ZeroWater vs. Brita – Differences and Comparison

If you’re in the market for a water filtration system, ZeroWater and Brita are the two best-known options. Their water filtration solutions are immensely popular, and you can find them anywhere.

Brita, a German brand, has been in the international water filtration market since 1966, while ZeroWater is a relatively young American brand that’s been in the business since 2002.

Despite the age difference between the two, both companies excel in producing small water filtration items like faucet filters, water pitchers, and countertop dispensers.

But how do the products of these brands compare against each other?

Let’s find out.

ZeroWater Overview

ZeroWater has been producing water pitchers, countertop dispensers, faucet mounts, shower filters, EcoFilters, and meters for calculating total dissolved solids (TDS) since 2002.

With the exception of the EcoFilter and faucet filters, the company focuses on lowering or monitoring TDS levels in water. They have developed a proprietary filtration technology called 5-Stage. As the brand doesn’t disclose the specifics of its technology, we can’t describe it in detail, but we do know that the process involves an ion exchange stage.

Ion exchange is an effective method for TDS removal because most total dissolved solids, including hard water minerals (calcium and magnesium) and heavy metals (lead, antimony, arsenic, and hexavalent chromium) have an electrical charge. The ion exchange takes advantage of this fact and uses it to draw and trap them with electrically charged resin.

According to tests done by an independent lab, ZeroWater’s proprietary 5-Stage filtration technology is successful in removing a lot of contaminants. The performance data sheet you can check out on the brand’s website confirms that the brand complies with National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) Standards 42 and 53.

A List of ZeroWater Products

We can separate ZeroWater’s products into two categories: those with the 5-Stage tech and those without.

The ZeroWater items that employ the 5-Stage technology are:

• Water filter dispensers: ZeroWater has many different water filter dispensers in its catalog, all of which are more or less equal when it comes to filtration quality. The only difference between them is their size and, consequently, their appearance. The ZeroWater dispensers can be 12-cup, 20-cup, 22-cup, 30-cup, 32-cup, and 40-cup. The most popular choices are the 30-cup and 40-cup options.
• Water filter pitchers: Like the dispensers, ZeroWater’s water filter pitchers might vary in size and appearance yet are all the same quality, except for the EcoFilter (which we’ll mention later in this section). ZeroWater has 6-cup, 7-cup, 8-cup, 10-cup, and 12-cup water filter pitcher options. Customers usually pick the 10-cup option.

ZeroWater non-5-stage filtration products are:

• EcoFilter: EcoFilter is a 10-cup water filter pitcher that only eliminates aesthetic nuisances (color, odor, taste, and chlorine) from water. It’s ideal for people whose water supply has low TDS levels. The item is also eco-friendly, as it’s made of BPA-free plastic and has a 120-gallon filtration capacity that can meet the needs of an average American family for nine months.
• ExtremeLife Faucet Mount Filtration System: ZeroWater’s faucet-mount system doesn’t have the 5-stage tech, so it can’t reduce TDS levels, but it reduces PFOA/PFAS and lead by at least 98% as tested by a third-party laboratory. It has a filtration capacity of 400 gallons, meaning it lasts up to six months without requiring filter replacement.
• Shower filters: The ZeroWater shower filters are produced by Culligan. These simple devices reduce aesthetic nuisances as well as hard water minerals, providing clean and soft bathing water.

Brita Overview

Brita is probably the most popular water filtration brand globally. But what makes them such a popular choice?

The first thing that comes to mind is these products’ affordability. A high-end, extremely robust water filter pitcher such as Clearly Filtered costs $80, and its replacement filter $50. However, you can buy a Brita pitcher for $30, and its replacement filter won’t cost more than $20.

The second reason why Brita is such a popular choice is the variety of products they offer. As of July 2023, the brand has one countertop device, thirteen water filter pitchers, three water dispensers, four water bottles, and four faucet-mount systems in its catalog.

