We all know drinking water is good for us, but that doesn’t mean we all love the taste of it when it comes from the tap. Using bottled water is a big no-no for the planet, so buying one of the best water filter jugs is the answer for many households.
While water in the UK is highly regulated and safe to drink, a filter jug can provide extra assurance that the water we’re sipping is top quality, while helping to improve the taste. If you live in a hard water area, using filtered water in your kettle or coffee machine can help it to last longer.
As David Jenkins, associate professor of nanomaterials and devices from the University of Plymouth, explains: “The two main areas that water filters can address are taste and softness. Chlorine is added to water in the UK to kill pathogens and bacteria, making consumption safe. Chlorine adds a taste to water and its significance in tasting is subjective. The good news is that at the point of domestic consumption, this process is complete and chlorine can then be filtered out.”
There are all kinds of water filter jugs on the market, including some that add beneficial minerals and others that reduce plastic waste with refillable cartridges. Before buying, it’s important to consider the ongoing cost of refills, whether the jug is easy to keep clean and whether it can fit in your fridge if you don’t fancy drinking lukewarm water. Then just pour and enjoy.
Read more: Best reusable water bottles to keep you hydrated, tried and tested
The best water filter jugs for 2026 are:
- Best overall – Phox wave filter jug: £39.99, Phoxwater.com
- Best budget buy – Dunelm large filter jug: £10, Dunelm.com
- Best to keep track of filter changes - Brita style essential water jug: £25.99, Amazon.co.uk
- Best for easy filter changes - Brita glass water filter jug: £57.99, Amazon.co.uk
- Best looking water filter jug - Tappwater pitcherpro filter jug: £49, Amazon.co.uk
Read more: Are Brita’s water filters worth it? Our wellbeing editor put one to the test
Phox Water wave filter jug
Best: water filter jug overall
Capacity: 2.8l
Number of filters included: 2
Reduces: Lead, chlorine, copper, bad taste and smell
Filter price: £14.99 for two, £49.99 for eight
Fits in fridge: Yes
Dishwasher-safe: Yes, but hand washing recommended
LED display: No
Why we love it
- Less plastic waste with a refillable filter cartridge
- Choice of filters
- Attractive design
Take note
- Filter refills can only be bought online
Phox Water’s wave is the best water filter jug I’ve tested. It contains the world’s first refillable filter cartridge, cutting down on the millions of cartridges that go to landfill each year. Instead, fresh filter granules are added into the same cartridge once every 45 days – cartridges in most other jugs I tested lasted around 30 days.
You can sign up to a subscription service to receive these and the packs fit through the letterbox. Better still, there are three different filters to choose from, so you can choose the one that suits your water best – whether you want to add in healthy minerals, cut down on limescale or tackle very hard water.
I also really liked the overall design of the Phox water filter jug. Made from BPA-free plastic, the jug has a turquoise handle that is comfortable to use and a waterdrop-shaped opening on the lid for easy filling. It fits nicely in my fridge and the water from it tasted clean and fresh, and gave a good TDS reading of 240ppm (mostly soft water with a good balance of minerals).
If you’re hoping for an easy-to-use filter jug that improves the taste of your water with impressive eco credentials, Phox’s wave is the one to go for.
Buy now £39.99, Phoxwater.com
Dunelm large filter jug
Best: budget water filter jug
Capacity: 2.8l
Number of filters included: 1
Reduces: Limescale; organic compounds and impurities such as chlorine and pesticides; heavy metals such as lead, copper and cadmium
Filter price: £8 for three, £16 for six
Fits in fridge: Yes
Dishwasher-safe: Yes, without lid
LED display: No
Why we love it
- No need to remember when changed filter
- Great value
Take note
- Cartridge life indicator is a little flimsy
This water filter jug from Dunelm is a bargain and a great choice if you’re keen to try one without spending too much cash. The replacement filters are also fantastic value and are said to reduce water hardness as well as heavy metals, organic compounds and pesticides.
It’s easy to fill the jug without taking the lid off completely and it holds a good amount of water, so I didn’t feel like I was refilling it every two seconds. I especially liked the fact it fitted comfortably in my fridge door. The cartridge life indicator on the lid is handy to keep track of when the filter needs changing, but it is a little clunky to operate.
I didn’t see quite as dramatic a reduction on the TDS monitor as for some jugs, with an average reading of around 290ppm (mostly soft water with a good balance of minerals). If you’re looking for a similar jug which shows more noticeable results, try the Brita style essential water jug. But otherwise, this is a great budget buy that noticeably improved the taste of my water.
