Brita vs PUR Faucet Filters | A Head-to-Head Comparison

Last updated Nov 29, 2021

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Welcome to our Brita vs PUR faucet filter comparison guide. In this guide, you’ll learn everything you need to know about these two faucet filters before you decide which is the superior option for your home.

Choosing the best faucet filter is quite tricky because all of them come with their own set of drawbacks. It’s our goal to give you the best chance of avoiding any potential pitfalls and choosing a reliable filter that requires little to no maintenance.

Brita and PUR are two of the most well-known home water filtration brands, and two of the most trustworthy names. Both companies manufacture NSF/ANSI certified filters, which is not always easy to find in the loosely-regulated water filter space.

In this guide, we provide a head-to-head comparison chart, replacement filter info, and share our winner.

Let’s start with a spec comparison.

Brita vs PUR Faucet Filter Spec Comparison

Brita Tap Water Filter PUR Basic Faucet Filter
Filter Media Activated Carbon Granules, Ion Exchange Resin Activated Carbon, Ion Exchange Resin
NSF/ANSI Standards Reduces 60 Contaminants
  • NSF/ANSI 42
  • NSF/ANSI 53
  • NSF/ANSI 401
  • Chlorine taste & odor, Lead, Asbestos, TTHMs, VOCs, Pesticides, Herbicides, Pharmaceuticals
Reduces Over 70 Contaminants
  • NSF/ANSI 42
  • NSF/ANSI 53
  • NSF/ANSI 401
  • Lead, Mercury, Chlorine, VOCs, Cysts, Pesticides, Herbicides, Pharmaceuticals, TTHMs
Filter Life 100 Gallons or 4 Months 100 Gallons or 3 Months
Dimensions 5.28″ x 4.80″ x 2.26″ (Height x Width x Depth) 6.75″ x 2.87″ x 5.25″ (Width x Height x Length)
Filter Life Indicator YES CleanSensor Monitor
BPA-Free YES NO
Available Finishes Chrome, White, White w/ Filter Indicator Black, Chrome, Chrome w/ Bluetooth, Metallic Grey, Stainless Steel, White
Warranty One-Year Limited Warranty 2-Year Limited Warranty
Price Check Price at Amazon #ad Check Price at Amazon #ad

Notes

  • As part of our review process, we run a search on the Water Quality Association (WQA) website to verify NSF/ANSI certifications. We want to point out that PUR uses an independent lab and does not appear on the WQA website. Brita faucet filters are certified by the WQA under NSF/ANSI Standards 42, 53, 401.
  • There’s no mention of PUR using BPA-Free materials in its faucet filters, while Brita clearly states its parts are BPA-Free.

Replacement Filters

In this section, we’ll go over the available replacement filters for both systems:

PUR Basic (1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Packs)

PUR MineralClear (1, 2, 3, 4, 6 Packs)

Brita Faucet Replacement Filter (2 & 3 Packs)

Replacement Filter Notes

  • Both systems include the first filter.
  • Brita offers filters in both chrome and white finishes to match the model you choose.
  • PUR offers two different filter models. The MineralClear filter has an added mineral stage to enhance the flavor of your filtered water. The good news is the MineralClear filter only costs a dollar or so more, and it removes the same contaminants as the Basic filter.
  • Brita has a 1-Click Filter Replacement that makes changing filters a breeze.
  • 3-packs of Brita and PUR replacement faucet filters cost roughly the same while a 2-pack of Brita filters is more affordable.
  • Brita filters are labeled BPA-Free, and PUR filters are not.
  • Both filters remove lead, chlorine, and most other common water contaminants.
  •  Both filters do no remove fluoride. 

Now that we have the basics out of the way, let’s see what to expect from Brita and PUR faucet filters.

What to expect?

An integral part of our review and comparison process is a close look at the current information to discover trends. At this point, we know both of these faucet filters use the same types of filtration media to remove a wide range of contaminants, but how do they perform?

Brita Faucet Filter Reviews

  • Great tasting water consistently
  • Water flow issues may arise
  • Good filtered water for making coffee
  • The filter life indicator may not be the most accurate
  • It’s better to make the switch from running to filtered water while the faucet is closed
  • The faucet filter is more convenient than the pitcher since you don’t need to wait
  • Plants and pets enjoy Brita filtered water
  • If you owned PUR before Brita, you’re likely to prefer the new Brita filter over PUR
  • Take care when installing the filter to avoid common issues

PUR Faucet Filter Reviews

  • It’s great to use it for cooking, coffee, pets, and watering flowers with great results
  • The main issue with this filter appears to be durability. The PUR filter definitely delivers on taste and filtration, but there’s the chance of units lasting for under a year.
  • Easy-peasy installation process
  • Leaks are generally the most common problem with faucet filters, and it’s one of the reasons we don’t recommend faucet filters as a first choice
  • There’s a Bluetooth version of the PUR faucet filter that allows you to track your water consumption and the filter life. Though it can be difficult to connect through the app, or you might stop using it after the first couple of weeks.
  • Similar to Brita, when the PUR filter works, it’s not a bad filter, just don’t expect it to last for years.

Brita or PUR faucet which is better? The winner is…

After finishing our analysis, we chose:

Brita

Why did we choose Brita?

There are three main reasons why we chose the Brita faucet filter over PUR:

  1. The first reason is Brita is BPA-Free. We couldn’t find any mention of PUR being BPA-Free, and we feel as though if their faucet filters were BPA-Free, PUR would make it known on its packaging and/or product description.
  2. The second reason is Brita filters are listed on the WQA website. PUR uses an independent lab, which isn’t as trustworthy as appearing on the WQA website.
  3. If one thing is for sure, neither of these faucet filters is built to last. They’ll last you about the same period, and the Brita system & filters are more affordable. Why pay more for PUR? That’s the question I asked myself.

Bottom Line

Neither Brita’s nor PUR’s faucet filters impressed us. The one thing we do like about Brita is the NSF/ANSI certifications on the WQA website. If the company strived to construct better housing for its faucet filter, the system could be a winner.

Perhaps Brita is okay with selling a system they know will break because people will always come back for more. This could be the same case for PUR since the companies are two of the most recognizable names.

Are you interested in a better alternative to Brita and PUR faucet filters? We recently reviewed the Waterdrop faucet filter, and we like it a lot more. The filter life is 320 gallons or 3 months, and replacements are very affordable.

Jump Back to Comparison Chart