Additionally, they offer replacement filter options that focus on different contaminants. These include:

• Brita Stream: Brita Stream filters are compatible with all the water pitchers and dispensers the brand has in its catalog. They’re NSF-certified (against NSF/ANSI Standards 42 and 53) for removing particulates (sediments), aesthetic nuisances (with an average chlorine reduction of 94%), and trichlorobenzene (with a 96.4% success rate).
• Brita Standard: The standard Brita filter fits all pitchers and dispensers except for the UltraSlim Stream Water Dispenser, which only works with the Brita Stream. In addition to sediment and aesthetic nuisances, this filter reduces heavy metals, including copper, mercury, cadmium, and zinc. Its success in removing these contaminants ranges between 80% and 96%. It’s independently tested against NSF/ANSI Standards 42 and 53 and certified.
• Brita Bottle: The less versatile and impressive Brita filter, the Brita Bottle filter, is only compatible with Brita water bottles. It only removes sediment and aesthetic nuisances.
• Brita Elite/Longlast+: Similar to Brita Standard, Brita Elite/Longlast+ filter replacements are suitable for use in all Brita water pitchers and dispensers except for the UltraSlim Stream Water Dispenser. These are also the most powerful water pitcher and dispenser filters the brand offers. They reduce aesthetic nuisances, a number of heavy metals like lead and asbestos, and newly emerging chemical impurities such as pharmaceuticals. Brita Elite/Longlast+ holds NSF/ANSI 42, 53, and 401 certifications.
• Brita Faucet Filter: Brita’s faucet filter replacements are only for Brita faucet-mount systems. Like Brita Elite/Longlast+, they are certified against NSF/ANSI Standards 42, 53, and 401 and reduce aesthetic nuisances, heavy metals, and newly emerging chemical compounds.
• Brita Hub: The Brita Hub filter is specifically manufactured for the latest and most powerful product in the brand’s history, the Brita Hub Instant Powerful Countertop Filtration device. It has NSF/ANSI 42, 53, and 401 certifications and reduces more than 70 contaminants.

To increase the performance of a Stream filter pitcher, you can replace the original filter with a Longlast+. This flexibility is what makes Brita a great choice for many. Take a look at the performance data sheets of the products to decide which filter is the best fit for you.

A List of Brita Products

Here’s a brief overview of the Brita catalog.

• Water filter dispensers: The brand has three water dispenser options: 27-cup UltraMax with Elite Filter, 27-cup UltraMax with Standard Filter, and 25-cup UltraSlim with Stream Filter. Customers mainly go for UltraMax Standard because it costs only $38.99, but by paying $11 more, you can reap all the benefits of the Elite/Longlast+ filters.
• Water filter pitchers: Brita has 13 water pitcher models: 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. All these pitchers come in different colors and shapes. Customers mostly prefer the 10-cup Rapids Stream or the 10-cup Wave. Although these items come with a pre-installed Brita Standard filter, you can install an Elite/Longlast+ when it’s time to replace the filter to improve its efficiency in contaminant removal.
• Water bottles: Brita offers four bottle options in sizes of 20oz, 26oz, 32oz, and 36oz. These items are only compatible with Brita Bottle filters that remove aesthetic nuisances and chlorine. The top customer choice is the 36oz bottle.
• Faucet-mount systems: The four Brita faucet-mount filtration systems are Basic, Basic with Two Filters, Complete, and Complete with Two Filters. The Complete Faucet System with Two Filters is the best and most popular option, as it removes aesthetic nuisances, heavy metals, and chemical compounds from water with great success rates.
• Brita Hub Instant Powerful Countertop Filtration: Known shortly as Brita Hub, this device is the latest sensation in the industry and the first countertop filtration unit in the brand’s catalog. It’s also the most powerful filtration item the brand has ever produced. Compatible only with the Brita Hub filter, it effectively reduces the levels of more than 70 contaminants. Plus, it looks great on countertops.

ZeroWater vs. Brita Comparisons

Now that you’re familiar with both brands and their catalogs, let’s compare ZeroWater and Brita more closely.

