There are lots of great gravity water filter pitchers on the market, but Zero Water and Brita are among the most popular. If you need to make a decision between the Brita water filter and the Zero Water filter, you’ll find that each of them have their own unique features that make them.
TL;DR ZeroWater versus Brita: Which is Best?
As the #1 filter in North America for many years, Brita offers one of the longest lasting products on the market. It depends on the specific contaminant. For heavy metals ZeroWater works great, but for volatile organic compounds, you’ll be better off with Ionic Silver.
Brita & Zerowater Comparison Chart
Brita Grand
- Filter: Standard
- Capacity: 10 cups
- Contaminants removed: 5+
- Filter lifespan: 40 gallons or 2 months
- Warranty: 90 days
ZeroWater Pitcher
- Filter: 5 stages
- Capacity: 10 cups
- Contaminants removed: 23
- Filter lifespan: 1 – 2 months
- Warranty: 90 days
Brita | ZeroWater | |
---|---|---|
Pitcher Variations | 13 | 8 |
Price Range | $20 – $40 | $20 – $45 |
Filter Cartridges Included | 1 | 3 |
Filter Capacity (Lifespan) | Standard: 40 gallons or 2 months Longlast+: 120 gallons or 6 months Stream: 40 gallons or 2 months |
20 gallons or 2 months |
Pitcher Capacity | 6 – 12 cups | 6 – 12 cups |
Warranty | 1 year | 90 days |
Brita and Zero Water Filter Comparison
Brita Filters
Brita is one of the biggest names in the water filter industry. If you haven’t tried one of Brita’s filters, you might know a friend who has. Brita’s water filters are so popular because they’re both convenient and effective. They remove the most common contaminants and require no installation or major maintenance.
These filters have an activated carbon media that’s made from a coconut-based product. You can buy Brita’s pitchers in a variety of shapes and sizes, holding from 5 to 25 cups of water. There are two kinds of filter: the standard filter and the Elite filter (formerly LongLast). The standard Brita filter lasts for just 2 months, while the Elite filter last for 3 times longer. It should be replaced every 6 months.
Zero Water Filters
The Zero Water filter pitcher systems are similar to Brita’s in design and are available in a variety of styles, colors, and sizes for between 6 cups and 30 cups of water. Zero Water’s new 40-cup ready-pour countertop water filter is the biggest of the three that the company sells.
You don’t need to install the Zero Water pitchers – you just attach the filter and fill them up, and they’re good to go. The Zero Water is great for people who are interested in getting the best quality water possible. Zero Water offers 5 stages of filtration, as opposed to the standard two-stage filtering that you can expect to find with a gravity water filter.
With a more thorough filtration process, Zerowater filters can remove a much broader range of contaminants than most filtered water pitchers. ZeroWater’s filters remove more total dissolved solids than any other brand, including those that cost thousands of dollars. The filters will last between 3 and 5 months, depending on the quality of your tap water.
ZeroWater vs Brita – What Contaminants Do They Remove?
Contaminant | Brita Standard Filter | Brita Longlast+ Filter | ZeroWater Filters |
---|---|---|---|
2,4-D | 85.5% | ||
Antimony | 98.0% | ||
Arsenic III | 98.3% | ||
Arsenic V | 98.3% | ||
Asbestos | 99.0% | ||
Atenolol | 95.0% | ||
Atrizine | 99.3% | ||
Barium | 99.9% | ||
Benzene | 93.5% | ||
Beryllium | 98.0% |
Zero Water & Brita Performance Comparison
Brita
Brita’s water filter is BPA-free and requires no installation before use. You can guarantee that the Brita pitcher filters will remove or greatly reduce both chlorine and lead from your tap water. Brita has some of the most effective filtration systems for a gravity water system. They’re small enough to hold in one hand, and they remove more contaminants than the competition.
The standard Brita filter takes about 40 seconds to remove the tiniest particles from your tap water while the Elite filters removes contaminants in the water that can lead to eye, ear, or respiratory tract. This water pitcher is very speedy for a water filter. It relies on gravity to force the water through the cartridge, with no water pressure or electricity to back it up.
