Pitcher filters are one of the most popular ways to treat tap water. They’re cheap to start, easy to use, and most households already have one. But there’s a real gap between what they can do and what people assume they do.
Most pitcher filters are taste filters, not health filters. Brita, which sits in tens of millions of American kitchens, removes chlorine and improves taste. That’s it. PFAS, fluoride, and nitrates pass right through it.
This review is based on published NSF certification data, independent lab testing results, and manufacturer documentation. No removal claims here are made up.
Here’s the honest breakdown.
What Pitcher Filters Actually Do (and Don’t Do)
Gravity pitcher filters push water through activated carbon and sometimes ion exchange media. Activated carbon is excellent at removing chlorine, chloramines, and volatile organic compounds. It’s not good at removing dissolved minerals, fluoride, nitrates, or PFAS.
Ion exchange media (used in ZeroWater) strips dissolved solids more aggressively. Clearly Filtered uses a multi-stage blend with proprietary media that’s been independently tested against a far longer contaminant list.
No pitcher filter removes bacteria or viruses. If your water source has biological contamination, a pitcher filter won’t fix it.
Pitcher filters work for:
- Chlorine and chloramines (taste and odor)
- Some heavy metals (lead, mercury, cadmium, depends on the filter)
- Sediment
They don’t work for:
- PFAS (most filters)
- Fluoride (most filters)
- Nitrates
- Bacteria or viruses
- Dissolved minerals unless ion exchange is involved
Set those expectations before you buy.
The Short Answer Before the Long One
If your only goal is better-tasting water and you’re not worried about health contaminants, Brita Longlast+ is a solid, cheap choice with a long filter life.
If you want protection from lead, PFAS, fluoride, and a much longer contaminant list, Clearly Filtered is the right pitcher. It costs more. The protection difference is significant.
ZeroWater has a niche. It’s good for people who want near-zero dissolved solids and are targeting specific heavy metals. But it doesn’t remove PFAS, the filter life is short, and costs can climb fast if your source water is high in TDS.
Clearly Filtered 3-Stage Pitcher
Clearly Filtered is the most protective pitcher filter on this list by a wide margin.
It holds NSF/ANSI 42, 53, and 401 certifications, the full set for aesthetic, health-effects, and emerging contaminant categories. More importantly, Clearly Filtered publishes independent lab results for over 365 contaminants. That transparency is rare in this category.
What it removes:
- PFAS: greater than 99.5% reduction (independently tested)
- Lead: greater than 99.5% reduction
- Fluoride: approximately 98% reduction
- Arsenic: approximately 99% reduction
- Chromium-6
- Chloramines and chlorine
- Herbicides and pesticides
- Pharmaceuticals
If your water has PFAS and you’re not ready to install a reverse osmosis system, this is the strongest pitcher option available.
What it doesn’t remove:
Clearly Filtered doesn’t remove bacteria or viruses. Like all pitcher filters, it’s a chemical treatment only. For microbiological contamination, you need a different solution.
Filter life: About 100 gallons per filter. This will vary based on your source water quality.
Flow rate: Slower than Brita. Clearly Filtered uses more filter media, which means gravity pulls water through more slowly. If you pour a full pitcher and walk away, it’s not a problem. If you’re trying to fill a glass immediately, you’ll notice the difference.
Cost: Higher upfront cost than Brita, and filter cartridges cost more. But the per-gallon cost is reasonable given what the filter actually does.
Best for: Households with PFAS concern, anyone who wants fluoride reduction, homes with older pipes and lead risk, or anyone who wants the most documented contaminant removal from a pitcher format.
Check current pricing (affiliate link, see disclosure above)
ZeroWater 10-Cup Pitcher
ZeroWater’s pitch is simple: it brings total dissolved solids to near zero. The included TDS meter lets you watch the number drop toward 0. For people who want measurably “pure” water, that’s satisfying.
The 5-stage ion exchange filter does genuinely reduce certain heavy metals. NSF/ANSI 42 and 53 certified, it covers lead, chromium, mercury, and other dissolved metals.
What it removes:
- Total dissolved solids (near-zero TDS output)
- Lead (NSF/ANSI 53 certified)
- Mercury
- Chromium
- Other dissolved heavy metals covered by NSF/ANSI 53
What it doesn’t remove:
ZeroWater does not remove PFAS. The manufacturer has confirmed this. It also doesn’t effectively remove fluoride. If those are your concerns, ZeroWater isn’t the right tool.
