PUR vs Brita: Get the Right Water Filter Pitcher for Your Family

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Brita wave water pitcher

Brita space saver water pitcher

Brita soho water pitcher with longlast+ filter

Brita soho water pitcher

Brita rapids stream water pitcher

Brita pacifica water pitcher

Monterey water pitcher with longlast+ filter

Brita metro water pitcher

Brita metro pitcher with longlast+ filter

Lake water pitcher

Brita cascade stream water pitcher

Brita everyday water pitcher with longlast+ filter

Brita grand water pitcher

Pur plus 11 cup pitcher

Pur plus 7 cup pitcher

Pur 11 cup pitcher

Pur 7 cup pitcher

PUR vs Brita: Get the Right Water Filter Pitcher for Your Family

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PUR and Brita are a couple of brands that manufacture water filter pitchers. In fact, they are incredibly popular in the United States, thanks to versatile features and affordable prices.

If you’re looking to purchase one or more reliable water filter pitchers for your home but have trouble deciding between PUR and Brita, we’re here to help.

We’re measuring the features offered by both PUR and Brita in order to compare their advantages and disadvantages so that you can make a wise decision and figure out the best option for your family when it comes to drinking fresh, clean, and sanitized water.

A Side-by-Side Comparison: PUR vs. Brita

Now, let’s take a closer look and find out what PUR and Brita water pitchers have to offer when it comes to the types of filters, number of contaminants they can remove, water capacity, replacement filter costs, water pouring speed, certifications, as well as pitcher models and costs.

Filters

The filter system is arguably the most important part of a water pitcher since it determines the type of contaminants it can remove, the efficiency in purifying water, and the speed at which the water pours. Here’s everything you need to know about PUR and Brita filters.

PUR Filters

When buying a PUR water filter pitcher, you get only one option out of the box: Standard. However, if you purchase the PUR PLUS 7 or PUR PLUS 12 model, you will also get a LED light, which indicates the current water status. When it starts blinking red, it means that it’s time to change the filter.

As far as the filtration system is concerned, PUR uses MAXION Filter Technology, which is exclusive to this brand. It reduces water contaminants by using ion exchange and activated carbon made from coconut shells. It’s certified by the NSF and WQA to successfully eliminate up to 99% of lead.

You can separately purchase a PUR Lead Reduction filter if you need a more efficient way of removing lead from your tap water.

Both the Standard and Lead Reduction filters are designed to last up to 40 gallons (2 months).

Brita Filters

Brita offers three kinds of filters: Standard, LongLast+, and Stream. Standard filters use an integrated mesh screen to stop black flecks from passing through the filter.

Then, it uses activated carbon granules to decrease traces of mercury and chlorine, along with an ion exchange resin to get rid of copper, zinc, and cadmium. It removes 4 contaminants (zinc, cadmium, mercury, chlorine) and lasts up to 40 gallons (2 months). It’s not effective against lead, though, so you shouldn’t use it to filter well water.

LongLast+ filters have similar properties to their Standard counterparts. However, they are specifically made to remove 13 contaminants, including benzene, asbestos, cadmium, and lead.

That means that you can use it to filter even well water contaminated with lead. Plus, it lasts longer – up to 120 gallons (6 months). The LongLast+ filter is certified with NSF/ANSI 53.

Stream filters are designed to help you pour water faster by quickly applying the filtration process using two layers. As such, it uses the so-called Filter-As-You-Pour technology to remove more than 90% of chlorine taste and odor, in addition to rust, dirt, sand, sediments, and trichlorobenzene. It lasts up to 40 gallons (2 months).

All filter types take advantage of a carbon block material to isolate the water impurities, together with a nonwoven fabric to eliminate sediments.

Contaminants

You shouldn’t expect a water filter pitcher to efficiently remove bacteria and viruses that might be sitting in your water, whether it’s from PUR, Brita, or someone else. After all, it can’t match a reverse osmosis system with a UV light.

However, you can still count on PUR and Brita to eliminate a wide range of harmful chemicals from your water, which other brands might not be capable of.

Capacity and Replacement Filter Costs

The capacity of a water filter pitcher tells you how much water it can contain before it needs to be filled again. It’s directly related to the filter since the manufacturer can say for how long a filter will last but without necessarily mentioning the supported water capacity.

PUR

Whether you choose the PUR Standard Filter or Lead Reduction Filter, the pitcher will last no more than 40 gallons until you need to replace the filter. That means you must replace the filter once every 2 months.

You can buy a 3-Pack PUR Pitcher Filter for $16.99, which would mean spending $33.98 every year.

If you prefer the model with the larger capacity, you can buy 3 filters for PUR PLUS for $24.99 ($49.98 yearly).

To remove lead from water, you can purchase a 3-Pack PUR Lead Reduction Filter for $22.74 ($45.48 yearly).

Brita

Brita pitchers with a Standard or Stream filter will last up to 40 gallons, which means 60 days until you need to replace them. It’s exactly the same as with PUR filters.

You can buy a 3-Pack Brita Standard Filter for $14.97 ($29.94 yearly) or a 6-Pack Brita Stream Filter for $44.65, which will last for 1 year.

The LongLast+ filter surpasses them, however, since it’s made to last up to 120 gallons or 6 months. It means that you will have to change a LongLast+ing filter only twice over the course of a year.

You can purchase a 2-Pack Brita LongLast+ Water Filter for $27.97, which will last for 1 year.

Water Filling Speed

Having a water filter pitcher with a large capacity is great, but it won’t do you any good if you have to sit around for hours until the pitcher gets filled with water.

Otherwise, this would mean buying at least two pitchers just to be able to have a constant supply of drinkable water. Here’s what you need to know about the PUR and Brita water filling speed:

PUR

A PUR water filter pitcher with a capacity of 11 cups needs around 6 minutes to get filled with water, which is a pretty great time. However, you should take into account that the speed will decrease as the filter reaches its limit and needs to be replaced.

If you choose the model with the 7-cup capacity, the pitcher will fill up with water even faster. So you won’t have to sit around your kitchen and wait for long before you can drink water.

Brita

When it comes to the water pouring speed, a Standard Brita filter takes about 15 minutes to fill itself up, which is more than 2x slower than a PUR filter.

On the other hand, nothing rivals the Brita Stream filter since it uses Filter-As-You-Pour technology to filter water instantly while the pitcher gets filled up. So, if you’re looking for the fastest water filter pitcher, you can’t go wrong with Brita Stream. It’s great for large households that don’t want to buy multiple water filter pitchers.

Certifications

Both the Standard and Lead Reduction filters offered by PUR are certified by the WQA when it comes to successfully decontaminating water. Furthermore, the Lead Reduction filter is certified with NSF/ANSI Standard 42 for aesthetic effects and NSF/ANSI Standard 53 for health effects, including chlorine, cysts, lead, and mercury.

Meanwhile, the filtration technology used by Brita is certified by the NSF. For example, the LongLast+ filter is certified with NSF/ANSI Standard 53 for health effects (lead, mercury, cadmium, benzene, asbestos), NSF/ANSI Standard 401 for emerging compounds or incidental contaminants (BPA, estrone, ibuprofen, naproxen, nonylphenol), and NSF/ANSI Standard 42 for aesthetic effects (chlorine taste and odor, particulate reduction class I).

Editor’s Choice

PUR 7 Cup Pitcher

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Best Budget

PUR 11 Cup Pitcher

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Premium Pick

PUR PLUS 7 Cup Pitcher

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Water Filter Pitcher Models and Costs

Both PUR and Brita offer multiple models for sale, so there are plenty of options to choose from. While PUR has only four models with a single color scheme, Brita provides you with 13 models with multiple color schemes.

1. PUR 7 Cup Pitcher

This is the cheapest model from PUR. Here’s what you need to know about it:

• Blue-and-white color only
• Capacity of 7 cups
• Includes 1 Standard Filter
• Easy-fill lid

2. PUR 11 Cup Pitcher

If you’re looking for a bigger cup capacity, check out its model:

• Blue-and-white color only
• Capacity of 11 cups
• Includes 1 Standard Filter
• Easy-fill lid

3. PUR PLUS 7 Cup Pitcher

Get a LED indicator to find out when it’s time to fill the pitcher with water:

• Blue-and-white color only
• Capacity of 7 cups
• Includes 1 Standard Filter
• Easy-fill lid
• Built-in LED filter life indicator

4. PUR PLUS 11 Cup Pitcher

Opt for a larger cup capacity from PUR with an added LED indicator:

• Blue-and-white color only
• Capacity of 11 cups
• Includes 1 Standard Filter
• Easy-fill lid
• Built-in LED filter life indicator

5. Brita Grand Water Pitcher

Here are the specs of this Brita model:

• White, red, or black colors
• Capacity of 10 cups
• Includes 1 Standard Filter
• No pre-soaking necessary
• Electronic filter replacement indicator

6. Brita Everyday Water Pitcher with LongLast+ Filter

Get a filter that will last up to 6 months by choosing this Brita model:

• White, black, or teal colors
• Capacity of 10 cups
• Includes 1 LongLast+ Filter
• No pre-soaking necessary
• Sticker filter replacement indicator

