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March 2025
9 of the Best Water Pitchers to Improve Your Drinking Water Quality
Key Takeaways
● Water pitchers can be an effective way to remove common contaminants and improve the taste of your drinking water.
● The best water pitchers use activated carbon filters that remove contaminants; however, these filters need to be regularly replaced.
● Water pitchers vary widely in terms of price, size, dispenser style, and filter life span, so compare options before buying one.
● Check your local water quality report to find out what’s in your tap water, then choose a water filtration system that aligns with your lifestyle and your city’s drinking water quality.
Are you worried about forever chemicals like PFAS in your drinking water? Or do you just want to have better tasting water to drink? While it might be tempting to go to the department store and buy the first water pitcher you see, it’s a good idea to compare your options and choose one that’s the best fit for your city’s water supply.
Different types of water filters remove different pollutants, and some filters will have a greater effect on your water’s taste and appearance than others. Here are nine of the best water pitchers for your kitchen, and how they compare based on price, lifespan, NSF/ANSI certifications, and other criteria.
What Is a Water Filter Pitcher?
A water filter pitcher is a refillable pitcher used to dispense drinking water that has a replaceable water filter built in. Unlike refrigerator water filters and faucet filters, which connect directly to your tap, a water pitcher needs to be filled manually, and it takes some time for water to flow through the filter.
Most water pitchers come in standard sizes and can hold between seven and 12 cups of water at once. That’s larger than a water bottle but smaller than a water filter dispenser, which tends to have a higher capacity and can sit on your countertop or refrigerator.
The best water filter pitchers use activated carbon filters to remove contaminants, and you’ll need to buy replacement filters regularly to ensure best results.
9 Best Water Filter Pitchers for Your Home
Choosing a water filter for your needs can be a big decision with a lot of questions. How many gallons of water does it hold? How often do you need to replace the filter? And what contaminants does it remove? With this in mind, here are nine of the best water pitchers on the market so you can see how much they cost and choose the best one for your lifestyle.
1. HomeWater 10-Cup Pitcher Filter
The HomeWater 10-Cup Pitcher Filter is a great choice because it can filter 160 gallons of water before the filter needs to be replaced. Unlike many similar-looking pitchers, it has a clasping lid that won’t pop off while pouring — preventing spills and reducing contamination.
This pitcher is safe to put in the dishwasher, while the carbon filter has a high flow rate and is easy to replace. The HomeWater 10-Cup Pitcher Filter is made in North America, with free shipping to the U.S. and Canada, and comes with a 30-day guarantee.
Price: $39.99
Capacity: 2.4 liters
Replace at: 160 gallons
2. LARQ Pitcher PureVis™ (8-cup)
The LARQ Pitcher PureVis™ is unique in that it uses UV light and a Nano Zero filter to remove contaminants and prevent bacterial growth. But it’s the most expensive pitcher on our list, with a price of $168.00 for the pitcher (unless it’s on sale) and $32.50 for replacement filters.
The PureVis™ pitcher meets NSF/ANSI 42 and 53 certification standards, which means it can remove contaminants like lead, mercury, and PFOA/PFAS. It also comes with an app with built-in hydration tracking that will track your water intake and remind you to replace the filter after every 60 gallons.
Price: $168.00
Capacity: 1.9 liters
Replace at: 60 gallons
3. LifeStraw Home 7-Cup Glass
The LifeStraw Home is a 7-cup glass pitcher with a silicone base designed by the team behind the LifeStraw, a portable straw filter intended for outdoor use. The Home pitcher is available in multiple colors, as well as a BPA-free plastic version.
This pitcher has a membrane microfilter and a carbon filter, which LifeStraw claims can remove bacteria, parasites, and microplastics. The microfilter has a 264-gallon lifespan, while the carbon and ion exchange filter needs to be replaced every 40 months.
Price: $64.95
Capacity: 1.6 liters
Replace at: 40 gallons
4. Hydros 40 oz. Glass Slim Pitcher
The Hydros 40 oz. Glass Slim Pitcher is smaller than many other water pitchers, but its sleek design makes it a perfect addition to a dinner party. It claims to filter water more quickly than other filters, taking only 60 seconds to filter 40 ounces.
This water pitcher is made of borosilicate glass and is dishwasher safe, and the filter is made of coconut carbon shell and meets NSF 42 standards. Hydros also has a 64 oz. plastic filter that may be more suitable for everyday use.