Filter life: 15 to 40 gallons, depending on your source water TDS.
This is the most important thing to understand about ZeroWater. In low-TDS areas, a filter might last 40 gallons. In high-TDS cities, Phoenix, Las Vegas, parts of Texas, you might get 15 gallons per filter. At that rate, filter costs can run $1.00 per gallon or more.
Before you buy a ZeroWater pitcher, look up your city water’s TDS. Your water utility’s annual Consumer Confidence Report will have it. Then calculate your expected filter cost per gallon. In many areas, ZeroWater gets expensive fast.
Best for: People in low-TDS areas who specifically want near-zero dissolved solids, or households targeting certain heavy metals where the filter cost math works out.
Check current pricing (affiliate link)
Brita Standard Pitcher (Longlast+ Filter)
Brita is the default choice for most households. It’s everywhere, filters are cheap, and it works well for what it actually does: chlorine removal and taste improvement.
The Longlast+ filter is Brita’s strongest option. NSF/ANSI 42 certified for aesthetic contaminants, and NSF/ANSI 53 certified for specific health effects.
What it removes (with Longlast+ filter):
- Lead: greater than 99% reduction (NSF/ANSI 53 certified)
- Chlorine
- Asbestos
- Benzene
- Cadmium
- Mercury
What it doesn’t remove:
Brita does not remove PFAS. It does not remove fluoride. It does not remove nitrates.
This is the part most Brita marketing glosses over. If you’re filtering your water because you’re concerned about PFAS or fluoride, Brita is not helping you. The water coming out of a Brita pitcher still contains those contaminants at roughly the same levels as what went in.
The Longlast+ is a legitimately good filter for what it covers. Lead removal above 99% is real and NSF-certified. For a household on city water with no specific PFAS or fluoride concern, it’s a practical choice.
Filter life: About 120 gallons per Longlast+ filter. The best filter lifespan of the three products here.
Flow rate: Fastest of the three. Activated carbon with less media = faster gravity flow.
Best for: Households who want chlorine taste improvement and basic lead reduction at the lowest cost. Not for households with PFAS or fluoride concerns.
Check current pricing (affiliate link)
Quick Mentions
Pur Plus sits in the same category as Brita, with NSF/ANSI 42 and 53 certifications and similar contaminant coverage. It’s a reasonable alternative if Brita isn’t available.
Berkey is a different category entirely. It’s a large-capacity gravity-fed countertop system, not a traditional pitcher. Berkey makes strong claims about contaminant removal, but has faced scrutiny over its NSF certification status. Worth researching separately if you want a higher-volume gravity filter.
ZeroWater 22-cup is the same filter technology in a larger format. The filter life math is the same. Bigger pitcher, same cost-per-gallon calculation.
Comparison Table
| Product | NSF Certs | Removes PFAS | Removes Fluoride | Removes Lead | Filter Life | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clearly Filtered 3-Stage | 42, 53, 401 | Yes (>99.5%) | Yes (~98%) | Yes (>99.5%) | ~100 gal | Full health protection |
| ZeroWater 10-Cup | 42, 53 | No | No | Yes | 15-40 gal | Near-zero TDS, heavy metals |
| Brita Longlast+ | 42, 53 | No | No | Yes (>99%) | ~120 gal | Taste, chlorine, budget |
The Recommendation
For taste and chlorine, Brita Longlast+ is the practical, affordable pick. It does what it says it does, the filters last a long time, and it’s easy to find replacements anywhere.
For health protection, Clearly Filtered is the clear choice. The NSF certifications, the independent lab data, and the contaminant breadth make it the strongest pitcher option available. You’ll pay more for filters, but you’re getting genuine PFAS and fluoride reduction that no other pitcher on this list provides.
ZeroWater works best in a specific situation: low-TDS source water, specific heavy metal concerns, and someone who has done the cost-per-gallon math and found it workable. Don’t buy it without checking your local TDS first.
One more thing worth saying directly. Pitcher filters protect the water you drink from that pitcher. They don’t protect your pipes. They don’t filter your shower. They don’t treat water for cooking unless you pour filtered water into the pot. For more complete protection, a reverse osmosis system removes a broader range of contaminants at the tap with higher flow rates and no pouring required.