Home » Water Quality » Contaminants » Which Water Filter Pitcher Removes the Most Contaminants?

Which Water Filter Pitcher Removes the Most Contaminants?

Scott Winfield
Last Updated on
by Scott Winfield

Water filter pitchers provide an easy and effective way to remove contaminants. However, with so many filter pitchers on the market, finding the best one might be a little complicated.

So, which water filter pitcher removes the most contaminants in 2023? The Clearly Filtered water pitcher removes over 365 drinking water contaminants, the highest of any water filter pitcher in 2023. It has been tested to NSF standards 42, 53, 244, 401 & 473 for chemicals and contaminant removal.

Although the Brita pitcher is more popular, Clearly Filtered pitcher removes the most common and difficult-to-remove water contaminants, according to their latest performance data. The closest to clearly filtered in terms of contaminants removed is the Aquasana clean water machine, which is more of a countertop filter than a water pitcher.

Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher and Filter
  • Contaminants Removed: 365+
  • Certifications or Testing: NSF 42, 53, 244, 401 & 473
  • Holding Capacity: 10 cups
  • Filter Lifespan: 100 gallons
  • Annual Cost: ~$150
  • Warranty: Lifetime
Pros
  • The Clearly pitcher is the best pitcher water filter on the market, removing more than 365 impurities based on a dual-technology Affinity Filtration process.
  • A lifespan of about 100 gallons and a pitcher volume of ten cups mean the filter only needs replacing every four months.
  • The pitcher comes with a lifetime warranty.
  • The product has NSF 42, 53, 244, 401, and 473 certifications.
  • The top reservoir holds half a gallon when filled.
  • The Clearly pitcher contains medical-grade, BPA-free, and BPS-free plastic. The filtration process does not add contaminants to your water.
  • The pitcher comes with an easy-grip handle, making it easy to carry and pour when full.
  • If you have concerns about the pitcher taking up too much room in your fridge, don’t! Its compact design leaves plenty of space for your other food items and groceries.
Cons
  • Slow flow rate. It may take up to twenty-five minutes (or longer) for the pitcher to filter ten cups of water.
  • Small capacity. The reservoir only holds ten cups of water (approximately eighty ounces) at a time.
  • More expensive than other pitchers. Remember, you get what you pay for – the quality of the pitcher makes up for the high price tag.
  • Another user complaint is that the lid slides off the top when pouring – hold it in place, and you should not experience any further issues.

Water Pitcher Contaminants Comparison Table

The table below demonstrates how popular water filter pitchers compare against some of the toughest to remove contaminants:

 AsbestosChloraminesChlorineCystsLeadMercuryTurbidityVOCs
Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher
Aquasana – Clean Water Machine
Culligan – Pitcher Filter      
PUR – 7-Cup Ultimate Pitcher Filtration System with Lead Reduction    
Brita – Infinity Wi-Fi Connected Pitcher      
Brita – Grand 80 oz Water Filter Pitcher      
Zero Water – 8-Cup Stainless Steel Pitcher     

Asbestos, mercury, and lead are extremely hazardous contaminants that is found in unfiltered water. Chloramines are disinfectants used in tap water during the beginning stages of water-processing. It contains derivatives of ammonia, which can be toxic depending on the intake level

Cysts are parasites found in animal digestive tracts and often appear in public water systems. They’re the common cause of giardia illness. Turbidity contaminants are pieces of sediment or dirt that make water murky and discolored. 

VOCs (volatile organic compounds) are common ingredients in pesticides and paint thinners that leeches into groundwater.

Do Water Filter Pitchers Remove Bacteria?

Water filter pitchers do not remove bacteria from water. In fact, not regularly replacing the pitcher’s filter increases the risk of harmful bacteria since micro-organisms love moist environment.

If you’re concerned about bacterial, microbial, and viral presence in your tap or well water, reverse osmosis and some whole house filtration systems are the more appropriate filtration solution.

Sign Up For Free 2024 Water Defense Guide!

Join our 1 Million+ strong water defense community and get updated on the latest product news & gear reviews. Plus, get a FREE 21-page "2024 Water Defense Guide" with exclusive content NOT on this site!

We HATE spam. Your e-mail will never sold or shared!

Scott Winfield
Scott Winfield
My name is Scott Winfield and researching and writing about water filters and other strategies to purify water has become my full time passion in recent years. I'm glad that you found our site and you can look forward to authoritative and well researched content here to help you get the best in water.
10 Comments
  1. Hello,
    I just bought Waterspot chubby counter top pitcher thinking it is the best for contaminants but now I see Clearly Water pitcher fillers out far more contaminants. Please advise which one is best for counter top.
    Regards

    1. Hello Patsy, thanks for reading. We are not familiar with the Waterspot Chubby counter top pitching. Do you have a link you can share and we would be happy to research it. Meanwhile, yes, the Clearly Filtered is an excellent product that many of our readers have enjoyed using and we also recommend it.

    1. Hi Debra, we’ll do a comparison test soon about LifeStraw. Generally, they have good products. In this case, however, there are some things to note before you buy. One, the labs that LifeStraw uses to show performance data for how well their pitcher filters water are not in the US and you can’t compare controls & performance with those US independent labs that Clearly uses. We’ve also heard mentions that the filtering process is quite slow with this pitcher due to how much water the filter can actually move. Finally, this isn’t scientific, but a product at this price point makes us concerned about longevity, performance, and quality. Consider that margins are typically around 100% for consumer items like this. That means the actual cost of these pitchers is around $15-20 for the manufacturer and we are concerned what you can actually achieve at that price point.

  2. Hi! I have been using the. Cleary Filtered water pitcher for about 6 months. I just changed my filter after about 4 months of use because the TDS monitor showed a breakthrough of some components. My tap water measures about 139 ppm. The filtrate from the replacement filter measured nearly 250 ppm. Please help me understand why the ppm’s are higher from the filtrate than the incoming tap water. Clearly Filtered was not able to provide me with an explanation. I don’t want to discard the system if it is working correctly. I remember testing the filtrate the first time and it measured 0 for months. Also, is it true that Clearly Filtered systems don’t remove the “beneficial minerals” like Ca, Mg.
    Thank you!

    1. Hi Paula, interesting results in your tests. What type of water test are you using? I just wonder if it’s actually very accurate and giving you strange test results and that may be the issue.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *