Best Water Filter Pitcher in 2024?! 11 Brands (Lab-)Tested + Reviewed

Mike reviews the 11 most promising and most popular water filter pitchers on the market.
Here is how we tested and rated:
-Filtration effectiveness based on real-life contaminant reduction rates achieved in our lab testing
-NSF certifications and testing
-Filter media used
-Filtered water taste and odor
-Pitcher usability
-Upfront price and long-term cost for replacement filters
-Other factors
Google sheet with full analysis of each of the 11 pitchers including lab reports: docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...
Pitcher Recommendations
1️⃣ Best Overall: Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher
→ Buy Here: www.clearlyfiltered.com/produ... - Use code “WELCOME10” for 10% off!
2️⃣ Best for Usability/Looks in Combination with Low Price: Waterdrop Chubby
→ Buy Here: www.waterdropfilter.com/colle... - Use code “RCPT” for 21% off!
3️⃣ Possibly the Best for Bacteria & Cyst: LifeStraw Home 10-Cup
→ Buy Here: amzn.to/48Lq88q
4️⃣ Best for Nitrate: ZeroWater 10-Cup Ready-Pour
→ Buy Here: amzn.to/3TPVRRI
Other Pitchers Reviewed in This Video
Brita Large (Everyday) Pitcher w/ Elite Filter → Buy Here: amzn.to/3S7cDL0
Aquagear → Buy Here: www.drinkaquagear.com/bos_water
PUR PLUS 11-Cup → Buy Here: amzn.to/3Hc8AHa
Epic Pure → Buy Here: www.epicwaterfilters.com/prod... - Use code “BOSEpic” for 20% off!
ProOne → Buy Here: prooneusa.com/product/water-f...
Kirkland Signature (Costco) Filtered Water Pitcher → Buy Here: www.costco.com/kirkland-signa...
up & up (Target) Water Filtration Pitcher Navy 7 Cup → Buy Here: www.target.com/p/water-filtra...
Table of Contents
00:00 - Intro
00:58 - Our 11 Pitchers
02:00 - How We Tested & Ranked
04:29 - Pitcher Assembly & Filter Priming
05:21 - Sampling Process
06:18 - Taste & Odor Test
06:58 - Speed Test
08:28 - Best Overall (Clearly Filtered)
12:27 - Best for Usability + Affordability (Waterdrop)
15:45 - Best for Bacteria & Cyst (LifeStraw)
18:30 - Best for Nitrate (ZeroWater)
23:00 - Best for Fluoride
23:42 - Summary
Thanks for watching and don't forget to subscribe: / @boswater6065
Questions or comments? Drop them below. We are always happy to help!
Other Ways to Contact Us:
Website: www.best-osmosis-systems.com
Contact form: www.best-osmosis-systems.com/...
Facebook: / boswater
Twitter: / bos_water
Instagram: / bos_water
Pinterest: www.pinterest.de/bos_water/
This video is NOT sponsored. All opinions are 100% our own. Some links are affiliate links. If you buy a product or service through such a link we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
Amazon disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Disclaimers
Our Testing & Lab Testing
The product or products covered in this video were tested under real-life conditions and on our specific water supply. As such, lab-testing was limited to those contaminants present in our water supply and at their respective concentrations. A product may perform differently when used on a different water supply. Furthermore, lab testing for water contaminant levels is subject to variabilities and inaccuracies. Our test results may not represent the product’s performance in other areas or under different conditions.
100% reduction means a contaminant could not be detected above the minimum detection level.
Medical Disclaimer
The information provided in this video is for informational purposes only - use it at your own risk. The provided information is no medical advice nor does it substitute for proper medical care provided by a qualified health professional. We assume no responsibility for any circumstances arising out of the use, misuse, interpretation, or application of any information supplied in this video.
#bestwaterfilterpitcher #waterfilterpitcher #bestwaterpurifierpitcher #waterpitcherfilter #waterpurifierpitcher #waterfilterpitcherreviews #filteredwaterpitcher #bestpitcherwaterfilter #waterfilterjug #waterfilterpitchers #bestwaterpitcherfilter #waterfilterpitchercomparison #bestwaterfilterpitchers #bestwaterfiltrationpitcher #bestfilteredwaterpitcher #waterfilterpitcherscomparison #whatisthebestwaterfilterpitcher #BritaLarge #BritaEveryday #ZeroWater #ZeroWater10CupReadyPour #ClearlyFiltered #Aquagear #LifeStraw #LifeStrawHome #EpicPure #Propur #PURPLUS11Cup #Waterdrop #Target #upandup #Costco #Kirkland

