Pur vs. Brita – Differences and Comparison

Many Americans relying on tap water prefer small filtration devices, such as water pitchers, dispensers, and faucet-mount systems, compared to bulky whole-house units. These devices eliminate color, odor, taste, and chlorine.

Some of the more popular small filtration devices are also effective against the most common and hazardous drinking water contaminants like heavy metals and volatile organic compounds.

Two such examples are the brands Pur and Brita. The products in their catalog are among the most efficient on the market, which is why they’re highly sought after.

Still, Pur and Brita products remove different contaminants and have different contaminant reduction rates, capacity, replacement filter prices, and warranties.

To help you decide which brand is better, we’ll review their filtration technologies and compare the products in all these areas.

Pur Overview

Pur was initially a small engineering company manufacturing water filters based in Minneapolis. In 1999, the brand was sold to the multinational giant Procter & Gamble Company (P&G).

P&G sold Pur products in various countries under its Children’s Safe Water Drinking program. However, in 2004, the company closed the Pur factories, and the water filtration brand went silent until 2012.

In 2012, the American brand Helen of Troy, which owned world-class houseware, beauty, and home brands (like Honeywell, Braund, and Vicks), acquired Pur. It was around this time when the brand started rising to global prominence and started offering a wider range of water filtration items.

After the acquisition, Pur also developed two proprietary filters, Basic Pur Genuine and Pur Plus, that today are standard for the brand’s pitchers and dispensers. Both technologies entail three different filtration techniques:

• Granulated activated carbon: By itself, an activated carbon block is extremely effective in preventing aesthetic nuisances (color, odor, and taste). When in granule form, it also reduces the levels of volatile organic compounds and newly-emerging chemical content (like pharmaceuticals, microplastics, and BPA).
• Ionic exchange: The principle behind the ionic exchange method is basic chemistry. The filter cartridge features media with an electric charge. When substances (like minerals or heavy metals) with opposing electric charges enter the system, the media attracts and binds them in long-lasting bonds. That’s how impurities with ionic charges are eliminated from the water.
• Advanced pleated paper: Pleated paper is a permeable filter that blocks large and solid particles without sacrificing flow rate. The advanced pleated paper of Pur filter cartridges allows for high flow rates and long-lasting filtration capacity.

If you want to learn more, you can check out all the different Pur filters’ performance data sheets via the company website.

So, if both Basic Pur Genuine and Pur Plus filters have the same filtration technology, what makes them different? The answer is their NSF certifications.

Pur Plus holds all the relevant certifications issued by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF), while Basic Pur Genuine doesn’t.

The Pur Plus filter holds the following certifications:

• NSF/ANSI 42 – proving it removes aesthetic nuisances
• NSF/ANSI 53 – proving it removes established health hazards (heavy metals, dangerous chemicals)
• NSF/ANSI 401 – proving it removes emerging chemical compounds that pose potential health risks (microplastics, pharmaceutical impurities, and so on)

A List of Pur Water Filtration Products

Pur manufactures water filtration products in three categories:

• Water filter pitchers: The brand has five different water filter pitchers in its catalog: Pur Plus 11-Cup, Pur Basic 11-Cup, Pur Plus 7-Cup, Pur Basic 7-Cup, and Pur 10-Cup. The Pur Plus 11-Cup Water Filter Pitcher is the brand’s most popular product, mostly thanks to its large water capacity and efficient filtration.
• Water filter dispensers: Pur offers only three water filter dispensers: Pur Plus 30-Cup, Pur Basic 30-Cup, and Pur Basic 44-cup. While the lattermost option is ideal for crowded families, the 30-cup options are the most popular Pur water dispensers. Pur Plus 30-CUP is superior to Pur Basic 30-Cup, thanks to its NSF certifications.
• Faucet-mount filtration systems: While the brand has thirteen different faucet-mount systems, the main difference between them is their color. Otherwise, we can classify Pur faucet-mount systems in two typologies: shape and filtration technology. In terms of shape, the brand offers horizontal and vertical faucet-mount system designs. In terms of filtration technology, both designs come with Pur Plus filters, with only one device in each category entertaining a Basic filter. The most popular Pur faucet-mount system is the Pur Plus Horizontal Faucet Filtration System because horizontal systems are more compact, and Plus filters are better.

Brita Overview

Wherever you’re in the world, chances are you’ll encounter a Brita water filtration product in a supermarket. This German brand has been in business for more than half a century, and it’s built itself a prestigious name thanks to the accessibility and affordability of its products.

But despite its low prices, Brita products are reliable as well.

