We’ve carried out extensive research and testing and deemed these to be the best water filter pitchers for well water available in 2023. We rated them in terms of contaminant removal capability, filter capacity, customer satisfaction, and of course, affordability.
Clearly Filtered Water Filter Pitcher
Epic Nano Water Filter Pitcher
Epic Nano Water Filter Dispenser
It’s estimated that there are around 43 million private wells in the US, and around 23 percent of these wells contain concerning levels of at least one contaminant.
As a well owner, it’s your responsibility to make sure your water is clean and safe to drink. But what’s the most cost-effective way to do this if you’re on a budget?
Water filter pitchers for well water are an affordable solution. In this guide, we’ve shortlisted the best well water pitchers based on contaminant removal, ease of use, and more.
In this guide, you’ll learn:
- Which 5 well water pitchers are worth your money
- How we selected and tested our featured products
- How to choose the right filter for you
Table of Contents
- 🤝 Why You Should Trust Us
- 🥇 Best Water Filter Pitchers for Well Water
- 📊 Comparison Chart of Best Water Pitchers for Well Water
- ⭐ Reviews – Best Water Filter Pitcher for Well Water 2023
- 🧾 How We Chose
- 🧪 How We Tested
- 🧫 Common Well Water Contaminants
- ✔️ Benefits of Using a Pitcher Water Filter for Well Water
- ❌ Drawbacks of Using Water Filter Pitchers for Well Water
- 💭 Considerations When Selecting a Pitcher Water Filter for Well Water
- ❔ Frequently Asked Questions
🤝 Why You Should Trust Us
More than [monthlyreaders] monthly readers trust our product reviews, and that’s because they’re based on far more than just opinion. We’ve been providing fact- and experienced-based guides and reviews for nearly a decade, not only for WaterFilterGuru, but also for publications such as HowStuffWorks, WWD Magazine, and Simply Recipes.
We don’t just tell you what the manufacturer tells you about a product. We tell you everything you need to know, including the information that we source directly from conversations with manufacturers and customer service teams, and evidence from filter certification databases.
🥇 Best Water Filter Pitchers for Well Water
- Our Top Pick: Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher
- Runner Up: Epic Nano Water Filter Pitcher
- Best Countertop Dispenser: Epic Nano Water Filter Dispenser
- Longest Filter Life: Proone Water Filter Pitcher
- Best Glass Alternative: Lifestraw Home Water Filter Pitcher
📊 Comparison Chart of Best Water Pitchers for Well Water
| Product | Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher | Epic Nano Water Filter Pitcher | Epic Nano Water Filter Dispenser | Proone Water Filter Pitcher | Lifestraw Home Water Filter Pitcher |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ranking | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th |
| Ratings | 5/5 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 |
| Price | $90.00+ | $70 | $60 | $73.95 | $44.95+ |
| Contaminants Reduced | 365+ | 200+ | 200+ | 200+ | 30+ |
| Certifications or Testing | NSF 42, 53, 401 & 473 | NSF 42, 53, 401, P473 & P231 | NSF 42, 53, 401, P473 & P231 | NSF 42 | NSF 42, 53, 401, P231, P473 & EPA |
| Process | Mechanical + Carbon + Ion Exchange | Mechanical + Electroadhesion + Ion Exchange | Mechanical + Electroadhesion + Ion Exchange | Ion Exchange | Activated Carbon + Ion Exchange |
| Filter Life | 100 gallons | 150 gallons | 150 gallons | 225 gallons | 40 gallons |
| Annual Cost | ~$140 | ~$140 | ~$140 | ~$80 | ~$85 |
| Warranty | Lifetime | Lifetime | Lifetime | 90 days | 3 years, limited |
⭐ Reviews – Best Water Filter Pitcher for Well Water 2023
Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher
The Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher is the best water filter pitcher for well water in 2023. This pitcher does more than just improve water taste and odor – it can reduce more contaminants than any other pitcher on the market, including a range of the most common well water contaminants.
