Best water filter pitcher for mini fridge

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8 Best Water Filter Pitchers of 2022

Filter out bad tastes, contaminants and more with these water filters that actually work.

courtesy of brands

It’s no secret that you should drink plenty of water every day. Having a good water filter pitcher can better that habit by improving the taste of your water and removing various water contaminants. While many contaminants and their levels are regulated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), you may prefer to take extra precautions by buying water filters that remove specific contaminants. Luckily, there are many different types of water filters to choose from, including an under-the-sink water filter, which saves space in the refrigerator or countertop, and a water filter pitcher, which is a convenient option with no installation required.

Over the decades, the Good Housekeeping Institute has reviewed thousands of products for efficacy, safety and sustainability, including water filters and water testing kits. To evaluate water filter pitchers, our Kitchen Appliances Lab and Health, Beauty & Sustainability Lab teamed up to test their ease of use, such as ease of setting up the pitcher and filter and ease of cleaning. We also looked at performance factors like how quickly it filtered water. We also spent 35 hours reviewing 196 pages of third-party test data to make sure each pitcher matched the brand's claims of what they can remove. Here are the 8 best water filter pitchers of 2022:

Our top picks

• 

  Best Overall Water Filter Pitcher

  Everyday Water Filter Pitcher With Longlast Filter Brita

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• 

  Best 2-in-1 Water Filter Pitcher and Dispenser

  10-Cup 5-Stage Water Filter Pitcher ZeroWater

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• 

  Best Easy-Pour Water Filter Pitcher

  10-Cup Water Filter Pitcher SOMA

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• 

  Best Water Filter Pitcher to Remove Bacteria

  PureVis Water Pitcher With Advanced Filter Larq

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• 

  Best Countertop Water Filter Pitcher Dispenser

  Connect Smart Countertop Water Purifier AQUA TRU

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Best Overall Water Filter Pitcher

Brita

Everyday Water Filter Pitcher With Longlast Filter

Best 2-in-1 Water Filter Pitcher and Dispenser

ZeroWater

10-Cup 5-Stage Water Filter Pitcher

Best Easy-Pour Water Filter Pitcher

SOMA

10-Cup Water Filter Pitcher

Best Water Filter Pitcher to Remove Bacteria

Larq

PureVis Water Pitcher With Advanced Filter

Best Countertop Water Filter Pitcher Dispenser

AQUA TRU

Connect Smart Countertop Water Purifier

Best Basic Water Filter Pitcher

Hydros

Glass Slim Pitcher

Best Glass Water Filter Pitcher

LifeStraw Home

7-Cup Glass Water Filter Pitcher

Best Stainless Steel Water Filter Pitcher

Berkey

Water Filter

Do water filter pitchers really work?

Yes, water filter pitchers work to remove contaminants such as heavy metals, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and more. Some chemicals like chlorine are also added to city water to disinfect it, but many people prefer filtered water because it tastes better. Keep in mind that not all water filters remove the same contaminants. Some only remove basic contaminants like chlorine while others remove many more.

“The performance of the water filter also depends on the quality of the water source and whether or not the filters are replaced regularly," says Birnur Aral, Ph.D., Executive Director, Health, Beauty & Environmental Sciences Lab. "Also, these pitchers are not intended to work with well water [which] will cause them to clog much faster.” People with well water systems should consult with professional water filtration services.

How we test water filter pitchers

Our Good Housekeeping Institute experts scoured the market for the best water filter pitchers, then narrowed down testing to the most promising products based on our categorical expertise. Our Lab experts spent three months researching and testing these water filter pitchers. We dedicated about 35 hours combing through 196 pages of data to ensure each water filter removed what it claims, such as getting rid of a specific chemical or physical contaminant or killing bacteria.

In addition, we assessed how easy it was to set up the pitcher and filter, how easy it was to pour and how heavy it was once filled. We also looked at the clarity of the instruction manual and whether the pitchers were dishwasher safe. We tested performance factors like how quickly it filtered a cup of water and measured how much water the tap water reservoir can hold. We reviewed how long each filter lasts and the cost to replace filters as well as a yearly calculation of what it costs when replacing filters at the recommended time frame.

