Doulton Ecofast Water Filter review

What it is

The Ecofast is an under-sink housing on the cold feed; the body comes off its head so the candle can be cleaned or swapped. Inside is the Biotect Ultra 2501, a ceramic shell rated at 0.9 micron absolute around a carbon core with a heavy-metal scavenging compound.

Doulton's test data lists 95.5% of free chlorine, more than 99.99% of E. coli and other bacteria and of Cryptosporidium and Giardia, 99.5% of lead, more than 99.9% of particles and microplastics and 99.1% of turbidity, with average reductions of 90% for mercury and 95% for cadmium. Doulton's data sheet for its under-sink system with this candle lists certification to NSF/ANSI 42, 53, 401 and 372, and the candle is WRAS-approved for mains connection. It does nothing for hardness; Doulton's Biotect Ultra SI adds a scale inhibitor.

In a British kitchen

Doulton rates the candle at 1.9 litres a minute, enough to fill a 1.7-litre kettle in about a minute by our arithmetic. Capacity is 2,300 litres, nearly 13 litres a day over six months, so for most homes the calendar sets the change date. Pressure should be at least 2 bar; Doulton suggests timing a litre from the cold tap, with under 6 seconds very high, 7 to 12 adequate and over 12 a reason to seek advice. The data sheet gives 1.4 bar as the working minimum and 5 to 30 °C on the cold line only, and advises a pressure-reducing valve set at 6 bar if pressure could go higher.

You also need a tap. Doulton's pillar tap goes through a 12.5 mm hole in the worktop and uses a 3/8-inch feed; the maker warns that many third-party taps have quarter-inch inlets that choke the flow. Doulton puts installation at under an hour.

How it compares

The Doulton HIP Trio uses the same candle but adds limescale and fluoride cartridges, changed about every three months, and bundles the pillar tap and fitting kit; pick it in hard or fluoridated areas. The BWT In-Line Water Filter Kit is the simpler, cheaper carbon option: 2,000 litres or six months, 2 litres a minute, its own small tap included, but no bacteria, cyst or lead claims.

The BRITA 3-way tap gives an integrated mixer and limescale reduction, at the cost of a cartridge rated at 400 to 1,200 litres depending on hardness. Doulton's stainless HIS push-fit takes the same candle; see the comparison.

Living with it

Commissioning is slower than most filters: Doulton's data sheet asks for a 10-minute flush, a 24-hour stand, then another 10 minutes to waste. If flow drops before six months, the candle unscrews from the cap and its ceramic surface is scrubbed with a stiff abrasive pad. If you go away or the cupboard could freeze, shut off the supply and take the housing apart, because freezing voids the warranty.

Doulton's current terms give five years on domestic systems bought from Doulton or an authorised marketplace and registered within 28 days; it covers the original buyer only and replaces rather than repairs. The older data sheet quotes two years on the housing, so register and keep the receipt. Plastic parts should be renewed after ten years.

Safety

Doulton's caution: the system is not for water that is microbiologically unsafe or of unknown quality without disinfection, and its cyst certification assumes a disinfected mains supply. During a boil-water notice, boil as instructed rather than trusting the candle. UK tap water already meets Drinking Water Inspectorate standards; where lead reduction is the draw, a laboratory water test first tells you whether old pipework is actually a problem.

Our verdict

Buy it if you want certified reduction of cysts and lead, and tested bacteria removal, from a candle you can clean, have at least 2 bar of mains pressure and will add a dedicated tap and a hole in the worktop. A search for Ecofast on Doulton's own store now returns its Kingfisher system, which takes the same candle, so check which housing you are being sold. Pass if limescale is your main complaint, if you cannot drill, or if you fill large pans from the filtered tap.

Does the Doulton Ecofast come with a tap?

No. Doulton sells its taps separately; its current listing shows the system, a Biotect Ultra candle and an installation kit. It recommends its own pillar tap, through a 12.5 mm hole, or 3-way mixer, as their 3/8-inch feeds keep the flow up where quarter-inch taps do not.

How often does the Biotect Ultra candle need changing?

Every six months, Doulton says, or at 2,300 litres if that comes first. If flow slows earlier, scrub the ceramic; a change in taste means the carbon core is finished.

Does the Doulton Ecofast reduce limescale?

Not with the standard Biotect Ultra, which leaves minerals in the water. Doulton sells a Biotect Ultra SI with a slow-release scale inhibitor, and its HIP Trio adds a dedicated limescale cartridge.

Can I fit the Doulton Ecofast myself?

Doulton says under an hour: tee the cold feed, fix the head, connect the hoses and mount a tap. Drilling the worktop and confirming 2 bar of pressure are the hard parts.