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Brita vs. PUR Water Filters – Which is Better?

brita vs. pur water filter

By the end of this article, you will have a definitive answer to this question.

UPDATE 10/17/22: Forget Brita and PUR. Ok, so we all knew Brita was trash. Nothing new there. PUR has long had superior filtration. But in our view, this debate is no longer important. There are much better filters besides PUR. ZeroWater has upgraded to a 5-stage ion exchange filtration system and companies like LifeStraw have waded into the household filter scene to great success.

It’s now possible to get effective filtration in glass vessels. I’m talking almost zero total-dissolved-solids (TDS), microplastics and everything else that you want to avoid in your drinking water. Sadly, Brita and PUR have not kept up. While they do offer affordable filters that are better than nothing, if you are serious about your water, you need to go beyond these two companies.

Update 8/4/13: Originally published over a year ago, we still maintain the validity of the points in this article. As others have done, feel free to add your own thoughts in the comments section below and if you have any additional evidence that proves or disproves the findings below, please share those, too. We would also like to add that we do not work for either company and do not receive any money for the opinions below.

Brita and PUR are the two most well known companies when it comes to water purification. We have previously reviewed and recommended the PUR DS-1800Z 2-Stage Water Dispenser. So why haven’t we reviewed and recommended a BRITA product yet?

We will likely review a Brita product in the near future, but in our experience, PUR produces filters and systems that are both more efficient and durable. Anecdotal evidence from reviews on Amazon and on water filtration message boards, reflects a similar conclusion. The question, however, is whether there is any concrete scientific data backing up a preference for PUR. The answer is yes, in fact, there is impartial evidence when it comes to this debate.

Which filter removes more impurities?

NSF, a non-profit that evaluates a wide range of products, conducted a series of studies on Brita and PUR filters. They found that Brita and PUR filters are almost equally effective, but PUR has a slight edge. PUR filters were able to filter out 97% of Chlorine, while Brita filters removed 94%. In the area of lead removal, PUR filtered out 97% and Brita filtered out 95%. Differences of 2-3% may seem negligible, but you must realize that with respect to a water contaminant like lead, you want that number to be as close to 100% as possible. No amount of lead is really safe for drinking.

Which filter has better design and durability?

Secondly, there is the issue of design and durability. As a case study, let’s take a look at two similar Brita and PUR water filter dispensers: the Brita 35530 Ultramax Dispenser and the PUR DS-1800Z 2-Stage Water Dispenser. The PUR DS-1800Z has more than twice as many reviews (669 vs. 216) and a much higher rating. In fact, the PUR dispenser has almost five stars, while the Brita dispenser is hanging around three and a half stars.

the debate between pur and brita

The PUR dispenser has the clear edge on design. It is more narrow and fits more easily into a refrigerator. It also has a better designed spigot, which minimizes leaking. Many of the complaints about the Brita dispenser are about excessive leaking.

As an example, one reviewer on Amazon reports that the spigot is mounted incorrectly so that not all of the water can be accessed for drinking. What’s more, the person goes on to say, the connection between the spigot and larger structure of the filter is flawed, and it will leak eventually. He goes on to report that he is no longer a patron of Brita products.

Which filter is cheaper?

PUR and Brita filters are similarly priced. In the case of the two mentioned filters in this post, PUR is actually slightly cheaper. The replacement filters are equally priced as well. Considering the alleged superiority of PUR products, you would expect them to be significantly more expensive, but that is not the case.

We have used products from both of these companies in the past. Over time, we have found PUR filters to be better designed, more durable, and better performing. The fact that they both cost about the same price makes the decision even easier. Ultimately, if you are serious about your water purification, you will want to invest in something more substantial than a pitcher filter, but if you are just starting out or if you are looking for an easy and affordable option, we would recommend going with a PUR dispenser. Again, this is a filter that is affordable, it’s easy to maintain and it doesn’t take up a lot of space.

So, let’s review:

  • PUR has the design advantage – both for functionality and long-term use.
  • The prices are more or less the same – at least for pitcher filters, there is not a significant difference in cost.
  • PUR filters are more effective – Per the NSF study, Brita filters fall short by a small measure.
  • Both are easy to maintain – Both are relatively easy to maintain, although the design flaws with Brita filters may give PUR the edge in this category as well.

