My Tap Score reviews are for the advanced city water test kit and advanced bottled water kit. You’ll have to purchase the appropriate test kit for your specific water source.
Treatment options depend on your water’s quality. SimpleLab’s Tap Score kits test for many different types of contaminants.
Disclaimer: I earn a commission if you click and purchase through affiliate links below. No additional cost to you.
Tap Score reviews overall
Tap Score test kits are very easy to use. They include clear instructions, a sampling guide, and a prepaid shipping label that goes straight to their lab.
The results are extremely thorough but easy to read. The report also includes treatment options for your specific water quality.
Use my link or code CATICLES10 and save $10 on your first purchase of $100+.
SimpleLab provides a health guidance level based on human health benchmarks that public health agencies use. You can also toggle to the Federal and California benchmarks.
Interestingly, my results for chloroform, total THMs, and bromodichloromethane all exceed health guidance level benchmarks.
But only bromodichloromethane exceeds the Federal health benchmark. Apparently, the levels of chloroform and total THMs are completely healthy by Federal standards. Yum!
You can also compare to regulatory benchmarks, utility water averages, and bottled water averages.
Treatment recommendations are included in the report. Tap Score will tell you which contaminants each treatment option can help.
My Tap Score rating
I got higher than the US average and higher than the NY average (where I live). But my water was still contaminated with these nasty disinfection by-products.
I included water treatment test results below this section. And you’ll see that the US average and NY average have gone down significantly within a few months.
You can view my results here.
My brother works in water sanitation and told me to go with the advanced city test kit.
I’m glad I did! The essential kit does not test for disinfection by-products, but the advanced kit does.
My water would have been considered safe if I didn’t go with the advanced!
Testing water treatment options
I tested 3 water treatment options a few months after testing my unfiltered tap water.
- AquaTru reverse osmosis countertop carafe
- Waterdrop 5-stage stainless steel faucet filter
- Cat Water
After seeing my unfiltered tap water results, I purchased theΒ AquaTru reverse osmosis countertop carafeΒ (get a discount and free filters with that link).
I also tested a stainless steel faucet filter. And Cat Water – the bottled water made specifically for cats.
SimpleLab suggested testing Cat Water after seeing comments on my original review video. Some cat parents said they use Cat Water. So we were interested to see the results.
Note: I purchased my first SimpleLab test kit for my unfiltered tap water. Then SimpleLab gave me a 30% off discount for the additional 2 advanced city water kits and a free advanced bottled water kit so I could test and review water treatment options.
View the Tap Score results for each here:
The AquaTru countertop model has the best results.
My brother told me reverse osmosis is the best. But I live in an apartment and cannot make structural plumbing changes. So the countertop carafe is perfect for me.
It’s convenient to use, and it produced the best results!
- 11 points higher than unfiltered tap city water
- Removes the disinfection by-products
The Waterdrop filter got an 85 which is only 1 point less than AquaTru. However, Waterdrop adds an unsafe amount of fluoride.
I highly recommend the AquaTru countertop model. Especially if you’re in an apartment like me. Read my full AquaTru review.
Why test your water with Tap Score
Unfiltered tap water can contain nasty chemicals and disinfection by-products.
These things can cause harm to our kidneys, liver, and immune system. Some of them are even known carcinogens!
This is very serious for us and our cats.
Water filters and treatment options depend entirely on your specific water quality. So it’s important to test your water to see what you need to filter out.
Tap Score has a kit for many types of water including:
- Well
- Rain
- City
- Spring
- Bottled
- Water pH strips
I highly recommend going with the advanced kits.
You can also test for a specific contaminant. Search through their glossary. Or customize your kit if you aren’t sure which one is right for you.
Tip: Purchase two kits. That way you can test your unfiltered water. Buy a filter based on your results. Then you’ll already have a test kit to use with your new filter right away.
Some filters may have a short return window. So you’ll want to be able to test it as soon as you receive it. Test results can take 3-14 business days depending on the type of test.
SimpleLab also let me know that testing water pH with strips is more accurate. Watch the video above to see the comparison.
Tap Score discount code
Test your water quality with Tap Score and use my link or code CATICLES10 to save $10 on your first order of $100+.
Final thoughts on Tap Score
I really like SimpleLab’s Tap Score test kits. They are easy to use, provide thorough results, and have their own health benchmarks which are better than Federal levels.
Tap Score offers many options for water testing.
This is important because we all have different water sources. And the treatment options depend entirely on your specific water quality.
Buy your Tap Score test kit today and save $10 on your first order of $100+.