Key Features
- Reduces more than 365 contaminants in drinking water – The Clearly Filtered water filter pitcher tackles a range of contaminants you may find in your well water, including, iron (99.9%), nitrates (99.9%), microplastics (99%), and pesticides (98%+)
- Independent testing for contaminant reduction – According to independent testing, the
Clearly Filtered meets or exceeds NSF Standards: 42, 53, 401 & 473. - Strong, durable, and BPA-free – The Clearly Filtered has a BPS- and BPA-free design, so this filtration system won’t add anything into your tap water.
- Retains healthy minerals – You won’t need to add minerals back into your water after using this filter pitcher. Despite the impressive contaminant reduction, your water’s healthy minerals remain.
| Bundles | Price |
|---|---|
| Pitcher Only | $90 |
| Pitcher + 3 Pack | $245 |
| Pitcher + 6 Pack | $395 |
Best for: Anyone looking for a fantastic value-for-money well pitcher offering an exceptional performance that hasn’t (yet!) been beaten by any other pitcher water filtration system on the market.
Pros
- The Clearly Filtered water filter pitcher tackles all the contaminants you might find in your well water, including fluoride and VOCs. It won’t only improve the taste and smell of you water.
- With the pitcher’s lifetime guarantee, you’re covered throughout the pitcher’s projected lifespan.
- The Clearly Filtered has a respectable filter life of 100 gallons, or 3-6 months, depending on how often you use the filtration system.
Cons
- It’s hard to know when to change the filter in this pitcher because there’s no filter life indicator.
Read the full review: Clearly Filtered Pitcher Review
Epic Nano Water Filter Pitcher
The Epic Nano Pitcher is an all-rounder for well water contaminant removal, but its biggest selling point is that it can remove microbiological contaminants – including the notoriously difficult-to-remove viruses – from water.
Key Features
- Removes up to 99.99% of contaminants – This water filter pitcher removes more than 200 common tap water contaminants. If you have bacteria, lead, fluoride, or viruses in your water, the Epic Nano will remove it.
- BPA-free, recyclable design – Epic Nano’s BPA-free, US-made filters are 100% recyclable, and the manufacturer has a recycling scheme, too – collect four filters and return them to Epic to receive a free replacement filter.
- 3-4 month filter life & filter change indicator – You can use this pitcher filtration system for 3-4 months, or 150 gallons, before replacing the filter. Don’t think you’ll remember? The built-in filter change indicator will remind you.
- 8.5-cup capacity – This 8.5-cup pitcher will only need a single daily refill for most families.
Best for: Anyone looking for a filter that can remove all the most common microbiological contaminants, including viruses. The Epic Nano Pitcher isn’t only a good well water filtration solution – the pitcher can also be used for emergency preparedness.
Pros
- The Epic Nano’s water filtration removes an incredible number of drinking water contaminants.
- It’s worth mentioning that this water filter pitcher is one of the few pitchers that is capable of removing viruses (a hurdle that even the
Clearly Filtered water filter pitcher can’t jump). - The Epic Nano Pitcher has private testing against NSF standards 42, 53, 401, P473, and P231.
- The pitcher is 100% recyclable and made from 100% BPA-free plastic – and is backed by a lifetime warranty.
Cons
- Some customers had issues with a slow flow rate after a few weeks of use.
- The Epic Nano Pitcher has an expensive upfront cost, and with regular filter changes, it’s more expensive than other pitchers to maintain, too.
Read the Full Review: Epic Water Filter Pitchers Review
Epic Nano Water Filter Dispenser
The Epic Nano Dispenser a dispenser that uses the same filter as the Epic Nano water filtration pitcher. The difference is that the Epic Nano Dispenser can hold up to 1.5 gallons of water, so you won’t need to refill this dispenser frequently.
Key Features
- Impressive contaminant removal – The Epic Nano Dispenser can remove common well water contaminants from your drinking water – and just as the Epic Nano water filter pitcher removes viruses, so does the Epic Nano Dispenser.