Have you used both PUR and Brita products? Let us know your preference and why in the comments below. We would especially like to hear from any hardcore Brita supporters. We would be willing to reconsider our opinions given some new information, but as of now, we are informed by our research and personal experience using these products. In the end, this is a debate that you should settle yourself by actually using the products, but hopefully our advice can provide some guidance. Finally, it’s hard to argue with the numbers provided by an independent third party, so there is that to consider as well.

**UPDATE** Please take a look at the comments section below for some more discussion on these products. Many different people have weighed in on these two companies and the comments form a valuable addition to the original content of the article. Feel free to leave your own 2 cents of course.

Finally, just to reiterate, we are not employed by PUR. We have absolutely no relation to this company and we do not receive any compensation whatsoever for providing these views. Please stop making the allegation!


{ 73 comments… add one }

  • frank gomba February 18, 2012, 9:28 pm

    thanks for the candid assessment

  • Amy March 14, 2012, 10:57 pm

    I’ve own a PUR filter system from the beginning. What I don’t understand is why Brita seems to be much more popular. Or maybe the companies get paid better to have Brita on their shelves. I came here thinking “I’m finding Brita filters all over the place… are they actually better?” The filters, at least where I live, are hard to find. Kmart, Costco, and Wal-mart don’t even sell them. I can only find them at my local Target, and oddly enough, they are cheaper-priced for a 3-pack than Amazon. I love my PUR. I have a 5-gal tank and the water tastes great. If only I could find them somewhere else besides Target!

    • waterhq April 29, 2012, 5:55 pm

      Amy,
      We are also big fans of PUR products ourselves. In addition to select retail stores, you can also find them online on sites like Amazon. We’ve found that getting them delivered has been really convenient.

      • Paul September 30, 2017, 12:16 pm

        BJ’s has PUR filters. Just got 5 faucet mount filters there for $20!

    • Joyce Geddes April 10, 2013, 1:13 am

      I have been buying them online (on Ebay)

    • Jeanne September 15, 2014, 3:04 pm

      Get a Target red card. You can then order the filters on line with no shipping fees. Plus a five percent discount.

    • Gary Kirkle March 17, 2016, 1:16 pm

      Walmart

  • Sam May 23, 2012, 11:06 pm

    What about other contaminants, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals? This report is very misleading. The only way to ensure you are removing the most contaminants is a reverse osmosis system.

    • waterhq May 24, 2012, 3:45 am

      Sam,
      I would agree with you on that. We recommend a reverse osmosis system on the site. I don’t have any impartial, 3rd party data on pharmaceuticals or other contaminants. Both PUR and Brita say that their filters remove them, but it is hard to verify this information so I have not included it. For example, PUR will say that their filters remove trace levels of contaminants by 99%. They go on to say that that number is based on their own testing of 12 different pharmaceuticals. I would like to see someone independent like NSF back up these claims. I still think PUR is more effective when it comes to this category of filter (the most inexpensive), but I would agree that if you want to get serious you need to consider a bigger investment.

      • Darlene September 9, 2015, 9:26 pm

        I had a reverse osmosis for a month. I got sick. I found out the water is acidic. I stopped drinking it and after about 3 days Ifelt a lot better

        • TJ January 16, 2016, 4:50 pm

          RO water removes minerals and other “stuff” that is beneficial to the body. That’s why you were not feeling well. A great filitration system is “Berkey” filters. Pricey($250/$350.), but well worth it. Check our there website and reviews on Amazon.

          • jk February 11, 2016, 7:18 pm

            unfortunately the Berkey filters have gotten a bad wrap from a lot of their filters being broken/cracked…and unaware to the consumers/users of the products. Resulting in individuals drinking unfiltered water

        • Brian October 21, 2018, 9:56 pm

          lol acidic water wont make you sick the acidic nature is what fights off infections. I actually got really sick from drinking alkaline water

  • dari July 28, 2012, 11:56 am

    I wish I could say good things about PUR but I cant, I use the faucet mount and the filters only last about 2 weeks when it is supposed to last 3 months. I would be content if it lasted a month but 2 weeks are you kidding me!! And after a week the water pressure diminishes. I’ve never used Brita but I will be giving them a chance because I’ve gone through too many PUR filters

    • waterhq July 28, 2012, 1:06 pm

      Hi Dari,
      Thanks for your comments. Always good to have feedback and input on which to base our reviews and opinions here. I guess this post focuses primarily on the two companies’ featured pitcher filters, but it is certainly written with a tone that PUR is better all around. Do you think you got a lemon by chance? Did you try returning it for a different faucet mount? I would be interested to know if this is a problem that many people are experiencing.