The products we picked for these comparisons are the most popular ones (or the second most popular ones) in the brands’ catalogs in their respective categories.

We’ve included a comparison table at the end of each section.

ZeroWater 12-Cup Ready-Read 5-Stage Water Filter Dispenser vs. Brita Hub Instant Powerful Countertop Filtration

At first glance, it may seem odd to compare the ZeroWater 12-Cup Ready-Read 5-Stage Water Filter Dispenser with the Brita Hub Instant Powerful Countertop Filtration device. After all, the former is a water dispenser with a high-end look, while the latter is an electronic countertop filtration device.

But let’s look at it this way: both items provide filtered water on demand, have their own spigots, a filtered water capacity of 12 cups, and are designed to sit on a countertop.

So, which one is better?

Appearance and Size

The ZeroWater 12-cup dispenser has an unassuming look with its transparent plastic water container and size of 10.16 inches in length, 5.05 inches in width, and 10.04 inches in height.

The Brita Hub has a sleek gray design. Its height is 14.4 inches, width is 7.5 inches, and length is 11.4 inches.

The ZeroWater dispenser weighs only 1.95 lbs, while the Brita Hub is 7.9 lbs.

Despite its humble appearance when compared to the Brita, the ZeroWater dispenser has something that the Brita Hub doesn’t — a TDS reader. The device automatically measures the TDS levels in its water container and lets you know how much TDS you get in your water.

Filtration Technology and Removed Contaminants

Another major difference between the two units is their filtration technology. While the ZeroWater dispenser has the brand’s patented 5-stage technology, the Brita Hub uses the Brita Hub filter that’s specifically engineered for the product.

The 5-stage tech removes all the TDS from water, including most heavy metals such as arsenic, hexavalent chromium, lead, and mercury, with success rates of up to 99%.

Additionally, this particular technology reduces PFOA and PFAS levels significantly.

The Brita Hub isn’t as effective as the ZeroWater 5-stage when it comes to heavy metal removal, but it has other strengths. For instance, its contaminant removal count is higher than ZeroWater’s — it eliminates 70 contaminants, while ZeroWater eliminates only about 25.

The contaminants the Brita Hub is effective against include chemical compounds, aesthetic nuisances, sediment, and heavy metals.

This is why the Brita Hub holds three NSF/ANSI certifications: 42 for aesthetic nuisances, 53 for hazardous heavy metals, and 401 for chemical compounds. The ZeroWater 12-cup dispenser has only the NSF/ANSI 42 and 53.

Filtration Capacity and Maintenance Requirements

The ZeroWater 12-cup dispenser has a 40-gallon filtration capacity. When you reach that capacity, you need to replace its filter. If you’re using the dispenser only for drinking water (and not for cooking), it’ll probably last two months for an average family.

The Brita Hub, on the other hand, has a filtration capacity of 120 gallons. If an average family uses this device only for drinking water, they can enjoy it for six months before needing to replace the filter.

Because of the high filter capacity, despite requiring electricity to work, the Brita Hub is more low-maintenance than the ZeroWater dispenser.

Warranty and Price

All ZeroWater pitchers and dispensers come with a 90-day warranty, which is poor considering most products in the industry have at least a year of warranty. With a two-year warranty, the Brita Hub is the clear winner in this category.

However, the ZeroWater is more affordable. The product costs only $39.99, with its two-filter replacement pack at $34.99. The Brita Hub is $179.99, and its replacement filter is $29.99.

However, keep in mind that Brita Hub requires less frequent filter replacements, so it may prove its worth in the long term.

Our Verdict

The Brita Hub is the better countertop device thanks to its robust filtration technology, long-lasting filtration capacity, and better warranty.

Comparison Table

ZeroWater 30-Cup Ready-Pour 5-Stage Water Filter Dispenser vs. Brita UltraMax 27-Cup Water Filter Dispenser

ZeroWater’s 30-cup dispenser is the brand’s flagship product among six different options and their most popular dispenser. It’s equipped with the ZeroWater 5-Stage filtration tech.

