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       Tim Heffernan is a writer covering air and water quality and sustainable energy technologies. He prefers to test purifiers with the smoke of Flare matches.
       We’ve also added a great option, Cyclopure Purefast, a Brita-compatible filter that’s NSF/ANSI certified to reduce PFAS.
       If you’re looking for the easiest way to get filtered drinking water at home, we recommend the Brita Elite Water Filter, as well as the Brita Standard Everyday 10-Cup Pitcher or (if you use a lot of water in your home) the Brita Standard 27-Cup Capacity Pitcher or the Brita Ultramax Water Dispenser. But before you choose either, know that after nearly a decade of implementing home water filtration, we believe that under-sink or under-faucet water filters are the best choice. They last longer, deliver clean water faster, reduce contaminants, are less likely to clog, and take just a few minutes to install.
       This model has more than 30 ANSI/NSF certifications, more than any filter in its class, and is designed for a six-month replacement interval. But like all filters, it can become clogged.
       The Brita signature kettle is in many ways the defining filter kettle category and is easier to use and keep clean than many other Brita models.
       The Brita Water Dispenser has enough power to meet the daily water needs of a large family, and its leak-proof faucet is designed to be easy and simple for children to use.
       The LifeStraw Home Dispenser has been rigorously tested to remove dozens of contaminants, including lead, and its filter is far more resistant to clogging than any other filter we’ve tested.
       Dexsorb filter material, tested to NSF/ANSI standards, effectively captures a wide range of persistent chemical substances (PFAS), including PFOA and PFOS.
       This model has more than 30 ANSI/NSF certifications, more than any filter in its class, and is designed for a six-month replacement interval. But like all filters, it can become clogged.
       Brita’s most effective filter is the Brita Elite. It’s ANSI/NSF certified and removes more contaminants than any other gravity-fed water filter we’ve tested; these contaminants include lead, mercury, cadmium, PFOA, and PFOS, as well as a wide range of industrial compounds and tap water contaminants that are increasingly becoming “emerging contaminants.” It has a lifespan of 120 gallons, or six months, which is three times the rated lifespan of most other filters. In the long run, that makes the Elite less expensive than the more common two-month filter. However, sediment in the water can clog it before the six months are up. If you know your tap water is clean but just want it to taste better (especially if it smells like chlorine), Brita’s standard kettle and dispenser filter is less expensive and less prone to clogging, but it’s not certified to contain lead or any other industrial compounds.
       The Brita signature kettle is in many ways the defining filter kettle category and is easier to use and keep clean than many other Brita models.
       Of the many Brita pitchers, our favorite is the Brita Standard Everyday 10-Cup Pitcher. The no-dead-space design makes it easier to clean than other Brita bottles, and the one-handed thumb-inversion feature makes refilling even easier. Its curved C-shaped handle is also more comfortable than the angular D-shaped handles found on most Brita bottles.
       The Brita Water Dispenser has enough power to meet the daily water needs of a large family, and its leak-proof faucet is designed to be easy and simple for children to use.
       The Brita Ultramax Water Dispenser holds approximately 27 cups of water (18 cups in the filter reservoir and an additional 9 to 10 cups in the top fill reservoir). Its slim design saves space in the refrigerator, and the faucet closes after pouring to prevent overflow. It’s a convenient way to always have plenty of cold, filtered water on hand.
       The LifeStraw Home Dispenser has been rigorously tested to remove dozens of contaminants, including lead, and its filter is far more resistant to clogging than any other filter we’ve tested.
       We used the LifeStraw Home Water Dispenser to filter 2.5 gallons of heavily rust-tainted water, and while the speed slowed down a bit toward the end, it never stopped filtering. This product is our top pick for anyone who has experienced clogged water filters in other water filters, including our top pick, the Brita Elite, or is looking for a solution to rusty or contaminated tap water. LifeStraw also has four ANSI/NSF certifications (chlorine, taste and odor, lead, and mercury) and has been independently tested by a certified lab to meet a variety of additional ANSI/NSF purification standards.
       Dexsorb filter material, tested to NSF/ANSI standards, effectively captures a wide range of persistent chemical substances (PFAS), including PFOA and PFOS.
