When we checked our water with a chlorine reagent test, we were surprised to find out that chlorine reduction was identical between a used-up Brita filter and a new one. The biggest taste improvement for most tap water is clearly the easiest job, unless you prefer the mineral-free non-flavor of ZeroWater. That’s even longer than the carbon-block filters in their faucet-mount systems.
Filter replacement is a straightforward process, and most Brita filters have indicators to remind you when it’s time to change the filter. Brita’s best-certified filter, the Longlast+ (also branded the Elite) has more certifications than Pur’s filters. And it’s rated to perform for 120 gallons, or six months, which is three times the rated lifespan of most other filters (including that of the Pur filters and Brita’s basic Pitcher and Dispenser Filter). However, sediment-rich water can clog its particulate filtration design.
Sometimes, individuals refer to water as tasting “hard” or “soft.” This taste spectrum comes from the water’s calcium and magnesium content, which is higher in hard water. The company recommends changing these filters every 2 months, which Brita claims equals 40 gallons of water on average. It aims to reduce the taste and odor of chlorine and the amount of lead, mercury, cadmium, and particulates in the water. The filter fits inside the straw and filters the water as a person drinks. Brita states its filter is made from a proprietary blend of activated carbon and a binder.
That’s what makes the Brita Elite filter such a nice surprise; you get high-quality filtration and don’t have to swap the filter every couple of months. We wanted to see how much difference brita water filter faucet filter type really makes with taste’s biggest enemy, chlorine. So, we called in a Hatch chlorine test kit that can detect a .01 part-per-million (ppm) difference in total chlorine.
So for households with more than two people, this is a better option than a pitcher. The Ultramax removed about 83.4% of the lead from the contaminated supply but the filtered water still had lead concentrations that were significantly higher than what brita water dispenser the EPA considers a safe level. However, there is a cost difference between the more advanced pitchers, the Brita Grand and the Pur Ultimate. The Brita Grand pitcher has a retail price of anywhere from $25 to $40, and includes a Brita Standard filter.