The Clear2O filters (the CWF50X and GRF20X, where “X” designates the number of filters in the pack) are not ANSI/NSF-certified. To see how well the LifeStraw dealt with sediment, Tim used hydrogen peroxide to rapidly convert a piece of #0000 steel wool to fine particles of rust. After 40 cups (2.5 gallons) of this enticing brew went through it, the rust was brita water filter faucet all used up, but the filter was still working, albeit slightly more slowly than at the start of the test. While carbon filters are great at removing most toxic particles and organic compounds, they’re not so good at catching minerals. Mind you, many of the minerals you’ll find in water are beneficial ones that the body needs, like calcium and magnesium.
The Brita Standard Everyday Pitcher is billed as having a 10-cup capacity, yet it actually holds 11.5 cups (92 ounces), the same as the Pur Classic 11 Cup Pitcher. The Everyday is our favorite of Brita’s many pitchers because it’s easier to take apart for cleaning and has no nooks and crannies (where gunk can accumulate). But on a number of details, the Brita Everyday comes up short compared with the Pur Classic. The Everyday delivers less water per refill—6.5 cups (51 ounces) versus the Pur Classic’s 8 cups (64 ounces)—so you’ll wind up taking more trips to the sink.
The Brita Everyday 10-cup pitcher is one of the most popular and most basic Brita pitchers. According to standard carbon filter performance charts, these VOC compounds and herbicides are all expected to be captured in about the same way (a high or very high probability of being absorbed) by activated carbon. Water in our tester’s city is lead-free at the source, but the consumer confidence report from the local water authority says that over 90% of the homes they tested have old pipes that add trace amounts of lead to tap water.
Even so, some purifiers opt for a secondary filter that can catch bad minerals and leave harmless ones in the mix. As noted earlier, the life span of filters has improved substantially since we first tested water pitchers. 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. We also compared how well the pitchers work for delivering drinking water to a waiting cup or bottle. Most importantly, we looked to see whether the pitcher was comfortable to hold, even when it was completely full of water.
Amid rising concerns about water quality and pollution, tap water may not always meet desired standards. First, they eliminate the need to buy small bottles of water for your home or business. That means fewer trips to the store and fewer plastic bottles to gather up and recycle each week. Next, when you purchase larger bottles of water for water home or commercial water dispensers, you’ll save money. You’ll immediately see the difference when you compare the cost of one five-gallon bottle to the equivalent of five gallons in smaller bottles.