       Cyclopure’s Purefast filters use Dexsorb, the same material used by some treatment plants to remove persistent chemicals (PFAS) from public water supplies. It works with our recommended Brita kettle and dispenser. It’s rated for 65 gallons, filters quickly in our tests, and doesn’t slow down significantly over time, though like any gravity-fed filter, it can clog if your water contains a lot of sediment. The filter also comes in a pre-paid envelope; send your used filter back to Cyclopure, and the company will recycle it in a way that destroys any PFAS it captures so they don’t leak back into the environment. Brita itself doesn’t recommend third-party filters, but given that both the Purefast filters and the Dexsorb materials are NSF/ANSI certified to reduce PFAS, we’d recommend them with confidence. Note that it only captures PFAS and chlorine. If you have other concerns, choose Brita Elite;
       I’ve been testing water filters for Wirecutter since 2016. For the report, I’ve had lengthy conversations with NSF and the Water Quality Association, the two largest water filter certification agencies in the United States, to understand their testing methods. I’ve interviewed representatives from many water filter manufacturers to verify their claims. I’ve used several water filters and pitchers over the years because overall durability, ease and cost of maintenance, and ease of use are important for something that’s used multiple times a day.
       Former National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) scientist John Holecek researched and wrote an earlier version of this guide, conducted his own testing, and commissioned further independent testing.
       This guide is for those who want a kettle-style water filter (the one that collects water from the tap and holds it in the refrigerator).
       The beauty of a filter kettle is that it’s easy to use. You simply fill it with tap water and wait for the filter to work. They’re generally inexpensive: replacement filters (which typically need to be replaced every two months) typically cost less than $15.
       They have a few drawbacks. They are effective against fewer contaminants than most under-sink or under-faucet filters because they rely on gravity rather than water pressure, requiring a lower density filter.
       Using gravity also means that kettle filters are slow: filling water from the top reservoir takes between 5 and 15 minutes to pass through the filter, and it often takes several refills to get a full jug of clean water.
       Kettle filters often become clogged with sediment from tap water or even tiny air bubbles that form in faucet aerators and become trapped.
       For these reasons, we recommend installing a filter under the sink or on the faucet if circumstances allow.
       In the United States, public water supplies are regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Safe Drinking Water Act, and water discharged from public water treatment plants must meet strict quality standards. However, not all potential contaminants are regulated.
       Additionally, contaminants can enter after water leaves treatment plants through leaky pipes or (in the case of lead) by leaching from the pipes themselves. Treating water at the plant (or failing to do so) can even make leaks in downstream pipes worse, as happened in Flint, Michigan.
       To find out what your supplier is leaving behind, you can usually find your local supplier’s mandatory EPA Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) online. Otherwise, all public water suppliers are required to provide a CCR upon request.
       But because of the potential for downstream contamination, the only way to know for sure what’s in your home’s water is to have it tested. Your local water quality lab can test it, or you can use a home testing kit. We reviewed 11 of them and were impressed by SimpleLab’s Tap Score, which is easy to use and provides a comprehensive, clear report of what contaminants, if any, are in your tap water.
       The SimpleLab Tap Score advanced city water quality test provides a comprehensive analysis of your drinking water and easy-to-read results.
       To ensure that the water filters we recommend are trustworthy, we always insist that our choices meet the gold standard: ANSI/NSF certification. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) are private, nonprofit organizations that work with the Environmental Protection Agency, manufacturers, and other experts to develop rigorous quality standards for thousands of products, including water filters, and testing procedures.
       Filters only meet certification standards after exceeding their expected service life and using “test” samples that are much more contaminated than most tap water.
       There are two main labs that certify water purifiers: one is NSF Labs and the other is the Water Quality Association (WQA). Both organizations are fully accredited by ANSI and the Canadian Standards Council in North America to perform ANSI/NSF certification testing.
       But after years of internal debate, we now also accept the broader claim “tested to ANSI/NSF standards,” not officially certified, but must meet some strict conditions: first, the testing is performed by an independent lab that is not operated by the filter manufacturer; second, the lab itself is ANSI or recognized by other national or non-governmental organizations to perform rigorous testing according to established standards; third, the testing lab, its results, and its methods are published by the manufacturer. Fourth, the manufacturer has a long history of producing filters. The records have proven safe, reliable, and truthful as described.