7. Brita Cascade Stream Water Pitcher

Get the Stream filter model so that you don’t wait for the pitcher to get filled with water:

• White or brown colors
• Capacity of 12 cups
• Includes 1 Stream Filter
• No pre-soaking necessary
• Electronic filter indicator
• Filter-As-You-Pour technology

8. Brita Lake Water Pitcher

This Brita model uses two Standard filters at the same time to deal with water impurities:

• White or blue colors
• Capacity of 10 cups
• Includes 2 Standard Filters
• No pre-soaking necessary
• Electronic filter indicator
• Autofill lid

9. Brita Metro Pitcher with LongLast+ Filter

Replace the filter of this Brita pitcher only once every 6 months:

• White color only
• Capacity of 6 cups
• Includes 1 LongLast+ Filter
• No pre-soaking necessary
• Electronic filter indicator
• Space-efficient design

10. Brita Metro Water Pitcher

Comfortably fit this Brita model in your fridge, thanks to its compact design:

• Red, white, or teal colors
• Capacity of 6 cups
• Includes 1 Standard Filter
• No pre-soaking necessary
• Electronic filter indicator
• Space-efficient design

11. Brita Monterey Water Pitcher with LongLast+ Filter

A stylish Brita pitcher with a filter that lasts up to 120 gallons:

• Blue, black, white, or green colors
• Capacity of 10 cups
• Includes 1 LongLast+ Filter
• No pre-soaking necessary
• Electronic filter indicator
• Easy-fill lid

12. Brita Pacifica Water Pitcher

Here’s an overview of this Brita pitcher’s properties:

• Blue, white, or red colors
• Capacity of 10 cups
• Includes 1 Standard Filter
• No pre-soaking necessary
• Electronic filter indicator
• Easy-fill, locking lid

13. Brita Rapids Stream Water Pitcher

Instantly filters water and delivers it to you in a good-looking pitcher:

• Green, aqua, or grey colors
• Capacity of 10 cups
• Includes 1 Stream Filter
• No pre-soaking necessary
• Electronic filter indicator
• Filter-As-You-Pour technology

14. Brita Soho Water Pitcher

Easily fit this Brita pitcher in your fridge, thanks to its optimized size:

• Red, white, or black colors
• Capacity of 6 cups
• Includes 1 Standard Filter
• No pre-soaking necessary
• Electronic filter indicator
• Space-efficient design

15. Brita Soho Water Pitcher with LongLast+ Filter

Check out this Brita model with a sleek design and long-lasting filter:

• White or black colors
• Capacity of 6 cups
• Includes 1 LongLast+ Filter
• No pre-soaking necessary
• Electronic filter indicator
• Easy-fill lid

16. Brita Space Saver Water Pitcher

Here’s everything you need to know about this Brita pitcher:

• Black, white, red, or blue colors
• Capacity of 6 cups
• Includes 1 Standard Filter
• No pre-soaking necessary
• Electronic filter indicator
• Easy-fill, locking lid

17. Brita Wave Water Pitcher

Here’s what you get when purchasing this Brita pitcher:

• White color only
• Capacity of 10 cups
• Includes 1 Standard Filter
• No pre-soaking necessary
• Electronic filter indicator
• Locking lid

The Pros of PUR Water Filter Pitchers

If you’re thinking about buying a PUR water filter pitcher for your family, check out its advantages below:

Eliminates More Contaminants

The most important advantage over Brita is that PUR water filter pitchers are capable of eliminating more types of impurities. While Brita can handle about 60 contaminants, PUR surpasses it by at least 10 since it can remove more than 70 contaminants.

And, if you buy the Lead Reduction filter, you can even drink filtered clean well water without having to worry about health risks.

If you were to drink water from a PUR and a Brita pitcher, you probably won’t notice any difference as far as taste is concerned. But rest assured that a PUR pitcher is effective when it comes to eliminating water contaminants.

Cheap to Buy and Maintain

You can purchase a PUR pitcher at an affordable price, ranging from $14.97 to $29.99. Filters last up to 2 months, but you won’t need to spend a fortune on replacing them.

If you buy multi-packs of PUR filters, you will save a considerable amount of money in the long term. Depending on which model you get, you will spend between $33.98 and $49.98 every year on filters, which is more than reasonable – just think about how much money you normally spend each year on bottled water bought from the store.

Certifications

PUR’s Standard and Lead Reduction filters are certified by the WQA, which guarantees their water purification efficiency.

Additionally, the Lead Reduction filter is certified with NSF/ANSI Standard 42 for aesthetic effects and NSF/ANSI Standard 53 for health effects, including chlorine, cysts, lead, and mercury. It can reduce up to 99% of lead.

