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Filter pitchers are a great kitchen appliance that allows you to filter and store already filtered water for when it is going to be needed. By using a filter pitcher you can save a lot of money as you filter everyday tap water rather than having to go out and buy bottles and bottles of mineral water that will also take up a lot of space in your home.
There are many different companies that manufacture water filter pitchers out there with the two leading brands being Zero Water and Pur, In this article, we are going to be comparing the Zero Water vs Pur and helping you decide which brand of water filter pitchers are the best for you.
Zero Water vs Pur – Comparison Chart
Zero Water Filter Pitcher Summary
Pros:
- Much better feedback available about the Zero Water filter pitchers compared to the Pur alternatives.
- Able to remove all traceable amounts of chlorine found in the water.
- Removes over 90% of impurities without reducing the quality of the taste.
- Five stages of filtration ensure that every type of contaminant will be removed from the water that you drink.
- The Zero Water filter pitcher is able to hold up to 3 cups of filtered more than its Pur water alternative.
Cons:
- A very short warranty of just 90 days which covers just defects that have occurred during the manufacturing process.
- Much more expensive in the long term due to the Zero Water filters only being able to filter up to 40 gallons of water before requiring replacement.
Summary:
The Zero Water Filter Pitcher is an affordable filtration appliance that comes with a lot of advantages such as having leaving your water with a better taste however this comes at the cost of an estimated 3% more contaminants in your water, as well as the need to spend more money on the Zero Water filters, will need to be replaced after every 40 gallons of water.
Pur Water Filter Pitcher Summary
Pros:
- The replaceable filters on the Pur Water are able to filter on average 100 gallons of water before requiring replacement.
- Able to remove 3% more contaminants out of the water that it filters.
- Two years of limited warranty which is a lot longer than the warranty offered by Zero Water.
- A lock fit lid design that keeps your filtered water safe from any contaminants that may come in.
- Much cheaper on average than its Zero Water filter pitcher alternatives.
Cons:
- Customers complain about the taste of the filtered water that comes out of this filter pitcher.
- The Pur Water filter pitcher requires up to double the time to filter the same amount of water as the Zero Water filter pitcher.
Summary:
Pur is a very well known brand in the household water filtration market, the filter pitcher from Pur Water comes with very high levels of effective filtration and also a two-year limited warranty that makes sure that if there are any problems with the product you paid for you can be compensated for it. However, not everyone likes the taste of the ultra-filtered water and also waiting for the longer than average filtration process to be 100% complete.
Zero Water vs Pur Filter Pitcher Differences
Both Zero Water and Pur are based in the United States, Zero Water is based in the state of Michigan with the company specializing in all kinds of different types of water filter pitchers that come in different sizes as well as materials with the option to choose between both plastic and stainless steel options. The company is well known for its television commercials and infomercials that regularly include famous celebrities.
On the other hand, you have the Pur company which is based in the state of Minnesota. Pur is the better known out of the two and it does not manufacture just filter pitchers but other water appliance products such as a wide selection of refrigerator filters, faucet filters, and advanced lead filters. The majority of the products from Pur are made from plastic however the faucet filters are made from stainless steel.
Design
The designs of the Zero Water and Pur filter pitchers are both very similar, they have an insulated handle that will allow you a comfortable hold even if there is a lot of water in the appliance and reduces the chances of you dropping the water filter pitcher as well as if the water inside happens to be too hot for contact.
The majority of the body of both of the water filters is transparent which also includes large parts of the handles, this allows you to easily check how much water is left in your kitchen appliance. Other similarities include the white-colored top of both of the filter pitchers and also that the replaceable filter is placed inside of the appliance and takes an authoritative place right in the center of the water storage unit.
A big difference in the design, however, is the button that is used to open up the lid, with the Pur filter pitchers it is placed at the top between the lid and the handle while with the Zero Water filter pitcher it is placed at the bottom underneath the handle. There is no real advantage between the two although arguably the Zero Water filter pitcher’s lid will be easier to accidentally open if you hold the handle too low.
Ease of Use
If you are going to be using your filter pitcher every single day it is important that you choose one that is as easy as possible to use as even the slightest issues and complications will end up causing you a lot of problems and wasting you a lot of time. On the Zero Water filter pitcher the handle is much bigger which makes it a lot easier to hold and a lot quicker to get hold of it.
However, on the Pur filter pitcher, you have a built-in light that notifies you that it is time to replace the filter inside which is great as it means you do not have to continuously worry about your filter and keep checking it.
Both of the filter pitchers come with added padding to provide for a comfortable grip when holding the handle rather than having to hold just a slippery plastic handle.
Filter Lifespan
There is a massive difference between the lifespan of the replaceable filter used in the water pitchers from both Pur and Zero Water. Pur’s water filters are able to last for between two and three months before needing replacement or the equivalent to 100 gallons of water. Additionally, there is the Pur Filter with Lead Reduction which is a specially made filter that has advanced filtration capabilities aimed at removing as much lead from the water as possible for customers that live somewhere where there is high lead contamination for whatever reason. This lead filter by Pur is able to filter only 40 gallons of water before requiring replacement.
