I recently subscribed to Consumer Lab again. Their new review of pitcher-style water filters may be useful to some of y’all. Here’s a very brief overview.
Cost to use: Kirkland and Brita (less than one cent per cup). More expensive ones include PUR, LifeStraw, and Aquagear (1.5 – 1.8 cents per cup); Aquasana and ZeroWater 40 gal (2.5 – 2.8 cents per cup); Travel Berkey (4 cents per cup), ZeroWater 20 gal (5.2 cents per cup).
Heavy metals: All of the tested brands removed lead, mercury, and cadmium; removal of arsenic varied by brand.
Performed as claimed by manufacturer: Brita Soho; Kirkland (Costco) Signature Water Filter; Aquagear Water Filter Pitcher; Aquasana The Clean Water Machine; PUR (top pick for arsenic and chlorine removal); Berkey Travel Water Filter (removed all the arsenic, but only 10% of chlorine); LifeStraw Home 7-cup BPA free (removed 98.8% chlorine, 5% fluoride; claimed to remove all microplastics, but actually removed less than one third).
Not Approved: ZeroWater. Claims to remove microplastics, but actually increased the amount by 1200%.
N.b., regardless of brand, they recommend you wash a new pitcher thoroughly, then filter and discard at least 3 pitchers of water and only begin drinking with the fourth pitcher.
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