The Best Water Filter Pitchers In 2022
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Since 90% of our blood plasma is made up of water, it's pretty clear that staying hydrated has plenty of benefits, from aiding digestion and improving skin health to promoting optimal brain function (via Aqua Clara International). Unfortunately, tap water often comes with both an unpleasant taste and smell, as well as contaminants such as sediment, heavy metals, and other potentially harmful substances.
Water filter pitchers can reduce many of the nasties that hide in your tap water. Depending on the quality of the filter, some water purifying systems can remove around 99% of contaminants from your water supply. Most household filter jugs are based on gravity, which moves water from a feed container through a filtration system and into a clean water reservoir (via Water Drop Filter). While many water filter pitchers operate in a similar way, they are not all created equal. Keep reading to find out about the best water filter pitchers on the market in 2022.
How we selected products
While most water filter pitchers have a similar structure, they all come with different pros and cons. As such, finding the right one for yourself or your family can be a tall order. This is where we come in. In our quest to cut through the clutter and bring you the best water filter pitchers in 2022, we assessed a wide array of different product features and sifted through both expert and community reviews.
Firstly, we looked at the size and capacity of each water jug. After all, a compact carafe-style water purifier might not be the best option for a family, while a bulky unit that doesn't fit in the fridge is probably not ideal for a tiny apartment. We then took into account filter type, the contaminants it removes, and its lifespan. Last but not least, we also considered each unit's filtration speed. Ready to find out more about what water filter pitcher is right for your household?
Best water filter pitcher overall
Billed as the "most powerful water pitcher on the market," the Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher features unique "Affinity Filtration Technology" that its makers claim will remove 99.9% of harmful tap water contaminants, as well as glyphosate, BPA, PFOAs, fluoride, and hormones. The unit does this without removing natural minerals and nutrients from the water.
The Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher utilizes three filtration systems including activated carbon filtration, a woven mesh screen, and a composite shell. Rather than letting water pass straight through these barriers, the pitcher's filtration system actually moves it in twists and turns to trap the maximum amount of contaminants and impurities (via Water Filter Guru).
With a holding capacity of 80 ounces — that's enough to fill 10 cups — the Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher is large enough for a family without being obtrusive. Plus, it features a comfortable handle and an built-in water dam that lets you pour filtered water out of the spout at any time during the filtration process (via Gurl Gone Green). The Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher has a pretty good filter life of 100 gallons, which equates to around four months of use.
Purchase the Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher from Amazon starting at $110.
Best value water filter pitcher
With a $26.99 price tag, the Amazon Basics 10-Cup Water Pitcher with Filter is one of the most affordable tap water filtration options on the market. Simple and effective, the unit features a removable top lid, an easy-to-grip handle, and a relatively slender oval-shaped base that makes it ideal for storing inside the fridge door (via Amazon). While the jug is dishwasher safe, this doesn't apply to its lid, given that it features an in-built electronic filter replacement indicator (via Best Purification).
The pitcher's multi-stage filter features activated carbon and ion exchange resin. It also comes with an additional mesh screen to reduce chlorine, as well as contaminants such as chlorine, mercury, copper, and benzene. The filter also comes with a unique aeration design for what Amazon says will be a more efficient and effective performance. It has a life expectancy of approximately 40 gallons, which equates to around two months of use. Please note that while the Amazon Basics water filter pitcher is a decent and affordable product, some users have noted that the filtration process can be slow.
Purchase the Amazon Basics 10-Cup Water Pitcher with Filter from Amazon starting at $26.99.
Best designed water filter pitcher
Sleek and practical, the Soma 10-Cup Water Filter Pitcher features an 80-ounce plastic pitcher with a stylish wooden handle (be sure to dry it after use to prevent the wood from deteriorating). Crafted from 60% renewable and plant-based materials, one of Soma's most interesting design features is a lid that opens automatically when the jug is placed under running water (via Water Filter Spot). Meanwhile, Soma's filtration system is composed of activated coconut shell carbon and charcoal that reduces the amount of chlorine, zinc, mercury, copper, and cadmium in your water.
While the Soma 10-Cup Water Filter Pitcher certainly looks great, it's important to keep in mind that it only removes five potential contaminants. According to the Water Filter Guru, this is 10 times less than the average water filter. If you want to remove more from your water, including the chlorine taste that's common in municipal water systems, you may want to look elsewhere.
Purchase the Soma 10-Cup Water Filter Pitcher with Filter from Amazon starting at $38.99.
