I have tried all the other major filter units and I wasn't pleased with their water quality or the longevity of their filters. At first I was a little put off by the price of the unit and the filters, but the unit works well for fillling bottles, the filters last a long time and most imporatnt - the water is pure and tastes great. I drink a lot of water everyday and I no longer buy bottled water, so this filter pays for itself many times over. My only complaint is that it is too tall to fit in the fridge, but I use the ice out of my ice maker in the top tank, so it's cold anyway. Still, it would be nice if it fit in the fridge.