Best Water Filter Pitchers

The top-rated Brita purges tap water of bad tastes, odors, and chlorine, while the two worst-scoring models are slow and prone to clogging

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Water filter pitchers aren't the best way to clean your tap water, but they can strip out unappetizing flavors, funky odors, and common contaminants. They’re a practical, inexpensive choice compared with other water filter options that may require a plumber's installation and maintenance.

"Water filter pitchers are convenient because there's no under-sink installation," says CR test engineer Rich Handel, who oversees water filter testing. "With most, you just fill it up with tap water, throw it in the refrigerator, and wait."

These pitchers typically hold up to 10 cups of water, filtering over time. So you might find that you’re waiting or refilling the pitcher often, depending on your drinking habits or how many housemates are pouring from the pitcher. In CR's lab, we run each pitcher through a battery of flow-rate tests and time just how long it takes to filter a quart of water at various stages of the filter cartridge's lifespan. The best pitchers get the job done in a little over a minute, while others take up to 43 minutes, on average—or even longer.

Do Water Filter Pitchers Work?To be clear, the water filter pitchers we test are intended to be used with potable water—that is, water that's safe to drink—to improve taste and remove unpleasant odors. Some manufacturers also claim that their pitchers meet accepted standards for removing specific contaminants, such as chlorine and lead. (CR verifies those claims in our tests.) All the pitchers in our tests are certified to remove chlorine but less than half are certified to remove lead.

Considering why you need a water filter will help you choose the right one. Do you need a pitcher that will improve taste and reduce odors? Or one that removes lead and chlorine from your drinking water? Your answer matters because we found that some filters are more effective than others on each of these fronts.

Smell and taste generate the biggest tap water complaints; they relate directly to the water source. And this is where water filter pitchers tend to excel. Eight of 10 water filter pitchers in CR's tests improve flavor and reduce odor.

How Do I Choose a Water Filter Pitcher?Capacity is key. You don't want to spend your days and nights refilling a plodding water filter pitcher, do you? Depending on your household's collective thirst, a small family can get by with a 2-liter water filter pitcher, while a big family should invest in a large 4-liter size. Price is another factor. Consider the water filter pitcher's original purchase price but also the yearly cost of replacement cartridges, which can actually cost more than the water pitcher itself.

Below, in alphabetical order, we’ve listed five of the best pitchers from our water filter pitcher ratings (along with two more to avoid). For more on filtration, see our water filter buying guide, and for even more options, check CR's complete water filter ratings.

Brita Stream Rapids OB55

CR's take: Our highest-rated water filter pitcher is the Brita Stream Rapids OB55, the only true filter-as-you-pour model. It aced our flow-rate and clogging tests and did a solid job of improving taste and reducing odor. It's certified to NSF standards for removing chlorine but not lead, and replacement filter cartridges run $32 per year. You’ll see the NBA superstar Stephen Curry on the packaging, and our tests show that water from this pitcher goes down smoothly, with a swish.

Kirkland Signature (Costco) Water Filtration System

CR's take: The Kirkland Signature Water Filtration System is a mouthful, but water goes down easily once you use it. It isn't NSF certified for removing lead, but it rates well, with top-notch scores for flow rate and clogging. If your tap water reeks, tastes bad, or is tainted by elevated chlorine levels, this pitcher, $25 at Costco, is for you (assuming you’re a Costco member).

Pur Basic PPT700W

CR's take: The Pur Basic PPT700W is the least expensive water filter pitcher in our ratings. It typically sells for $17 and carries a yearly filter replacement cost of $30. The Pur Basic delivers on improving flavor as well as odor and chlorine reduction. But it's not NSF certified for lead reduction, and it will take longer to filter—especially over time. Its flow-rate and clogging scores are just so-so.

Pur Ultimate with Lead Reduction PPT711W

CR's take: This Pur Ultimate With Lead Reduction PPT711W is stellar at improving flavor and reducing odor (tops in our tests), and it's NSF certified for lead and chlorine reduction. But it’ll require patience and a thicker wallet. This water filter pitcher won't clog but it does have a mediocre flow rate, meaning it takes its time; filtering takes up to an hour. (You fill it up and place it in the fridge or on the counter for later.) It's also not cheap, selling for $54 initially, with a yearly $40 cartridge replacement cost. Still, it ranks near the top of our ratings, performance-wise.

ZeroWater Ready-Pour ZD-010RP

CR's take: The ZeroWater Ready-Pour ZD-010RP is a capable water filter pitcher. It's one of only two models in our ratings’ top five to be NSF certified for both lead and chlorine removal. It's also very good at improving water flavor and reducing odor. This versatile pitcher has an even higher clogging score, meaning it will flow consistently over time. But you’ll pay for that effectiveness, with a pricey filter replacement cost of $78 per year. That's more than double the replacement cost of the top-ranked Brita.

ClearlyFiltered COMIN16JU025114

CR's take: The ClearlyFiltered COMIN16JU025114 is NSF certified to remove chlorine and lead. And yes, it filters well for flavor and reduces odor. But it still might leave a bad taste in your mouth—and a burn hole in your wallet. Priced at a whopping $110 (many times the cost of other CR-tested pitchers), it earns an Overall Score of 41 in our ratings. (Our top-rated Brita, at the top of this list, scores nearly double.) This super-slow pitcher clogs like a dam, which means you’ll spend up to $150 per year on filter replacements, about twice as much as the next-highest-priced pitcher.

Clear2O GRP200

CR's take: The Clear₂0 GRP200 is the lowest-rated pitcher in CR's ratings, earning an Overall Score of 38. Your patience will be tried by its extremely slow flow rate. This pitcher also has the smallest capacity in our tests (6 cups per pitcher), which means you’ll be racing from faucet to fridge more than a parched teenager after soccer practice. We’re pouring cold water on this water filter pitcher.

Keith Flamer

As a kid in Delaware, I lived a few blocks from Bob Marley, who once said, "It is better to live on the house top than to live in a house full of confusion." At CR, I'm psyched to help readers navigate this cluttered, hyper-commercialized world we live in. I've covered luxury real estate, interior design, and culture—reporting on everything from smart home technology to racial hypocrisy at Thomas Jefferson's Monticello estate. Since the pandemic started, I cherish simplicity, covering accessible topics like decorating, cooking, and cleaning. Give me a smoothie blender over a mansion any day. Blenders are slightly easier to clean.