Best large capacity water filter pitcher
Despite its large 25-cup water capacity, the Brita 25-Cup UltraMax Water Dispenser is slim enough to occupy relatively little space on your kitchen countertop or even inside the fridge. Depending on the size of your household, you'll probably only have to refill it once per day via the sliding lid on top of the unit. Plus, it features a handy spigot for easy pouring (via Best Views Reviews). Each Brita unit comes with a Smart Light Filter Indicator that lets users know exactly when a filter change is required — this is about every 40 gallons (via Amazon).
So how does the Brita 25-Cup UltraMax Water Dispenser filter measure up to the competition? Brita's filters utilize activated carbon to reduce contaminants without removing some essential minerals and electrolytes. These contaminants include class VI particulates and 1, 2, and 4 trichlorobenzene, as per the Brita website. The filter also minimizes chlorine to improve both the taste and smell of water.
Purchase the Brita 25-Cup UltraMax Water Dispenser from Amazon starting at $48.99.
Best water filter pitcher with a dual mode dispenser
What makes the ZeroWater 10-Cup 5-Stage Water Filter Pitcher stand out from the pack is its two-in-one dispensation system. You can either pour water out of the spout or use the spigot located at the bottom of the pitcher. This is particularly useful for families with kids who may not be able to lift a heavy jug filled with water. The ZeroWater pitcher also comes with a reservoir that separates filtered and unfiltered water, which means that you can pour cups of water while it's being filtered (via Get Ultimate Now).
The ZeroWater 10-Cup 5-Stage Water Filter Pitcher features a five-stage water purification process that removes 99.6% of dissolved solids from tap water. It also reduces heavy metals that you'd probably want to avoid, such as lead, chlorine, and chromium. The water purification system includes activated carbon and oxidation reduction alloy, as well as dual exchange ion technology. Better still, the pitcher can filter five cups of water in just six minutes (via Good for Company). For those consumers who are really into the numbers, the ZeroWater pitcher comes with a test meter that lets users check the water's TDS (total dissolved solids) level prior to and after filtration. On the downside, the pitcher's filters have an average life expectancy of only around 20 gallons.
Purchase the ZeroWater 10-Cup 5-Stage Water Filter Pitcher from Amazon starting at $34.99.
Best compact water filter pitcher
Compact and affordable, the Brita Standard Metro Water Filter Pitcher only holds the equivalent of five or six cups of water. While the Brita website doesn't specify the unit's exact capacity, Water Filter Magazine estimates it to be around 67 ounces — roughly the same amount of water an average adult should be drinking per day (via Healthline).
The pitcher comes with a slim, space-efficient design that's ideal for storing it on a crowded counter or in the fridge (via Amazon). The only potential inconvenience here is the fact that you have to take the entire lid off to refill the pitcher with water. The Brita filter is made with a mesh screen, activated carbon granules to filter out chlorine and mercury, and ion exchange resin to reduce zinc, copper, and cadmium. The pitcher comes with an electronic filter replacement indicator, which alerts users to the need for a filter change after the unit filters 40 gallons of water.
While the Brita filter does a decent job of reducing contaminants, it's not recommended for situations where the water is very polluted. One Amazon reviewer sums this up best, saying, "I measured the TDS (total dissolved solids) after filtering. It remained the same as the unfiltered tap water (~150 ppm). I called Brita Tech Support and was informed that the product only removes chlorine and certain metals such as copper."
Purchase the Brita Standard Metro Water Filter Pitcher from Amazon starting at $21.99.
Best water filter pitcher with a long-lasting filter
Tired of paying top dollar for filter replacements? The Epic Pure 10-Cup Water Filter Pitcher might be just the right answer to your woes. This is because Each Epic Pure filter delivers 150 gallons of purified water. This equates to between two and three months of heavy use, between three and four months of normal use, and between four and six months of light use. Heavy use here refers to filling the unit over three times per day, normal use twice or three times per day, and light use once or twice per day. To make life easier, the unit comes with an in-built LED timer that counts down from 90 days to remind you about filter changes.
The Epic Pure 10-Cup Water Filter Pitcher features an activated carbon and ion exchange filtration system that removes up to 99.99% of tap water contaminants. And those of us who are slightly impatient will be pleased to know that the device purifies an entire reservoir of water in around 10 minutes. This means that your glass of purified water can be ready in just one minute (via Water Purification Guide).
Purchase the Epic Pure 10-Cup Water Filter Pitcher from Amazon starting at $60.