To an extent, the brand ensures the reliability of its products by producing different filters for a wide variety of needs. In addition, it informs customers on what to expect from each filter in its catalog.

As of mid-2023, Brita has six water filters ideal for use in different products:

• Brita Bottle: The brand produces water jugs/bottles to use on the go. These bottles’ filters, called Brita Bottle, remove only sediment and aesthetic nuisances (color, odor, taste, and chlorine).
• Brita Hub: The Brita Hub filter is produced for the Brita Hub countertop water filtration device. It’s a shame it can’t be installed in other Brita products because it’s the brand’s most powerful and long-lasting filter. It removes over 70 contaminants from water and has NSF/ANSI 42, 53, and 401 certifications.
• Brita Stream: Available for all Brita pitchers and dispensers, the Brita Stream filter is also the most basic filter the brand offers for its most popular products. The filter holds NSF/ANSI 42 and 53 certifications but only removes aesthetic nuisances, sediment, and trichlorobenzene (with a 96.4% reduction rate). Its chlorine reduction rate is 94% on average.
• Brita Standard: Brita Standard is an upgrade on Brita Stream. In addition to aesthetic nuisances, sediment, and trichlorobenzene, it removes four heavy metals from water: lead, copper, cadmium, and zinc, with success rates ranging between 80% and 96%. You can use it in all Brita pitchers and dispensers, except for the UltraSlim Stream Water Dispenser
• Brita Elite/Longlast+: This particular filtration option is the most effective cartridge the brand offers for use in its pitchers and dispensers (except for the UltraSlim Stream Water Dispenser), and it’s equivalent of Pur Plus. It removes aesthetic nuisances, some heavy metals, including the most dangerous ones like lead and asbestos, and newly emerging chemical compounds. It has an NSF/ANSI 401 certification in addition to NSF/ANSI 42 and 53. However, Brita pitchers and dispensers typically come with either Stream or Standard filters, but you can always upgrade to Elite/Longlast+.
• Brita Faucet Filter: The Brita Faucet Filter is similar to the Elite/Longlast+ in filtration technology, contaminants removed, and NSF certifications. However, the Brita Faucet Filter is only compatible with Brita’s faucet mount systems.

The brand provides performance data sheets for each filter on its website.

A List of Brita Water Filtration Products

Brita has thirteen water filter pitchers, three water dispensers, four faucet-mount systems,  four water bottles, and one countertop device in its remarkably extensive catalog:

• Water filter pitchers: The thirteen Brita water filter pitchers are: 6-cup Denali Elite, 6-cup Denali Standard, 10-cup Tahoe Standard, 10-cup Tahoe Elite, 10-cup Wave, 10-cup Champlain Standard, 10-cup Huron Elite, 10-cup Huron Standard, 6-cup Space-Saver, 10-cup Pacifica, 10-cup Rapids Stream, 10-Cup Lake, and 12-cup Cascade. Not only do these different pitcher options differ in size and accompanying filter cartridge, but they also come in different shapes and colors. The 10-cup Rapids Stream and the 10-cup Wave pitchers are the most popular items in this category. The Rapids Stream comes with a Brita Stream filter, while the Wave with a Brita Standard.  You can upgrade both to the Brita Elite/Longlast+.
• Water filter dispensers: The three water dispensers in Brita’s catalog are the 27-cup UltraMax with Elite Filter, 27-cup UltraMax with Standard Filter, and 25-cup UltraSlim with Stream Filter. The UltraSlim Stream dispenser is the most modest of the three options, while the UltraMax Elite is the best, thanks to its better water capacity and superior filtration.
• Faucet-mount systems: Brita has four faucet-mount water filtration systems:  Basic, Basic with Two Filters, Complete, and Complete with Two Filters. Unlike Pur faucet systems that come in either vertical or horizontal designs, the Brita systems come only in vertical designs. The most popular Brita faucet-mount system is the Complete with Two Filters, as it provides the most thorough filtration while lasting longer than the other options.
• Brita Bottles: Although the Brita bottles are the humblest category in the brand’s catalog, they’re still sturdy and entertain a cool, classy look. The brand offers 20oz, 26oz, 32oz, and 36oz options with different external designs and colors.
• Brita Hub Instant Powerful Countertop Filtration: The Brita Hub is the latest innovation from the brand. Despite not utilizing reverse osmosis (RO), the number of removed contaminants (70+) and contaminant reduction rates almost equal some of the best countertop RO devices on the market.