[@boswater6065]

*Pitcher Recommendations* *1. Best Overall: Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher* → Buy Here: www.clearlyfiltered.com/products/clean-water-pitcher?rfsn=4045587.5c8334&subid=YTTOP11 - Use code “WELCOME10” for 10% off! *2. Best for Usability/Looks in Combination with Low Price: Waterdrop Chubby* → Buy Here: www.waterdropfilter.com/collections/pitcher-water-filter/products/water-filter-pitcher-chubby-blue?ref=aqhvda420xp - Use code “RCPT” for 21% off! *3. Possibly the Best for Bacteria & Cyst: LifeStraw Home 10-Cup* → Buy Here: amzn.to/48Lq88q *4. Best for Nitrate: ZeroWater 10-Cup Ready-Pour* → Buy Here: amzn.to/3TPVRRI

[@theresamunkvold5266]

This is so helpful. Thank you!

[@boswater6065]

Glad it was helpful!

[@AihemaitiGulisumuayi]

this is really helpful, answer all my questions thank you!

[@boswater6065]

Glad it was helpful!

[@WhySoSeriouz]

Great video! Defiantly makes me feel better about my Clearly Filtered Purchase.

[@boswater6065]

Glad it was helpful!

[@angiepattillo3599]

Yes, I just read on the Clearly Filtered website that they are WQA certified. Actually, I trust this more than the NSF certification.

[@boswater6065]

Hi Angie, certified by the NSF or by the WQA doesn't make a difference. Both are accredited to test for NSF standards.

[@angiepattillo3599]

@@boswater6065 Thanks. I wish more people knew this.

[@boswater6065]

Yes, the topic can be a bit confusing, but it would also take too long to explain in each of our videos. Maybe we need to do a separate video on NSF standards at least.

[@cokker]

Looking for a new water jug for my fridge as my dispenser is hard to get an angle on (big cups)... Why is no one making a big dumpy short jug that fits in the shelves of the fridge (like 20cm tall), make it square-ish with a handle inside like a milk jug. I'd buy it in a flash.

[@GreenTea3699]

Very well done video! Thank you so much for bringing up the fact that a TDS meter is not a good judge of contaminants of a health concern for drinking water. So many people don't understand there can still be toxic levels of disinfection by products or herbicides and pesticides in water that reads zero on the TDS meter.

[@boswater6065]

Exactly!

[@ivdubgti]

I Moved away from these types of water filters, The sheer cost of the replacment filters and the freaquency that i was changing them made this solution extremely uneconomical. Investing in a quality coutertop RO system made more sense for me.

[@boswater6065]

Thanks for sharing! We'll release a video on the top countertop ROs really soon!

[@AlissaLeeNicholson]

Reverse osmosis is the purest drinking water. You still have to change filters though, and RO has 3. 2 of them get changed every year, and the middle one gets changed every 5 years, typically. It’s good to research the brand and warranty, too. Some have lifetime warranties.

[@boswater6065]

Thanks for your input. But many systems have up to 4 or 5 filter stages. And many RO membranes require replacement after 2 years already.

[@tonyb.5768]

I have the clearly filtered it does work great

[@boswater6065]

great to hear!

[@chefgav1]

Interesting test. Modern castle did exact same test and results were very different. Waterdrop and epic came out on top

[@boswater6065]

That's right, which shows that ideally you know the quality of your water supply and choose a water filter accordingly. Also, I think they didn't include the Clearly Filtered in their test.

[@chefgav1]

@@boswater6065Water filter guru also did same test also had similar results to modern castle where epic came out on top.Just FYI there is a design flaw in the epic pitcher where untreated water slips through unfiltered.

[@boswater6065]

Thanks for sharing!

[@sunny-gk2mi]

I just read an old pubmed German study where Brita filters were tested and the majority even after only a week had bacteria, mold and biofilms up to 10,000 times that of any tap water. "In some cases colony counts in the filtered water were 10,000 times those in tap water." Not picking on Brita, pretty sure they will all be the same. Maybe the testing needs to go into bacteria, molds and biofilms also because I think I would rather have the metals than any of those.

[@boswater6065]

The testing shows that total bacteria count in water increases as soon as you eliminate chlorine from it. Chlorinated water usually has a total bacteria count of "0". The filtered water often has a count of ">1,600" which is the highest value the lab provides - so it might be even higher. But according to my research, these are harmless bacteria that are present everywhere around us in the millions/billions and not to be confused with dangerous strings like E. Coli etc. I think it's the same with molds. So based on that, I would doubt if it's really better to rather have those other contaminants in your water.