Buy now £10, Dunelm.com
Culligan zerowater water filter jug
Best: jug for strong filtration
Capacity: 2.8l
Number of filters included: 1
Reduces: Lead, total PFAS, chlorine, pharmaceuticals
Filter price: £62.99 for four
Fits in fridge: No
Dishwasher-safe: No
LED display: Built in TDS monitor
Why we love it
- Excellent filtration
- Comes with a built-in TDS monitor
Take note
- Heavy
- Didn’t fit in my fridge
- Pricey replacement filters
If you’re looking for scientific proof that your water filter is up to scratch, you can’t go wrong with Culligan’s zerowater jug. Made of BPA-free plastic, it claims to reduce 99.9 per cent of impurities from tap water, with five-stage advanced filtration that removes chlorine, lead, total PFAS (forever chemicals), pesticides and pharmaceuticals.
In fact, it even comes with a built-in TDS monitor to show the quality of the water inside the jug and let you know when it’s time to replace the filter. My unfiltered tap water has a high TDS reading, so I wasn’t expecting much, but was astonished to see a reading of between zero and three ppm every single time I filled the jug. That’s considerably lower than any other jug I tested, though some did add beneficial minerals, which skewed the readings.
Unfortunately, refills don’t come cheap and although the jug is meant to fit in fridge doors, it didn’t fit in mine. This meant I needed to rejig my shelves to make room for it. However, if you want to be certain there’s are minimal minerals left in your water, this is unbeatable.
Buy now £44.96, Amazon.co.uk
Brita style essential water jug
Best: water filter jug for easy filter changes
Capacity: 2.4l total, 1.4l filtered
Number of filters included: 1
Reduces: Chlorine; metals such as lead and copper; odour and taste-impairing substances such as chlorine; trace impurities such as certain herbicides, pesticides and pharmaceuticals
Filter price: Standard – £24.99 for six, £46.66 for 12; Limescale – £27.66 for six, £51.33 for 12,
Fits in fridge: Yes
Dishwasher-safe: Yes, except LED light
LED display: Light to show when filter needs changing
Why we love it
- Easy to buy replacement filters
- Reduces limescale in hard water
- Light to show when filter needs changing
Take note
- Not as stylish as some other jugs
The name Brita is synonymous with water filtration, so it’s no surprise that its style essential water jug does everything you’ll need it to. It’s easy to use the flip-top lid with one hand to refill, it’s light to pour and it fits neatly into my fridge door. There’s also a handy LED light on the top, which changes colour when it’s time to replace the filter so you don’t need to keep track yourself. This screws out easily when the rest of the jug goes in the dishwasher.
It can be used with two different types of Brita filters. One removes coarse particles, chlorine, substances that affect taste and trace impurities. Another also reduces limescale and would be great to use to filter water for a kettle or a coffee machine in a hard water area. I used the standard filter and it gave me an average TDS reading of 250ppm (mostly soft water with a good balance of minerals).
The water tasted great from the jug, especially as it was always cold straight from the fridge.
Buy now £25.99, Amazon.co.uk
Brita glass water filter jug
Best: lightweight glass water filter jug
Capacity: 2.5l total, 1.5l filtered
Number of filters included: 1
Reduces: Chlorine; substances that affect taste; metals such as lead and copper; trace impurities such as certain herbicides, pesticides and pharmaceuticals
Filter price: £37.49 for six
Fits in fridge: No
Dishwasher-safe: Yes, except LED light
LED display: Light to show when filter needs changing
Why we love it
- Light to show when filter needs changing
- Made of sustainable materials
- Glass is lightweight
Take note
- Doesn’t fit in fridge door
I expected Brita’s glass water filter jug to be heavy and impractical, however I was pleasantly surprised. It’s made of borosilicate glass, which is super lightweight, so it didn't feel any different from Brita’s plastic jugs. Even better, the borosilicate glass doesn’t absorb odours or taste, so the water had a crisp freshness to it that made it nicer to drink water from the plastic jugs. The average TDS level during testing was 230ppm (mostly soft water with a good balance of minerals).
The filter uses natural microcarbon from coconut shells, which reduces substances that affect taste, and has a super-fine mesh to capture coarse particles from old pipework. It also contains ion-exchange pearls to help soften water going into your appliances – a great bonus if you live in a hard water area.
The jug’s chunky rounded design looks good enough to leave out on the table, but it wouldn’t quite fit in my fridge door. I did love the robust rubber seal on the lid though as it didn’t splash or leak, even when my children poured water from it. The LED light is also useful to let you know when it’s time to change the filter and fortunately, BRITA filters are very easy to buy online and in supermarkets during your weekly shop.
