Installing a water filtration system in your home or at your business is expensive. Fortunately, you can invest in a low-cost alternative like a PUR water filter pitcher that will remove harmful chemicals and ingredients from your water without breaking the bank. Here’s how it works.
PUR Water Filter Pitcher Reviews
It’s critical that you drink water every day to stay hydrated and give your body what it needs to maintain good health. However, if your drinking water tastes bad, smells funny, or has containment it could have a negative impact.
Installing a reverse osmosis or filtration device can be extremely costly, and not every home or business has room in the budget, or the kitchen, to accommodate the system.
Another alternative is to purchase filtered water from the grocery store, but this is also not cost-effective. In addition, you then need to lug the heavy bottles or jugs into your home, find a place to store them, and recycle the containers when you’re done.
This can be time-consuming, and also create unnecessary waste that might end up in a landfill if you’re not careful.
Fortunately, there are more affordable and environmentally friendly options.
The PUR water filter pitcher is a low-cost way to use the tap water from your sink and turn it into safe and delicious drinking water.
In this article, we will review the most popular products from PUR, and give you tips on how to determine if this water filter pitcher is right for you. You’ll learn how it works, if it’s effective, and how much it costs to use the system.
Who Needs a Water Filter Pitcher?
It’s simple to determine if you need to purchase a PUR water filter pitcher. Here are a few ways to know if this option is right for you.
You Drink Tap Water
If your current option is to drink unfiltered water from the tap, then you might need to consider a filtration system. Although some cities and municipalities have water that is safe to drink, in many areas of the US and abroad, tap water quality is poor.
Good filtration systems will remove harmful contaminants, and should also have a certification that tells you what they take out of your water.
Note that PUR water filters don’t remove biological contaminants. If you’re traveling abroad, you’ll want to research the water treatment protocols to ensure that these compounds are removed. Otherwise, the water will not be safe to drink without first being boiled.
Your Water Smells or Tastes Bad
If you live in an area that has a lot of mineral deposits, hard water, or a high water table, it’s likely that the fluid that comes out of your tap has a strange smell or metallic taste.
You can fix these issues by using a filtration system before drinking it plain or using it in other beverages like tea or coffee.
Installing a Filtration System Doesn’t Make Sense
There are several reasons why you might not want to go to the trouble of installing a reverse osmosis filtration system in your home.
Not only is it expensive, but some configurations can also take up a significant amount of space. If you have a small kitchen, there may not be room to add the system to your layout.
If you’re renting your property or living in an apartment or condo, you may not be allowed to make changes or add appliances. Even if you were willing to spend the money, you would not be able to take the customized system with you when you leave.
These are some of the most common scenarios where an inexpensive and easy to use pitcher makes more sense than installing a permanent system.
What Is the PUR Water Filter Pitcher and How Does It Work?
PUR is a company that makes a line of water treatment devices, and their filter pitchers are both popular and effective.
They offer options in a variety of sizes, which allows you to choose one that both meets the needs of your family and also fits in your refrigerator or counter space.
Their models range from six to eighteen cups of water and use a two-stage filter that removes harmful contaminants and improves the taste and clarity of your water.
The first layer of the filter is carbon, and PUR uses coconut shells that have been heat-treated to increase the size of their pores and allow them to trap harmful contaminants as they pass through the system.
Although the filter itself isn’t very large, the heat treatment process increases the surface area of the coconut shells making the carbon layer equivalent to over 200,000 square feet.
The water then passes into the second stage of the filter that traps any remaining sediment and particles which give you a clear, clean glass of water.
This two-stage filter holds an NSF certification for reducing a total of 21 different contaminants.
Included in that list are things like:
Every filter can accommodate approximately 40 gallons of water, which will last around two months for a single user. As the filter starts to wear out, you might notice that the water flows slower through the unit.
What Makes the PUR Water Filter Pitcher Unique
Although there are many different options to choose from when you’re shopping for filtration pitchers, PUR models have a few features that make them stand out from the competition.
Variety
One of the most outstanding features of the PUR water filter pitcher is that they have a plethora of options to meet your needs.
Not only can you select a pitcher that’s the right capacity for you, but they also come in several different shapes which makes it easy to find one that fits in your refrigerator or on your counter top.
In addition to the size and shape of the product, you also have a choice in the type of filter you use. The basic pitcher filter eliminates everything from toxins to pharmaceuticals, but you can also purchase a specialized lead-reduction filter if you have concerns about the element in your water supply.
PUR breaks down the difference between these two types thoroughly on their website to help you make the right decision.