- 1.5 gallon capacity – This dispenser filter can hold up to 1.5 gallons of tap water at once.
- Tested to NSF Standards – Independent testing deems the Epic Nano Dispenser capable of meeting NSF Standards 42, 53, 401, and P473, for the removal of heavy metals, pesticides, fluoride, emerging contaminants, PFOA, PFOS, and more.
- LED filter countdown timer – The LED timer lets you know after 90 days that the filter needs changing, ensuring your water quality never dips.
Best for: Anyone looking for a bigger version of the Epic Nano Pitchertcher that can be filled and used over several days, with fewer top-ups required.
Pros
- The Epic Nano Dispenser excels at microorganism removal, and targets viruses as well as bacteria – a rare feature of a water filter pitcher.
- This dispenser is made from 100% BPA-free plastic and requires fewer refills than a smaller pitcher filter.
- With the Epic Nano Dispenser, you’re protected against harmful contaminants, and the filter is backed by independent testing.
Cons
- When the dispenser is full of tap water, most people wouldn’t be able to carry it around, so it’s not the most portable of water filters.
- As with the Epic Nano Pitcher, some customers complained that filtration speed slows down after just a few weeks of use.
Proone Water Filter Pitcher
This Proone water purification pitcher has the longest filter life compared to any of the best water filter pitchers for well water on the market.
Key Features
- Targets 200+ contaminants – The Proone filter can reduce or remove more than 200 drinking water contaminants, including common well impurities like heavy metals, PFAS, VOCs, pesticides, herbicides, and microbiological contaminants, improving water quality.
- BPA-free design – This filtered water pitcher is BPA-free made from PVC-free plastic, so it won’t add anything dangerous to your drinking water.
- Fruit/vegetable infusion tube – You can use the Proone as an everyday pitcher for your tap water or add fruit and veggies to the fruit/vegetable infusion tube for filtered, flavored tap water.
- NSF certified & independently tested – This pitcher filtration system is NSF/ANSI-42 component certified and independently tested to NSF/ANSI Standards: 53, P231, P401 and P473.
Best for: Anyone looking for a filtered water pitcher that they won’t need to put a lot of time or money into using. With its 6-month filter cartridge lifespan, the Proone is a great low-maintenance everyday pitcher option.
Pros
- The Proone improves tap water quality by removing common well water impurities and allows you to customize your water taste with fruit and vegetable infusion.
- The heavy-duty filter has a 6-month lifespan, or 225 gallons of water, making it one of the longest-lasting water filtration pitchers on the market.
- The pitcher has a 6.5-cup capacity, providing plenty of filtered drinking water for one person all day.
Cons
- There’s no filter life indicator, so it’s your responsibility to remember when to change the filter.
- The Proone is a drip filter, so don’t expect to get instant access to filtered drinking water with this filtration system.
Lifestraw Home Water Filter Pitcher
Lifestraw is best known for its portable straw filters, but the brand has recently expanded its offerings to include a water filter pitcher. The Lifestraw Home is the best water filter pitcher if you’re looking for a glass alternative to the mostly-plastic pitcher market.
Key Features
- Independently tested for well water contaminant removal – The Lifestraw Home has been independently lab tested and proven to protect against all the harmful contaminants you might find in your well, including bacteria, mercury, heavy metals like lead, parasites, PFAS, pesticides, and herbicides.
- Sediment filtration – Although this water filter pitcher can’t tackle major sediment issues, it can reduce dirt, cloudiness, and sand, making it an all-in-one solution for low-sediment well water.
- Glass and plastic designs– The Lifestraw Home comes in two different glass designs and three different BPA-free plastic designs. Whether you prefer lightweight, easy-carry plastic or you enjoy the attractive, grown-up feel of glass, Lifestraw has you covered.