The Zero Water filter is able to filter 25 and 40 gallons of water before requiring a replacement which is less than half the amount of water that the Pur standard filters can process before requiring a replacement.
Filter Effectiveness
Overall the Pur filter is more effective when compared with the filter from Zero Water, with the Pur filter being able to remove 99% of all lead and 22 types of other contaminants while the Zero Water filter is able to remove 96% of contaminants. Both of the filters have very high filtration rates that will keep you safe if your water happens to be contaminated however Pur is the clear winner in this category.
Filter Speed
Research shows that the Zero Water filter is able to complete its water filtration process in 1 minute and 50 seconds while the Pur filter is able to do the job in 3 minutes and 50 seconds meaning that the average amount of time that it takes for the Pur filter to do its job is almost double the time that it takes the Zero Water filter. This is a significant difference and using the Zero Water filter can end up saving you a lot of time if you are constantly making use of your filtration appliance.
However, two minutes difference is still not a lot of time as you can easily do something else while waiting for those few minutes to be up. Furthermore, it is important to remember that the Pur filter is able to effectively remove a higher percentage of contaminants and it is thus higher quality, so if removing as many contaminants as possible is your priority then it is best to go with the Pur filters.
Chlorine Removal
Chlorine is used in many countries around the world in order to help clean up the water from any deadly organisms that may be living there that can make you ill. Although chlorine is not dangerous in low quantities it still poses a huge risk to people’s health if you consume large quantities of water that contain chlorine. It is infamously a very hard substance to filter out as it is not made up of large particles and also cannot be killed like bacteria therefore it requires a level of chemical filtration.
Both the Zero Water and Pur filter pitchers are able to remove all traceable levels of chlorine that is found in the water processed by those appliances, however, this means that there is still the risk of some chlorine remaining in your water.
Taste
Every day customers, as well as researchers that have tested both the Pur vs Zero Water filtration appliances, have found that generally both of them are not leading in the taste category for water filter pitchers. First of all the Pur filter pitchers are generally described as leaving quite a bland taste for the water that they filter, what is to blame for this is simply how effective the Pur filters are at doing their job which results in them removing a large part of the minerals in the water that give it that good taste.
Alternatively, the Zero Water filter pitchers have a good taste while the filters are still operational however once they have been fully used past their 40 gallons of recommended use it is reported that they start to leave a metallic taste in the water.
Price & Value for Money
When comparing the Zero Water vs Pur filter pitchers in terms of price they are both very similar with the prices generally being under or around $30 however the Zero Water filters tend to be the more expensive out of the two by around $5 to $10 which is a big difference due to the low prices of these kitchen appliances.
However, you cannot just look at the prices at face value and decide which one offers the best value for money, instead, you have to also take a look at the features that come for the price. In the value for money category the Pur filter pitcher comes out on top as its filters last twice as long and also the filter pitcher itself comes with an LED light that notifies you when it is time to replace the filter.
Warranty
The warranty is an important aspect to consider of every big purchase as it makes sure that you are covered in case the product comes with defects that have happened during the manufacturing process and it also shows you the confidence that the manufacturers of the product themselves have in their product and how long it can last.
Warranties may vary between different models of water filter pitchers, however, when comparing Pur vs Zero Water filters it is the Pur filter pitchers that have the longer warranty with a 2-year limited warranty while the Zero Water filter pitchers have a warranty of just 90 days which only applies for defects that have happened during manufacturing. Although there is a massive difference between the length of the warranties of the Pur vs Zero Water filters, both of the warranties will still give you more than enough time to return the product if it has arrived with defects.
Customer Feedback
Finally, it is very important to consider the customer feedback that is generally displayed on all leading online marketplaces, it is best not to take a look at the official reviews of the manufacturers as the reviews may be biased towards their products. On Amazon, the Zero Water filter pitcher that we have included has a total of 4,402 reviews with a total review score of 4 stars out of 5.
While the Pur filter pitcher has a total number of 676 reviews with a total review score of 3.7 stars out of 5 which is both a lower number of reviews and also review score which makes the Zero Water filter pitchers the clear winner in this category. Some of the negative reviews about the Pur filter pitcher are due to the product arriving damaged, customers complaining about the taste of the filtered water and also the overall design of the appliance.
How to Remove Bacteria from Water
Unfiltered water may contain harmful contaminants that disqualify it from meeting safe drinking water standards. The Environmental Protection Agency has confirmed that Zero Water can remove up to 23 contaminants in drinking water. This includes dangerous substances like lead, chromium 6, and copper. On the other hand, Pur can remove twelve different strains of mineral content.
It should be noted that neither of these major brands effectively eradicates biological contaminants like bacteria, which may also be present in drinking water. The best and most natural contaminant reduction strategy for bacteria is boiling the water. It catches the particles in a way that Zero Water or Pur may be unable to. The CDC encourages the addition of a pinch of salt to every liter of water.
Chlorine is another option; it is commonly used for water purification because it works and is affordable. Chlorine exists in different forms, but regular chlorine is the most popular and advanced form for treating drinking water.
can also consider a UV treatment, chloramine, or chlorine dioxide when effectively removing biological contaminants in water. None of these techniques has side effects; in fact, public water systems rely on them and have been cleared of dangers or health risks by the CDC. However, they must be used with caution, and preferably a filtration system.
