In today’s world it’s not enough to rely on your local governments to provide you with the safest drinking water possible as no matter how hard they try some contaminants are bound to get through and into your pipes. Water filter pitchers are one of the most inexpensive ways of bringing clean drinking water into the home and are also more environmentally friendly than the popular bottled water option. Other systems may be somewhat more effective, but if you’re on a tight budget and you’re looking for options to help keep your families drinking water safe then water filter pitchers are a great choice for the home.
Best of all you don’t have to worry about any complicated installation with a water filter pitcher as it comes ready to use right out of the package. The biggest issue you may face is finding a good spot for it in the fridge so that you have cold water on hand at all times. If you decided that a water filter pitcher is something you need for the home you’ll want to consider a couple of things first such as how well does it actually filter and what its capacity is. We’ve put together some reviews of the most popular systems on the market today to help you make your decision.
1. PUR 18-Cup Water Filter Dispenser
The Pur 18-Cup water filter is without a doubt one of the best systems on the market today. There’s a couple of good reasons for saying that and one of the reasons it stands out in a crowded marketplace is because it has a convenient tap dispenser that makes it easy to get your drinking water without having to lift the dispenser from its resting place. It’s convenient and easy to use.
This pitcher is also capable of dispensing up to 18 cups before you have to refill it which is one of the largest capacities for a water filter pitcher available. It’s also designed to remove up to 95% of the mercury from your drinking water and it reduces the taste and odor of chlorine. To top it all off one filter provides about 40 gallons of drinking water or for most families about two months’ worth of use. The replacement filters are relatively inexpensive as well which means overall this is a much less expensive option than a complicated filtration system attached to your sink.
2. Brita 10 Cup Everyday Water Pitcher
When it comes to water filter pitchers there is one name that’s universally recognized – Brita. This company has been manufacturing water filter pitchers for decades and over that time they’ve been able to develop some of the most effective systems available. The Brita 10 Cup Everyday Water Pitcher is one of their best products and effectively removes copper, mercury, and cadmium from your drinking water. It’s also good at removing the chlorine taste and odor from your water which many municipalities put into their drinking systems to clean the water and while that may be effective it doesn’t make for great tasting water.
This particular water filter pitcher has about a 10 cup capacity for each fill and while that may not make it the largest choice on the market it’s a pretty decent size. As is the case with any water filter pitcher the filter won’t last forever, but it is good for 40 gallons or about two months. It’s unlikely that you’ll keep track of how many gallons you’ve gone through by memory and that’s why they’ve included an ingenious sticker system that will actually notify you by changing color when it’s time to change your filter. The filters for the system are widely available at most stores both online and off-line and they’re quite affordable.
3. PUR LED 11 Cup Pitcher
If you’re looking for more than just another water filter pitcher then you’ll be pleased to know that there’s a pitcher that’s actually designed to not only clean your water, but also make your life more convenient. The PUR Led 11 Cup Pitcher is designed with comfort and convenience in mind.
It will of course clean your drinking water by removing up to 96% of the mercury in the water and about 95% of industrial pollutants that may be found in your water. It’s also BPA free which is a chemical that’s been used in plastics for years, but is viewed as potentially dangerous to our health according to some studies.
This pitcher will hold about 11 cups of water which is quite respectable and each filter will last for about 40 gallons of water before you have to change it. Adding water to the pitcher is a simple task using the Easy-fill lid which you activate with your thumb unlike other systems which require you to use both hands to remove the lid which can be a little awkward. It’s also got a nice comfortable grip that makes pouring easier.
4. MAVEA Elemaris XL
You wouldn’t normally think of a water filter pitcher is a fun addition to your fridge, but the folks at MAVEA have made a decent effort to change your opinion on that with six different color pitchers to choose from. It doesn’t make the pitcher work any better, but it’s always nice to have a little color to spice up your life.
The MAVEA XL has a 9 cup capacity which is adequate although not the largest available by any means. It’s made of quality materials that are designed to handle being dropped more than once or twice so you should get many years of use out of this water filter.
The built-in filtration system removes almost all the contaminants in your water such as mercury and cadmium while still providing a steady and smooth flow of water. It also has a couple of unique design features such as an innovative pour through lid which automatically closes once your water reservoirs full. The pitcher comes with a built in Smart Meter as well which measures water hardness, water volume, and the length of time since you changed your filter. With this system there is no need for guessing as you’ll know exactly when it’s the right time to change your filter.
5. The ZeroWater 10-Cup Pitcher
The Zero Water 10-Cup pitcher has some serious advantages over other water filter pitchers. For one thing it’s been certified by the NSF to reduce lead which is one of the most dangerous problems confronting our quest for clean drinking water. It actually has a five stage filtration process which works to remove more than 99% of all dissolved solids that might be present in your water. It might look like just a simple plastic pitcher, but it’s a lot more than that. It produces some of the cleanest drinking water possible without an expensive water filtration system being attached to your sink.
It has a large 10 cup capacity which means you don’t have to worry about filling it all the time and it has a handle that makes it possible to dispense the water from the spout using only one hand. It’s a convenient and useful design that also boasts a TDS meter with a digital readout letting you know exactly when it’s time to change your filter.
Pros and Cons of Water Filter Pitchers
While water filter pitchers are an inexpensive way to give your family better, cleaner drinking water they aren’t without their faults. For one thing they have a limited capacity and if you like your water cold you may have to wait a while for that next ice cool glass. They do also require fairly regular filter changes so while the initial upfront costs aren’t much your costs will accumulate over time. For a closer look at the pros and cons of using a water filter pitcher for your family’s clean drinking water take a look at the highlights below that will help you make your choice.
Maintenance
If you are seriously considering the purchase of a water filter pitcher you do need to keep in mind that there is some maintenance involved. For one thing you do have to regularly change the water filter – normally every couple of months or so. If you forget to change the filter you won’t be drinking clean drinking water so it’s an essential part of the maintenance you have to perform to keep your drinking water safe. As long as you change the filter when it’s required these systems can be very effective.
It isn’t just the filter that needs maintenance though you need to make sure that you clean your water pitcher from time to time to make sure your drinking water remains clean and pure – this is especially true if the pitcher has remained unused for any period of time such as when you go on vacation. It might be clean drinking water that you’re filtering through this pitcher, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have to clean it.
Conclusion
Any of the water filter pitchers we’ve reviewed on this site are great choices for providing your family with a system of clean drinking water. They all remove up to 95% of the contaminants in your water and they have systems that let you know when it’s time to change the filter. When you’re deciding on which water filter pitcher is right for you consider things such as their capacity, their overall design, and whether or not they have a system that lets you know when it’s time to change the filter. If you consider all of these factors you should make the right choice when it comes time to picking the pitcher for you.