- This filtered water pitcher has a unique dual-filter design. The activated carbon and ion exchange filter has a filter capacity of 40 gallons of water (around 2 months) while the membrane microfilter has a filter capacity of 264 gallons of water (around one year).
| Lifestraw Home Options | Price |
|---|---|
| 7-Cup | $44.95 |
| 10-Cup | $49.95 |
Best for: Folks looking for a well water filter that has a few more material, color and size options than the rest. If you’re looking for a water filter pitcher that can tackle low levels of sediment, the Lifestraw Home is also for you.
Pros
- Lifestraw is one of the most trusted brands for improving water quality, and its water filtration pitcher range uses reliable technology to ensure your drinking water is safe.
- The Lifestraw Home has a BPA-free design, whether you choose the plastic or the glass pitcher.
- Lifestraw gives you the choice between two pitcher sizes: a 7-cup pitcher and a 10-cup pitcher
- This filter’s membrane microfilter has an incredible filter capacity, and you’ll only need to change the filter cartridge once a year.
Cons
- The activated carbon filter only lasts for two months – we’ve seen a better filter capacity on other pitcher filters.
🧾 How We Chose
For this guide, we focused purely on water filter pitchers that were capable of filtering common contaminants in well water. This is a fairly niche offering – not all water pitchers can remove the kinds of contaminants that are found in wells. For this reason, our choices were already narrowed down to the very best, most capable water filter pitcher products – and from there, we hand-picked the products that ticked out boxes.
We chose the filters on this list based on their contaminant removal capabilities, how they lived up to customer expectations, their customer feedback and reviews, their value for money, and their material quality.
Contaminant Removal Capability
Unlike city water, well water isn’t regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). For this reason, well owners are responsible for testing their water and removing contaminants using a capable water treatment system.
The more harmful contaminants that a water filter pitcher can remove, the cleaner, tastier, and safer your well water will be.
City water and well water contain different trace contaminants. While city water contains chlorine and disinfection byproducts, well water contains natural contaminants and pollutants found in groundwater.
We focused on filters that could remove common well water contaminants, such as bacteria, iron, fluoride, and volatile organic compounds (VOCS). In most cases, this meant that the filter pitcher was designed to remove hundreds of contaminants, including city and well water contaminants.
Related: Do Reverse Osmosis Water Pitchers Exist?
Customer Reviews & Feedback
Customer feedback says a lot about the quality of a water filter product. The manufacturers of a product tell you what you want to hear, while customer reviews tell you what to expect from a product, regardless of the manufacturer’s claims.
When choosing products, we searched through hundreds of customer reviews – both on the manufacturer’s website and marketplaces like Amazon – to get an understanding of how our shortlisted filters lived up to customers’ expectations.
We learned a lot about the user-friendliness and longevity of our shortlisted products from customer reviews. In some cases, customers updated their reviews with positive or negative feedback that gave us a better understanding of how a product performed in the long run.
Material Quality
The quality of materials used to produce a water filter was a big factor for us when selecting our top choices. The majority of water filter pitchers are made from plastic, and there were two considerations that we made for this material:
- The type of plastic used. For instance, Tritan is one of the most durable and damage-proof plastics, so we favored filter pitchers made from this material.
- Whether the plastic was BPA- and BPS-free. This was a must for us. Considering the whole purpose of a water filter is to remove contaminants, we didn’t want any of our chosen filters to add contaminants back into water.
Material quality has an effect on a water pitcher’s performance and longevity, and we selected only the products that had the strongest, highest-quality, most durable materials, offering a better value for money than their competitors.
Cost Factors
Water filter pitchers are some of the most affordable water filtration solutions on the market, but cost was still an important factor during our research, because we knew that some people have bigger budgets than others for the upfront and annual costs of owning a water filter.
The average cost of a filter pitcher for well water is $30 to $80.
Compare this cost to the monthly cost of bottled water – around $20.
If you stop buying bottled water in exchange for a water filter pitcher, it’ll take you four months, at most, to “pay for” the filter pitcher in your bottled water savings.
We could have chosen pitchers closer to the bottom of this price range to ensure that all our recommended products were affordable to everyone. But we didn’t consider how cheap a product was – we considered its value for money.