      • Andrea July 29, 2016, 3:10 pm

        To Dari, Im wondering if the filter dosent last that long maybe its because your water is really THAT DIRTY. . years ago up in north Phoenix, people were getting real sick, so i had our tap water tested,and i was not prepared for the answer….besides the fact it had high lead content and floride and off the charts level of clorine or bleach……. the REAL suprize was it contained HUMAN FESIS! I said,” HOLY CRAP!” the
        guy says, “Yes Ma’am, but I doubt very seriously that its been Blessed”…………lol……….. NOT FUNNY ! …well, kinda…No but really , our tap water had PEOPLE POOP in it ! I couldnt even take a shower in it after that.! I relocated.i dont want to frighten you but maybe you should have your water checked , maybe the filter is getting clogged up so fast because your water may contain chunks of matter, or unwanted forgien debris…..Im just sayin’…….. ~Animalann

    • Tatiana September 21, 2012, 8:02 pm

      The filters don’t last a certain amount of time. It goes by gallons. it lasts 100 gallons so whether you use 100 gallons in 2 weeks or 3 months it all depends

    • Lucia February 21, 2015, 12:36 am

      Hi! Water filter life is directly correlated with water quality, including water hardness and the amount of insolubles in the water delivered to your home (think if what you find in your faucet aerator alone), because of this the unfortunate result are short lived water filters. I understand your frustration. I have used filtered water for over 30 years and feel that Pur is a better product than Brita. Do look at certifications and be sure that cysts an oocytes are among the items being filtered out. Good luck.

    • Ashley November 11, 2015, 5:26 pm

      I have a pur and the filter lasts us a couple of months, for a four person family. Maybe it’s your water quality to begin with? How much water are you using?

    • T April 3, 2016, 2:05 pm

      I HATE my Pur faucet mount. We have literally been counting the days to get rid of it. Going to a pitcher system.

  • SF August 20, 2012, 6:38 am

    What about the plastic in the pitchers and filters of each product? Are they BPA free? Why bother filtering water if all you do is contaminate it with plastic chemicals. I stopped using these pitcher water filter products for this reason. There are no assurances about the composition of the plastic.

    • waterhq August 21, 2012, 3:15 am

      Hey SF,
      You are right to point out that this is not a consideration we made in this analysis. To be honest, it’s something that probably deserves a whole separate article. Feel free to share your own thoughts on BPA presence in either PUR or Brita products in the meantime. We also opt for more serious filtering, but pitcher filters continue to be the most affordable option. Do you have a low cost alternative? Thanks for your comment.

      • Ed Hugus April 24, 2015, 7:39 pm

        I have owned Britain 10 pitcher for many years, and when all my replacement filters for this year we’re used up I SWITCHED to a Pur 11th Pitcher. I was REALLY tired of all of the carbon granules escaping into my fill chamber..and it there was a bit too much HBO in the pitcher it would float up and the granules would get into the reservoir…. and potentially ruining my Bunn Coffee maker. The PUR FILTER LOCKS into place and I Haven’the had to worry about the grains if carbon wrecking my coffee maker. The PUR filters a bit slower, but I Love my new pitcher. I saw a question about BPA… I do believe mine said it was BPA FREE

      • Valerie Ramos June 3, 2015, 8:18 pm

        I had the same concern. As a quick and cheap alternative, after the pitcher is filled with purified water, I pour it in to a glass pitcher that I keep in the fridge.