       We further narrowed the scope to filters that are certified or equivalent to at least two major ANSI/NSF standards (Standard 42 and Standard 53, which cover chlorine and other “aesthetic” contaminants, as well as heavy metals like lead and organic compounds like pesticides). The relatively new Standard 401 covers “emerging contaminants” like pharmaceuticals that are increasingly present in U.S. water, and we pay special attention to filters with this distinction.
       We started by looking at popular 10- to 11-cup water dispensers, as well as larger-capacity dispensers that are especially suitable for households with high water consumption. (Most companies also offer smaller dispensers for people who don’t need a full-size dispenser.)
       We then compared design details (including handle style and comfort), ease of installation and filter replacement, the space the pitcher and dispenser take up in the refrigerator, and the volume of the top fill tank versus the ratio of the bottom “filtered” tank (the higher the ratio, the better, since you’ll get more filtered water every time you use the faucet).
       In 2016, we conducted several in-house tests of several filters to compare our results with ANSI/NSF certifications and manufacturer claims. John Holecek measured each filter’s chlorine removal rate in his lab. For our first two options, we commissioned an independent testing lab to test lead removal using solutions with significantly higher levels of lead contamination than NSF requires in its certification protocol.
       Our main conclusion from our testing is that ANSI/NSF certification or equivalent certification is a reliable standard for measuring filter performance. This is not surprising given the rigorous nature of the certification standards. Since then, we have relied on ANSI/NSF certification or equivalent certification to determine the functionality of a given filter.
       Our subsequent testing focuses on real-world usability, as well as real-world features and shortcomings that only become apparent after using these products for a long time.
       This model has more than 30 ANSI/NSF certifications, more than any filter in its class, and is designed for a six-month replacement interval. But like all filters, it can become clogged.
       The Brita Elite Water Filter (formerly Longlast+) is ANSI/NSF certified to remove more than 30 contaminants (PDF), including lead, mercury, microplastics, asbestos, and two common PFAS: perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorinated octane sulfonic acid (PFOS). That makes it the highest-certified pitcher water filter we’ve tested, and one we recommend for those who want the ultimate peace of mind.
       It is certified to remove many other common contaminants. These contaminants include chlorine (added to water to reduce bacteria and other pathogens, which is the main cause of “bad taste” in tap water), volatile organic compounds that can damage the liver, and increasingly “emerging” varieties; compounds such as bisphenol A (BPA), DEET (a common insect repellent), and estrone, a synthetic form of estrogen, are being detected.
       While most pitchers have water filters that need to be replaced every 40 gallons or two months, the Elite water filter lasts 120 gallons or six months. In theory, that means you only need to use two Elite water filters per year instead of six — creating less waste and reducing replacement costs by about 50%.
       For a pitcher filter, it works very quickly. In our tests, a full fill of the new Elite filter took only 5-7 minutes. Similar-sized filters we tested take longer — often 10 minutes or more.
       But there’s a problem. Like almost all pitcher filters, the Elite is prone to clogging, which can slow down or even stop its filtration, meaning you’ll have to replace it more often. Many users have complained about this issue, and in our testing, the Elite began to slow down before it even reached its 120-gallon capacity. If you have a problem with sediment in your tap water (often a symptom of rusty pipes), you may be experiencing the same thing.
       And you may not need all the Elite’s protections. If you’re confident your tap water is good quality (you can tell with a home tester), we recommend upgrading to Brita’s basic standard kettle and water dispenser filter. It only has five ANSI/NSF certifications (PDF), including chlorine (but not lead, organics, or emerging contaminants), which is far fewer than the Elite. But it’s a less expensive, less clogging filter that can improve the taste of your water.
       It’s easy to screw up when installing a Brita filter. At first, the filter seemed to snap into place securely enough. But it actually takes an extra push to get it all the way in. If you don’t push down, unfiltered water can leak out the sides of the filter when you fill the top reservoir, meaning your “filtered” water won’t actually come out. Some of the filters we purchased for the 2023 test also needed to be positioned so that the long slot on one side of the filter would slide over a matching ridge in some Brita pitchers. (Other bottles, including our best 10-cup everyday water bottle, don’t have ridges, allowing you to position the filter either way.)