Some water pitchers simply offer more than any other filter pitcher on the market. These are justifiably sold at a higher price (for instance, our top choice, the
Aside from initial cost, we also looked at the annual cost of owning a water filter pitcher.
Luckily, this cost is low. You don’t need to pay to replace multiple filters every few months. Most pitchers use a single filter that needs replacing after 3-4 months of use.
The average annual cost of water filter pitcher maintenance is $70 to $200.
The cost depends on the price per replacement filter, and how many replacement filters are needed per year.
Many water filter manufacturers offer bundles of filters at a lower price per filter, so if you’ve got the money to buy multiple filters upfront, you definitely should.
🧪 How We Tested
Our testing initially involved using Tap Score, our trusted laboratory, to measure contaminants in a sample of water before filtration and after filtration.
This gave us an understanding of a filter’s capabilities, but there was a flaw – our own water sources were pretty mild compared to the water sources that would be used by, say, the NSF/ANSI for official testing.
Our water simply didn’t contain the variety and quantity of contaminants needed for us to deduce exactly how well one filter could perform against another. So, rather than conducting our own testing, we looked to professional testing carried out by third-party organizations (sometimes the NSF/ANSI, and sometimes certified laboratories in the US).
How do we now test our products? We focus on the usability and customer-friendliness of the filters we test at home. With everyday use, we can evaluate the filter’s benefits and drawbacks much better than we could from customer reviews and product descriptions alone.
🧫 Common Well Water Contaminants
According to the EPA, well owners should look out for the following contaminants in their drinking water:
- Microorganisms like bacteria, parasites, and viruses
- Nitrite and nitrate
- Organic chemicals
- Heavy metals
- Radioactive elements, known as radionuclides
- Fluoride
Other, less dangerous contaminants in well water include iron, manganese, water hardness, and sulfur.
👉 Check out this guide to learn all about testing your well’s water quality.
✔️ Benefits of Using a Pitcher Water Filter for Well Water
If you choose to use a pitcher water filter for your well water, good for you! You’ll get the results you’re looking for, while saving a whole lot of money in the process.
Let’s take a look at the benefits of using a pitcher water filter for well water.
No Installation Required
The alternative water treatment option for well water is typically a whole-home well water filter. While these filters have their benefits, they don’t actually offer much more than a pitcher in terms of contaminant removal – and they’re a pain to install.
Filter pitchers, on the other hand, don’t need to be installed – they just require assembly. While some of us feel slightly ill at the thought of DIY, most of us can handle clicking or testing a few parts together. Filter pitchers are so easy to assemble that you certainly won’t need to make a panicked phone call to your local plumber. The same can’t be said for other well water filter types.
Quick & Convenient
Water filter pitchers are some of the most convenient filters for well water that you can get your hands on.
Aside from needing no installation, pitchers are quick and easy to use. If you fancy a drink, you just have to fill the pitcher with water (in the same way that you’d fill a glass with water – something you’re hopefully versed in doing).
Once the pitcher is filled, you’ll need to wait a bit for the water to filter. Then pour from the jug and take a drink. It’s that easy.
Another convenient aspect of water filter pitchers is that you can take them anywhere. Heading on vacation? Most water filter pitchers are lightweight enough to pack in your suitcase. Just stuff something soft inside the pitcher to prevent it from breaking.
Good for Emergencies
Power outage? Earthquake? Local flooding? In any emergency scenario, you can use the best water filter pitchers for your well water.
As long as you have access to a source of water, you can use your filter pitcher to make water safe for drinking.
The water filter pitchers for well water featured in this guide are all capable of removing microorganisms like bacteria, so you won’t get sick if you have to drink potentially unsafe water in an emergency scenario.
Affordable
Finally, water filter pitchers for well water are much more affordable than any other filter product on the market.
They cost less than $100 upfront, and around $100 annually. Think of how easy it is to splurge $100 on a shopping trip or a fancy new toy for your kids/pets. Split up over 12 months, that annual cost of $100 is less than $10/month. That’s affordable for most of us.