Brita’s pitcher offers one of the fastest flow rates on the market. The filter is easy to clean as well. Keep in mind, though, that, like every other pitcher, Brita’s filter will slow down significantly as it gets to the end of its lifetime.
The best performing Brita pitcher for home use is its Elite filter, which has a lifespan that is significantly longer than other pitchers. What do people think of these two rewrites? If you have an Amazon Prime membership and want to keep enjoying a lifetime of benefits and savings, simply choose to renew your membership before the end of the month.
Zero Water
ZeroWater is NSF certified for both standards 42 and 53, for reducing chlorine taste and odor, and lead in drinking water. If you buy a Zero Water pitcher, the system comes with a free TDS meter. You can use the meter to measure the amount of total dissolved solids in your water.
ZeroWater is confident in its filters because it has been testing them for several years, and customer feedback has indicated that people who use the filters see a noticeable improvement in the quality of their water.
ZeroWater’s filter is tiny and portable, with a complete 5-stage filtration process in just one cartridge. The filter life is carefully designed to provide the most thorough filtering, and the longest filter life, for a water filter pitcher.
ZeroWater is an impressive water filter that can remove contaminants and remove up to 99% of bacteria, cysts, chlorine and other harmful substances from your tap water. When tap water is added to the filter pitcher, it flows through multiple filter media, including activated carbon, a reverse-osmosis filter and a microfilter.
When it comes to contaminant removal, ZeroWater is definitely one of the most impressive water filters on the market. With a Brita filter, you remove virtually all contaminants from tap water, including sediment, rust, chemicals, and lead. In fact, when you use a Brita filter, you don’t have to worry about your tap water getting contaminated again.
But it takes the ZeroWater a little longer to filter water than the Brita (roughly just under 2 minutes to filter a full cup). ZeroWater has more filter stages to remove chlorine and chloramine from your tap water, making it healthier to drink. But, they don’t have an air lock to allow you to see how much sediment has been removed by each stage.
Brita vs Zero Water: Models & Upfront Cost
Brita models
There are many different variations of filter pitchers available from Brita, with more than 15 different types of water pitcher system. Brita’s pitchers, whether you’re using the standard or the Elite filter, are easy to use and they all look slightly different so you don’t have to worry about getting the wrong one.
The full list of Brita’s current available models is listed below:
- Monterey with Elite Filter
- Ultraslim Stream® Dispenser
- Ultramax Dispenser with Elite Filter
- Stream® Cascade Pitcher
- Grand
- Lake
- Wave
- Metro
- Soho
- Rapids Stream® Pitcher
- Everyday
- Pacifica
- Space-Saver
Zero Water models
No more soggy ice cream from this pitcher! The filters in Zero Water’s filtration pitchers are easy to clean and will keep your water tasting great for years to come. There are lots of different pitchers to choose from. Some pitchers have filters to suit your entire office or your small family. The cheapest filtering option is the 6-cup system, which costs about $20.
The full range of Zero Water models is listed below:
- 6-Cup Pitcher
- 7-Cup Pitcher
- 10-Cup Pitcher
- 12-Cup Pitcher
- 20-Cup Pitcher
- 30-Cup Pitcher
- 40-Cup Pitcher
- Stainless Steel 11-Cup
- Bottle Filtration System
Zero Water and Brita Filter Lifespan & Replacement Costs
Brita filters
The Brita standard filter has a lifespan of 40 gallons. You’ll have Brita filtered water for roughly two months if you’re willing to put in a little extra effort. The actual lifespan of Brita’s filters depends on the quality of your tap water. The more contaminants your water contains, the more frequently you’ll need to change the filters.
You can buy one Brita water filter for roughly $6.50, three for around $15, and six for around $25, so you’ll get an increasingly better value for your money as you keep buying additional filters. It’s a good deal if you’re a big fan of the brand and you plan to use Brita’s water filter pitchers systems long into the future. The Brita Elite 40 Gallon Water Filter offers exceptional quality compared to the other filters on the market.
This offer is for 6 months and comes at a discount compared to the regular version. For $17, you get one pack of Elite. For $33, you get two packs of Elite. The two options in the table are very similar, so it comes down to how much you’re willing to spend.