Price: $36.99
Capacity: 1.6 liters
Replace at: 40 gallons
5. Brita 12-Cup Cascade Stream Water Pitcher
The Brita 12-Cup Cascade Stream Water Pitcher holds around 2.8 liters, making it one of the larger water pitchers on our list. It has an electronic filter indicator to let you know when your filter needs to be replaced, and it features Filter-As-You-Pour™ Technology so you don’t have to wait for water to drip through the filter.
The Stream Filter is an activated carbon filter that removes up to 90% of chlorine, while leaving a healthy amount of fluoride, minerals, and electrolytes. Other Brita filters, such as the Elite Filter, are more effective at removing contaminants like lead.
Price: $34.49
Capacity: 2.8 liters
Replace at: 40 gallons
6. Culligan ZeroWater 10-Cup Ready-Pour Pitcher
The Culligan ZeroWater 10-Cup Ready-Pour Pitcher comes with a few useful features, including a comfort grip handle for pouring and a spigot to dispense from the base. It also has a built-in TDS meter so you can look out for total dissolved solids.
This ZeroWater filter is certified by IAPMO to reduce contaminants like lead, chromium, and PFAS. It only lasts for 20 gallons, but you can subscribe to get replacement filters sent to your home every two, three, or four months.
Price: $34.99
Capacity: 2.4 liters
Replace at: 20 gallons
7. PUR 7-Cup Pitcher
The PUR 7-Cup Pitcher is another water filter that’s a bit on the smaller side, with a filter that needs to be replaced every 40 gallons or two months. With its thin design, it’s easy to fit in the refrigerator, and it’s safe to put in the dishwasher as well.
This PUR filter uses activated carbon and ion exchange to remove around 15 common contaminants, but it’s not suitable for heavy metals or other major pollutants. The main selling point for this product is its low price, compared to other water purifiers.
Price: $16.30
Capacity: 1.6 liters
Replace at: 40 gallons
8. Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher
The Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher is a midrange option that can hold around 10 cups of water and needs a replacement filter at every 100 gallons. You can set up auto shipping to get replacement filters delivered every four months.
The Clearly Filtered pitcher claims to remove over 365 contaminants, including chlorine lead, arsenic, and PFAS, with its patented Affinity® Filtration Technology.
Price: $90
Capacity: 2.4 liters
Replace at: 100 gallons
9. Waterdrop Lucid 10-Cup Water Pitcher Filter System
The Waterdrop Lucid 10-Cup Water Pitcher Filter System has a 200-gallon lifespan and a filter life indicator to remind you when it needs to be replaced. The filter has a flow rate of around 10 gallons per minute and is designed to remove up to 97.4% of chlorine. It can also reduce minerals like calcium and magnesium to improve your water’s taste.
This water pitcher is available in multiple colors, and Waterdrop offers free shipping and has a 30-day return policy.
Price: $29.99
Capacity: 2.4 liters
Replace at: 200 gallons
Do You Need a Water Filter Pitcher?
Whether or not you need a water filter pitcher depends on how clean your tap water is to begin with. While the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets national drinking water standards, actual contaminant levels can vary from one city to the next.
Some contaminants, including PFOA and PFOS, have only recently been regulated by the EPA, while others, like total dissolved solids (TDS), aren’t necessarily harmful but can affect the taste and appearance of your drinking water.
Enter your ZIP code to check your local water quality report and find out what’s in your tap water. Then choose a water filter that can remove those contaminants.
Are Water Filter Pitchers Effective?
Because they only have a small filter and rely on gravity alone, water pitchers are often seen as less effective than other water treatment methods. But if you choose the right kind of filter and replace it regularly, the best water pitchers can be a cost-effective solution for removing chemicals like chlorine and other common impurities.
That said, if you need to remove heavy metals, chromium, or pesticides, you may need something more comprehensive, like a reverse osmosis system or a water conditioner. RO systems are especially effective at removing PFAS and microplastics.
Get the Best-Tasting Water at Home
Water filter pitchers provide a cheap and convenient way to access clean water, without having to buy bottled water or install an under-sink water filter. The best water pitchers use an activated carbon filter to remove common chemicals like chlorine.
For best results, replace the filter in accordance with the manufacturer’s guidelines. For example, some Brita filters need to be replaced every 40 gallons, while the HomeWater 10-cup pitcher filter only needs to be replaced every 160 gallons.
Take our water filter quiz to get personalized product recommendations and receive a 10% discount on your first order.
Brought to you by homewater.com
All images licensed from Adobe Stock.
