Best Pitcher Water Filters

On this page, we review these pitcher filters…

Things to Consider when Choosing a Pitcher Water Filter

1). Water Quality – This should always be your top consideration. Compare how effective one brand of filter is to another at removing harmful contaminants.

2). Drinking Water Demand – How much filtered drinking water do you think you and your family will need every day? Think about how much is needed for your coffee pot, the amount everyone drinks daily, filtered water you may feed your pets, filtered water you may cook with. You’ll need to determine if the pitcher filter you’re considering will keep up with your demand.

3). Space – Where do you plan to keep your pitcher water filter? Will you keep it on the kitchen counter, or perhaps in the refrigerator, so it stays cold? Be prepared to give up space to accommodate it.

Want an effective Pitcher Filter that’ll give you clean quality water? Below are the industries best Pitcher Water Filters …

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1). Aquagear Water Filter Pitcher – Removes PFOA’s Lead, Chloramine, Chromium-6, etc.

4.3 of 5 stars, 4,800+ customer reviews.

Aquagear was founded by a team of aerospace engineers over 15 years ago in California. In response to headlines of widespread of drinking water contamination, they started development of a filter that was effective at removing these contaminants in the home. They were successful in producing a simple pitcher filter that to this day, they claim to far outperform all other pitcher style water filters.

5 Stages of Filtration:

Aquagear filters have 5 distinct stages of filtration within the filter cartridge.

The first stage consists of an absorptive activated carbon made from coconut shells, which removes organic compounds and pollutants from water. This removes chlorine, solvents, PCB’s, PBDE’s, odors and other compounds that make water taste bad.

It appears that their most effective filtration stage uses a formulation of ion exchange material in a chelative matrix, which according to Aquagear, provides the greatest contamination reduction in the industry. This ion exchange media effectively removes heavy metals, industrial and agricultural pollutants, and trace pharmaceuticals.

So far, I haven’t yet been able to learn the details of the filters inner construction. From what I surmise, the 5 stages are alternating layers of the two filter mediums that I described above.

Tested for Effectiveness:

One thing is certain, the Aquagear filter has been found to be the most effective pitcher filter in reducing contaminants.

The Aquagear filter has been rigorously tested to NSF Standards 42 and 53 by an independent lab. This means that it meets or exceeds the protocols for contaminant reduction set by the NSF organization.

The materials used in the construction of the filter and pitcher are made from non-toxic FDA-approved materials. Components are BPA-free and are recyclable.

The test data to corroborate this comes from independent, ISO 17025 certified laboratories accredited by, among others, the National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Conference (NELAC), Oregon Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ORELAP), and County Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County (LACSD).

The Aquagear Filter Pitcher is tested to remove 99+% of toxins like benzene, lead, chloroform, PFOA, PFOS and many others. It also removes 96+% of chlorine from municipal tap water. Other pitcher filters don’t come close to this effectiveness.

Results of these tests and others can be found on Aquagear’s website under “Testing Certificates.”:   https://www.goaquagear.com/pages/technology

The Filter removes toxic inorganic heavy metals, but does not remove trace minerals, calcium and magnesium.

What’s included:

(1) Pitcher carafe with a single filter. Pitcher is 10-1/4″ (26 cm) in height. The reservoir holds 8 cups (1.9 l) and the carafe holds 10 cups (2.4 l).

Filter Capacity and Recommended Replacement Schedule:

The general capacity for one filter is supposed to filter about 120 U.S. gallons (454 liters). Some will find that they don’t have to change out the filter until the recommended 6-months, but others have found they need to change it more frequently. It depends on how much you use it.

In determining the best time to change the filter, people will see how slowly water is flowing through it. Others can notice the taste of the water changing. When you get used to it, you can use all of these methods to determine the best time to change your filter.

My Thoughts on the Aquagear Filter Pitcher:

I have not come across another pitcher filter that reduces contaminants levels as much as this one. After reading lots of feedback from verified customers, most are very pleased with their purchase.

I found this filter to be the most effective model on the market for the price point. If you go to the product’s website you will find all the data you are seeking and a full verified list of the contaminants it’s able to extract.

