I'd like to consider myself a well-hydrated person — and I'm not alone. I've heard it from another team member, Erica Marrison, that she wishes she could remember to tote her water bottle around as much as I do.
I've been loyal to Hydro Flask water bottles since I was in college; their exteriors always decorated with dents and stickers alike. But what matters most is what's on the inside of the bottle: ice cold water that's most likely filled up via water filter pitcher.
To find the best water pitcher filters out there, I tested five of them in terms of filter speed, freshness, ease of storing, taste and aesthetic design to see how well they ranked against one another — and I have four favorites of the collection. (Plus, my favorite pick is one that’s less than $25, and it couldn’t be easier to fill up.)
For more details on water and water pitchers, we tapped water sommelier, Martin Riese, and Gerald Kauffman, the director of the Delaware Water Resources Center, on the importance of drinking filtered water.
Why use a water filter?
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), various health issues (such as lead poisoning, germ contamination and chemical exposure) may be an effect of drinking unfiltered water. This, of course, depends on where the water came from.
Don't fret, though: There are water regulations in place by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that help ensure your water smells and tastes great when it comes out of the tap — and, per the CDC, local water utilities help filter water before it ends up in your cup, making it safe to drink.
But if you’re reading this article, you may be curious about how to make your tap water taste or smell even better. That's where home water filters can help.
"The obvious benefits to drinking filtered water would be if you like your water to be tasting a little crisper and cleaner much like bottled water," says Kauffman. "If you want just a little bit of extra factor of safety for any constituent that may be in the water that you’re concerned with."
However, it's important to note that many home water filters aren't miracle workers — and, according to the CDC, some aren't designed to remove certain substances that may be deemed harmful (of course, this depends on the type of filter that's built into the unit and how it operates). In this case, it's recommended that you opt for home water treatment systems.
Riese tells us, "In the U.S., every department of water has to showcase the water quality report, so do your homework — and when there is something in the water you don’t want to have, now you know how to find the right filter that can do the job of filtering out exactly what you want filtered out, because there is a huge difference in which filters filter out which contaminants.”
Below are four of the five water pitcher filters I tested and found useful.
Editor's note: Shop TODAY did not test water for chemical substances before or after filtration.
Best overall water pitcher filter, as tested by the author
Best overall: Waterdrop Water Filter Pitcher
- Easy to set up
- Lid opens up to basin itself
- Filter needs time to "clean"
Size: 10-cup capacity | Colorways: 1 | Filter lifetime: 3 months | Filter included? Yes, 1
Filter speed: 5/5 | Freshness: 5/5 | Ease of storing: 5/5 | Taste: 5/5 | Aesthetic design: 5/5 | Overall Score: 5/5
Straight out of the box, this pitcher was the most aesthetic and simple to use. It has a wooden, easy-to-grip handle and an automatic water inlet, making it so you don't have to open a flap in order to fill it up.
One of the only cons is that you can't place the filter in the pitcher immediately; it has to soak in a bowl of ice-cold water for 10 minutes. After that, you're safe to place it in the basin.
Aside from that, this seemed to be the water pitcher that I reached for most — because the water comes out of the spout tidily (it's small enough to where I can put it in the middle of my water bottle's opening and not worry about it spilling over the sides), it's easy to fill up afterwards and it fits in my fridge without taking up too much room.
Best kitchen staple: Brita Large Water Filter Pitcher
- Filter is easy to set up/place
- Fits in fridge easily
- Lid to water basin can be iffy
Size: 10-cup capacity | Colorways: 1; white | Filter lifetime: 2 months | Filter included? Yes, 1
Filter speed: 2/5 | Freshness: 5/5 | Ease of storing: 5/5 | Taste: 5/5 | Aesthetic Design: 4/5 | Overall Score: 4.2/5
This Brita filter has been a staple inside every fridge I've ever had — from my childhood home to my college dorm, and currently in my New York City apartment.