Pur vs. Brita – Product Comparisons

In this section, we will compare the most popular Pur and Brita products in each applicable category (water filter pitchers, dispensers, and faucet-mount systems) in detail.

We’ll base our analyses on key aspects such as size, filtration technology, removed contaminants, filtration capacity, warranty, and price.

At the end of each section, we’ll give our verdict on which product is better and why and provide you with a comparison chart.

Pur Plus 11-Cup Pitcher vs. Brita 10-Cup Wave Water Pitcher

The Pur Plus 11-Cup Pitcher is the most popular Pur pitcher thanks to its high water capacity and the Pur Plus filter.

Brita 10-Cup Wave, on the other hand, comes with a Brita Standard filter, but you can upgrade to an Elite/Longlast+ filter at an extra price. Because you have this option, we’ll compare both types of Brita filter cartridges.

Now, let’s see which of these water filter pitchers is the best and why.

Water Capacity, Size, and Appearance

The Pur pitcher has the upper hand over the Brita unit due to its higher 11-cup water capacity and smaller size.

While the Brita item is 11.8 inches long, 6.38 inches wide, and 10.32 inches high, the Pur one is 6.6 inches long, 9.9 inches wide, and 10.3 inches high.

It’s also surprising that the Pur pitcher weighs less than the Brita one. The former is 2.68 lbs, while the latter is 3.3 lbs. Considering the water capacity difference between the two, such a difference in weight is drastic.

Both pitchers have a locking lid and a filter life indicator located on the lid.

The two pitchers are also different in color. While the Pur pitcher’s filter housing is blue, the Brita Wave pitcher comes in white or red.

Filtration Technology and Contaminants Removed

As can be deduced from the product name, the Pur pitcher utilizes a Pur Plus filter. On the other hand, Brita Wave comes with a Standard filter by default, but you can upgrade with an Elite/Longlast+ one.

The Pur Plus filter has a better chlorine reduction rate. It reduces chlorine by an average of 97.5%, which is 95% for Brita Wave. Brita Elite/Longlast+ is closer to Pur Plus with its 97.4% chlorine reduction rate.

Both filters fail to remove lead. However, if you upgrade the Brita pitcher, the Elite/Longlast+ filter reduces lead with an impressive minimum reduction rate of 99.5%.

When it comes to chemicals and microplastics, the Pur Plus filter outperforms the Brita Elite/Longlast+. While the latter removes microplastics by 99.6%, that number is 99.8% with Pur Plus. Brita Standard isn’t efficient in removing microplastics.

Turning the tables again, Brita Elite/Longlast+ reclaims its superiority when it comes to the products’ ability to remove contaminants. Pur Plus removes 23, while Brita Elite/Longlast+ eliminates more than 30 impurities.

Moreover, Elite/Longlast+ is effective against some of the most toxic contaminants, such as lead, asbestos, and PFAS, against which Pur Plus is powerless.

Filtration Capacity

Both pitchers have a 40-gallon filtration capacity, equalling one to two months of clean water. After that, you’ll need to replace the filters.

But the Brita Elite/Longlast+ filters have incredibly high water filtration capacity. If you were to upgrade the Brita pitcher with a capacity of 120 gallons, you’d have clean water for three to four months.

So, purchasing a Brita Wave and upgrading it with an Elite/Longlast+ might save you many maintenance headaches in the long run.

Warranty and Price

All the Pur water pitchers come with a 90-day warranty. Brita, on the other hand, offers a one-year warranty for its product, which is four times better.

Pur sells its 11-cup pitcher for $34.98. Brita is two dollars more expensive at $36.99. However, while a 40-gallon capacity two-pack Pur Plus replacement is $25.99, a 40-gallon capacity three-pack Brita Standard will cost only $18.99. A single Elite/Longlast+ is sold at $19.99.

Bearing in mind its efficiency and capacity, pairing Brita Wave with an Elite/Longlast+ filter could be the most economical option in the long run.

Our Verdict

Pairing a Brita Wave Water Filter Pitcher with a Brita Elite/Longlast+ filter is the most reasonable choice due to the pair’s effective filtration (especially for lead and PFAS), superior filtration capacity, and better warranty.

Comparison Table

Pur Plus 30-Cup Dispenser vs. Brita UltraMax 27-Cup Water Filter Dispenser

For large families with higher daily water drinking needs, both brands offer their large-capacity dispensers. Despite their appearances, these devices aren’t countertop units. Nevertheless, they’ll provide clean water if you rely on chlorinated tap water for your supply.