Brita only has three water dispensers, and customers mostly go for the 27-cup UltraMax one that comes with Brita Standard filters. However, you can pay eleven dollars more and purchase the 27-cup UltraMax that comes with Elite/Longlast+ filters and increase the filtration performance of the device.

So, which one of the two is the better option?

Appearance and Size

The ZeroWater 30-cup dispenser is a bigger version of the ZeroWater 12-cup dispenser we just reviewed. It’s made of transparent BPA-free plastic, and has a plastic spigot and a TDS reader.

It’s 15 inches long, 5.5 inches wide, and 10.625 inches high. It weighs 4 lbs.

The Brita UltraMax dispenser has a transparent container as well, but its upper cover and filter housing are entirely black, giving it a classy look. It doesn’t have a TDS reader, but it has a filter life indicator that tells you when it’s time to change the filter.

It’s more compact than the ZeroWater option, with a length of 14.37, width of 5.67, and height of 10.47 inches. It weighs less than its ZeroWater counterpart, too — only 3 lbs.

Filtration Technology and Removed Contaminants

Like all ZeroWater dispensers, the ZeroWater 30-cup dispenser employs the brand’s proprietary five-stage technology focusing on TDS removal through ion exchange.

Thanks to this tech, it performs the same as its 12-cup sibling when it comes to removing sediment, aesthetic nuisances, and TDS in the form of minerals and heavy metals.

As a guarantee that it removes the impurities in these categories, the ZeroWater 30-cup dispenser has NSF/ANSI certifications 42 and 53.

What Brita UltraMax can remove depends on your filter choice. You can stick with Brita Standard filters, which are able to remove only aesthetic nuisances and a handful of heavy metals (copper, cadmium, mercury, and zinc), or you can upgrade to Elite/Longlast+ filters to eliminate chemical compounds and more heavy metals (such as lead and asbestos).

While the Brita Standard filter only has the NSF/ANSI 42 and 53 certifications, the Elite/Longlast+ filter has the NSF/ANSI 401 certifications in addition to the 42 and 53.

Filtration Capacity and Maintenance Requirements

The ZeroWater 5-stage filter has a filtration capacity of 40 gallons. For the average family, that capacity equals more or less two months.

The case is a bit more complicated with Brita. While the Brita Standard filter has a filtration capacity of 40 gallons, that number is 120 gallons with Brita Elite/Longlast+, meaning six months without filter replacement. By purchasing Elite/Longlast+ as replacement filters, you can decrease the maintenance requirements of your water dispenser.

Warranty and Price

Similar to its 12-cup sibling, the ZeroWater 30-cup dispenser has a 90-day warranty. Brita UltraMax, on the other hand, has a one-year warranty.

Despite its poor warranty option, the ZeroWater costs $75.98, and its two-pack replacement filters cost $34.99.

Brita UltraMax Standard is far more affordable at $38.99, and UltraMax Elite isn’t that far away with a price of $49.99. While three-pack Brita Standard replacement filters cost only $18.99, an Elite/Longlast+ replacement filter is sold at $19.99.

Our Verdict

The Brita UltraMax Water Dispenser with an Elite/Longlast+ filter is the best choice thanks to the contaminants it removes, its 120-gallon filtration capacity, and its compact design and affordability.

Comparison Table

ZeroWater 10-Cup Ready-Pour 5-Stage Water Filter Pitcher vs. Brita 10-Cup Wave Water Pitcher

Water filter pitchers are the most popular filtration choice in the US because they’re affordable, provide clean water on demand, and are extremely compact. So, it’s no surprise that both ZeroWater and Brita are largely focused on producing water pitchers, advertising these products as their flagship items.

According to the sale numbers of both brands, most people prefer a 10-cup water filter pitcher. Although other options have higher water capacity, the 10-cup pitchers are ideal for the needs of most households.