Straightforward Water Filtration System

PUR features a simple and straightforward water filtration system, which is the perfect choice for consumers who don’t want to waste time researching multiple options as long as they can drink fresh, clean, and bacteria-free water.

The Cons of PUR Water Filter Pitchers

Make sure to also learn the disadvantages of using a PUR water filter pitcher before making a decision:

Lead Reduction Filters Are a Bit Confusing

PUR water pitchers with Standard filters are already capable of removing lead from contaminated water, but the Lead Reduction filter is more effective. However, at the time of writing this article, the Lead Reduction filter wasn’t available in the PUR online shop. Instead, we found it on third-party websites like Amazon.

It’s a bit confusing, particularly since we think that PUR should have integrated the efficiency of its Lead Reduction filters in the Standard filters – why make it difficult to find and purchase when it obviously has health benefits? We can’t see the reasoning behind this beyond an attempted cash grab on behalf of the PUR company. It’s more expensive than a Standard filter, too.

Few Models with Basic Designs

The PUR company doesn’t really focus on variety since it delivers just four models with basic designs. You can choose a water filter pitcher based on the capacity (7 or 11 cups) and whether or not you want the LED water status indicator.

We are not saying that the PUR water filter pitchers are unattractive, but they don’t stand out from the company’s competition either.

The Pros of Brita Water Filter Pitchers

Brita water filter pitchers are extremely popular, not just in the United States but in various parts of the world. Here are the top reasons why you should get one:

Numerous Models and Three Types of Filters

Compared to PUR that offers only 4 water filter pitcher models, Brita gives you the possibility to explore 13 distinct models in various colors and with different capacities.

What’s more, you can pick from three types of filters: Standard, Stream, and LongLast+. The Stream version filters water as you pour it, so you won’t have to wait around. For durability, you should go with the LongLast+ since it will last 6 months before it needs to be replaced.

Affordable Pitcher and Filter Prices

Although slightly more expensive than PUR, Brita water filter pitchers are still super affordable, with prices ranging from $19.99 to $43.04.

Standard and Stream filters last up to 2 months, which means that you need to replace them 6 times every year. However, there are multi-pack options available with volume discounts. For example, you can spend $29.94 every year for Standard Filters or $44.65 for the Stream version.

If you’re looking for something more durable, though, you can get the LongLast+ filter, which lasts for up to 6 months, so it needs to be changed only twice for the total price of $27.97 in 1 year – you won’t find a better deal than that.

Certifications

The Brita LongLast+ filter is certified with NSF/ANSI Standard 53 for health effects (lead, mercury, cadmium, benzene, asbestos), NSF/ANSI Standard 401 for emerging compounds or incidental contaminants (BPA, estrone, ibuprofen, naproxen, nonylphenol), and NSF/ANSI Standard 42 for aesthetic effects (chlorine taste and odor, particulate reduction class I).

The Cons of Brita Water Filter Pitchers

There are also downsides to using a Brita water filter pitcher, compared to PUR. Here are the most important aspects you should take into account:

Not as Efficient as PUR at Removing Contaminants

Brita filters are not as effective as PUR filters when it comes to eliminating a wide range of impurities from contaminated water.

While the PUR Standard filter is capable of removing 14 contaminants, a Brita LongLast+ filter stops at 13 contaminants, and the Brita Standard filter can’t do better than 3 contaminants.

Can’t Eliminate Bacteria and Viruses

Brita filters are not capable of eliminating bacteria and viruses from filtered water. In fact, you will rarely find a water filter pitcher capable of making this happen since it can’t match the power of a reverse osmosis system with a UV lamp.

That being said, you shouldn’t use a Brita pitcher to drink water from a well, lake, river, or anywhere else that might contain living organisms.

The Standard filter Is Not as Fast as PUR

A PUR Standard filter takes about 6 minutes to treat tap water and fill up the pitcher, which is a pretty decent time. However, a Brita Standard filter is more than two times slower since it takes around 15 minutes.

This problem doesn’t apply to the Brita Stream filter, though, since it instantly filters water as it’s being poured in the pitcher. After all, it’s designed to maximize the pouring speed.

FAQ: Learn More About PUR and Brita

What does PUR filter out?

A PUR water pitcher can filter out 2,4-D, asbestos, atenolol, atrazine, benzene, BPA, cadmium, carbamazepine, carbon tetrachloride, chlorine (taste and odor), copper, estrone, lead, linuron, microbial cysts, mercury, nonylphenol, Class I and Class VI particulates, simazine, TCEP, tetrachloroethylene, trimethoprim, and zinc.

