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Do Clearbrook Filters Remove Fluoride? The PF2 Filter Explained
If you're comparing water filters specifically to get fluoride out of your tap water, the answer for Clearbrook systems isn't a simple yes or no; it depends on which filter you have. This trips people up because Clearbrook's standard CB9 filters handle a wide range of contaminants but were never built to remove fluoride, while a separate add-on filter handles that specifically. Here's exactly how it works.
Shop fluoride-reducing options in our Clearbrook water filters collection.
Key Takeaways
- Standard CB9 gravity filters do not meaningfully remove fluoride. Activated carbon, the filtration media CB9 is built on, does not effectively bind fluoride ions.
- The Clearbrook PF2 Fluoride Reduction filter is a separate add-on that attaches below the CB9 elements and reduces fluoride and arsenic by up to 95%.
- The SF-D12-F under-sink system includes fluoride reduction built in as one of its two filter stages; the standard OSF-12 under-sink filter does not.
- Check which filters are physically installed in your system to know whether fluoride reduction is active, not just which system you own.
Why Standard CB9 Filters Don't Remove Fluoride
Clearbrook's CB9 elements use activated carbon as their core filtration media, the same general technology behind most gravity and pitcher filters on the market. Activated carbon is genuinely effective at reducing chlorine, sediment, many heavy metals, and a wide range of organic chemicals, because those contaminants bind well to carbon's porous surface. Fluoride ions are different: they are small, highly soluble, and do not bind effectively to standard activated carbon regardless of how much media the water passes through or how slowly it flows.
This isn't a flaw specific to Clearbrook. It's a basic limitation of activated carbon filtration in general, which is why every major carbon-based gravity filter brand, not just Clearbrook, needs a separate technology or add-on stage to address fluoride specifically.
What the PF2 Filter Adds
The Clearbrook PF2 Fluoride Reduction Elements are sold as a set of two and are designed to attach below your existing CB9 elements in a standard gravity system, adding a dedicated fluoride and arsenic reduction stage without replacing your CB9 filters. Clearbrook's published spec for the PF2 is up to 95% reduction of fluoride and arsenic. Because it installs alongside the CB9 elements rather than in place of them, a system with both installed gets the CB9's standard contaminant reduction plus PF2's fluoride and arsenic reduction in the same pour.
Fluoride Reduction Across Clearbrook's Product Line
| System | Removes Fluoride? | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Gravity system with CB9 only | No | Standard contaminant reduction; no fluoride-specific media |
| Gravity system with CB9 + PF2 | Yes, up to 95% | PF2 attaches below CB9 elements as an add-on stage |
| Portable Gravity Water Filter | No, unless PF2 added | Same CB9-based filtration as the standard gravity system |
| OSF-12 under-sink filter | No | Single-stage under-sink filtration, not fluoride-specific |
| SF-D12-F dual filter system | Yes, built in | Combines a Gen4 filter stage with a fluoride reduction stage |
| RF10-J / RF10-S refrigerator filters | No | Standard refrigerator filtration, not fluoride-specific |
How to Check What Your System Is Actually Doing
The most reliable way to know is to look at what's physically installed. Open your gravity system and check whether you see just the CB9 elements or CB9 elements with PF2 elements attached beneath them; the PF2 elements are visually distinct and sit below the primary filters, not beside them. For under-sink systems, check the model: OSF-12 is single-stage without fluoride reduction, while SF-D12-F is a dual-stage system with fluoride reduction built in.
If you're not sure and want fluoride reduction, adding a PF2 set to an existing CB9 gravity system is the simplest upgrade path and doesn't require replacing your housing or your existing CB9 filters.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do Clearbrook's standard CB9 filters remove fluoride?
No, not meaningfully. The CB9 filter's activated carbon media is built to reduce pathogens, heavy metals, chemicals, and sediment, but standard activated carbon does not effectively bind fluoride ions. Removing fluoride requires the separate PF2 Fluoride Reduction filter.
What does the Clearbrook PF2 filter do?
The PF2 Fluoride Reduction Elements are a post-filter that attaches below the CB9 elements to add fluoride and arsenic reduction, up to 95%, on top of the CB9's standard contaminant removal. It is sold separately as a set of two and is designed to work alongside CB9 filters, not replace them.
Does the Clearbrook SF-D12-F under-sink system remove fluoride?
Yes. The SF-D12-F is a dual-filter under-sink system that includes both a Gen4 filter stage and a fluoride reduction stage, so fluoride removal is built into that system without needing a separate add-on filter.
How do I know if my Clearbrook system already has fluoride reduction?
Check what filters are installed. If your gravity system only has CB9 elements, it is not reducing fluoride. If it also has PF2 elements attached below the CB9 filters, fluoride reduction is active. For under-sink systems, the SF-D12-F includes fluoride reduction; the standard OSF-12 does not.
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