How to Clean Zero Water Filter
A Zero Water pitcher filter is effective at eliminating contaminants in water. You may also be pleased to know that it contains a technology that prevents bacteria from growing in water. This ensures clean cups of water are never a debate.
It is important that you clean your Zero Water filter now and then. Filter replacement is also a chore you should take seriously if you truly want to avoid hazardous contaminants in your water.
Step 1: Empty the water. Since the filter is located at the bottom of the Zero Water filter device, it must be empty before its replacement is installed.
Step 2: Remove the filter and dispose of it properly. Remember, the filter has been in contact with potential contaminants for a long time, so it needs to be properly thrown out.
Step 3: Clean the jug. I recommend washing the jug manually because you cannot put it in the dishwasher. Use a sponge and dishwashing soap to clean the container. Then dry.
Step 4: Replace the filter. After replacing the filter, fill it with unfiltered water and set it aside. If you have a water testing kit at home, this may be the right time to confirm that the replaced filter is active.
How to Clean Pur Water Filter
Failure to regularly clean a device like this will affect the level of filtration and how effective it is. Remember, the goal is to reduce the amount of chlorine in your water to 000ppm, but only a clean device will achieve that.
To clean your Pur filter, you need to take it apart. First, detach it from the tap and separate the pieces that can be separated, like the cartridge and inner layer. Wash and rinse well before reattaching. It’s as simple as that.
FAQ
Do the Zero Water and Pur Filter Pitchers Include Replaceable Filters?
Yes generally both the Zero Water and Pur filter pitchers come with one replaceable filter but it is still good to double-check the product description to see if that is actually the case. However, it is also important to keep in mind that it is usually more cost-effective to buy your filters separately as you can buy them in bulk and save money on a per-unit basis.
Can the Zero Water and Pur Filter Pitchers Be Taken Apart for Cleaning?
Yes, the Zero Water and Pur filter pitchers are made up of a few big parts that can be taken apart and washed with ease. It is important however that you do not wash the filter itself as that can end up damaging it and reducing its effectiveness as well as the need to not use a material that is too hard to clean your water filter as it may end up scratching up the entire filtration appliance since it is made out of plastic which is not a very durable surface.
Can You Put the Zero Water and Pur Filter Pitchers in the Dishwasher?
No, it is recommended that you do not put any kind of filter pitchers in the dishwasher as they are made out of plastic so there is a risk of them melting when exposed to the very hot water that is used inside to clean the dishes. Even if it does not completely or visibly melt it will still weaken the plastic material which will make it more prone to breaking if dropped or by accidentally hit.
Can Third-Party Water Filters Be Used With These Two Filter Pitchers?
There are are a lot of unofficial third-party manufacturers of filters out there, these may filter may very well fit inside your filter pitcher however it will not offer the same high-quality filtration which is very important as the main selling point of a filter pitcher is that it filters out all of the contaminants that may be found in your water.
Do the Zero Water and Pur Filter Pitchers Remove Viruses and Bacteria?
No, both manufacturers state on their websites that their filters are not made or tested to kill viruses and bacteria that may be contaminating the water, instead they are for chemicals and particles. If you want to kill viruses and bacteria that may be in your water you can boil your water but make sure it is cooled down to room temperature if you are going to put it in your filter pitcher after.
What is the Cost of Replacement Filters?
Surprisingly enough, replacement filters do not cost too much, depending on the type you are buying. For point of use technology, you will spend an average of ten dollars. For the whole house, you may send a good hundred bucks. That is money well spent if you take into account the role it plays in your health and safety.
Summary
To conclude, Zero Water as well as Pur are two quality American brands that are both good options if you are currently in the marketing for a filter pitcher. If price is important to you then Pur will be the better option as the Pur filter pitcher itself is much cheaper and also its replaceable is better value for money as they only require to be replaced after filtering 100 gallons of water compared to the 40 gallons of water required by the Zero Water filters.
Yet there are also some disadvantages to the Pur filter pitcher such as that it leaves less taste in the water due to removing a lot of the minerals found in it which not all people enjoy to drink but it entirely depends on your personal preferences. Furthermore, the Pur filter pitcher has considerably fewer reviews and also a lower review score on Amazon which may show that fewer customers are satisfied with the product compared to the Zero Water filter pitcher.
The filter pitcher that is best for you depends on what you value the most, for example, if the taste of the filtered water and the time it takes for the water to be filtered are key characteristics than the Zero Water filter pitcher is the right one for you. While if you care about having the highest level filtration in your water and also a more cost-effective product then the Pur filter pitcher is a solid choice.
Wayne is a water quality expert – The founder of Water Filter Data. He has a degree in microbiology and his field of expertise is drinking water. His goal is to allow for clean and healthy water for as many people as possible.
Wayne is a water quality expert – The founder of Water Filter Data. He has a degree in microbiology and his field of expertise is drinking water. His goal is to allow for clean and healthy water for as many people as possible.
