You’re spot on about those old valves—they can be a real pain, and sometimes you end up making things worse just by touching them. I’ve seen folks snap off handles or cause slow leaks that go unnoticed for weeks. Countertop filters are definitely less invasive, but like you said, water pressure can be a wild card, especially in older places with galvanized pipes or old fixtures. If the pressure’s low, some countertop units barely trickle. Always worth checking before you buy anything.
I get where you’re coming from, but honestly, I’ve seen countertop filters cause their own headaches. Some models don’t fit older faucets at all, or you end up stripping threads trying to force an adapter that just won’t seat right. Under sink installs can be a pain with those old valves, sure, but at least once it’s in, you’re not fiddling with it every time you use the sink. Guess it’s a trade-off either way.
Had a similar issue with a countertop filter a few years back—adapter just wouldn’t fit my old faucet, and I ended up scratching the finish trying to make it work. Switched to under sink after that. Bit of a hassle at first, but honestly, haven’t touched it since. Sometimes the “set it and forget it” approach wins out.
Had a customer once who tried to force a countertop filter onto a weirdly shaped faucet—ended up with a leaky adapter and a chipped sink. Honestly, I get the appeal of countertop filters for renters or folks who move a lot, but those adapters can be a pain. Under sink installs take more elbow grease upfront, sure, but once it’s in, you barely think about it. Just double-check for leaks after install... nobody wants a surprise puddle under the cabinet.
Under sink filters definitely take more effort to install, but honestly, I found the countertop ones way more annoying in daily use. The adapters never fit my faucet right and leaked constantly. If you’re handy with basic tools, under sink is less hassle in the long run... just my two cents.