Let’s compare these two products to see which comes out on top.

Appearance and Size

The ZeroWater 10-cup pitcher has a more up-to-date look thanks to the TDS meter and filter life indicator situated on top of its cover. It also has an edgier design with sharper ends compared to the Brita one. The Brita Wave Pitcher only features a filter life indicator.

Both devices are made of BPA-free plastic and have white filter cartridges. The only difference between them in terms of color is the bluish tint of the ZeroWater handle.

When it comes to size, Brita Wave is 11.8 inches long, 6.38 inches wide, and 10.32 inches high. Despite entertaining the same water capacity, the ZeroWater pitcher is slightly more compact.

Brita Wave weighs 3.3 lbs, while the ZeroWater pitcher is only 3.1 lbs.

Filtration Technology and Contaminants Removed

The ZeroWater 10-cup pitcher employs the 5-stage technology. So, it effectively removes aesthetic nuisances and all the total dissolved solids from your drinking water, such as mineral salts and dissolved heavy metals (including lead, antimony, and chromium). The unit holds the NSF/ANSI 42 and 53 certifications.

The Brita Wave Pitcher comes with a pre-installed Brita Standard filter. This filter is only effective against aesthetic nuisances and four heavy metals: cadmium, copper, mercury, and zinc.

However, you may later replace the Brita Standard filter with an Elite/Longlast+ one. That way, you’ll increase the pitcher’s performance, making it capable of removing more heavy metals (including lead and arsenic) and a wide variety of chemical compounds.

The Brita Standard filter also has the NSF/ANSI 42 and 53 certifications. But if you were to upgrade, the Elite/Longlast+ holds another certification – NSF/ANSI 401, pertaining to the contaminant category of chemical compounds.

Filtration Capacity and Maintenance Requirements

The ZeroWater 5-stage filter has an approximate filter life of two months, based on the average drinking water usage of an American family of four. That means its filtration capacity is 40 gallons.

The same goes for the Brita Standard water filter.

However, an Elite/Longlast+ filter will upgrade the pitcher’s filtration capacity to 120 gallons, equalling six months of clean drinking water.

Warranty and Price

Like all ZeroWater pitchers and dispensers, the ZeroWater 10-cup pitcher has only 90 days of warranty, so Brita Wave’s one-year warranty is far superior. That being said, it’s still not the best the industry can offer, as other industry-leading brands like Clearly Filtered or Epic offer lifetime warranties.

In terms of price, there’s not much difference between the two products. The ZeroWater pitcher has a price tag of $34.99, while the Brita pitcher costs just two dollars more.

However, ZeroWater replacement filters are more expensive than the Brita ones. A two-pack 5-stage replacement filter has the same price as the water pitcher itself – $34.99.

A three-pack Brita Standard replacement filter, on the other hand, costs only $18.99. If you want to upgrade to Elite/Longlast+, you’ll need to pay $19.99 to buy one replacement filter.

Our Verdict

You can improve the Brita Wave pitcher by replacing its Standard filter with an Elite/Longlast+. But if we were to compare only the original versions of these two pitchers, the ZeroWater has the upper hand because it comes with a built-in TDS reader, removes heavy metals with great reduction rates, and it’s more compact.

Comparison Table

ZeroWater ExtremeLife Faucet Mount Filtration System vs. Brita Complete Water Filter Faucet System

ZeroWater has only one faucet-mount system, and it’s called ExtremeLife. Brita, on the other hand, has four. The best and most popular among them is the Complete Water Filter Faucet System with two filters.

Appearance and Size

Faucet-mount filtration systems are ideal for people who want to use clean water for drinking, cooking, and sometimes, dishwashing. These systems are easily mountable to most faucets and will produce safe water as soon as you turn your faucet on. As they’re directly mounted to the faucet, their compactness determines their practicality.

