Coffee is 98% water, so the filter on your line protects both the drink and the machine. Chlorine and sediment change the taste of espresso, and hard water leaves scale inside boilers, valves and pumps. Pick a filter by how your machine gets its water.

Your setup	Filter	What it does
Mobile coffee cart or trailer running from tanks or jugs	Connect Cube Filtro	Two-stage filtration: a 2.5" polypropylene sediment depth filter, then a carbon block cartridge rated to 0.5 micron. Stacks with the Connect Cube Hydro pump.
Cafe bar or panel-mounted pump system	Caffewerks Dual Stage Water Filter System	Sediment and carbon block stages in fixed housings. Uses the same replacement cartridges as the Filtro.
A single line to one machine or tap	Hydronix ICF-6Q38 6" inline filter	Coconut-shell carbon, 5 micron, 1,000 gallon capacity, NSF Standard 42. The 3/8" push-fit ends fit all Caffewerks water pump systems.
1/4" lines, ice makers and drink dispensers	Aqua-Pure IL-IM-01	5 micron, 0.5 GPM, rated for 6 months or 2,500 gallons.
Vans and off-grid water	MSR Thru-Link inline filter	Hollow fiber plus activated carbon. Rated to remove 99.9999% of bacteria and 99.9% of protozoa.

What water your espresso machine needs

Aim for total dissolved solids around 150 ppm, the Specialty Coffee Association target, and hardness of roughly 50 to 100 ppm (3 to 6 grains per gallon). Water that is too soft can taste flat and be corrosive. Water that is too hard scales the machine. Our guide to which water you can use in an espresso machine pump system covers hardness, pH and chlorine in more detail.

Water filtration FAQ

Which filter do I need for a mobile coffee cart?

Most carts use the Connect Cube Filtro, because it sits next to the Connect Cube pump and travels with the cart. If your pump is panel mounted, the Dual Stage Water Filter System does the same job in fixed housings.

Does a carbon filter soften hard water?

No. Sediment and carbon filters reduce sediment, chlorine, taste and odor. They do not remove the calcium and magnesium that make water hard. If your water tests hard, message us before you buy and we will help you plan for scale.

How often should I change the cartridges?

Follow the rating on each filter: the Hydronix inline filter is rated for 1,000 gallons and the Aqua-Pure IL-IM-01 for 6 months or 2,500 gallons. Change any cartridge sooner if flow drops or chlorine taste comes back.

How do I replace the cartridges?

Our filter replacement guide and replacement video cover shutting off the water, relieving pressure and seating the O-ring.

Will these filters connect to my Caffewerks water pump system?

Yes. Caffewerks pump systems use 3/8" push-fit tubing, and the Filtro, Dual Stage system and Hydronix inline filter all connect to it.

Do I still need a filter if my machine has its own pump?

Yes. The pump moves water. It does not clean it. Filtration protects the machine whatever pump feeds it.