Compare that cost to the cost of owning a point-of-entry well water filter. These filters cost hundreds of dollars upfront, and you’ll need to pay around $300-$400 per year on filter replacements. The best water filter pitchers help you to make massive savings for virtually identical results.
❌ Drawbacks of Using Water Filter Pitchers for Well Water
Of course, like all good things, water filter pitchers for well water have a few caveats to be aware of.
Limited Amount of Drinking Water Filtered
You can only filter so much water in a filter pitcher. Most pitchers are designed to produce between 8 and 12 cups of filtered water at a time.
This makes sense. Imagine how big a pitcher would have to be to produce 20 or 30 cups of water at once. You’d never be able to pick it up, and the act of pouring from it would become some sort of bodybuilding test of endurance.
However, because of the size limitations of a water filter pitcher, you don’t have access to a continuous flow of filtered water, as you would with a filter that connects directly to your waterline. If you’re just using a pitcher for drinking, that’s fine – but if you want to use it for cooking, filling your pets’ water bowls, watering your plants, and so on, you’ll need to refill the pitcher multiple times throughout the day.
Filtration Takes Time
Another disadvantage of water filter pitchers is that they use gravity filtration, meaning they don’t have the power of water pressure to send water through the filter.
What does that mean? Filtration is a lot slower with this type of filter than a filter attached to your waterline.
Depending on the type of filter and size of pitcher you have, you might have to wait for up to 10-20 minutes for a full batch of water to be filtered.
Luckily, most pitchers let you pour filtered water from the spout without waiting for the whole jug of water to be filtered, so you don’t have to wait too long if you’re thirsty. Still, owning a water pitcher doesn’t give you fast access to water as you’d get from simply turning on your tap.
Limited Contaminant Removal Capability
Well water filter pitchers are incredibly capable, but that doesn’t mean they can remove all common well water contaminants.
There are some types of contaminants that can only be removed with specific processes.
For instance, hardness minerals can’t be removed by a water filter. If your water is very hard, you’ll need to look at installing a water softener.
The same goes for minerals like iron and manganese. These contaminants need to be removed with air or chemical injection and oxidation, which requires a point-of-entry system with a much more complex setup than a water filter pitcher.
A high level of microbiological contaminants, such as bacteria and viruses, may also need dedicated treatment, such as distillation or UV purification, because a water filter pitcher may not be able to remove all of these contaminants.
Sediment is also a problem for some well owners. Sediment damages most filters, including water filter pitchers. So, if you’re dealing with a sediment issue, you’ll need to install a sediment filter at your home’s waterline to prevent damage to your pitcher filter.
Only Filters Drinking Water
If you’re dealing with well water contaminants that are damaging your home’s plumbing or appliances, even the best water filter pitcher for well water won’t solve your problems.
Water filter pitchers can only be used to filter drinking water – i.e. water that has traveled all the way through your plumbing system and out of your faucet.
As you can imagine, it wouldn’t be physically possible to install a water filter pitcher at your home’s point of entry, intercepting your waterline before any of your appliances.
This means that, if your water contains contaminants like iron or hardness minerals, you’ll be better off considering a whole-home water filtration system or softener that can tackle the problem before it even enters your plumbing.
💭 Considerations When Selecting a Pitcher Water Filter for Well Water
There’s a lot to think about when you’re choosing the best water filter pitcher for well water, including:
Contaminant Removal Capability
Not all water filter pitchers can remove the same contaminants. And, the thing is, you don’t necessarily need a filter pitcher that removes the most contaminants – you just need a pitcher that can remove your problem contaminants.
If you haven’t already tested your well water before buying a water filter pitcher, start there. You need to know what your water contains, and what you require a filter to remove. Use a certified testing laboratory like SimpleLab, which offers different well water testing packages depending on how thorough you want testing to be.
Make a list of the contaminants that you want to remove and compare this to a filter’s contaminant removal data. You can then work out which filters are best for you based on their removal capabilities.
