The cheapest way to start filtering
Low cost, no installation — and real limits worth knowing.
A filter pitcher is the least committed way to improve tap water. No plumbing, no tools, no landlord permission. For a household bothered by chlorine taste, it often solves the entire problem for the price of a takeaway meal.
The limits are equally real. Capacity is a jug at a time, cartridges need changing every month or two, and the filtration itself is modest compared with an under-sink system. Pitchers are a taste-and-chlorine solution, not a treatment system.
Pitcher, dispenser or bottle?
Dispenser
Larger tank with a tap, sits on a shelf. Better for families who empty a pitcher too fast.
Filter bottle
Filters as you drink. Useful for travel and the gym rather than the kitchen.
Replacement filters are the real cost
The jug is cheap; the cartridges are where the money goes. Before choosing a brand, check the price of a multi-pack of its filters and how long each is rated for. A pitcher that takes widely stocked standard cartridges will cost less to run than one tied to a proprietary shape.
Brita Standard, 5-pack
Fits Brita pitchers and dispensers. Reduces chlorine taste and odour while leaving minerals in place.
Brita faucet system
If a pitcher is too small, a faucet mount filters on demand without plumbing work.
Compare all types
Pitchers are one of six approaches. See how they stack up against countertop and under-sink systems.
Getting the most from a pitcher
Rinse a new cartridge before first use, keep the pitcher refrigerated to slow bacterial growth in standing water, and change the filter on schedule rather than when the water tastes bad — by then it has been exhausted for a while. If your household drinks enough to empty the jug several times a day, that is a signal you have outgrown pitchers and a faucet or under-sink filter will cost less per litre.
Buying in Canada? Filters shipped from US retailers can attract provincial duties, taxes and carrier brokerage fees payable on delivery. Buying from a Canadian-fulfilled seller avoids those charges entirely.
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