Most are in the habit of filling the container and putting it into the fridge to chill.

One insightful reviewer writes, “it has been a month and several days since initial use. The product is used by 1 individual drinking 4 cups of water on average daily. Currently, with a month of less than average use, it takes about 2-3 hours to filter a full 8 cup pitcher…”

Conclusion:

If my water came from a municipal source and I wanted to remove chemical contaminants, I would feel more confident using this filter than other pitcher filters.

Click to see more Spec’s and the latest price on Amazon…

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2). Seychelle pH₂O Alkaline Water Filter Pitcher – pH Enhancing Filtration – 200 Gallon Capacity – USA-Made Filter, BPA-Free, 64oz

4.5 of 5 stars, 35+ customer reviews.

Seychelle Technologies Incorporated is located in Aliso, California. It was founded by current CEO Carl Palmer, who has for over forty years, been a pioneer in water filtration technology. Seyshelle products have undergone rigorous testing to meet or exceed WQA, FDA, and NSF/ANSI standards for safe materials and contaminant reduction/elimination.

5 Stages of Filtration:

This pitcher will accomodate two different Seychelle filters, the Regular filters, or the pH enhanced filters. Both filters use Ionic Adsorption Micro Filtration Technology. Both the Regular and pH filters remove: Bad taste, odors, cloudiness, silt and chlorine, Toxic chemicals, trihalomethanes, PFOA, PFOS, PCB’s, DDT, glyphosate, herbicides, detergents, pesticides and benzene, Aluminum, asbestos, cadmium, chromium 6, copper, arsenic, fluoride, nitrates & nitrites, lead and mercury.

Regular Dual Replacement Filters Fits the 64 oz. Pitcher. Filter Life: Up to 200 Gallons

The Regular filter removes up to 99.99% of chlorine, chemicals (VOCs), heavy metals, and radon 222. It also removes up to 90% of fluoride. Since it is more open in porosity, it does not remove giardia, cryptosporidium, viruses or bacteria. Filters do not remove trace minerals from the water. (Do Not use with salt water.)

pH₂O Purewater Dual Replacement Filters Fits the 64 oz. pH₂O Purewater Pitcher and the 32 oz. pH₂O Purewater Pitcher. Filter Life: up to 200 Gallons

The pH Enhanced filter removes up to 99.99% of chlorine, chemicals (VOCs), heavy metals, and radon 222. It also removes up to 90% of fluoride. The pH Enhanced filter increases the alkalinity (pH) of drinking water sources up to 9.5 pH. (Results may vary.) Since it is more open in porosity, it does not remove giardia, cryptosporidium, viruses or bacteria. Filters do not remove trace minerals from the water. The pH Enhanced filter is designed to be used with chlorinated municipal water. (Do Not use with salt water.)

Tested for Effectiveness

Seychelle filters have been found to be very effective in reducing a wide-range of contaminants to a very high degree of purity.

Seychelle filters have been rigorously tested to NSF Standards 42 and 53 by independent labs and have been found to be very effective in reducing a wide-range of contaminants.

The materials used in the construction of the filter and pitcher are made from non-toxic FDA-approved materials. Components are BPA-free and are recyclable.

Test results can be found at http://www.seychelle.com/test-results

What’s included:

(1) Pitcher carafe with one set of dual filters. Pitcher is 10-1/4″ (26 cm) in height. The reservoir holds 8 cups (1.9 l) and the carafe holds 10 cups (2.4 l).

Filter Capacity and Recommended Replacement Schedule:

Seychelle rates this filter capacity at about 200 U.S. gallons (757 liters). Actual performance will depend on the quality of the water source.

In determining the best time to change the filter, people will see how slowly water is flowing through it. Others can notice the taste of the water changing. When you get used to it, you can use all of these methods to determine the best time to change your filter.

My Thoughts on the Seychelle Filter Pitcher:

The pitcher has an 8-cup capacity, is lightweight and easy to use. Seychelle filters are one of the most extensively tested filters world wide. An overwhelming majority of verified customers are very pleased with their purchase.

Seychelle employs a research team to continually improve and refine its proprietary filters. They have been tested in 16 countries for performance and quality.