[@sunny-gk2mi]

@@boswater6065 I think I will stick to tap water. I fill a glass pitcher and let it sit on the counter or in frig so chlorine can evaporate. Tap water itself is regularly tested and certified. Also I think RO/purified water tastes flat and dead and by the time they get done with filtering Spring water it is almost as bad. Neither really quenches my thirst either. I think it is interesting that animals can drink from any mud puddle or stream yet humans must have such clean water or get sick. Anyway, I have been drinking tap water for several years now and I feel fine. I just get caught up in the hype sometimes. Billions made in the filtering industry too. Do you think it is true the bit about "hungry water"? Supposedly if you take all the minerals out of your water the water will naturally attract them from your body. Sounds pretty crazy, must be the people selling minerals to put back into purified RO water. ha ha

[@boswater6065]

Yes, there is a lot of money being made in the industry. I wouldn't agree with the animal comparison, though. Wolves don't need to eat any fresh fruits/veggies because their bodies can synthesize their own vitamin C. In fact, this is the case for most mammals, but not for us humans. So according to your logic, we actually wouldn't have to eat anything fresh and should be fine. Anyway, what you could do is check out this website: oehha.ca.gov/water/chemicals - play around with the dropdown and choose some of the chemicals that can be found in our water supplies these days. The website lists their health risks and public health goal (like the highest concentration that is considered to not harm our health). I think the main problem with our tap water these days is that for many, many contaminants there doesn't even exist regulation yet and for many it is outdated and not based on current research. Besides, these standards were also established with feasability in mind. About demineralized water, this is only a problem with RO systems, and the WHO recommends to remineralize such water before consumption.

[@dian3145]

@@boswater6065 is there an easy way to remineralize the water? My daughter uses an RO system and I will be visiting for a week. At home I sprinkle in salt for my coffee…I use a pitcher for that. TIA!

[@boswater6065]

You could use a remineralization stage with your RO system. Or add a mineral blend manually. Some people also filter the water through an alkaline filter pitcher that adds minerals to the water.

[@MrOscar5690]

For best overall is that only the Clearly Filtered? What what would top 3 in the overall category?

[@boswater6065]

It depends on what you are looking for. Best overall in terms of filtration effectiveness based on our lab testing is #1 Clearly Filtered and #2 ZeroWater (but only if you don't have high levels of DBPs). It's hard to pinpoint a #3, because there would be several but all having different pros and cons.

[@MrOscar5690]

@@boswater6065 perhaps best in effectiveness per cost of filter.

[@boswater6065]

In that case I'd probably check out the Kirkland Signature (Costco) or up & up (Target). Those came with decent lab results and they're highly affordable.

[@angiepattillo3599]

After much research, I came to the same conclusion; Clearly Filtered is the best! However, I thought they were WQA certified. Don't they have some sort of certification?

[@boswater6065]

Here are the NSF certifications for the Clearly Filtered pitcher "awarded" by the WQA: find.wqa.org/find-products/ctl/detail/mid/1054/cid/clearly_filtered_inc/sid/1 find.wqa.org/find-products/ctl/detail/mid/1054/cid/clearly_filtered_inc/sid/3?keyword=clearly+filtered If you check the links, it says "NSF/ANSI 42" and "NSF/ANSI 53". So as long as an NSF certification comes from the NSF, WQA, or IAPMO, you can safely rely on that and one isn't better than the other.

[@nurse28707]

The box my WaterDrop was packed in has the claims of removes lead, removes fluoride, removes chlorine and 7 stages of filtration printed on the outside. Nothing specific about any test results inside, except independently NSF certified. Very upset over the "flawed fluoride result." That is the #1 concern for my health condition. I will call them tomorrow.

[@boswater6065]

I'm not sure if I understand you correctly, but what we were trying to say is that our lab results for fluoride concentrations are likely flawed, due to interferences with water alkalinity. So we assume that our numbers on fluoride levels are probably not reliable.