      • Terry Eh! December 1, 2015, 3:56 pm

        BPA is a plastic clarifier that does not present a leaching problem until a minimum temperature of 160 degrees. this is why baby bottles where targeted,
        and not water bottles. (baby bottles where being heated up in 160 degree+ water) Your tap not likely reaches 160 degrees and definitely don’t filter boiling water. When filtering cold water, BPA falls way down the list of environmental priorities here. Although I have to agree, why not offer a glass option or an opaque plastic option? The clear plastic soon gets scratched and foggy anyway.

  • Debbie September 6, 2012, 12:28 pm

    Just did my own comparison. We have been using a Pur pitcher for years. Eight months ago we moved to an area that has a high concentration of hard minerals in the water. Water tastes terrible, and the Pur does not NOT make it taste good enough to drink. We have been buying bottled water to drink and using the filtered water for cooking only. Yesterday I bought the Brita pitcher at Costco and just filtered water through the Brita. I was skeptical at first because the Brita filter is smaller than the Pur. The surprising result is that the water tastes significantly better from the Brita. I’ll be getting rid of the Pur.

    • waterhq September 6, 2012, 1:05 pm

      Hi Debbie,
      Thanks for this input. Did you test the water at all for impurities? Was the PUR filter adding a new taste or was it simply not doing enough to eliminate the taste of the water? Thanks for your comment.

  • trina October 9, 2012, 8:04 am

    Are you representatives of the PUR company or an independent researcher with no ties to either company?

    • waterhq October 9, 2012, 8:48 am

      Hi Trina,

      We are completely independent. If enough evidence emerges that Brita is better then we will make the switch. So far that hasn’t happened for us. Thanks for stopping by.

  • Vic Healey November 21, 2012, 7:34 pm

    I came across this site after a bit of frustration with my wife. Costco had a good buy for 10 BRITA filters that she asked me to ignore. She said we had plenty of water filters for the PUR in the garage. Well she shows me the boxes yesterday for about 20 PUR filters I bought for our sink mounted PUR. Yes the one I removed and threw in the trash six months ago when it broke. We will never buy one of those again.

    Well we have a nice large PUR filter that sits on the counter and guess what these sink version of PUR filters we have will not fit it.

    I just ordered a set of four PUR filters for $6 each from Amazon. I was going to order some BRITA. filters but I have no idea which part number to buy so I think we will pitch the BRITA. and buy another PUR for downstairs.

    The PUR is prettier and seems to be better made compared to the BRITA. The sink version is flawed by the materials PUR choose in manufacturing it.

    BTW Costco has the sink attachment for PUR on sale again starting Friday. I shudder to think of what a sink attachment made by BRITA. would be like.

  • Mary T. November 22, 2012, 10:53 am

    One disadvantage of the faucet mount is the weight on the end of the faucet can cause extra wear-and-tear. When we had a new Moen faucet put in, we asked a representative if the model we chose was suitable for a PUR filter. He replied that while it was, the warranty would be affected because of the extra stress on the faucet. We went ahead and installed the PUR filter and after about 8 months, our faucet needed to be re-aligned and tightened because of the filter’s additional weight distribution. I don’t know if the specific design of our faucet was the problem or if it was the filter, but it must be enough of an issue for a faucet company to be concerned. We are now using the pitcher system, which unfortunately uses a different size filter replacement, so I cannot use the rest of those we purchased for the faucet mount. I wonder how many others have had a similar problem with their faucet mount filter?

    • Lynne December 29, 2016, 4:21 pm

      Hi,

      The problem is the weight at the end of the faucet head produces a much greater strain on the joint (or moment of inertia) of the faucet, and though it may be designed for better results with the filter mounted, it is still added stress.

      So your adjustment of the faucet would be an expected result or outcome.

      It’s like you head when sitting at the computer all day, the force exerted on the neck is greatly amplified if you are leaning and looking down all day or if you are looking ahead in an ergonomically correct position.

  • Robert December 1, 2012, 12:30 pm

    I used PUR pitchers for more than decade. However recently I have a problem to find replacement filters for them. So, I bought Korean filter system which has 9 stages of filtration, cost 100 dollars(filters 16 gallons per 24 hours) and filters last for 6 month(all replacement filters cost 18 dollars for set). Quality of water much better than PUR.

  • Janet December 2, 2012, 4:08 pm

    Hi Robert,

    What is the name of the Korean filter system that you bought? Is it attached to your faucet?