Conclusion:

If my water came from a pre-treated municipal source, I would feel extremely confident using this filter to remove harmful chemicals from my drinking water.

Click to see more Spec’s and the latest price on Amazon…

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3). Crystal Quest, 10-Cup Classic Pitcher Water Filter System – BPA Free – Clear or Blue

Crystal Quest is involved in all phases of water treatment technology. Through research, advanced engineering and design, they produce reliable, cost-effective, cutting-edge water treatment systems for the residential, commercial and industrial markets worldwide.

Description

Crystal Quest Classic Pitcher is very convenient for making clean filtered, great-tasting water. You can fill it and chill it in your refrigerator.

Filtration and Filter Capacity:

Crystal Quest’s Water Pitcher Filter System comes with their ‘Standard/SMART Water Pitcher Cartridge’. It uses a four-stage media filter, explained as Steps below:

Step 1:   Eagle Redox Alloy® 6500 fiter media, removes or reduces chlorine and water-soluble heavy metals like Arsenic, Mercury, Lead, Chromium and Cadmium. This stage will also control scale, bacteria and algae.

This filter media has received NSF International Certification to NSF/ANSI Standard 42 – Drinking Water Treatment Units – Aesthetic Effects. This filter media is also in compliance with California’s Health and Safety Code Section 166875 (AB1953) and the Vermont Act 193.

Step 2:  This second stage of the filter uses what Crystal Quest calls ‘Eagle Redox Alloy® 9500’. It removes or reduces iron and hydrogen sulfide from municipal or other water supplies. It will also control scale, bacteria and algae and can remove up to 99% of water-soluble lead, mercury, nickel, chromium, and other dissolved metals.

Step 3:  The ion exchange resin of this third-stage reduces heavy metals like copper, Zinc, aluminum and water hardness. This portion of the filter is certified by the WQA to NSF/ANSI-61 Standard. Water Regulations Advisory Scheme Approved.

Step 4:  Coconut Shell Granulated activated carbon and Catalytic activated carbon reduces chlorine, chloramine, bad tastes, and odors. It also has the ability to reduce toxic herbicides and pesticides, like lindane, atrazine and 2,4-D (dioxin). Additionally, it can reduce or remove other chemicals that are linked to cancer risk (benzene, TTHMs, and toxaphene).

This media has also received NSF International Certification to NSF/ANSI Standard 42 – Drinking Water Treatment Units, and Aesthetic Effects. This media is also in compliance with California’s prop65.

Benefits:

• Crystal Quest four-Stage Water Filter is certified to be highly effective
• Removes dozens of contaminants from water
• Slim design is space-efficient, can fit nicely into a refrigerator door (9″L x 4″W x 11″H)
• Convenient flip-top lid makes it easy to refill without lid removal
• The handle is designed for comfortable pouring
• The filter is capable of providing up to 2,000 gallons (6-12 months) of quality water, depending on the quality of the source water
• Designed in attractive blue color, or clear

Features:

When you install the fresh filter into the pitcher, you set the The manual dial as a reminder of when you did this. This will help you gauge when the filter needs changing.

Crystal Quest’s filters are typically good for up to 2,000 gallons (about 6-12 months depending on water quality and usage).

Note:  Crystal Quest has discontinued a digital lid on their pitchers, due to water leakage around the digital dial. Afterwards, some customers have received instructions that were formatted for the discontinued digital lid, causing some confusion. They have revised, or are in the process of revising the instructions.

Click here to see the Product Manual.

Available Filter Cartridges:

Standard/SMART Water Pitcher Cartridge:  CQE-RC-04047 has 4 stages of filtration that conveniently provides approximately 2,000 gallons (6-12 months) of quality water and addresses, but not limited to; chlorine, VOC’s, THM’s, heavy metals, bad taste, and odor.

SMART/Fluoride Removal Water Pitcher Cartridge:  CQE-RC-04130
removes Fluoride along with chlorine, chloramines, their by-products, inorganic compounds, heavy metals while reacting with water hardness which results in enhanced alkalinity.

