The company was launched after a dinner party at founder Mike Del Ponte’s house, when he went to serve water from a plastic-filtered pitcher and realized it wasn’t attractive enough to set on the table. He decided to pour the water into a wine decanter but promptly spilled it. It was then that he decided to create a system that was as pleasing to the eye as it was functional.

Another reason to like Soma? Not only is the company based in our hometown of San Francisco, but they’ve recently partnered with charity: water to help those in need. The collaboration has yielded a limited-edition Soma container and the company’s promise to donate $12.50 to charity: water for each system purchased.

The Soma water filter is available at the Dwell Store, and additional filters and subscription services can be purchased at Soma’s website.