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- How we test water filter jugs
- 1. Best for filter choice: Brita Glass Jug
- 2. Best eco-friendly option: black+blum Eau Carafe
- 3. Best for water taste: Tappwater PitcherPro Filter Jug
- 4. Best luxury water filter jug: Aarke Water Purifier Filter Jug
- 5. Best budget jug: Aqua Optima Oria Water Filter Jug
- 6. Best for removing all impurities: ZeroWater 5-Stage Water Filter Jug
- How to choose the best water filter jug for you
A water filter jug is a must-have. After all, we all need to drink water – and plenty of it. Our bodies are, on average, 60% water and the average adult needs somewhere between 1.6l and 2.5l a day. For most of us without deep pockets or an obsession with Icelandic glacier water, that water will be coming from the tap.
British tap water is cheap, well-regulated and perfectly safe to drink, but it doesn’t always taste that great. In some areas and in warmer seasons, it’s heavily treated, adding a chemical tinge. In other areas – particularly hard water areas – it might have a strong mineral or metallic taste.
A water filter can fix that, removing the impurities and regulating the chemical and mineral content, to give you water with a cleaner and fresher taste. What’s more, using filtered water in a kettle or coffee machine can reduce the build-up of damaging limescale, so that your kettle or coffee machine lasts longer and isn’t filled with the flaky white gunk.
While filtering your water will add to the cost of every litre, it doesn’t have to be expensive. You can buy a water filter jug for under £20, while filters won’t have to set you back more than £3 to £6 per month, especially if you buy in bulk. I’ve put together my top picks of water filter jugs to help you find the best one to suit your needs. And if you’ve got any questions, you can skip to our buying guide at the end of the article.
| Best water filter jugs: At a glance | ||
|---|---|---|
| Best for filter choice | Brita Glass Jug (~£60) | |
| Best for water taste | Tappwater PitcherPro Filter Jug (~£49 three-month starter pack; £69 year subscription) | |
| Best luxury water filter jug | Aarke Water Purifier Filter Jug (~£100) | |
| Best budget jug | Aqua Optima Oria Water Filter Jug (~£20) | |
How we test water filter jugs
I test water filter jugs by using them in a hard water area for a period of at least five days. I unpack the jugs and install the filter cartridge, taking note of how quick and easy the process is, then I use the water for drinking and to fill the kettle.
I run comparative taste tests between different jugs and use a TDS (total dissolved solids) meter to compare the total dissolved solids with other cartridge systems and with water straight from the tap (our source water averaged out at 289ppm). I also use test strips to note what chemicals, alkalinity and pH levels are found both in the source and filtered water. Finally, I also evaluate each jug for how easy it is to fill and pour, how long it takes to fill and how simple it is to clean.
1. Best for filter choice: Brita Glass Jug
Price when reviewed: £60 | Check price at Brita
- Great for… ease of buying filters, sleek design
- Not so great for… slightly slippery bottom
You can’t really go wrong with a Brita water filter jug – they’re the best-known brand and have a wealth of options to choose from. The Brita Glass Jug is, in my opinion, one of the brand’s most stylish offerings, with a sleek and neat design that will look good in the fridge or on a dinner table.
Made from 60% recycled glass and 100% bio-based plastic, the Brita uses 100% borosilicate glass that’s extremely lightweight and robust. I really liked the fact that this glass doesn’t absorb odours or tastes and that the jug is dishwasher-safe up to 50ºC (apart from the SmartLight LED). The jug has an inner plastic vessel to fit the filter, along with a lid with a nicely chunky rubber seal that you push into place. The SmartLight LED screws into the lid and will flash red when it’s time to change the filter. This is a clever little addition that saves you having to make notes on when the filter needs replacing.
One of the other things I really like about Brita jugs is how easy it is to find filters and the choice you’ll have, with plenty of third-party options available. In fact, about the only thing I didn’t like about the Brita was the slightly slippery bottom of the jug on a wet surface. In our tests, the Brita did a fairly good job of filtering, with an average TDS level of 155ppm (parts per million). The water has a lovely, clean taste with no aftertaste and was a popular choice among my testers.
Key specs – Total capacity: 2.5l; Drinkable capacity: 1.5l; Features: Flip-up lid, LED filter change indicator; Dimensions (WDH): 19.3 x 13.8 x 27.7cm
2. Best eco-friendly option: black+blum Eau Carafe
Price when reviewed: £37 | Check price at Amazon
- Great for… value for money, eco-friendly credentials
- Not so great for… the time it takes to filter
If you’re searching for a really eco-friendly filter jug that uses natural materials, look no further than the black+blum Eau Carafe. This elegant handblown water carafe is again made from borosilicate glass along with a cork stopper and food-grade silicone cap. It’s well-designed, with a clever indent that makes it easy to pick up and everything apart from the cork top is dishwasher-safe.