Alkalizing Water Pitcher Cartridge:  CQE-RC-04147
enhances alkalinity and oxygenation in your water.

SMART/Arsenic Removal Water Pitcher Cartridge:  CQE-RC-04131
removes Arsenic chlorine, chloramines, their by-products, inorganic compounds, heavy metals while reacting with water hardness which results in enhanced alkalinity.

Demineralizer (DI) Water Pitcher Cartridge:  CQE-RC-04132
reduces the TDS (total dissolved solids) of your water to 90% reduction or zero non-detected levels. This cartridge demineralizes and lowers the pH. The TDS after filtration will give you a 70% reduction on average. The demineralizer lasts for approximately 2,000 gallons. The pitcher will fill the reservoir in under 5 minutes.

Crystal Quest Replies to Customer Questions:

“The standard filter will only filter out the contaminants listed in the description section of the page. There are different cartridges and they are filled with different media, these filter out specific contaminants. Unfortunately, one filter does not do it all but our standard does remove a lot of basic contaminants found in most municipalities.” -Crystal Quest

“Yes, the demineralizer cartridge works with this water pitcher filter system. The TDS after filtration will give you a 70% reduction on average. The demineralizer lasts for approximately 2,000 gallons. The pitcher will fill the reservoir in under 5 minutes.” -Crystal Quest

“The SMART cartridge setup will also remove glyphosate from the water.”  -Crystal Quest

“The alkaline filter only increases the pH of the water. It does not filter out any contaminants.” -Crystal Quest

“SMART + Fluoride will also reduce low levels of arsenic in municipal treated water.” -Crystal Quest

Tested for Effectiveness:

Crystal Quest components and filters have been certified to meet the WQA and NSF/ANSI 42 and 53 for contamination reduction and safe construction materials.

What’s included:

(1) Pitcher carafe with a single filter. Pitcher is 11″ H x 4″ wd x 9″ lg (28 cm H x 10.2 cm wd x 23 cm lg)

My Thoughts on Crystal Quest’s, Classic Pitcher Water Filter System – Conclusion:

This pitcher and its filters are highly praised by many, many satisfied customers. It filters a full reservoir in about 5-minutes, unlike other filters which can seem excruciatingly slow.

A leaking issue was eliminated by changing the design. Another issue, discussed above, hasn’t really changed peoples minds from really liking the effectiveness of Crystal Quest’s amazing filters.

The price of the Pitcher, which comes with Crystal Quest’s ‘Standard/SMART Water Pitcher Cartridge’ is far better than the other quality pitchers. I think it’s a great choice and hope they make the simple design change to improve it even more.

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4). Brita Grand, 10-Cup Everyday Water Pitcher with Filter – BPA Free – White

4.7 of 5 stars, 38,000+ customer reviews.

Brita is owned by the Clorox Company.

Filtration and Filter Capacity:

The filter media used in the Standard pitcher (Model #: OB03) is a two-stage filter, comprised of coconut-based activated carbon with ion-exchange resin inside a BPA-free housing. It reduces: Chlorine (taste and odor) and mercury. The ion-exchange resin captures: Copper, cadmium and zinc.

Brita recommends changing out a standard filter cartridge every 2-months or every 40-gallons of water, whichever comes first.

The Performance Data Sheet for the Standard filter is included in the Standard User Guide.

Brita’s Longlast filter (Model #: OB06) has a 3x filter life, when compared to the standard filter, and reduces more contaminants than a standard filter. The Longlast has a filter life of about 6-months, or up to 120-gallons.

The Longlast filter is shown to reduce: Chlorine (taste and odor), mercury, lead, cadmium, benzene, asbestos, particulates and class 1 particulates (equal to or greater than 0.5 micron in size). Its unclear what additional filter material allows for this, as they claim it has “proprietary active filtering agents” at work.

The Performance Data Sheet for the Longlast filter is included in the Longlast User Guide.

On Brita’s site, there is a disclaimer that says their filters do NOT remove fluoride. In fact, they try to spin it as a positive, touting the same untruths, that consuming toxic fluoride is “healthy” and that it “promotes strong teeth.”