Both Pur Plus 30-Cup and Brita UltraMax dispensers are among the most affordable and best-selling products in this particular category. However, if you want to purchase a water dispenser, which option is better?

Let’s find out together.

Water Capacity, Size, and Appearance

Like most brands, Pur’s flagship product in this category is the 30-cup option. Brita fails to match this capacity, as its largest dispenser is the 27-Cup UltraMax.

Despite the 3-cup difference, the dimensions of both products are similar. The Pur Plus 30-Cup Dispenser comes in 5.3 inches of width, 15.3 inches of length, and 10.1 inches of height. Brita is 5.67 inches wide, 14.37 inches long, and 10.47 inches high. This means that both could fit into a fridge or countertop with some minor adjustments.

Yet, the 3-cup difference reflects in their weight. While the Pur Plus 30-cup Dispenser weighs 3.99 lbs, Brita UltraMax is only 3 lbs.

Both devices are made of plastic, feature a plastic spigot, and have a filter life indicator on top of their locking lids. However, you can quickly tell them apart because of their color.  The Pur dispenser’s lid and spigot are white, while Brita’s are black.

If you care about aesthetics, this color difference may play a role in your choice.

Filtration Technology and Contaminants Removed

The Pur Plus 30-Cup Dispenser comes with a Pur Plus filter. This filter reduces the following contaminants:

• chlorine by 97.5%
• benzene by 96.8%
• cadmium by 98.9%
• copper by 95.9%
• mercury by 96.4%
• microplastics by 99.8%

Those are good reduction numbers, but we should also note that the Pur Plus filters don’t remove dangerous and common tap water contaminants such as lead, hexavalent chromium, asbestos, or PFAS.

Brita, on the other hand, offers two filtration options for their UltraMax Water Dispensers: Brita Standard or Brita Elite/Longlast+.

Brita Standard’s filtration technology is even humbler than that of Pur Plus as it’s only effective against chlorine (95%), cadmium (93%), copper (94%), mercury (96%), and zinc (64%). Like Pur Plus, it’s ineffective against lead, chromium, or PFAS.

This may be the reason why the brand promotes its dispensers as UltraMax Elite, which is a combo of the Brita UltraMax 27-Cup dispenser with the Elite/Longlast+ filter.

With the Elite/Longlast+ filter, the Brita dispenser can reduce lead by 99.5%, asbestos by 99%, and PFAS by 98.1%.

Because it removes lead and PFAS, Brita UltraMax Elite is the more viable option.

Filtration Capacity

When it comes to filter life, the Pur Plus 30-Cup Dispenser and Brita UltraMax Standard are identical. Both filters have a 40-gallon filtration capacity, lasting approximately one or two months each.

However, the Brita UltraMax Elite is superior. Thanks to the 120-gallon filtration capacity of the Elite/Longlast+ filters, this combo will provide clean water for three to four months.

If purchasing new filters on a monthly basis sounds cumbersome to you, then the Brita UltraMax Elite is the evident choice for you.

Warranty and Price

Similar to its water pitcher models, Pur offers a 90-day warranty for its dispensers. Brita is more generous with its one-year warranty option.

At first glance, the Pur Plus 30-Cup Dispenser is the more affordable choice. Its initial cost is $35.99, while Brita UltraMax Standard has a price tag of $38.99, and Brita UltraMax Elite is even more expensive with a price tag of $49.99.

However, a two-pack of Pur Plus filters with a 40-gallon filter life is sold at $25.99. A three-pack Brita Standard (that also has a 40-gallon capacity), on the other hand, is only $18.99.

A single Brita Elite/Longlast+ costs $19.99, but since it has a 120-gallon capacity and better filtration technology, purchasing Brita UltraMax Elite may be the more economical choice in the long run.

Our Verdict

Brita UltraMax Elite Water Dispenser is the better choice due to its higher number of removed contaminants, lead and PFAS reduction properties, filter life, and long-term cost-efficiency.

Comparison Table

Pur Plus Horizontal Faucet Filtration System vs. Brita Complete Water Filter Faucet System w/ Two Filters

Faucet filters are mounted to faucets so they can filter the water as it runs from your tap. So, in addition to their size, filtration technology, warranty, and price, there are different focus points in this category.

For instance, water capacity is a key aspect in pitchers and dispensers, but that’s irrelevant for faucet-mount systems. Instead, the rate at which the water flows through these devices is essential.

Additionally, unlike a pitcher or dispenser, a faucet filter doesn’t provide only drinking water. We use faucet systems for cooking, washing fruits and vegetables, and sometimes even dishwashing. That’s why these systems’ filtration capacities are all the more important.

