EWG’s 2024 guide to countertop water filters

 If you’re concerned about harmful chemicals in your tap water, you may be thinking of getting a water filter pitcher for your kitchen countertop – or if you already have a filter, making sure it’s the right one. 

But how can you choose among the hundreds of brands and models of countertop water filters on the market and their competing claims? 

One brand says it filters out “up to 99.9 percent of tap water contaminants.” Another says it “removes 2,000 percent more contaminants than the leading water filter pitcher.” One simply promises “filtration that actually does stuff.”

Which filter is most effective at removing specific contaminants? How long will it work before you must replace the filter element? How much will it cost? How easy is it to use? 

EWG is here to help.

EWG scientists purchased 10 of the leading brands and models of countertop water filter pitchers. We tested filters on the tap water in four different cities to measure the levels of some of the most common and worrisome contaminants, like PFAS and hexavalent chromium, among others.

We ran 10 gallons of tap water through the filters in each city and then measured the contaminant levels. We then sampled water directly from the tap, analyzed it for contaminants. A comparison of the pollutant levels in the unfiltered and filtered samples showed each filter’s effectiveness at removing specific contaminants.

We focused on six contaminants widespread in U.S. tap water. (Learn more)

Quick recommendations

BEST OVERALL

Epic

Nearly 100 percent effective at removing many contaminants.

PURCHASE ON AMAZON

VIEW DETAILS

RUNNER UP

Clearly Filtered

Nearly 100 percent effective at removing many contaminants.

PURCHASE HERE

VIEW DETAILS

BEST FOR NITRATE

Zero Water

100 percent removal of tested nitrate.

PURCHASE ON AMAZON

VIEW DETAILS

BUDGET BUYS FOR DISINFECTION BYPRODUCTS

PUR Plus or Amazon Basics

While they aren't effective for many other contaminants, it filters out disinfection byproducts well and is easier on the wallet.

PURCHASE ON AMAZON

PURCHASE ON AMAZON

VIEW DETAILS

^{EWG is a participant in the Amazon Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate, EWG earns commission from qualifying purchases. The affiliate commission collected is used to support EWG’s nonprofit mission.*}

_{Best OveraLL}

Epic Pure Pitcher

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Pros: This filter was nearly 100 percent effective at removing many commonly occurring contaminants. The longer filter life makes it less expensive in the first year than others with similar performance that need replacing sooner, and it has a built-in timer to remind you to replace the filter. The simple design, large reservoir and ease of replacing filters made it our favorite to use. It also ranked highly in our guide to PFAS water filters.

Cons: This filter has a higher initial cost. It only removed about half the chromium-6 in the sample and very little of the nitrate contamination. 

^{PURCHASE ON AMAZON}

_{Runner Up}

Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher with Affinity Filtration Technology

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Pros: This filter was also 100 percent effective at removing many contaminants. The clear design makes it easy to track how much water remains, and the large pitcher size means refilling is less frequent. It ranked highly in our PFAS filter guide.

Cons: Its yearly cost is much higher than the Epic Water filter, and our testers found it more complicated to install and maintain. The water passes very slowly through the filter. It’s not effective at removing nitrate.

^{PURCHASE HERE}

_{Best for Nitrate}

Zero Water 7 Cup 5-Stage Ready-Pour Water Filter Pitcher

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The filters used in most models we tested aren’t designed to work on nitrate. It must be removed with specialty filters such as Zero Water’s ion exchange filter or a reverse osmosis filter. If EWG’s Tap Water Database shows high levels of nitrate in your community, Zero Water may be your best overall choice for a pitcher filter. 

Pros: This filter removed 100 percent of nitrate. It was also highly effective on most other contaminants, ranking highly in our PFAS filter guide. It has a low initial cost, and the filters are easy to replace.

Cons: It fell short on removing chromium-6 and some disinfection byproducts. The filters must be replaced often, driving up the yearly cost.

^{PURCHASE ON AMAZON}

_{Budget buys for disinfection products}

PUR Plus or Amazon Basics

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Disinfection byproducts, including the group of toxic chemicals known as total trihalomethanes, or TTHMs, are some of the most widely found drinking water contaminants in the U.S.

You can check EWG’s Tap Water Database to see if these are the only contaminants of concern in your water.

If so, this budget filter is a good choice. While it isn’t effective for many other contaminants, it filters out disinfection byproducts well and is easier on the wallet.

Pros and cons:

PUR Plus is more expensive than Amazon Basics but can also partially reduce chromium-6 and PFAS. Replacing the PUR Plus filter is easy, but water passes through the filter very slowly.

The Amazon Basics pitcher has a large reservoir, so you don’t have to fill it as often. But to fill it you must remove the lid, then replace it when the pitcher is full, which takes time.

Neither of these filters was tested against arsenic or radon, because they were not expected to be effective on those contaminants, based on prior research and product ratings. 

^{PURCHASE PUR PLUS ON AMAZON}

^{PURCHASE AMAZON BASICS ON AMAZON}

Other filters we tested: Travel Berkey, Brita, Brita Elite, Seychelle pH20 and Aquagear. These were all somewhat effective against some contaminants, but they weren’t the best choices when compared to other filters in the same price range.

Contaminants

For our tests of countertop filters, we focused on six contaminants widespread in U.S. tap water.

• Chromium-6, the cancer-causing chemical made notorious by the film “Erin Brockovich.”  
• “Forever chemicals,” or PFAS, linked to liver and immune system damage, thyroid changes, and increased risk of cancer. (We previously evaluated water filters based solely on how well they remove PFAS.) 
• Arsenic, a cancer-causing chemical that gets into drinking water from natural, industrial and agricultural sources. 
• TTHMs, cancer-causing contaminants that can also harm the developing fetus, are byproducts of disinfectants combined with other contaminants during treatment of drinking water with chlorine or other chemicals.  
• Nitrate a chemical in fertilizer that is also naturally occurring, can be deadly to babies and is linked to higher rates of cancer. 
• Radon, a radioactive element that causes lung cancer. Radon gas can enter a home through the basement or a crawl space, but it can also get into the tap water and from there escape into indoor air. 

We also considered the pitcher and first filter’s initial cost and the yearly cost of replacing the filter element, based on the manufacturer’s suggested retail price and filter lifespan. And we considered how easy the pitcher is to set up, use and maintain.

But it’s not so simple to name the “best” filters.

Some were highly effective at removing certain contaminants but not so good at removing others. (To see the specific contaminants of greatest concern where you live, visit EWG’s Tap Water Database, which provides detailed information on contaminants in the water of 50,000 communities in 50 states and the District of Columbia.)

* In furtherance of its mission, EWG tests products on the market to understand and expose chemicals in food, water, toys and cosmetics. Companies do not pay EWG to test their products. To help consumers access healthier and safer products, EWG may provide a link to purchase a tested product on Amazon. EWG is a participant in the Amazon Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate, EWG earns commission from qualifying purchases. The affiliate commission collected is used to support EWG’s nonprofit mission.