Tested for Effectiveness:

Brita components have been certified to meet the WQA and NSF/ANSI 42 and 53 for contamination reduction and safe materials.

Take a look at Brita’s filter/contaminant chart.

What’s included:

(1) Pitcher carafe with a single filter. Pitcher is 10.16″ (25.8 cm) in height and 5.77” (14.7 cm) wide.

My Thoughts on the Brita Grand Pitcher:

One neat feature of the Brita Grand, 10-Cup filter pitcher is the Filter Indicator located on the top of the lid. It notifies you when your water filter needs to be replaced.

Conclusion:

Brita’s Grand 10-Cup Pitcher filter provides convenient low-volume drinking water.

Click to see more Spec’s and the latest price on Amazon…

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5). ZeroWater 10-Cup Pitcher Water Filter with Water Quality Meter

4.5 of 5 stars, 20,000+ customer reviews.
Zero Technologies, LLC was founded in 2002. Their corporate offices are in Bensalem, PA.

ZeroWater’s 10 Cup Water Filtration Pitcher features a one-hand, push to dispense spigot that allows you to fill a glass or water bottle without any lifting the container. It uses a replaceable 5-stage filter cartridge. All ZeroWater products include a TDS water quality meter to test your water to ensure the highest quality filtration.

5 Stages of Filtration:

Stage 1: Activated carbon infused micron cloth removes suspended solids such as dust and rust that make your water appear cloudy.

Stage 2: Multi-layer system using activated carbon and oxidation reduction alloy removes additional suspended solids

Stage 3: Distributor that maximizes contact time removes organic contaminants; pesticides, herbicides, mercury, chlorine, chloramine, and stops bacteria from growing

Stage 4: Comprehensive Ion Exchange array removes inorganic compounds i.e. metals, nonmetals and radiological contaminants.

Stage 5: Non-woven membrane to remove fine particles and remaining suspended solids, holds the resin in place.

Tested for Effectiveness:

ZeroWater’s filter is certified to reduce both lead and chromium. ZeroWater is the only gravity-fed pitcher water filter that is NSF-certified to reduce both lead and chromium to 99%. Even if you live in a municipality that cleans or treats water, it can pick up chemicals on its way from the treatment plant to your faucet, giving your tap water a metallic and chlorinated taste.

Certified to NSF/ANSI Standard 53, issued 5/7/2018
Certified BPA-free by LG Chem, issued 1/12/2016

Here’s a link to ZeroWater’s ‘Results’ showing filter testing procedures.

What’s included:

Model Number: ZP-010 –   (1) Pitcher carafe with a single filter (ZR-017). The pitcher is 11.63″ (29.5 cm) in height x 5.93” (15 cm) wide x 11” (28 cm).

Filter Capacity and Recommended Replacement Schedule:

ZeroWater water filtration system has been tested to remove 99+ % of TDS. This is near equivalent to the purity of reverse osmosis filtered water. Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) refers to minerals, salts, metals including lead, chemicals, fluoride and other runoff contaminants.

After reviewing a lot of feedback, I’ve found that the majority of actual customers really like this filter pitcher. However, a significant number have had a poor experience with it. Of those that did not like it, two big issues were sighted:

1). The lid being very poorly designed. Some have said that it’s difficult to work with, hard to put on, but is always falling off. That the entire lid must come off in order to fill it, instead of having an access door. Another widespread frustration with the lid is that the hinged spout lid does not stay open while pouring. It appears that it’s designed to be pleasing to look at, but not a very functional pitcher.

2). Although the filter works really well when it’s new, many have found the filter-life to be much shorter than advertised. Either the filter becomes clogged very soon after using, or it becomes fouled far too soon. When this occurs, many have noticed foul odors emanating from the filters.
I have to say, one positive reviewer thinks the short life span of some filters is due to excessive chlorine in the feed water prematurely fouling them. His or her practice is to fill open pitchers and allowed to vent the chlorine off for several hours before using it in their ZeroWater filter. They claim that they have never had any problems of shortened life span of their filters. I don’t have information to confirm this, so I can’t truthfully comment on that.