  • Becky December 4, 2012, 12:22 am

    We use the PUR faucet mount we bought at Costco and love it. We are spoiled and can’t stand the taste of tap water anymore! I wanted to address the problem I’ve read some people had with the plastic adapter breaking. We had that happen and I emailed the company and they sent a metal adapter to me at no cost. It works great and has held for months now.

    • Gary March 13, 2015, 11:05 pm

      Same thing here! I called the PUR company. They admitted plastic was a bad design and they’ve changed it so now all purchases come with the metal adapter. Much better! Had it for over a year now and no more issues. Works like it is expected to. Filters all purchased at Costco. If I couldn’t do that, I’d go online purchasing from Amazon or Ebay or Target or whoever store sells them for a good price including shipping.

  • Dennis December 28, 2012, 6:34 pm

    Like dari I have found the PUR faucet mounts fail after a few weeks, and there is no way we have run 100 gal through it. We drink some water, and use it to make ice – maybe 5 gallons per week total Living in NYC we have excellent water to start with and use the filter to remove chlorine taste, but the concentration isn’t so high as to saturate the filter in a short period. What someone needs to perform is an absorption study to compare the effectiveness of the filters at removing specific contaminants at various concentrations – I’d start with chlorine since it’s ubiquitous in public water supplies. The isotherms generated from the data would tell definitively which is better. We had a Britta in the past and it lasted more than a month, and the pressure was better so I’m switching back. The filters are too expensive to have them exhausted so quickly.

    • waterhq December 29, 2012, 6:52 am

      Hi Dennis,
      Thanks for your comment. And thanks to everyone else for contributing. There is a lot of valuable information here just in the comments. I think part of the problem with this article is that we wrote it with a focus on pitcher filters and we don’t address faucet mount filters to any extent here. It seems there is a lot of problems with PUR faucet mounts, so perhaps we will address that in a future article. If you or anyone else in the comments would like to write a guest post about PUR style faucet mounts or how they compare to similar brita products, please get in touch on the contact page. Thanks again, everyone.

  • Goetz Frank May 2, 2013, 1:52 pm

    This site seems like a sneaky marketing website to market Pur products to me. Be aware of that when reading the above. It should make you actually suspicious when a company uses such marketing methods.

  • waterhq May 2, 2013, 2:38 pm

    Hi Frank,

    I can see how you would say that. We do make a pretty resounding endorsement of PUR in the above article. However, we are not affiliated with PUR in any way. We do make money from referrals so if you buy a PUR product from one of our links, we get a small commission from Amazon. But we would just as well take the same commission if you were to buy a Brita product (they are priced more or less the same – actually the brita ultramax is priced even higher than the PUR dispense we recommend, so we would actually get a higher commission if we recommended the Brita product). Anyway, sorry it reads the way it does, but this has been our experience combined with NSF data and anecdotal evidence from others.

    Take care,
    Phil

  • Rose May 22, 2013, 2:32 pm

    I was surprised that the article says that PUR is cheaper than Brita because I need to buy a filter because I got a notice from the local water company and at Bed Bath & Beyond, the faucet mount system for VOCs is $10 more for a PUR system than for a Brita one. Brita must be more popular also because they are completely sold out at BB&B.

  • Bella September 23, 2013, 8:22 pm

    Hi Everyone,
    I just wanted to add my experiences. I’m a college student with roommates; I used to use the PUR sink mounted filter and my roommates and I loved it! I’m not sure how, but it broke so I called the company, they sent me a voucher to replace it and the replacement was great.

    Since then I’ve moved and decided to go with a pitcher type of filter so I don’t have to share and can keep it in my bedroom. For the past year or so I’ve been using the Brita Ultra Max. Initially I liked the system, but I find that after a few weeks the water doesn’t taste as fresh. I wash the unit regularly (monthly) and replace the filters as well. Additionally, one of my roommates has the same unit but she keeps hers in the fridge. She replaced her entire unit after 6 months because it was growing mold and she freaked out.

    I think at this point I’m going to try the PUR system. I find myself still buying bottled water because the Brita water only tastes good for about 2 weeks after I replace the filter. Perhaps keeping it at room temp contributes to the decline in taste, but I’ve noticed other peoples pitchers tend to absorb the smell and taste of the fridge so I’m trying to avoid that too. Hopefully the PUR system will deliver for me again because I hate having to buy bottled water.