You have to thoroughly wash the filter before using it, and you have to take the top off to place the basin inside. In my experience, the top wasn't seamless to pop off the pitcher, and I thought I was going to break it. Even after a month or so of use, the handle to open the basin is a bit sticky.
The filter speed isn't the fastest — but I often fill it up before leaving for work so I come home to a full pitcher. It even comes with dated stickers that you can use to keep track of filter lifetime, serving as a reminder to replace it every two months.
While it isn't the quickest, and the setup process requires a little bit of patience, this water pitcher has been a mainstay for me, ensuring clean, fresh water each and every time you fill it up.
Best with two spouts: ZeroWater Ready-Pour Water Filter Pitcher
- Has a meter to monitor filter
- Water dispenses slowly
Size: 10-cup capacity | Colorways: 1 | Filter lifetime: Does not specify | Filter included? Yes, 1
Filter speed: 5/5 | Freshness: 3/3 | Ease of storing: 3/3 | Taste: 5/5 | Aesthetic Design: 2/5| Overall Score: 3.6/5
While I can appreciate the fact that this filter has two different spouts to choose from, the bottom push-spout dispenses very slowly, especially if the basin is less than half full.
In terms of filter speed, the water clings to the filter and trickles down at a pace faster than anticipated. This is especially shocking due to the intricacy of the filter itself, which features five total stages of water-cleansing.
For a company that specializes in water coolers specifically (at least that’s what my association is with them!), the taste of this water was comparable to the rest. It wasn’t exceptional, but it wasn’t inferior, either.
Best construction: SOMA 10-Cup Water Filter Pitcher
- Easy-to-grip bamboo handle
- Basin flap stopped working
Size: 10-cup capacity | Colorways: 1 | Filter lifetime: 2 months | Filter included? Yes, 1
Filter speed: 5/5 | Freshness: 5/5 | Ease of storing: 3/5 | Taste: 5/5 | Aesthetic Design: 5/5| Overall Score: 4.6/5
Similar to the Waterdrop water pitcher filter, the SOMA water pitcher filter features a handle that makes it easy to transport from the fridge, to the kitchen sink and when tilting it to fill up a water bottle or glass. This proved to be especially helpful when it was filled to its 10-cup capacity, helping my hands to not shake or spill the water inside.
I also immediately took a liking to the automatic flap, similar to the Waterdrop. However, the automatic flap stopped working after a couple of weeks, forcing me to push it open myself.
How we tested the water filter pitchers
For a month, I used these water pitcher filters to fill up my water bottle in the morning before work, glasses of ice cold water after a run and in mugs to heat up for nighttime tea.
I tested, on a scale of 1 to 5, a few factors:
- Filter speed: How long did the water take to completely filter through the system?
- Freshness: Did the water taste and smell fresh after sitting in a refrigerator for multiple weeks?
- Ease of storing: Was it easy to store the water pitcher filter in the refrigerator, or was it too bulky?
- Taste: How did the tap water taste after being filtered through the system?
- Aesthetic design: If décor is important to you, is the pitcher something you'd want to display in your kitchen?
Furthermore, each pitcher took turns sitting in my fridge, to test ease of storage. Each one was also filled up the same way as well, in my kitchen sink.
Why trust Shop TODAY
I, Sierra Hoeger, am an associate editor who started writing and reporting for Shop TODAY in 2022, covering topics such related to travel, clothing, beauty and more. I’ve even assisted in other Ranked testing processes, so I’m familiar with the rating system we apply to our product picks.
As mentioned above, I like to think I'm a well-hydrated person — my Hydro Flask always along for the ride — and was able to fill up my water bottle using the water filter pitchers every day for a month.
Meet the experts
- Martin Riese is a water sommelier, beverage consultant and water advocate.
- Gerald Kauffman is the director of Delaware Water Resources Center as well as an associate professor at the University of Delaware School of Public Policy & Administration.