To assess claims, we requested third-party data from each water filter pitcher brand which our Executive Director of the GH Health, Beauty & Sustainability Lab thoroughly reviewed to verify differing water contaminant removal and purification claims, such as water clarity, health effects, emerging contaminants and more.

What to look for when shopping for the best water filter pitcher

✔️ Filtering ability: Not all water filter pitchers remove the same contaminants; if you have specific filtration needs, be sure to check what each product claims to remove. Many water filter brands are starting to share their contaminant removal data on their websites, so if you’re looking for a specific contaminant check the brand's website or try reaching out to the company.

✔️ Style and size: When choosing a style, keep in mind size versus weight. If you need to save space, opt for a smaller pitcher, but it will require more refills. Large-capacity pitchers allow you to refill less, but they can also be cumbersome to carry and pour. If you have the counter or fridge space and like to have a large capacity water dispenser, consider a countertop model as these often hold larger amounts of water.

✔️ Price: The more contaminants a filter removes, generally, the higher the cost, and if your water doesn’t need certain contaminants removed, you may be wasting money. When deciding which pitcher to purchase, consider both the price of the pitcher and the price to replace filters – as some have a higher upfront cost but filters cost less and vice versa.

✔️ Special features: If you have a hard time remembering when to change your water filter, choose a model that makes it easy to keep track or tells you when you need to change the filter. Some water filter pitchers now come with apps to remind you.

✔️ Filtering needs: Not all tap water has the same contaminants, so your contaminant removal needs may differ based on where you live (i.e. your water supply and age of plumbing) and your personal preference. We recommend using the EWG Tap Water Database to see what’s in your tap water, but if you're unsure what your water contains, it may be best to have a filter that covers the removal of a broad range of contaminants. That said, water filter pitchers that remove more contaminants are not necessarily better if your water doesn't have the contaminants the filter is designed to remove. The EPA doesn’t regulate all contaminants, but at the minimum, our pros suggest a filter that at least removes heavy metals.

✔️ NSF and ANSI tests: You’ll see many water pitchers stating they’ve been tested to NSF/ANSI standards, which test removal of various water contaminants, but keep in mind that NSF/ANSI standards are not the same across the board. Some standards only test for water clarity while others test for the removal of certain chemicals and physical contaminants. The NSF website offers a detailed explanation of its standards and what it tests for more information.

Why trust Good Housekeeping?

This best water filter pitchers guide was written and tested by several Good Housekeeping Institute experts, including Jamie Kim, a freelance writer with a consumer products background, specializing in product testing and reviews. She lends her product knowledge across multiple categories such as apparel, textiles, home, kitchen, beauty and tech. She has over 17 years of product testing experience and has held leading roles in product development at Nike and other textile companies. She regularly contributes her product expertise to Good Housekeeping and holds a degree in both apparel & textile design and mechanical engineering.

Birnur Aral, Ph.D, is the executive director of the Beauty, Health & Sustainability Lab with over a decade of R&D experience she garnered in graduate school and industry. She has been at GH for 15 years. Birnur played a lead role in GH's investigative story Is Your Tap Water Safe?, which explored the efficacy of table-top water pitchers and refrigerator filters in taking out emerging contaminants and those not yet regulated by the EPA in the U.S. Recently, she assessed the SafeHome brand DIY water testing kits for the Good Housekeeping Seal. She also helped the brand with the fine-tuning of marketing claims and instruction inserts for the kits, including those for Lead, City Water and Well Water, which now carry the Good Housekeeping Seal and its consumer warranty.

As the Director of the Kitchen Appliances & Culinary Innovation Lab since 2019, Nicole Papantoniou oversees all content and testing related to kitchen and cooking appliances, tools and gear; she worked in product development for small kitchen appliances and tools since 2014 as well as in several test kitchens where she tested and developed recipes and food content since 2012. She has a Grand Diplome in classic culinary arts from the former French Culinary Institute and a certificate in culinary nutrition from the former Natural Gourmet Institute, now both known as the Institute of Culinary Education.

Jamie Kim Contributing Writer and Analyst Jamie Kim is a consumer products expert with over 17 years of experience in areas of product development and manufacturing.

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