Filtration Technology
Most water pitcher filters use a variation of carbon filtration, which tends to be best for gravity filtration because a slow water flow maximizes the filter’s adsorption abilities. However, some filter pitchers use additional filter stages within one cartridge, such as an ion-exchange resin, or a patented filtration process, like the
Consider the filters that combine several filter stages to provide a more thorough filtration than their competitors. Prioritize carbon filtration, because this is a tried-and-tested method for gravity filtration – but see what else a filter offers alongside adsorption.
Filter Capacity (Lifespan)
The filter capacity of a water filter pitcher refers to the lifespan of the filter cartridge.
Imagine that, several times a day, you poured unfiltered well water through a fine-mesh sieve.
In the first few days, the sieve would probably look no different than usual. But, over the days and weeks that followed, the sieve would eventually become discolored from the contaminants it had caught, and the water flow would slow, because the contaminants would block the holes.
The same thing happens with a water filter. Eventually, the filter will become so clogged with contaminants that water flow will be compromised and the filter won’t be able to perform at its usual standard. Failing to replace a filter can also lead to mold and bacterial growth, so it’s essential to change your filters when they reach the end of their lifespan.
Most water filter pitchers for well water have a capacity of three to four months.
This means you need to replace the filters every three to four months, depending on the quality of your water and how many times you refill the pitcher per day.
The bigger the filter’s capacity, the longer you can wait between filter changes. However, there’s a limit to filter capacity with water filter pitchers, and in most scenarios, you shouldn’t expect a filter to last longer than four months.
Filtered Water Holding Capacity
There’s another capacity to consider with a water filter pitcher: the holding capacity of the pitcher jug itself.
Most filter pitchers can hold at least 8 cups of water. The bigger the holding capacity, the less frequently you’ll need to refill the jug. However, the bigger the holding capacity, the heavier the jug will be.
Most people will be fine pouring from a pitcher that holds 8-12 cups of water. If you have mobility issues, check to see if your chosen brand offers smaller jugs. If you want to cut down on how many times you refill your pitcher, look to see if your chosen brand offers larger pitchers or dispensers using the same filter technology.
Flow Rate
The flow rate of a filter pitcher determines how quickly you’ll have access to a batch of clean, filtered water.
Keep in mind that even the best water filter pitcher for well water will have a slower flow rate than a filter connected to your waterline. This is because filter pitchers use gravity filtration – as in, the pulling force of gravity that keeps us anchored to the ground – to send water through the filter.
Most water filter pitcher brands won’t disclose their actual water filter flow rates, which can make it difficult to determine how quickly or slowly you’ll have access to filtered water. Through our own experience with pitcher filters and customer reviews, we’ve determined that the average time to fill an entire pitcher jug is 10-15 minutes.
The exact time depends on the filter jug size (the bigger the jug, the longer it will take to fill the jug), the number of contaminants in your water (the more contaminants your water contains, the longer the water will take to pass through the filter), and the age of the filter (the older and more clogged the filter, the longer it’ll take to filter water).
Cleaning & Maintenance
Nobody enjoys cleaning, but it’s an unfortunate part of our day-to-day lives.
Thankfully, cleaning a filter pitcher is about as simple as cleaning a standard pitcher jug. You just remove the filter and put it in a safe spot while you wash and dry the pitcher. Clean the pitcher at least twice a week.
As for maintenance, this is something to put more consideration into.
Your sole maintenance duty – to replace the filter – will depend on how long the filter lasts. The longer the filter’s lifespan, the less frequently you need to change the filter cartridge.
Still, maintenance is a lot easier for a pitcher filter than for a multi-stage filtration system, regardless of how often you need to replace the filter.
Certifications
There are several certifications that a manufacturer can obtain to prove to customers that its products are safe and effective. The most popular certifications are awarded by NSF International, an independent testing organization that tests products and determines whether they meet public health and safety standards.
