Brita Everyday Elite pitcher review

What Brita lists

Brita's page for its 10-cup pitcher with the Elite filter lists a 10-cup capacity and one Brita Elite filter in the box, and says the Elite filter removes 99 percent of lead and reduces 30 contaminants. The filter is rated for 120 gallons, which Brita puts at about 6 months for most households, and the pitcher has a SmartLight indicator that tells you when to change it. Brita's footnote bases that on a 120-gallon filter life and an average family's 11 glasses a day.

Brita's support FAQ says Elite filters last up to six months (120 gallons) on average, three times longer than its standard filters, that the Elite and standard filters fit all Brita pitchers and dispensers, and that Brita offers a 30-day money-back guarantee and a 1-year warranty. We read the Tahoe-shaped 10-cup page for the figures; the Everyday pitcher in the listing we track takes the same Elite filter.

Lead: yes. PFAS: no

CDC's advice, which our water filters for lead and PFAS comparison is built on, is to use a point-of-use filter certified by an independent testing organization to NSF/ANSI 53 for lead. The WQA's certified product listings show Brita's Elite under NSF/ANSI 53 with a lead reduction claim, which is why it is on our list, and Brita's own page points to the performance data sheet for the OB06 filter for the specific claims.

Neither Brita's product page nor its FAQ makes any PFAS, PFOA or PFOS claim for the Elite filter, so do not buy it for that. If PFAS is your concern, look at the filters on our comparison that carry an NSF/ANSI 53 PFOA/PFOS claim.

Living with a pitcher

A pitcher filters in batches. Ten cups is about two and a half quarts, so a household that drinks and cooks with filtered water refills it several times a day. Brita's FAQ says an Elite filter should take 10 to 15 minutes at most to filter a full reservoir, and that slow filtering is usually sediment in the tap water. Hard water, Brita says, may mean changing filters more often than 6 months.

In a boil-water advisory a Brita does nothing useful: Brita's FAQ is explicit that its filters reduce chlorine taste and odor and some health contaminants such as copper, cadmium, mercury and lead, and pitcher filters are not certified for bacteria or viruses. Our boil water advisory guide and make water safe guide cover what does work.

Filter changes and cost

Two filter changes a year is the running cost. Brita's page says the Elite's replacement filters last 6 months so you change them twice a year, and the SmartLight tracks it; Brita's FAQ explains how to reset older indicators for the Elite's longer life. Keep a spare in the cupboard so the change is never put off.

How it compares, and who should skip it

The PUR Plus faucet mount gives certified lead reduction on tap with no refilling, at the cost of a filter every 100 gallons or 3 months and a faucet it will fit. The Brita wins on simplicity, renters and cost per filter; the PUR wins on convenience and on the number of contaminants its certification covers.

Skip the Brita if PFAS is what you are filtering for, if you want filtered water for cooking in volume, or if you hope a pitcher will make unsafe water safe during an advisory: it will not.

Is the Brita Elite filter certified for lead?

Yes. The WQA's certified product listings show Brita's Elite under NSF/ANSI 53 with a lead reduction claim, and Brita says it removes 99 percent of lead. See Brita's performance data sheet for the full list.

Does it remove PFAS?

Brita's product page and FAQ make no PFAS, PFOA or PFOS claim for the Elite filter, so treat it as a lead and taste filter and look elsewhere for PFAS.

How often do I change the filter?

Every 120 gallons or about 6 months for most households, per Brita; the SmartLight indicator tracks it. Hard or sediment-heavy water may mean sooner.

Will it make water safe in a boil-water advisory?

No. Brita's filters are certified for taste, odor and certain metals such as lead, not for bacteria or viruses. Boil the water or use a method from our guide.