Best portable water filter pitcher
With a capacity of just 40 ounces, the Hydros Slim Water Filter Pitcher is one of the most portable and lightweight water filtration systems on the market. Featuring a sleek carafe-style design, the pitcher stands in stark contrast to some of its bulkier counterparts. As such, you can easily store it in the fridge, leave it on your countertop, or keep it handy on your office desk.
Produced from crystal-clear borosilicate glass, the stylish water pitcher filters water five times faster than most other similar units. The pitcher comes with an environmentally-friendly filter made from coconut shell carbon enclosed in a BPA-free casing. Independently tested, the unit's filter removes 99% of sediment and 90% of chlorine. That said, while this filter pitcher is sufficient for most tap water, it's not recommended for purifying heavily polluted water. The filter requires replacements every 40 gallons or every two months (via Amazon).
Purchase the Hydros Slim Water Filter Pitcher from Amazon starting at $23.99.
Best countertop water filter pitcher dispenser
The AquaTru Connect Smart Countertop Water Purifier is ideal for those who don't mind splurging on a quality product. With a 16-cup tank capacity, this large water purifier features a multi-stage reverse osmosis technology that removes 83 contaminants, a whopping list that includes nitrates, fluoride, lead, chlorine, PFOS, and PFOA. The unit's filtration system combines a carbon pre-filter, a reverse osmosis membrane, and an activated carbon polishing block filter (via Best Osmosis Systems). Plus, the countertop unit features a quick filtration time of 15 minutes per one gallon of water.
It's not just efficient, either, as the AquaTru Connect Smart Countertop Water Purifier requires minimal installation time. To get going, simply fill the reservoir with water and plug the unit into an outlet. Best of all, the purifier's filters are extremely long-lasting with bi-annual or annual filter replacements depending on the frequency of use. Simply keep an eye out for the change filter alerts on the digital display.
The AquaTru water filter can be connected to the AquaTru smart app via iOS or Android smartphones. The app can be used to access real-time information about filter usage, water consumption, total dissolved solids in the tap water and the clean water tanks, and even data about the money and plastic bottles you have saved by using the device (via AquaTru Water).
Purchase the AquaTru Connect Smart Countertop Water Purifier from Amazon starting at $485.
Best glass water filter pitcher
The LifeStraw Home 7-Cup Glass Water Filter Pitcher combines an elegant shatter-resistant borosilicate glass carafe and a quality filtration system. Aside from aesthetics and durability, the pitcher is also easy to use. Most significantly, there's no need to remove the lid to fill the unit with water. Instead, simply place it under a running tap. While it takes around five minutes for the device to filter seven cups, the top reservoir only accommodates two cups at one time, which means that you'll have to fill it with water in batches. While this may not be a problem for some, it could be a deal-breaker for others (via Safe Healthy Home).
The unit's filtration system is made with activated carbon and ion exchange particles, which reduce PFAS, chromium, lead, cadmium, copper, and mercury. The pitcher also features a membrane microfilter that removes 99.9% of bacteria, parasites, and microplastics (the last of which can be in all sorts of things in your kitchen, from salt to tea). In fact, LifeStraw bills the unit as "the only water filter pitcher that removes bacteria and parasites." It's worth noting that the two filters have different lifespans. The activated carbon and ion exchange filter requires replacements every 40 gallons, while the membrane microfilter needs to be changed every 264 gallons.
Purchase the LifeStraw Home 7-Cup Glass Water Filter Pitcher from Amazon starting at $39.95.
Best water filter pitcher for a splurge
With a $405 price tag, the Big Berkey Gravity-Fed Water Filter definitely isn't the cheapest water purifying system on the market. However, if you're after a quality product that's going to withstand the test of time, this unit is definitely worth the extra expense. According to the Big Berkey website, the brand's offerings are "the best and longest-lasting water filter systems on the market."
Made from stainless steel, this striking unit has a capacity of 2.2 gallons, enough to supply pure water for the entire family. The purification system comes with two high-quality filters that can remove a staggering 99.999% of viruses, bacteria, chlorine, parasites, heavy metals, and hazardous chemicals out of pond water, rainwater, and tap water in most countries. Another amazing claim from Big Berkeley is that each set of filters can purify over 6,000 gallons of water.
Perhaps the only notable downside to the Big Berkey Gravity-Fed Water Filter is that it may take a little longer to filter water than some other water filter pitchers on the market (via World Water Reserve). Also, since the spigot is positioned at the bottom of the tank, the setup may require a stand, which needs to be purchased separately, to simplify water access (via Girl Worth Saving).
Purchase the Big Berkey Gravity-Fed Water Filter from Amazon starting at $405.