[@tammymytopher3918]

Please comment on fluoride errors? What does this mean

[@boswater6065]

There is an explanation in the Google Sheet in the "Lab Results" tab. Essentially, the method that was used to test for fluoride levels in our water has known interferences: higher water alkalinity can lead to a higher measured fluoride level in the water while the actual fluoride level might be lower. When checking all 11 pitchers, we indeed found a strong correlation between fluoride level and water alkalinity, which is we consider the numbers to be flawed. One good example is the Clearly Filtered pitcher. According to our lab data, it supposedly increased fluoride levels in one of the water samples. However, fluoride is not a filter medium, and the Clearly Filtered doesn't contain it. So there is no way that it increases fluoride levels in water. What it does, however, is increase water alkalinity.

[@theresamunkvold5266]

Have you done LARQ???

[@boswater6065]

Not yet, but added to our list!

[@ToniMunchtmunch250]

You did not show lab results for all of the pitchers?

[@boswater6065]

In order to keep the video as short as possible. You can find all the reports in the Google Sheet.

[@geoffwhite3385]

how come your channel doesn't have a single video on water distillation units? e.g. the megahome distiller or similar units. A review would be appreciated. especially considering that they're quite popular & effective

[@boswater6065]

Good idea! It's on our list.

[@Ella-kn9qd]

I also would like to see the mega home tested

[@boswater6065]

Added to our list!

[@markandrushchenko6470]

I've used Zero for like 4 years and Clearly for a year now. By still using Zero for my electric kettle I totally avoid any calcification which Clearly is incapable of. I feel Zero filters last longer than mentioned in the video but i did not count. I hate that with Clearly I have to keep a designated sheet of paper on my fridge and mark each gallon I filter (to make sure I'm within the recommended 100 gallons). Evidently, I drink a lot of water at home (~300 gallons a year) that equals $150-165 in filter replacements a year. At this point there are decent countertop reverse osmosis systems on the market that would produce times more water for the same price and time period. To bigger families it would mean significant savings. And if you own your home or somehow allowed to drill holes in your plumbing you should be researching under the sink RO systems. With one of those you won't have to manually refill your system with water ever. Other than that I have had a total peace of mind for having top quality water available. Thanks for the review and pointing out the flaws of that water.

[@boswater6065]

Thanks for your input. Glad we could help!

[@KenshinPhoenix]

So the lifestraw pitcher removes more bacteria (log 9) than it does parasites (log 5), even though bacteria is much smaller. This makes no sense and makes me doubt all their claims. From what I've seen all these types of filters and the gravity fed ones all introduce some foreign and not healthy element into the water.

[@boswater6065]

Personally, I highly doubt that their lab reports are fake. You can check them all out here: cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/2631/0778/files/Home_Pitchers_Evidence_Dossier.pdf?v=1657301022 - they look legit. Which "foreign and not healthy element" are you referring to?

[@KenshinPhoenix]

@@boswater6065 Barium, Strontium, Cobalt, and in Berkey's case Aluminium. There are videos here where people have had their water tested by a lab after filtration and with some filters these elements increased after filtration. Not a good sign, but still probably better overall for everything else they remove. Catch 22.

[@KenshinPhoenix]

@@boswater6065 My reply is deleted. Someone doesn't want the truth out.

[@boswater6065]

Looks like your reply is still published. I'm not aware of the videos you mentioned, but we're always trying to be careful when some elements are found in higher concentrations in the filtered water vs unfiltered water. The thing is that many contaminants aren't distributed equally in water.

[@KenshinPhoenix]

@@boswater6065 Strange, it doesn't show for me. YT has been doing this to me for years, it says only 2 replies for me. Anyhow, I have noticed discrepancies between labs, it's just odd that an element becomes higher after filtration sometimes, and usually it's metals. It's like did they actually even test it!

[@jeremiahnelson2739]

These type of filters always make me nervous because the water sits in these plastic containers which can leach chemicals into he water. Even BPA free plastics use other other harmful chemicals.

[@boswater6065]

What type of filter to you prefer? After all, they're pretty much all made from plastic.

[@jeremiahnelson2739]

@@boswater6065 I know, my problem is more with the pitcher. Something made from glass maybe, I’m a long time bottled water drinker trying to get away from the plastic bottles because of the chemicals and micro plastics. Its very overwhelming because it seems I’m just trading one plastic container for another, and it just seems like what’s the point?

[@boswater6065]

I understand what you mean. Well, using a good water filter, at least you get rid of much of the other potentially harmful stuff.

[@EMVelez]

Glass pitchers exist

[@boswater6065]

They do, but most that I'm aware of use a rather weak filter element which is usually made from plastic.

[@lemonchicken3740]

Great video Did you test any of them for bacteria 🦠 in the water?

[@boswater6065]

There are no bacteria in my water supply. So no, we did not test for bacteria.