Zero Water filters
Zero Water’s 5-stage filtration technology removes more impurities than Brita’s 40 gallon filter. The amount of time they last is approximately 20 to 25 gallons of tap water. Zero Water’s water filtration system helps you to get the best results from your shower and tub.
That being said, most people report to us that they get 3 months or more of lifetime use out of our systems. However, it depends on the quality of your water. Zero Water filters are very cheap and can cost as little as $5 for a single filter or $15 for a pack of two filters.
The Brita Elite bottle will last a lot longer than the standard Brita filter. You could say that Brita’s Elite is the better deal. If you have a question about whether or not Zero Water should be your filter choice, then there are several things to consider.
Customer Reviews & Complaints
Brita
Brita’s thousands of positive customer reviews suggest that the company has been doing something right for years. The Brita standard replacement filtering cartridges currently have a rating of 4.7 out of 5 on Amazon, based on a total of nearly 27,000 reviews. The top 10 reasons customers love their Brita filters are that they’re affordable and effective, and they’re simple to install and use.
The majority of people who reviewed the Brita filters were satisfied with their performance, and they liked the fact that their water tastes great. British water filtering cartridges are getting upgraded, and some customers have found that compared to the old ones, these new cartridges can leak if you don’t push them with some force to seat them properly.
Other customers have said that the Brita replacement indicator is not entirely accurate, and that it’s best to adjust replacement periods based on your usage and water quality.
Zero Water
ZeroWater’s products have received similarly positive reviews, with the 5-stage filtering cartridge averaging 4.5 out of 5 stars based on more than 22,000 reviews. Customers were highly impressed with Zero Water’s filter and enjoyed using the handy TDS meter that comes free of charge.
People who tested the TDS readings of their water found that it was significantly lower than with other brands of filtered systems. Some customers said the filters didn’t last as long as Amazon claims in its customer reviews. They recommend that you keep the filters for up to six months.
Most filtered water filters do get dirty, but the quality of the water does have an effect on how quickly this happens. You can reduce this effect by changing the water filter on your tap every six months or so.
The feedback given by some of your Amazon customers may indicate an issue with quality control. If you have a defective or faulty product, please contact Amazon’s Customer Service team for help.
Pros and Cons of Zero Water vs Brita
Brita – What We Liked
Brita is an old, trusted name in the water filtration market. So when it comes to buying Brita products, you can feel confident that the quality will be the same as before. Brita products are affordable for all budgets, so if you don’t have the cash to spend on a more expensive filtering solution, Brita’s systems will suit you well.
If you’re looking for a pitcher with an Elite filter, look no further than Brita. The Elite filter will save you up to 5 days a month. Brita filters are NSF certified, which means they remove chlorine and lead from your water. This extra reassurance makes it a bit more secure for first-time buyers.
Brita – What We Didn’t Like
ZeroWater is the only company we recommend in this space, but it’s more expensive than Brita. It doesn’t give immediate feedback Pitchers generally take a full minute to deliver their pitches. With the Instant Pitcher, the pitcher simply lifts and lets the system do the work for them.
ZeroWater – What We Liked
ZeroWater’s water filtration systems are so thorough, they remove up to 99% of all TDS. I’m a huge fan of ZeroWater. They have the clearest water in the world. Multiple products available You have lots of choice when it comes to ZeroWater’s products.
With your Amazon order, you’ll get the right sizes and styles that you can choose. ZeroWater’s systems are affordable considering their thorough water filtering process. You’re likely to get a lot of value from this pitcher, and it’s designed to last for years.
ZeroWater – What We Didn’t Like
Systems don’t last that long; ZeroWater doesn’t have a long lasting filter cartridge option like Brita, and you usually have to change it every 3 months. While Brita’s pitchers have a 3-stage filtration process, the ZeroWater pitcher has a 5-stage filtering process.
Should I buy Brita or Zero Water?
Both Zero Water and Brita have their merits. Compare them for yourself in our article here. There are similarities in the type of products offered by the two brands, but the way they filter the products allows them to stand out.
When it comes to filtering your water, you might prefer to go for one of Brita’s products if you would rather change your filtering cartridge less frequently and opt for an internationally well-known brand. ZeroWater’s products may be better suited to you if you are looking for higher TDS removal.