Now, let’s see which is better — the Pur or the Brita faucet-mount system.

Appearance and Size

Although water capacity is not applicable for faucet systems, their appearance and size still matter because they’re mounted directly to a faucet. If a system is not compact, it will likely get in your way when you’re doing dishes, filling a jug, or just cleaning the sink.

The horizontal design of the Pur Plus Faucet System gets more points on practicality than Brita’s vertical design.

Brita’s system looks like a little water tower because it’s cylindrical and 6-inch long, 2.37-inch wide, and 9.84-inch high. Pur’s horizontal system has a classy and compact look, as it’s 5.2 inches in length, 6.8 inches in width, and 2.9 inches in height. The drastic difference between their height is an important consideration.

The Pur system also weighs less than the Brita one, although the difference is not as drastic. While the former is 0.7 lbs, the latter is 0.89 lbs.

Pur offers many color options for its faucet-mount model, including chrome and metallic, while the only color option for Brita is white. However, both products are made of BPA-free plastic.

Filtration Technology and Contaminants Removed

Pur’s faucet-mount system is also called Pur Plus, but the Pur Plus faucet filter is superior to the Pur Plus pitcher and dispenser filters.

For instance, it has upgraded ion exchange and granulated carbon properties. As a result, it targets a higher number of heavy metals (including lead (98.7%) and asbestos (99%)), volatile organic compounds (99.5%), disinfection byproducts such as total trihalomethanes, also known as TTHMs (95%), and haloacetic acids (98%) in addition to chlorine (97.4%).

It’s also tested by an independent lab to verify it removes more than 40 contaminants and is certified by NSF/ANSI Standards 42, 53, and 401. You may want to examine its performance data sheet to understand its performance better.

Brita’s faucet filter also has NSF/ANSI Standards 42, 53, and 401 certifications. It can target the same contaminants with better success rates thanks to Brita’s advanced carbon block technology combined with non-woven mesh.

For example, it reduces lead by 99.3%, TTHMs by 98.7%, volatile organic compounds by 99.7%, and chlorine by 97.5%. So, our verdict is that Brita’s faucet filter is superior to the Pur Plus filter when it comes to filtration technology.

Flow Rate and Filtration Capacity

Brita Complete’s 0.58 gallons per minute (GPM) service flow rate is better than Pur’s 0.52 GPM flow rate. Additionally, Brita Complete provides three different spray options for better performance in washing fruits and veggies. Pur doesn’t have any spray options.

Both filters have the same 100-gallon filtration capacity. However, the Brita Complete Faucet Filtration System has two filters, meaning its capacity doubles.

If you use your faucet filter for cooking and washing, the Pur Plus will likely last one or two months. If it’s only for drinking water, it may last up to three months.

With Brita Complete with Two Filters, these numbers are doubled.

Warranty and Price

Pur offers a two-year warranty on its faucet-mount water filtration systems, while Brita stays consistent with its one-year warranty option.

As of mid-2023, both devices have the same price tag: $29.99. But while a six-pack Pur Plus faucet filter replacement costs $59.99, you’ll need to pay $39.99 for a two-pack Brita faucet filter replacement.

Overall, we think the Pur Plus Horizontal Faucet Filtration System will prove more economical in the long term.

Our Verdict

Which faucet-mount system is better depends on what you’re looking for.

If you want better contaminant reduction rates, flow rates, and filtration capacity, the Brita Complete Water Filter Faucet System with Two Filters is better.

On the other hand, if you care more about compactness, warranty, and long-term affordability, the Pur Plus Horizontal Faucet Filtration System is superior.

Comparison Table

Conclusion

Brita and Pur are industry-leading brands when it comes to manufacturing small water filtration items such as pitchers, dispensers, and faucet-mount systems. Both brands have their proprietary filtration technologies.

The Pur Plus water pitcher is better than the infamous Brita Wave due to its filtration technology. However, you can upgrade from the Brita Standard filter to Brita Elite/Longlast+, which would give Brita Wave the upper hand.

Similarly, when paired with an Elite/Longlast+ filter, the Brita UltraMax 27-Cup Dispenser proves superior to the Pur Plus 30-Cup Dispenser despite the fact it doesn’t have as much water capacity.

Lastly, whether the Pur or Brita faucet-mount system is better for you also depends on what you want to prioritize.

If you’re looking for compactness, a better warranty, and long-term cost-efficiency, go with Pur. If you want better filtration technology, flow rate, and filter life, then the Brita model would be a better fit for you.