouldn’t consider knocking even a quarter of a point off for it. In short, I can see myself being a Water2 customer for many years to come.

Water2 review: verdict

The Water2 Pod 2.0 Starter Kit is a powerful under-sink water filter that effectively removes 99.99% of microplastics and 95.28% of chlorine - along with other contaminants such as lead, THMS, chloroform and bacteria build-up - for safer, cleaner, great-tasting water straight from your cold water tap.

Sleek, sturdy and compact, this easy-to-install device takes up very little space and improves even the hardest water for up to a year, helping you to enjoy cheap, sustainable, purified H20 at home without the faff.