My Thoughts on the ZeroWater Filter Pitcher:

I was originally taken in by positive reports of ZeroWater’s filtering capability, but then I focused on customer reviews. Although the majority were positive, there were a significant amount that were quite negative, over 20%. It was only after reading many comments and questions, did I have a better idea of the overall performance of this filter.

Many people have reported a fishy or foul odor coming from the filter after only 2-3 weeks of usage, long before the filer was supposed to be spent. Several have pinpointed the foul odors coming from their slightly-used filters. One person who researched this found that the foul odor is due to a breakdown in the filter media, but offered no details about it.

After short usage, a few customers have noticed a negative change in the taste of the filtered water. While testing the water before filtering and after filtering, they discovered considerably more Total Dissolved Solids in the water after filtering than before filtering, which leads to the conclusion that previously filtered contaminants were being reintroduced into the water from the fouled filter.

Conclusion:

I’m sorry to say that I cannot recommend the ZeroWater Pitcher filter. I include it on this webpage as a warning to potential buyers.

See more spec’s and customer reviews at Amazon…

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6). EHM ULTRA Premium Alkaline Water Pitcher, 3.5L Pure Water Ionizer

Amazons Choice, 4.5 of 5 stars, 5,600+ customer reviews.

EHM All Things Healthy, LLC is a small privately held company in Pembroke Pines, FL, established in 2011

6 Stages of Filtration:

EHM filters have 6 distinct stages of filtration within the filter cartridge and claims a filter-life of 300 liters (79.25 gallons).

Stage 1: Micro-screen reduces black particle release.
Stage 2: PP melt blown fiber.
Stage 3: Nano meter activated carbon.
Stage 4: Ion exchange resin.
Stage 5: Natural coconut shell active.
Stage 6: High density filter mesh.

COMPOSITE 6-STAGE FILTER CARTRIDGE: By utilizing a specially formulated 6-stage filter, the EHM Alkaline Water Pitcher removes chlorine, heavy metals, and other contaminants from water, sets its pH to a basic value between 8.5 and 10 depending on the source water. It also adds calcium, magnesium, and potassium minerals and anti-oxidants, and provides a low negative ORP between -100 and -200 mv.

Effectiveness and Technical Spec’s.:

NOTE:   I have not been able to find WQA or NSF/ANSI certifications for this filter.

Material:   PMMA or AS Plastic, Nano-KDF, Active carbon, Tourmaline ceramic cartridge.

• With high-tech micro multi-level filtration
• With high-tech Nano-metal clusters media (Nano-KDF)
• Without re-contamination.
• Nano-metal clusters media (Nano-KDF):
• Highly efficiently removal of residual chlorine;
• Highly efficiently removes heavy metal ions in water such as Pb2+, Cd2+, Cr6+, As3+, etc.
• Decreasing the concentration of organic pollutants and F-,Hg+,MH3,N02-,in water.
• Micro-organisms growth and reproduction can be inhibited and eliminated.

The materials used in the construction of the filter and pitcher are made from non-toxic FDA-approved materials. Components are BPA-free and are recyclable.

What’s included:

(1) Pitcher carafe with a single filter.

Filter Capacity and Recommended Replacement Schedule:

The general capacity for one filter is supposed to filter about 300 liters (79.25 U.S. gallons).

My Thoughts on the EHM ULTRA Filter Pitcher:

There is very little information about this pitcher and filter. I cannot find any testing certification for EHM’s pitcher Filter on the EHM website.

When searching for information on the company, on their website, I realized they do their very best to avoid giving out contact information. Information I found on this company, indicates it’s a very small company, employing just 4 or 5 people. There is no indication where they source their product from.

They make claims about the ability of their filter, but there is no official independent testing done to verify these claims.

However, there are an overwhelming majority of customers who’re pleased with the EHM Pitcher Filter and the taste of the water produced. There are only a small number of verified customers who’re disappointed with it.

Conclusion:

I don’t like that there isn’t any accreditation for this filter. I don’t think I can recommend this product. There is just too little information about its product, where they’re manufactured and there is no credible evidence that the filters do what they claim to do.

Click to see more Spec’s, customer comments, or the latest price on Amazon…

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