"Our goal is to reinvent the water filter and create a product that’s not only highly effective, but also thoughtfully designed," says Alex Totterman, the founder of Cove, a new water filtration system outfitted with smart technology. "We wanted to create something that would sit proudly in someone’s home, without being intrusive—something that merges beautiful design with advanced technology."

Totterman argues that most filters don't pass muster and in a laboratory test, four out of five produced water with bacterial counts higher than what originally came out of the tap. "It’s a product for the health-conscious; if you care about the ingredients in your food, then you should consider what's in your water, too," Totterman says. "Think of it like this: you're not just what you eat, but also what you drink."

Cove's app alerts you when filters should be replaced, when it needs to be refilled, and when water is chilled to the desired temperature. (It will also notify you if it hasn't dispensed H20 in a while, figuring you might be dehydrated.)

"Smart technology lets us develop products that are useful without interrupting how we live," Totterman says. "That's our aim with Cove. It’s not innovation for innovation's sake, but with the intention of improving overall lifestyle."