The black+blum carafe uses a chunky stick of activated Japanese Binchotan charcoal to filter the water, with one stick lasting up to six months, though you will need to boil the charcoal stick for 10 minutes after three months of use to reactivate it. It’s very good value for money, with a pack of two charcoal sticks lasting a whole year and costing £15. The downside to charcoal though is that you’ll have to wait a minimum of one hour for the water to filter, with the stick working best if it’s left for eight hours. You also need to be careful to remember to put the charcoal stick into the carafe after you’ve filled it with water, or you’ll risk breaking the glass.
Charcoal does a great job of filtering out contaminants, but it won’t have an impact on TDS (more on this in our buying guide below), with the black+blum giving an average reading of 298ppm. I loved the taste of this water, but a few of our testers did think it had a slight aftertaste.
Key specs – Total capacity: 1.1l; Drinkable capacity: 1.1l; Features: Natural cork/silicone cap, handblown glass; Dimensions (WDH): 10 x 10 x 29cm
3. Best for water taste: Tappwater PitcherPro Filter Jug
Price when reviewed: £49 (three-month starter pack); £69 (year subscription) | Check price at Tappwater
- Great for… lovely tasting water, filters as it pours
- Not so great for… no handle or indent for holding the pitcher
Along with the black+blum carafe above, I thought the Tappwater pitcher was one of the most elegant filter jugs I tested. This slimline design comes with a filter already installed in the neck of the pitcher, which simply unscrews when it’s time for it to be replaced. This will be every three months and you will need to set your own alarm to remind you. The water is filtered immediately as you pour it, with a tube-shaped air channel allowing for faster pouring.
The Tappwater pitcher is again made from borosilicate glass, helping to make it more resilient. However, I do think it should be noted that the glass is quite thin and I did worry a little when handling the pitcher as there’s no indent or handle for picking it up. This being only a minor quibble in an otherwise well-designed object.
Using a combination of polypropylene mesh, carbon block and alkaline-magnesium balls, the Tappwater pitcher claims to remove over 80 contaminants while still preserving and increasing the minerals and alkalinity in the water to help improve the taste. This means you’ll get a higher TDS reading of 290ppm, but the offset is that I felt the water was the best taste-wise of all the filter jugs I tested. There’s a lovely, smooth taste that still has some flavour.
Key specs – Total capacity: 1.45l; Drinkable capacity: 1.45l; Features: Flip-up lid, twist in filter, instant filtering; Dimensions (WDH): 14 x 14 x 36cm
4. Best luxury water filter jug: Aarke Water Purifier Filter Jug
Price when reviewed: £100 | Check price at Lakeland
- Great for… looks fantastic, easy to keep clean
- Not so great for… expensive
With its high-end stainless steel and glass design, the Aarke jug would look equally at home on display at the dinner table as it would hiding away in the fridge. It’s also an eco-friendly option with glass and steel, it’s easily recyclable and the construction will help reduce the chances of mould and bacteria building up.
As you might expect from the price tag, there are no bulky plastic filters in the Aarke. Instead, you’ll get granules that are poured straight into the stainless steel cartridge that slots into a rubber seal inside the jug. I also loved the fact that the brand has included a little handle to pull the cartridge in and out with. There’s also a dial under the lid to allow you to set reminders as to when to change the filter, plus everything apart from the rubber bottom is dishwasher-safe. Aarke claims you’ll get four weeks or 120l of water out of each set of filter granules.
The TDS reading of 155ppm was consistent with my opinion that this jug didn’t filter as well as some of the cheaper options and I also felt the taste was a little metallic. On the plus side, it’s likely to suit anyone who doesn’t like the taste of filtered water and there’s no denying the stylish good looks on offer.
Key specs – Total capacity: 2.36l; Drinkable capacity: 1.18l; Features: Stainless steel filter cartridge, dial in lid to remind you to change granules; Dimensions (WDH): 17 x 12 x 28cm
5. Best budget jug: Aqua Optima Oria Water Filter Jug
Price when reviewed: £20 | Check price at Argos
- Great for… budget friendly, fits into the fridge door
- Not so great for… slightly flimsy plastic
The Aqua Optima is a cheap and cheerful plastic filter jug that’s great value for money. It employs a classic design, with a plastic jug and inner lining to click a filter into. As you’d expect for the price, it’s not as substantial as other jugs on this list and the plastic does feel a little cheap. However, with three filters included in the price, this really is one of the cheapest traditional options on the market. Each filter lasts a month and works out at a cost of around £3.
The jug is dishwasher-safe, and I liked the nice dark blue lid, which has a little flap that pushes down with the force of water to fill the jug up. It’s worth noting here that you’ll need to angle the jug downwards a little for ease of filling. There’s no indicator for when a filter needs changing though, so you’ll need to set a reminder.
The Aqua Optima also gave an average TDS reading of 132ppm and the filtering was effective and faster than the more expensive Brita jug. The resulting water had a nice creamy taste that was a hit with all our testers, so if you don’t mind the slightly flimsier build quality of this jug, you’ll still get a tasty drink.
