10 best water filter jugs tried and tested

They often come with health claims, too, which need to be taken with a pinch of salt. Look for companies that back up their claims with science or even publish scientific whitepapers, like Water2. Also, while some come with accurate indicators telling you when it's time to change your filter, with others it's a bit of a guessing game.

Not only do they make for a refreshing glass of water, but filtered water is favoured by coffee experts and used to fill up espresso coffee machines, bean-to-cup coffee machines and pod coffee machines. Tea-lovers needn’t feel neglected as filling your kettle with filtered water can reduce nasty limescale build up.

We tested a wide range of filters against criteria including cost, ease of use, taste and environmental credentials to find the best water jugs to buy. Read on to discover our recommendations.

Best water filter jugs at a glance

• Best water filter jug for good looks and great-tasting water: Aarke Purifier, £79.99
• Best water filter jug for two-stage filtration and purification: Larq Pitcher Pure Vis, £168
• Best water filter jug for eco credentials: Phox Wave, £40
• Best all-round water filter jug: BRITA Style water filter jug, £28.49
• Best large-capacity water filter jug: BRITA Flow, £54.99
• Best water filter jug for multi-tasking: pH REPLENISH glass alkaline water pitcher, £26,99
• Best water filter jug for accurate filter changes: Aquaphor Onyx water filter jug, £21.99
• Best water filter jug for instant filtration: Tapp Water Pitcher Pro, £49
• Best budget water filter jug: Argos Home water filter jug, £13
• Best under-sink water filter: Water2 Filter, £99

Jump to:

• Best water filter jugs to buy in 2024
• How to choose the best water filter jug
• How often should you change the filter on your water filter jug?
• How we tested water filter jugs

Best water filter jugs to buy in 2024

Aarke Purifier water filter jug

Best water filter jug for good looks and great-tasting water

Pros:

• Superb quality
• Stylish
• Excellent water taste

Cons:

• Heavy
• Does not fit in the fridge door

Star rating: 5/5

There is no denying that the Aarke Purifier is a good-looking water filter jug. The jug and handle are glass, and the lid, filter and reservoir are high-quality stainless steel; the jug resembles a cafetière rather than a water filter.

We particularly like the firm rubber seal inside the lid, which prevents leakage when pouring, and the detachable black rubber bumper on the base of the jug, which means it sits firmly on the worktop or a fridge shelf. Unfortunately, the size means it may not fit inside the fridge door.

Sustainability ranks high with this Swedish-designed water filter; there is no plastic anywhere, and the stainless-steel filter can be used repeatedly, with the granules reducing limescale, heavy metals and chlorine.

There was a distinct difference in taste after filtering, with the water sparklingly clear with a soft, rounded taste. There is a dial in the lid that acts as a reminder to change the granules, which last up to 120 litres.

We also love that the whole jug is dishwasher-safe. We did notice that the materials make this a little heavy when filled, but otherwise, this is a superb water filter.

Capacity: filter 1.8 litres, total volume 2.4 litres
Fits in fridge door: no
Dishwasher-safe: yes
Filter indicator: dial in the lid
BPA-free: yes

Larq Pitcher Pure Vis

Best water filter jug for two-stage filtration and purification

Pros:

• Double filtration and purification
• Rechargeable filtration light
• Large capacity

Cons:

• Heavy

Star rating: 5/5

The Larq Pitcher Pure Vis water filter is impressive. The quality of the build is superb, with a large glass jug, easy to hold handle and stylish, screw-on reservoir that holds the advanced filter. With a unique two-stage filtration process, the set-up does require a little reading.

The first filtration involves water passing through a plant-based cartridge in the reservoir to remove contaminants. Then, as you fill it with tap water through the flap in the lid, the patented PureVis™ UV-C LED blue light illuminates to reduce bacteria in the water. Plus, the light automatically cleans the water in the jug every six hours for 60 seconds, making the jug self-cleaning.

This super-efficient, high-tech water filter produces delicious-tasting, clear, clean, soft water. The filter will last an astonishing 230 litres, higher than many other filters. Is it worth the money? We think so for the quality of water and a stylish-looking jug to sit on any kitchen counter or table.