To also find out what harmful water effects are removed by Brita filters, make sure to check out the table of contaminants above.

Do PUR and Brita water filters remove minerals?

No, PUR and Brita water filters don’t remove calcium and nutrients, so you don’t have to worry about depriving your body of beneficial minerals.

Does Brita or PUR remove fluoride?

Brita water filters don’t remove fluoride. According to the manufacturer, they are designed to keep a healthy level of fluoride since it promotes strong teeth. On the other hand, PUR seems to eliminate the entire amount of fluoride from water.

How long do PUR and Brita filters last?

The PUR Standard and Lead Reduction filters are built to last up to 40 gallons, which needs that you must replace them once every 2 months. The Brita Standard and Stream filters are exactly the same.

If you prefer something with a longer lifespan, you should get the Brita LongLast+ filter since it’s specifically made to last up to 120 gallons, which means that you will need only two of them over the course of an entire year.

Why is my PUR filter so slow?

If you purchased a PUR water filter pitcher with a capacity of 11 cups, it should take around 6 minutes to get filled with water. If it takes longer than that, it could mean that the filter is approaching the end of its life and must be replaced.

It’s also a good idea to check the filter for air blockages and make sure that you installed it correctly in the pitcher. Furthermore, you should verify the water to make sure that it doesn’t contain a high amount of sediments

Can you run hot water through a PUR or Brita water filter?

Although it’s possible to pour hot water in a PUR or Brita water filter pitcher, it’s not recommended because you will damage the filtering system and significantly decrease its lifespan. As a result, you will have to replace it soon.

Why do you have to soak Brita water filters?

There’s a misconception that you have to soak Brita water filters. Other pitcher brands require soaking this because the activated carbon might leave traces that get clogged in the filter. However, Brita water filter pitchers don’t require pre-soaking, as stated on the official website.

Which water filter pitcher removes the most contaminants?

Although Brita can remove 13 contaminants and PUR can get rid of 14 types of impurities, they can’t match ClearlyFiltered, which is designed to eliminate more than 270 dangerous contaminants from tap water.

Why is my Brita filter so fast?

If you purchased a Brita Stream filter, it’s normal for the pitcher to get quickly filled with water since the Stream filter uses Filter-As-You-Pour technology to maximize the water pouring speed.

However, if you have a Brita Standard or LongLast+ filter, it’s unusual for the pitcher to get swiftly filled with water. Make sure that the filter is set in place and you’re not actually drinking unfiltered tap water.

If everything checks out, you should get in touch with the company and express your concerns since the pitcher or filter might be malfunctioning.

Can you clean a water filter with vinegar?

It’s perfectly safe to clean a water filter using vinegar if you feel that dish soap is not effective enough. Just pour filtered water with some vinegar in the pitcher and let it soak for 15 – 20 minutes before rinsing. Then, allow the pitcher to air-dry before adding unfiltered water.

Are all Brita filters the same?

No, Brita filters are not the same. Currently, Brita promotes three types of filters: Standard, LongLast+, and Stream. The Standard and Stream filters last up to 40 gallons (2 months), while the LongLast+ filter lasts up to 120 gallons (6 months).

Moreover, a Standard Brita filter takes about 15 minutes to get filled with water, while the Stream version filters water instantly.

The three filter versions also differ when it comes to the kinds of contaminants they can remove from tap water, so make sure to check out the table of contaminants above to find out more.

Which Brita is the best?

The Brita LongLast+ filter is arguably the best out of the three. It’s certified to remove 13 contaminants and lasts up to 120 gallons (6 months) until you need to replace it.

So, you can purchase any Brita pitcher that supports this filter, such as Brita Everyday Water Pitcher with LongLast+ Filter, Brita Metro Pitcher with LongLast+ Filter, Brita Monterey Water Pitcher with LongLast+ Filter, or Brita Soho Water Pitcher with LongLast+ Filter.

Final Thoughts: What’s Better between a PUR and Brita Water Filter Pitcher?

If you’re looking for a water filter pitcher that’s capable of removing many contaminants from tap water, PUR marginally surpasses Brita. However, unlike Brita, PUR can also sanitize water by eliminating microbial cysts.

But we can understand why Brita is more popular than PUR. It offers more models and filter types, thus appealing to a broader public. You can buy a pitcher compatible with the LongLast+ filter to extend its lifespan until it needs to be replaced, or purchase the Stream filter if you want to instantly filter water.

Whatever choice you end up making, be sure to later return to this page and let us know how satisfied or unsatisfied you are with your new PUR or Brita water filter pitcher. Just leave us a comment in the section below.