  • Darkstar October 27, 2013, 7:07 pm

    I had been using a Brita pitcher for a year, but found that unless I replaced the water in the pitcher daily, it began to taste a bit off. Like freezer burned. I began replacing filters sooner, to no avail. I then purchased a PUR pitcher and I find it better. I have not had the freezer burn taste problem at all with the PUR pitcher and, the water tastes noticably better. Both my wife and I can tell in a blind taste test which is which. I think the PUR pitcher is better constructed and more tightly sealed which might explain why there’s no freezer burn taste to the water. It does take significantly longer to fill the PUR pitcher as it filters far slower. A bit annoying I suppose, except it is doing its job.

  • Norlene Hopkins May 17, 2014, 1:59 pm

    I can’t find pur filters anywhere but amazon its quite frustrating.

    • waterhq May 18, 2014, 5:12 pm

      Oh really? I would think that most department stores would have them? And what about stores like Target?

  • KK January 14, 2015, 10:31 pm

    Owned both. Def prefer pur over brita so wholeheartedly agree with your article. First two faucet filters plastic knobs kept breaking off after about a year so warranty was out. Pur knobs are much easier to turn. In addition Pur filter $2 cheaper at Walmart than Brita and new system about $5 cheaper. The green/red indicator is much easier to see. The stream of water from Pur when turned to normal water is much more aireated. Thanks for the great article

  • john lucier January 21, 2015, 11:42 pm

    So nsf test data for clorine and lead are so close to be statistically insignificant and on many other impurities unmentioned it could go either way.
    On design we compare dispensers not pitchers based on anecdotal comments and amazon reviews. I use a pitcher so its a non factor.
    On price well Brita is significantly less than PUR at Walmart. Which is still moot because Walmarts great value house brand is a third less than Brita even.
    In the end the choice for me is clear. GV filters for $3.33 in my brita pitcher I got for $3 at goodwill. Cause I is teh broke.

  • Dave Becker February 5, 2015, 9:59 am

    The new Brita replacement filter does not fit well in my existing two Brita pitchers. Plus, the TDS (total disolved solids) tests higher with the new replacement inserts vs the old filter design. To me that’s not new and improved. Does the PUR system soften the water like the old Britas did?

  • Alex February 23, 2015, 11:43 am

    I’ve been using Brita for years but then they changed the filters recently. The newer filters don’t leave specks and filter faster than the old. Good news right? Wrong! The new filters do not filter out chlorine very well at all. My pitcher and any glass of water that pours out of it smells like bleach. I called the co. and complained and am sending the remaining filters back for a refund. I’m looking for a different pitcher filter system at this point.

  • Gary March 13, 2015, 11:14 pm

    I’d like more information posted about PUR faucet filters using the new “Mineral Clear” filters compared to pitcher filters of either brand. The reason I prefer the faucet filters over the pitcher is because it will filter out more using the water pressure to squeeze through. With pitcher filters, it has to have some opening to allow the water through. My belief is if the faucet filter was used on a pitcher, the water would take forever to come through. Would I be correct about that?

  • Fran April 17, 2015, 5:17 am

    Interesting article. Many years ago (in our old house) we had a Brita. We loved it. Four years ago we moved to our new house. Initially the tap water was fine. But once a year they flush the water system (Raleigh NC) but the taste of the water hasn’t gone back to “normal”. So, I was in a thrift shop not long ago and there was a Brita (I gave our old one away). Bought it (for $3.00!) and now the water tastes great. I’ve never used a Pur so I can’t speak for it but we’ve used Brita for probably 10-15 years and it’s been great. Easy to use. Easy to keep clean. Filters last quite a while. I buy them usually at Target. So I guess we’re happy Brita fans.