ZeroWater ExtremeLife’s size (8 inches in length, 7 inches in width, and 3 inches in height) is better than Brita’s 6-inch long, 2.37-inch wide, and 9.84-inch high system. Additionally, Brita has a vertical two-filter cartridge setup, while ZeroWater ExtremeLife has a horizontal one-filter cartridge, adding to how compact it is.

In terms of weight, though, there’s not much difference between the two — the ZeroWater is 0.875 lbs and the Brita is 0.89.

Filtration Technology and Contaminants Removed

Although faucet-mount systems are used primarily for municipal water, where the main problems are the color, odor, and taste problems created by chlorine, the best faucet-mount filtration systems on the market target heavy metals and chemical compounds, too.

That’s where the Brita faucet-mount system shines as one of the best on the market. It removes more than 60 contaminants thanks to its advanced carbon block technology and non-woven filtration media. These contaminants include aesthetic nuisances, such as chlorine and sediment, heavy metals like lead and asbestos, and chemical compounds. As proof, the product holds NSF/ANSI Standards 42, 53, and 401.

ZeroWater ExtremeLife, on the other hand, is modest in terms of removed contaminants since it only employs activated carbon as its filtration technology. As the device’s performance data sheet shows, it only reduces sediment (by 97%), chlorine (99.1%), and PFOA and PFAS (98.9%). As a result, it only holds NSF/ANSI Standards 42 and 53.

Flow Rate and Filtration Capacity

Filtration media need to spend time with the water that passes through them to be able to treat it. So, having a filtration device that treats water as it flows from your faucet will affect the water’s flow rate. Unlike dispensers and pitchers, the flow rate capacity of faucet filters is as important as their filtration capacity.

In this category, ZeroWater ExtremeLife takes the cake with its 0.65 gallons per minute (GPM) flow rate. That number is 0.58 GPM with Brita.

When it comes to filtration capacity, ZeroWater named its product ExtremeLife — with good reason. The ZeroWater filter is one of the most long-lasting faucet filters on the market. It has a filtration capacity of 400 gallons, so it’s capable of providing clean drinking and cooking water for you for six to eight months.

Brita only has a 100-gallon filtration capacity, meaning you’ll need to replace its filter once every one to two months.

Warranty and Price

Finally, a ZeroWater product with a better warranty than a Brita product — ZeroWater ExtremeLife has a two-year warranty, while the Brita faucet-mount system offers only one year.

When it comes to which is the better deal, while Brita costs $29.99 and ZeroWater ExtremeLife costs $44.99, the Brita two-pack faucet replacement filter is far more expensive than the ExtremeLife replacement filter. The former is $39.99, and the latter is $17.99.

Our Verdict

In this category, the best choice depends on your needs.

If you’re looking for a compact device, with a higher flow rate and long filter life, ZeroWater ExtremeLife is the evident choice.

If you want to remove as many contaminants as possible with your faucet filter, then the ideal pick for you is the Brita Complete Faucet-Mount System.

Comparison Table

Conclusion

ZeroWater and Brita are popular water filtration brands that offer great water filter pitchers, dispensers, and faucet-mount systems. In this guide, we compared both brands’ best products based on appearance, size, filtration technology, filter life, warranty, and price.

In the category of high-end countertop filtration, the Brita Hub is superior to the ZeroWater because of its much better filtration technology, long-lasting filtration capacity, and two-year warranty.

In the water dispenser category, Brita still does better thanks to the UltraMax dispenser-Elite/Longlast+ filter combo that removes more contaminants than ZeroWater’s 5-stage filters and lasts three times longer.

However, the ZeroWater 10-cup water filter pitcher proved better than Brita’s flagship product, the Wave water filter pitcher. Still, by replacing the Brita Standard filter that comes with the product with an Elite/Longlast+ filter, you can make your Brita device more robust than the ZeroWater one.

Lastly, the Brita Complete faucet-mount system is better than the ZeroWater ExtremeLife faucet-mount system for contaminant removal. However, the latter is the clear winner if you want to prioritize flow rate, filter life, and warranty.