Capacity: 1.9 litres
Fits in fridge door: yes
Dishwasher-safe: self-cleaning
Filter indicator: in app
BPA-free: yes

Phox wave

Best water filter jug for eco credentials

Pros:

• Refillable cartridge
• Choice of filter purpose
• Letterbox subscription
• British made

Cons:

• Caution when inserting the cartridge

Star rating: 5/5

The British-made Phox Wave is the latest water filter jug from this young, inventive, sustainable company, based near Glasgow. Its eco-credentials are impeccable, thanks to its policy of sourcing as much of its manufacturing, packaging, design and distribution within a 50-mile radius of its office in Glasgow as possible.

The water filter jug looks good and is made of BPA- and phthalate-free plastic with a stainless steel handle. It is lightweight, despite being able to hold up to 2.8 litres, and will fit into most refrigerator doors. The filter is refillable, and two types of filter are available, for either clean water or alkaline. Each lasts up to 45 days (or 200 litres), which we feel is impressive.

We did find that fitting the filter into the reservoir is a little tricky – we even dropped it twice, losing some of the granules in the process. We tested the clean filter and were delighted with the soft, clean, lovely mouthfeel of the water it produced – it was easily one of the best on our test.

Capacity: 2.8 litres
Fits in fridge door: yes
Dishwasher-safe: yes
Filter indicator: in app
BPA-free: yes

BRITA Style water filter jug

Best all-round water filter jug

Pros:

• Simple and accurate filter indicator
• Sleek looks
• Easy to use

Cons:

• Small reservoir
• Confusing instructions

Star rating: 5/5

There's a reason so many water jugs take BRITA filters as standard – BRITA have cornered the market, and their experience shows. The lid of this smart-looking jug is available in muted tones of blue, grey or green, the body is made of good-quality, sturdy materials, and it's simple to use. The Style takes BRITA's new Maxtra+ filters, which last around four weeks and cost £17.25 for three to replace.

The filter has a unique 'traffic light' indicator, which is removable so you can put the whole jug in the dishwasher, and it should last around five years. Each time you fill the jug, a light in the lid flashes green, orange or red, giving an accurate indication of how soon the filter will run out and giving you time to buy replacements. BRITA also runs a filter recycling scheme: head online, and you can search for your nearest participating store.

This model fits in a fridge door, but is also available in an XL 3.6-litre model if you're looking for something larger – the reservoir of the 2.4-litre version only holds 1 litre water, so it needs fairly regular filling. With its filtered water tasting noticeably softer, this is a great all-rounder.

Capacity: 2.4l
Fits in fridge door: yes
Dishwasher safe: yes
Filter indicator: yes

BRITA Flow

Best large-capacity water filter jug

Pros:

• Great value
• Big capacity
• Recyclable filters

Cons:

• Bulky and heavy
• Confusing instructions

Star rating: 5/5

This tank version of the classic BRITA Style jug holds an impressive 8.2 litres, making it ideal for any fans of BRITA's jugs who are fed up with regular refills. A tap at the bottom pours smoothly, and locks into place so you don’t have to hold it down. In muted tones of blue and white, it looks sleek, and is perfect for perching on your kitchen counter – or inside a fridge if you have room – with a sliding panel for easy filling.

If your attempts to grapple with the instruction leaflet (which for some reason is designed like a giant, unwieldy road map) are unsuccessful, fitting the filter is fairly intuitive: instructions for prepping it are printed on the packet, and it’s very easy to install. Although this tank wouldn't be suitable for frail users, it's ideal if your household uses a lot of filtered water.

Capacity: 8.2l
Fits in fridge door: no
Dishwasher safe: yes, apart from lid
Filter indicator: yes

pH REPLENISH glass alkaline water pitcher

Best water filter jug for multi-tasking

Pros:

• Biodegradable filter
• Long-lasting
• Good looks
• Travel pouch included

Cons:

• Doesn't fit in all fridge doors
• Need to buy test strips separately to check pH

Star rating: 4.5/5

The pH REPLENISH jug, which raises the pH of tap and bottled water from around 6.5-7.5 to 9+, comes with a leaflet explaining the health benefits of drinking alkaline water. From warding off inflammation to creating a hostile environment for cancer cells, the claims are bold – and to date, not backed up by robust science.

