Consumer Reports

CR’s take: The ClearlyFiltered COMIN16JU025114 is NSF certified to remove chlorine and lead. And yes, it filters well for flavor and reduces odor. But it still might leave a bad taste in your mouth—and a burn hole in your wallet: Priced at a whopping $85 (more than twice the cost of other CR-tested pitchers), it earns an abysmal Overall Score of 41 in our ratings. (Our top-rated Brita, at the top of this list, has an Overall Score of 81.) This super-slow pitcher clogs like a dam, which means you’ll spend up to $150 per year on filter replacements—about twice as much as the next-highest-priced pitcher.

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CR’s take: The Clear₂0 GRP200 is the lowest-rated pitcher in CR’s ratings, earning an Overall Score of 38. Your patience will be tried by its extremely slow flow rate. This pitcher also has the smallest capacity in our tests (6 cups per pitcher), which means you’ll be racing from faucet to fridge more than a parched teenager after soccer practice. We’re pouring cold water on this water filter pitcher.

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CR’s take: The Kirkland Signature Water Filtration System is a mouthful, but water goes down easily once you use it. It isn’t NSF certified for removing lead, but it rates well, acing our tests with Excellent scores for flow rate and clogging. If your tap water reeks, tastes bad, or is tainted by elevated chlorine levels, this pitcher, $25 at Costco, is for you (assuming you’re a Costco member).

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CR’s take: The ZeroWater Ready-Pour ZD-010RP is perhaps the steadiest filter performer. Among the top five water filter pitchers in our ratings, it’s one of two NSF certified for both lead and chlorine removal. It earns Very Good ratings for improving flavor and for odor reduction. This versatile pitcher also earns an Excellent score in our test for clogging, which means it will flow consistently over time. But you’ll pay for that effectiveness, with a pricey filter replacement cost of $78 per year. That’s more than double the replacement cost of the top-ranked Brita.

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With the same great certifications but a higher flow rate and filter capacity, the AQ-5300+ works for homes that use a lot of water—but it costs a bit more and takes up more space under the sink.

CR’s take: If you’re patient enough to wait up to an hour for this Pur to filter water (as in, you fill it up and throw it in the fridge or put it on the counter for later), this pitcher may be for you. Despite its below-average flow rate (the number of minutes it takes to filter 32 ounces of water), the Pur Ultimate with Lead Reduction PPT711W ranks near the top of our ratings. In this case, effective filtering takes its time. The upshot: It’s the best water filter pitcher at improving flavor and reducing odor, and it doesn’t clog—in our tests for each, this pitcher earns Excellent ratings.

Water Filter System Comparison