  • Judy April 19, 2015, 9:47 pm

    We have a PUR filter on our kitchen faucet. Right before we went away for the winter in December, we put in a new refill. Now we are back home and the red light indicates the refill is no longer filtering and should be replaced. How can this be? No one was here all winter using the sink, but the filter isn’t good anymore. Anyone have the same experience? Do PUR filters only last a set amount of time even if they are not actually filtering water? Would love some clarity on this please. Thanks, judy

    • kc September 13, 2016, 2:01 pm

      I think the indicators measure TIME, not volume of water filtered.
      Your filter may still be fine, but the indicator says 2 months (or 3 months/whatever their time estimate is) has passed and expect a replacement.
      Your filter is probably fine.

  • Claudia May 9, 2015, 11:18 pm

    I’ve used the Brita faucet filter for many years now and the taste is great, however I just by accident found out that only the pitcher filters (brita and pur) filter the copper out (we have copper pipes), so I bought a pur dispenser. I’ve filled it up twice now, but the terrible taste it gets by running it thru the pur filter is not going away. In the beginning it was worse, but it’s still very noticeable and I have to spit out that water… I guess it comes from the plastic of the container and the filter itself. I’m not sure if the brita dispenser would be any different, probably not, but might give it a try.

  • Mary Burke May 12, 2015, 10:22 am

    I am going only by taste. I have had a PUR carafe for years, Brita before that. My parents have a Brita. My family as a whole prefers the taste of the water from the PUR. I had a PUR faucets attachment years ago but the weight added to the end of the faucet caused the faucet to leak at the base after a time.

  • Mary September 20, 2015, 4:37 pm

    My family had used a Brita pitcher filtration system for years, but found several recurring problems with it. The carbon fragments would often leak into the water, which tended to be a problem we ignored, but after a while the water in the pitcher would start to taste like plastic. This winter, we stopped using a pitcher at all and switched back to tap water, under the idea that there isn’t as much chlorine in our water in the colder months and we would replace the system as it got warmer. We ended up just going the whole summer with no filtration. Just a few days ago, we got a PUR pitcher after hearing that it removes more chlorine. We have not had it long enough yet to really make any observations, although I would like to mention that I have found that the Brita water bottles with filters tend to work very well, and I do not know if PUR has a similar product.

  • Bradford Harris November 1, 2015, 11:40 pm

    Great article. I live in Iowa where most of the water tastes okay – except the town I live in. It was nasty before. I bought a PUR and LOVE it. It has helped me cut soda consumption at home. Instead of a small shot of water (or a diet soda) with the pills, I now drink a couple of glasses H2O and enjoy the cold, crisp taste. My only gripe with the pitcher is that it’s very slow to filter but one can work around that easily enough.

    The PUR water pitcher was a great investment and I can’t say enough good about it. It’s really improved the quality of life.

  • Vinnie February 7, 2016, 1:42 pm

    I have a Brita attached to my motor home faucet and it works great….the first Brita broke and within a year….the new one has a light indicator and a much better switch control…….Don’t buy the cheaper one, IT WILL BREAK!…..buy the premium model and you will be much better off…….I love it!…..Water that doesn’t taste like it came from the hose…plus I get a little over 3 month use on a filter cartridge…..I recommend

  • arthur goles April 25, 2016, 6:01 pm

    April 2016 I’ve been having trouble with Brita filters bypassing water so I am looking to change. Thanks for the assessment. I’ll try PUR.

  • Nikki May 15, 2016, 7:07 pm

    I’ve tried both pitcher filtration methods over many years, & PŪR is by far the better-tasting of the two. Thanks for the informative article! 👍🏽😃

  • Melissa July 2, 2016, 6:25 pm

    I purchased both the Brita and the Pur. The Pur filter became stuck in the pitcher after use and I ended up having to throw it all out. I will continue to buy the Britas.

  • Terri Randall November 12, 2016, 11:15 am

    i have used PUR faucet mount for years and no problems. water taste is great. we have recently gotten our kitchen redone and i bought the brita filter system the ultra max the water doesn’t seem to taste as good, so i may go back to PUR . I was thinking of getting reverse osmosis but maybe not with the comments i seen here.