The PH can be tested using drops bought separately. But even if you're not convinced you need alkaline water in your life, the pH REPLENISH filter – a biodegradable pouch containing mineral balls made of eight different materials – also removes nasties including harmful bacteria, lead, aluminium and chlorine, as well as adding iron, zinc and calcium.

Each filter lasts for an average of 106 days (replacements are around £24 for three, making them fairly good value), and they produce tap water that's noticeably smoother with less of a tang.

As well as being easy to use – simply soak the pouch for six minutes before putting it inside the infuser – this is a good-looking and sturdy glass jug that can also be used for making fruit-infused and chilled water or, without the infuser, as a wine carafe. So even if you're not sold on all the health claims, this is a pretty attractive option.

Capacity: 1l
Fits in fridge door: no
Dishwasher safe: yes
Filter indicator: no

Aquaphor Onyx water filter jug

Best water filter jug for accurate filter changes

Pros:

• Attractive design
• Good value
• Large capacity

Cons:

• Too big for a fridge door
• Bulky
• Filter requires soaking before use

Star rating: 4.5/5

Retailing at around £22, this jug is great value for money. Unlike many plastic water jugs, which tend to look a little clunky, this model has a classic rounded design, making it one of the best-looking jugs we tested.

We especially liked the unique filter indicator – while most are electronic, meaning the batteries will eventually run out, this has an analogue indicator triggered by opening the lid. Set it to zero when you attach a new filter, and it will click upwards each time you fill the jug, quantifying your actual use rather than indicating how long the filter has been in place. It's simple, but clever.

It would have been nice to be able to see inside the reservoir to see how water filtering is coming along, but as the jug is larger than most, you won't need to refill it quite so often – although that also means it won't fit in an average fridge door. The filter removes irons and heavy metals, as well as adding magnesium, and water is noticeably smoother.

Specifications
Capacity: 4.2l
Fits in fridge door: no
Dishwasher safe: yes, apart from the lid
Filter indicator: yes

Tapp Water Pitcher Pro

Available from Amazon (£49)

Best water filter jug for instant filtration

Pros:

• Easy to assemble and use
• Filters 80+ substances

Cons:

• Instructions only on an app

Star rating: 4.5/5

Water filters do not come much easier to use than the Tapp Water Pitcher Pro. The 31cm tall, sturdy glass carafe comes in a recyclable box and packaging. A tube attachment for faster pouring and an activated carbon fibre filter are also included.

Simply rinse the filter under running water for 60 seconds, pop it into the lid of the carafe, fill it with tap water, and away you go. We didn't, however, like the lack of an instruction booklet (save for a few notes on the box), and needed an app to access one.

The Pitcher Pro is an instant filtration water filter, so it filters as you pour and delivers water that has not been standing in a jug, but is freshly cleaned. We very much enjoyed the soft, odourless taste of the water after the three-stage microfiltration technology removed the chlorine, limescale, heavy metals, microplastics and up to 80 other organisms without removing any healthy minerals.

The filter needs to be replaced every three months and is not reusable. Other than this, we liked the simplicity of and excellent-tasting water from the Pitcher Pro.

Capacity: 1.45 litres
Fits in fridge door: yes
Dishwasher-safe: glass and lid
Filter indicator: on an app
BPA-free: n/a

Available from:

• Amazon (£49)

Argos Home water filter jug

Best budget water filter jug

Pros:

• Fantastic value
• Takes BRITA cartridges
• Easy to fill

Cons:

• Slow filtering
• Basic design

Star rating: 4/5

This is a brilliant basic water jug, and for the price, it's astonishing that it includes an indicator to tell you when to change your filter. Taking both BRITA Maxtra or own-brand filters, which are a bargain at £10 for three (we also tried it with a Maxtra+ filter and it worked), it's a simple but sturdy model.