Certifications
Every PUR filtration system is independently certified by both NSF and WQA. This means that their products undergo rigorous testing to ensure that they do what they claim and eliminate chemicals, contaminants, metals, herbicides, parasites, insecticides, sediments, and other pollutants.
Affordable
Not only is the initial investment affordable, but the replacement water filters are also inexpensive.
You’ll save significant dollars over buying filtered water from the store, and PUR products are competitively priced when you look at other filter pitchers in the market.
Pricing
There are lots of options you can buy when it comes to PUR pitchers, and here we’ve rounded up the details on some of the most popular.
The PUR Ultimate Water Dispenser w/LED & Lead Reduction Filter with an 18 cup capacity retails for around $40. This is an excellent choice for large families who need lots of fresh drinking water daily
If you’re looking for a more compact option, the seven-cup model retails for around $25 and also comes with the two-stage lead-reduction filter.
Another popular alternative is the 11-cup model that costs $35 and has a user-friendly handle and ergonomic design.
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In addition to your initial investment, you’ll want to budget to purchase replacement water filters approximately every 40 gallons you use. They run around $20 for a three-pack, which could last as long as six months.
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Public Perception
Users have many positive things to say about PUR water filters. The brand name is well-known, affordable, and people like that they have lots of options when it comes to size and filter type.
Users also report that they like the design features on the pitchers, and appreciate the indicator panel that tells you when it’s time to change your filter. The ergonomic handles that are easy to grip even in the large-capacity models are another fan favorite.
However, not everyone likes the taste of the water. Some report that it still has a slightly chlorinated or mineral flavor. That said, taste is very individual, and there were consumers on the other end of the spectrum who say that PUR produces the best water they’ve ever had.
One additional comment that we frequently saw when reading user reviews it that the filter is significantly slower than that of competitive models. Particularly when it’s nearing the end of its lifespan, it can take as long as three minutes to filter a few cups of water.
Some people say that if you remove the filter and soak it in ice cold water for 10 minutes, it will fix the issue, but this is a step that many aren’t interesting in having to take.
How It Compares
Although PUR is a popular brand, they aren’t the only ones making water filter pitchers. Here is what you need to know about two of the main competitors.
Brita also offers pitchers in a variety of sizes and designs. Many of their models are BPA-free, and like PUR, their filters last for 40 gallons of water.
Their products are certified and tested by the WQA.
It’s important to note that with Brita, the type of filter you choose makes a significant difference. Only their Longlast Filter, which is compatible with all of the models is certified to reduce pharmaceuticals in the water.
In addition, many herbicides, organic chemicals, and pesticides are not filtered out by their water pitcher models.
You can read the full list of contaminants that they reduce on their website, as well as learn about which of their products are best for your needs.
Their 10-cup model is a user favorite, and it retails for around $40. Compared to the PUR 11-cup model at $35, Brita products are slightly more expensive.
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The ZeroWater pitcher is a high-end option that is a favorite among users and water quality experts.
Like their competitors, they offer models in a variety of shapes and sizes, but they have bells and whistles that others don’t. For example, their 10-cup option has a TDS meter in the device.
The battery-battery-power accessory takes regular readings of the amount of total dissolved solids in the water, which means that it is constantly monitoring the efficacy of the filter and will let you know as soon as the quality is compromised.
ZeroWater also uses a more advanced filter than their competitors. Their five-step process incorporates activated carbon like PUR, but it does a better job of removing total dissolved solids from your water.
It gets 99% of contaminants and is certified by NSF to reduce lead and other heavy metals.
Although it’s comparably priced to PUR when you make the initial investment, the replacement filters are more costly. Expect to pay around $35 for a 10-cup model, and then $15 for each replacement filter you require.
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What We Think
If you’re shopping for an affordable water pitcher that does an adequate job of eliminating contaminants, toxins, and foul smells and tastes from your water, PUR makes a range of effective products.
Their two-stage filters eliminate the majority of harmful ingredients from your water, and they offer a range of shapes and sizes to fit your needs.
Not only are their products inexpensive, but the replacement filters are also budget-friendly which makes this a good choice for households that use a lot of water on a daily basis.
Coupons and Deals
Not only are PUR products affordable to begin with, but you can usually snag a great deal if you shop around online.
Amazon frequency offers coupons on both the pitchers and replacement filters, and you can also find savings direct from the manufacturer at retailers like Target.
Check weekly ads for savings, or do a search online for current discounts. Most of the time you can find a code for $5 off or 20% through partnering websites.
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