Key specs – Total capacity: 2.8l; Drinkable capacity: 1.4l; Features: Simple click-in filter system; Dimensions (WDH): 25.6 x 12.2 x 26cm
6. Best for removing all impurities: ZeroWater 5-Stage Water Filter Jug
Price when reviewed: £30 | Check price at Lakeland
- Great for… removing all impurities, simple design
- Not so great for… removing all minerals
The ZeroWater jug is a bit of a dichotomy. On one hand, it does a ridiculously efficient job of removing TDS, with a score of 1ppm every time we tested it. The brand is so confident in its abilities to remove impurities that the jug even comes with its own TDS meter. But on the other hand, this hugely efficient filtration also means that many minerals are removed, which can leave the water tasting a little flat. This is definitely an acquired taste.
Filters for the jug are not cheap, with a pack of two costing £30. ZeroWater says each filter will last for 150l of water but this number may well be lower in hard water areas. The brand recommends testing with the TDS meter and once this is over 6ppm you’ll need to put a new filter in.
This is another simple design, with a plastic jug and a lid that the huge filter (it goes the entire length of the jug) screws into. I liked the fact that the lid section pulls up to fill the jug. The lid does just sit on the top though, and can slide about a fraction when you tip the jug forwards. The jug is also dishwasher-safe and is an attractive pale blue colour. The filtering is arguably overkill for most people, but if you’re concerned about impurities in your drinking water, this jug will give you peace of mind.
Key specs – Total capacity: 1.7l; Drinkable capacity: 1.7l; Features: Screw-in filter, lift up lid section; Dimensions (WDH): 27 x 15 x 27cm
How to choose the best water filter jug for you
The key decision to make is which cartridge system you go for. Different manufacturers promote different systems, each with its own claims about how effectively the water is filtered and how good it tastes.
There are some practical considerations, too. Certain cartridges need more preparation than others before they’re ready to deliver safe, tasty drinking water. If the cartridge only needs changing once a month, that might not sound like a problem – but if the job involves half an hour or more of soaking, plus three complete refills flushing through, you might find you end up not bothering to use the jug at all.
Speed is also an issue. Some systems take their time with the filtration, keeping you waiting while you’ve got a thirst on, while others pass the water through in a jiffy.
The market leader is Brita, one of the pioneers in this market, with its Maxtra and Maxtra+ cartridges. However, some jugs from other manufacturers will work with Brita’s cartridges, while a range of third-party cartridge manufacturers produce their own cheaper or longer-lasting cartridges that fit Brita’s jugs. This is worth bearing in mind if you’re worried about getting tied into the one system.
What is TDS in water?
TDS stands for total dissolved solids and is measured in parts per million (ppm). It makes a big difference to the taste of the water. When we drink water, we can taste a lot of different minerals that have dissolved such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron and zinc. It’s these minerals that give water its flavour. But you will also find other less desirable things in water; these are the things a water filter jug often works to remove. Minerals will also clog up a kettle, causing limescale, which is why those in hard water areas tend to want TDS levels lowered. However, some of our options here actually slightly increase TDS levels. This is because they’re keeping good minerals in the water and filtering out bad impurities.
How much difference does the filter make?
More than you might think. While most filter cartridges are based on granules of activated carbon, there may be additional elements or layers to filter out other impurities, resulting in a different balance of water and minerals when you pour yourself a glass. This results in subtle differences in taste, not to mention higher or lower levels of TDS. You can measure TDS and use it as an indicator of the filter system’s effectiveness; but a lower figure isn’t always better, since water strained of all solids won’t include the minerals that prevent water tasting bland.
What about the jug?
Some jugs are designed for style, others for convenience. Obviously, the former is a question of personal taste, although certain systems allow for a wide range of shapes and colours, while other designs are more conservative.
On the convenience front, go for a capacity that suits the size of your household. Bear in mind that the headline capacity might not match the capacity of drinking water it actually holds. A 2.6l jug might sound generous, but not if you only get 1.4l of filtered water at the bottom. For growing families, 2.7l to 3.5l jugs are a better fit – although check the dimensions to ensure you won’t struggle when trying to cram the thing into your fridge.
Also look for features such as flip-top lids or covered spouts that make it easier to fill the jug or prevent dining table grime from getting in. Cleaning is important, too: not all jugs are dishwasher-safe, and some designs may have divots or folds in the plastic that are difficult to keep clean.
How much is all this going to cost?
Water filter jugs work on the classic razor blade model: the jugs themselves tend to be cheap, but the manufacturer makes its money off the ongoing cost of the cartridges.
Some of the more exotic systems can cost upwards of £50 for the jug and around £10 per filter, but on average you’re looking at £9 to £25 for the jug and around £5 to £8 per filter. You can save money by buying multi-packs of three filters or more and if your system uses Brita filters, you can also save by purchasing cheaper or longer-lasting third-party cartridges – even supermarkets are in on the act. Just be aware that these may not always be as effective as the real deal.