Some NSF certifications to look for in a water filter pitcher for well water are:
- NSF 53 – For lead removal
- NSF 244 – For bacteria, virus, and cyst removal
- NSF 401 – For emerging/incidental compounds
- NSF P473 – For PFOA and PFOS removal
The best water filter pitchers won’t necessarily have an official NSF certification. Some pitchers have been independently tested to NSF Standards. Often, this is because the manufacturer can’t afford an NSF certification – which is incredibly expensive – so if the manufacturer has third-party testing to NSF Standards, this is almost as good as the real thing.
Learn all about NSF Certification for Water Treatment Systems 👈 Click Here
Shape & Size
The shape and size of a filter pitcher is more of an aesthetic decision than anything else.
However, you may want a pitcher that can fit in your fridge door; in which case, you need to look for a compact pitcher that will do the job. If a filter pitcher is slim enough to fit in a fridge door, the manufacturer usually won’t keep quiet about it.
Other than that, look for filters with ergonomic designs, especially the handles, which will make it easier to pour from the jug when it’s full of water.
Keep in mind that the bigger the pitcher jug, the more space it’ll take up – so it’s best to have an idea of the maximum jug size you want for sitting out on your countertop and storing in your cupboard when it’s not in use.
Materials
We’ve discussed material quality and durability earlier in this guide.
When considering filter pitchers for well water, prioritize those that are made from a durable material, like Tritan.
As for filter materials, carbon is a good material because it’s eco-friendly. Look at brands that offer recycling schemes for their filter cartridges, or at least offer filters that you can recycle at your local recycling center.
Warranty
You’re not paying a fortune for a water pitcher filter, so the warranty for this type of filter is typically on the lower end.
Still, you should steer clear of products with no warranty at all, because this suggests that the manufacturer has no faith in their products.
Look for water filter pitchers with a warranty of at least 1 or 2 years. A lifetime warranty is the best warranty you’ll find. This covers the product throughout its expected lifespan, as judged by the manufacturer.
Some manufacturers offer 30- or 60-day money-back guarantees, too, which means you can test the product risk-free and decide whether it’s right for you. If it isn’t, you can return it within this 30- or 60-day window and get your money back.
❔ Frequently Asked Questions
Can a water filter pitcher remove iron from well water?
Typically, no. Iron removal requires a more complex process, and even the best water filter pitchers simply aren’t designed for removing iron.
How do I know when to change the filter?
Some water filter pitchers have filter change reminders, but if you buy a pitcher that doesn’t, make a note in your calendar four weeks from the day you buy the filter.
You might need to change the filter before the end of its predicted lifespan. Signs that you need to change the filter include a slow flow rate and poor-tasting water.
Which water filter pitcher brands are the most trusted?
Obviously,
You’ll notice that we haven’t included any Brita products on this list – not even the popular Brita Everyday pitcher. That’s because the Brita Everyday pitcher, and Brita’s other pitchers, just aren’t keeping up with other filters on this list. Yes, they can improve water quality, taste, and odor, but Brita’s filtration technology won’t protect you from most well contaminants.
What is the best water filter pitcher for contaminant removal?
The best well water pitcher for contaminant removal is the Clearly Filtered Water Filter Pitcher – by a long stretch! No other filter pitcher can remove more than 360 contaminants.
Are Brita filters good for well water?
Not really. We wouldn’t recommend Brita filters for well water because Brita’s products can only remove a handful of contaminants from water. Brita water filters won’t protect you from bacteria or other potential well water contaminants.
How is a water filter pitcher for well water different from a water filter pitcher for city water?
In some cases, water filter pitchers are designed for city water and well water. But generally, a well water filter pitcher will focus on well water contaminant removal, such as bacteria, rather than city water contaminant removal, like chlorine. The concept of filtration is the same, but the contaminant removal is different.
Can you use an alkaline water filter pitcher for well water?
Yes, there are several alkaline water filter pitcher models available that can be used for well water. Based on our research, though, none of these water filtration pitchers were good enough to make the list. If you are specifically looking for an alkaline water filter pitcher, I recommend looking at our best alkaline water filter pitcher guide here.