  • Steve January 21, 2017, 12:47 pm

    Hi. We live in Brooklyn, NY. We used to use Poland Spring Water, but the huge bottles were too hard to handle, so we got rid of it. The Britta pitcher kept leaking and the top kept falling over onto the table. We tried the old Pur faucet mount, but it kept falling off. We have been using Britta faucet mount for about 10 years. The indicator light stops working almost immediately. We have been replacing the filter when the flow cuts to a dribble. For us, filters last 3 weeks, max 4 weeks before the water almost stops. When we look at the Aerator screen, I always find tiny blue dots clogging up the aerator. Any ideas ? I am also concerned about the lead. The literature supplied with the Britta filter is uninspiring, and talks about lowering a few toxins. Now we have switched to the PUR faucet filter, and use a Pur pitcher after filtering the water at the faucet. Is that worth it? Does it matter? The faucet supposedly has 3 filters built into the Pur filter. The water has a slightly better taste. The attachment at the faucet leaks a bit, despite plumbers tape. Will put up with this to avoid the lead . poisoning. Will see if the new faucet attachment stays on. Please answer my questions if possible. Thanks

  • Joe Mc January 29, 2017, 8:05 am

    I was thinking about trying a Brita pitcher. After reading this I will stay with my 10-year-old PUR pither. However, for the past 3 months I am starting to have a problem with PUR’s filters. In the past the filters worked great. Now they take several minutes , sometimes more than an hour to filter. These are brand new!I don’t know what PUR has done, but I am getting tired of beating on the side trying to get the filter to work. Anybody else having this same problem?

  • Sandra February 20, 2017, 1:05 am

    Thank you so much for helping me make a decision!!

  • jane March 7, 2017, 8:10 am

    PUR for sure has a more clean taste, recently received a Brita as a gift and will be returning to PUR and the filtered Brita water tastes more like tap water and less filtered.

  • Anon April 10, 2017, 5:31 pm

    First, I don’t think the site is biased. I’ve studied water as part of my work, and I can tell you the Pur is a lot better. Anyone who really studies these things will quickly determine that Brita is ‘okay’ – better than. Going certainly, but not great.

    You can also check out Crystal Quest Pitchers for a really high quality filter, those are the big boys, Pur and Brita are both kids compared to Crystal Quest. Or, even better, get a real 3-stage countertop or under sink from them. That is ‘real’ filtering, all of the pitchers are very basic. That said, most only care about chkoramine/chlorine and I think all of these will do that.

    Also, I would suggest the site authors here do an article about the Zero Water meter. I don’t mind Zero Water filters but their marketing dept needs to be out in jail for false advertising. I think they may have lost a lawsuit already about this but haven’t looked into it for a while. In extreme brevity: mineral content has nothing to do with items like hecavalent chromium or a pharmaceuticals in the water. And in fact a zero reading is considered unhealthy by many. 80 is more preferred in many cases. Minerals are not contaminants, they are essential to health.

    This ‘misinformation’ from zero water is the thing I hate the most about this whole subject online these days…

  • Erin Jones October 17, 2017, 3:28 pm

    Are the Brita and Pur filters interchangeable?

  • Author Brenda Winters November 4, 2017, 6:56 am

    I have used these for years and the health benefits are great.

  • cdg October 9, 2018, 10:03 am

    The article states that the filters are “about the same price” and that “PUR filters are a bit cheaper”. This may have been true when the article was written, but currently (October 2018) PUR filters costs TWICE as much as Brita filters. As to performance, PUR is better in the filtration of SOME substances, whereas Brita is better in the filtration of others. As to PUR’s shape fitting better in a refrigerator, NONSENSE. It occupies the same amount of space, but provides less volume of water due to its oblong design.

  • Nancy Saling October 17, 2018, 8:27 pm

    The Pur Filter Pitcher system has been disappointing.
    The company wouldn’t replace the defective filters unless I returned the that were defective. They offered a $2.00 coupon for two thirds of the filters that cost a little over $16.00.
    I’m getting a Brita instead of continually buying filters that only last a couple of weeks.

  • Deena March 18, 2019, 11:53 pm

    Hello! I live in the eastern Sierra, and what needs to be filtered out of our water is mostly chlorine and minerals, like iron and rust from old pipes. The Pur works wonderfully! We just gave up on our Brita. Too clumsy to work with and poorly made. plus, the new filters we bought were so slow that sometimes water would take over 12 hours to trickle through. I was skeptical about Pur at first, but it is like water that has been softened, with no taste! Just like we got it from the creek, without the granite taste!

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