Taste is, of course, subjective, and though our testers weren’t as crazy about its taste as the two other pitchers we tested for 2023, it may suit yours and is worth checking out. One thing to note is that we’re really testing the filters here and not the pitcher itself. Because most home filter pitchers made by a single brand will use the same filter, you can bet that no matter which size or shape dispenser you choose, the filter should do the same job, for better or worse. ZeroWater, for instance, has a line of about six pitchers, jugs and dispensers in various sizes, all of which use the same very effective five-stage filter. The one caveat within the brands we’ve tested here is Brita which offers a LongLast filter that did not perform as well as the Legacy Brita filters. One key thing to consider from this chart is the estimated life of each pitcher filter versus its cost.
For this 2023 update, the Aquagear filter matched the Brita filter at 120 gallons, but the Waterdrop and Epic Water filters have even better filter life at 200 gallons and 150 gallons, respectively. When we switched to the lead-reducing versions of Brita Longlast and PUR filter, though, it was clear that their improved brita water dispenser performance over standard carbon filters is related to the speed water is allowed to trickle through. They take about five times longer than the non-lead-filtering Brita, even longer than the ZeroWater. We also tested each filter to determine how long it would take, on average, to filter one cup of water.
If your water supplier does not already provide you with a yearly Consumer Confidence Report, you can find out through the United States Environmental Protection Agency website. If you’re curious about whether or not you have hard water, there are various self-administered tests, such as this Premium Water Hardness Test Kit. I’ve covered luxury real estate, interior design, and culture—reporting on everything from smart home technology to racial hypocrisy at Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello estate. Since the pandemic started, I cherish simplicity, covering accessible topics like decorating, cooking, and cleaning. Daniel is a Canadian farm boy who grew up to be a nerd with a literature degree and too many hobbies to count.
It’s easier to set a digital calendar reminder or to use the included stick-on scheduling calendars, which you mark with a permanent marker. Brita’s iconic Everyday 10-cup pitcher in many ways defines the filter-pitcher category. But it has a few design weaknesses that make it less pleasant to use than the Pur Classic. “This one might go without saying, but it’s important to make sure the pitcher will not leach chemicals into your filtered water! Most modern units are BPA-free, but it’s worth checking just to be safe,” Campbell noted. When it comes to living a healthy lifestyle (or just living at all), drinking water is at the forefront.
Instead, you can simply check on the TDS meter and replace the filter when the reading hits 006. Some of them, such as magnesium, are beneficial for your health and for the taste of your water. There’s some controversy around the practice of drinking mineral-free water, and one study recommends monitoring your mineral levels and taking supplements if you’re not getting calcium, magnesium and sodium in your water. If you’re looking for a reliable improvement in the taste of chlorinated water or an efficient way to prevent potential lead exposure, Brita makes a good pitcher with a great filter.
Then we poured all 16 ounces into a water filter pitcher, waited for it to filter all the water, poured it into a new glass and took the readings again. For nonalkaline pitchers, you should expect to see a drop in the TDS readings, as impurities and other minerals are removed from the water. At 14.5 inches, the Brita dispenser is slightly less deep than the Pur, which measures 15.5 inches. In my apartment-size counter-depth fridge, the Brita settled in easily, but the Pur was a tight fit. (Any regular-size standard-depth or counter-depth fridge should accommodate either.) The Pur’s deep, cupped handles are more comfortable to hold than the Brita’s thin, flat ones.
The tap water reservoir holds 16 cups of water, so you won’t have to refill as often, and the carrying handle makes it easy to go to and from the sink. With water filter pitchers, all you have to do is fill up the pitcher with tap water, let it filter, and voila, filtered drinking water. If you’re just walking down the aisle of your grocery store or Target, chances are that you’ll only see water filter pitchers models made by Pur or Brita.
Because the handles are open loops rather than seamless extensions of the housing, as on the Pur and Brita dispensers, water will leak out if you overfill it. This also means that you can’t keep the top tank full, with water “in reserve,” something we like about the others. Our main takeaway from testing was that ANSI/NSF certification or its equivalent is a reliable measure of a filter’s performance. That’s not surprising considering the extreme rigor of the certification testing. Since then, to select our competitors, we have relied on ANSI/NSF certifications or the equivalent, rather than on our own, limited testing. If you have a known contamination issue in your home’s water, all of these are only a temporary and limited solution.