💧 Brita Pitcher Filter
How Brita works:
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Brita uses activated carbon and ion-exchange resin.
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Removes chlorine taste and odor, zinc, copper, mercury, some particulates, and certain other contaminants.
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Easy to use: just pour tap water into the pitcher, and it filters as it passes through the cartridge.
Pros:
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Affordable and easy to set up.
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Requires no plumbing.
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Brita is good for basic taste improvement and light filtering.
Cons:
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Doesn’t remove dissolved solids, fluoride, arsenic, nitrates, or heavy metals effectively.
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Filters need to be replaced frequently (every ~40 gallons or 2 months).
🧪 Reverse Osmosis (RO) System
How it works:
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Forces source water through a semi-permeable membrane.
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Removes up to 99% of dissolved salts, heavy metals, fluoride, nitrates, arsenic, pesticides, and many microorganisms.
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Includes multiple stages: sediment filter, carbon filter, RO membrane, and sometimes UV or remineralization filters.
Pros:
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Thorough filtration – removes many more contaminants.
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Produces very pure water, often better than bottled.
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Especially good for homes with well water, or where water quality is a bigger concern.
Cons:
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More expensive upfront and to maintain.
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Sends rejected water to drain (typically about 3 gallons wasted for every gallon purified depending on system, water temp. and pressure). Drinking water is a small % of total household usage, however.
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Requires installation (usually under the sink or in basement with line running up to separate kitchen faucet).
See link for more information on reverse osmosis at https://h2ocare.com/reverse-osmosis-ro-water-purification/.
In Summary:
If you’re just trying to make tap water taste better, Brita is fine. If you’re concerned about contaminants, health risks, or have poor water quality, Reverse osmosis is much more powerful.
Water Testing and Filtration