The parts are easy to remove and there's a handy tab to make sure the filter tank doesn't come out with the lid when you remove it. It pours smoothly, isn't too heavy, and is slim enough to fit in a fridge door.

Although it can hold 1.25 litres in total, the tank is a little on the small side, and it's quite slow to filter, but these are small niggles at such a reasonable price. Using Argos own-brand filters, we couldn't really taste any difference between filtered water and tap, but there's always the option of choosing slightly pricier BRITA filters, which result in a marked taste difference, and those also have the advantage of being recyclable.

Capacity: 1.25l
Fits in fridge door: yes
Dishwasher safe: yes
Filter indicator: yes

Best under-sink water filter

Water2 Filter

Available from Water2, £129

Best under-sink water filter

Pros:

• Filters to 0.1 microns
• Fits all European taps providing they're flexi pipes
• Recyclable packaging
• Made in a solar-powered facility in Italy

Cons:

• May need to tweak your under-sink setup if you have old piping

Star rating: 5/5 stars

If you're willing to fork out a bit more for a longer-lasting filter, the Water2 capsule, born out of collaboration with University College London, offers a year-long lifespan and installs onto the cold tap pipe under your sink. The internal filter is sourced from coconut shells and uses a proprietary blend of activated carbon and silver ionisation to filter tap water to 0.1 microns – something Water2 says is 2,000 times more effective than the Brita Maztra Jug. In real terms, this means it removes the nasties – like 99.999% of bacteria, viruses, microplastics and more – but leaves the good stuff.

The packaging was all recyclable. Inside the box is a capsule and filter, a white adapter for converting 3/8" to 1/2" to fit all taps in Europe, two black washer circles for the input and output, a battery to power the smart capsule indicator and a how-to guide in English and Italian. This guide offers easy-to-follow pictures but very small written instructions. More useful was the series of step-by-step setup videos that you can access once the capsule arrives.

There wasn't a noticeable impact on water pressure after instillation but it made a big different on taste and mouthfeel. It won't fit every under-sink area immediately, particularly in older homes. It works best if you have flexi tap tails installed.

Available from Water2, £129

Other water filter jugs tried and tested

• ZeroWater 7-cup pitcher, £29.99

How to choose the best water filter jug

• Capacity: the capacity of the jug you need depends on a couple of factors. Before making a purchase, think about how much you drink in a day and how many people in your household are going to use the water filter jug. There are no hard and fast rules about what size water filter jug you should buy, but see below for general guidance.
  One-to-two-litres: for one-to-two people
  Two-litres+: for families, those who drink lots or if you don’t want to keep refilling the jug throughout the day
• Size: if you plan on keeping your water filter jug in the fridge, check the dimensions of your chosen jug before buying to ensure that it’ll fit comfortably in or on the shelves.

How often should you change the filter on your water filter jug?

The answer to this question very much depends on the brand and model of your water filter jug. It also depends on how often you’re using it. Some water filters come with indicators to let you know it’s time to change it, which is useful. But, all new water filters will let you know how long the filter is supposed to last, this is typically displayed in months and filters can last anywhere from two to six months.

If you can’t remember when you last changed your filter, look out for these signs that the filter needs replacing:

• Water smells odd
• Water tastes metallic
• Water is filtering slower than usual

How we tested water filter jugs

We tested a representative sample of water filter jugs and scored them against the following criteria.

Filters
We looked at whether filters were easy to use, recyclable or biodegradable, how easy they were to buy, and how expensive they were to replace.

Taste
We compared filtered water against tap water in a hard-water area to see if there was a noticeable difference. We also looked into any health claims made about each jug's filtering capabilities.

Quality
We judged how attractive the jugs were, how sturdy and durable, and their environmental impact, as well as testing them for leaks.

Ease of use
We tested practical elements such as removal of the lid and reservoir, pouring, lifting, and filling each jug to make sure there weren't any fiddly or tricky parts. If the jug came with an indicator, we checked it was accurate and easy to use.

Cleaning
We looked at how easy the jug would be to clean – does it have an indicator that needs to be removed? Will it show up limescale? Are the removable parts tricky to separate?

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