Buy now £57.99, Amazon.co.uk
Tappwater pitcherpro filter jug
Best: looking water filter jug
Capacity: 1.6l total, 1.45l filtered
Number of filters included: 1
Reduces: More than 60 substances including chlorine, limescale and heavy metals
Filter price: £29.90 for two, £58 for a year’s subscription
Fits in fridge: Yes
Dishwasher-safe: No
LED display: No
Why we love it
- Ready to use out of the box
- Long lasting filters
- Adds minerals
Take note
- Pours slowly
- Pricey replacement filters
There’s no doubt that Tappwater’s pitcher pro was the best-looking water filter jug I tested. Made of sleek borosilicate glass, it would be a stylish addition to any dinner table.
It’s also the easiest jug to start using – simply fill it with tap water and pour. The jug comes with the filter already inside, so there’s no need to soak or submerge it first as the others needed. Unlike other jugs, the water is only filtered as you pour it into the glass, rather than sitting inside the jug after filtration. That does mean it’s a lot slower to pour than any other water filter jug.
It’s claimed that the five-stage filtration removes a whopping 60 substances such as lime and chlorine, but interestingly, this jug had the highest TDS result of all the jugs I tested, averaging 290ppm (mostly soft water with a good balance of minerals). That’s because a final filter layer of Swedish mineral rock actually adds desirable minerals such as calcium, magnesium and potassium, which makes the TDS reading misleading in this case.
There’s certainly no doubt that the water tasted good and especially smooth, although filter replacements are on the pricey side.
Buy now £49, Amazon.co.uk
Aquaphor fresh filter jug
Best: water filter jug for large households
Capacity: 3.2l
Number of filters included: 1
Reduces: Limescale, chlorine, pesticides, heavy materials, microplastics
Filter price: £15.99 for three, £41.99 for twelve
Fits in fridge: Yes
Dishwasher-safe: Yes
LED display: No
Why we love it
- Great price
- Affordable filters
- Large capacity
Take note
- Flip lid is a little flimsy
- Takes longer to get started than most
Unless you want to be refilling several times a day, it’s worth choosing the biggest jug you can find, especially if – like me – you have two teenagers in the house who keep ‘forgetting’ to refill after use. Aquaphor’s fresh filter jug has a capacity of 3.2l but it still fits in my fridge door, which is essential.
It has a flip top lid, which felt a little flimsy but made it easy to refill without taking the whole lid off. There’s also a dial to keep tabs on when you need to change the filter.
The ion-exchange filter uses aqualen technology to reduce limescale, chlorine, PFAS and microplastics. The average TDS reading from the water in the jug was 190ppm and I could definitely taste the difference in drinking.
Bear in mind that the filter needed submerging in water for 10 minutes before use, which was a touch longer compared with the other jugs I tested.
While it’s not as attractive as the Tappwater pitcherpro filter jug, Aquaphor’s filter jug is still a great buy for a larger household, especially as the filters are available at a reasonable cost.
Buy now £16.99, Amazon.co.uk
Waterdrop Lucy filter carafe
Best: glass water filter jug
Capacity: 2l
Number of filters included: 1
Reduces: Heavy metals, chlorine, coarse particles such as microplastics
Filter price: £17.90 for three, £29.90 for six
Fits in fridge: Yes
Dishwasher-safe: Carafe only
LED display: No
Why we love it
- Looks good
- Uses pads rather than plastic filters
- Filtered water quickly
Take note
- Expensive
- You’ll need to make a note of when you changed the filter
Waterdrop’s Lucy filter carafe is another water filter jug designed to cut down on plastic waste. The jug is made from borosilicate glass and the inner cylinder is BPA-free plastic.
Instead of traditional plastic filters, you insert a Lucy clarity pad that should last around four weeks. This has compactly woven activated carbon fibres and uses ion exchange technology to remove pollutants, but preserve minerals. Subsequently, water from this jug gave me one of the highest TDS readings of 280ppm, but this can’t be compared with readings from jugs that don’t retain beneficial minerals.
I liked having this in my kitchen and thought it was one of the most stylish options I tested. It also filtered quickly, so I was never standing around waiting for a glass of water when it needed refilling. The taste of the water also got a big thumbs-up from everyone in my house.
Buy now £59.9, Waterdrop.com
Your questions on water filter jugs answered
What is the best water filter jug?
If you don’t like the taste of your tap water, any of these jugs will improve it. However, the Phox wave 2.8l filter jug came out top in my tests because of its stylish design, fridge-friendly size and especially its impressive eco credentials, with a refillable filter cartridge.
The Brita style essential water jug is another good option if you’d prefer to spend less and choose a jug with filters that can easily be picked up in the supermarket. The LED light is is also really handy for reminding you when it’s time to change the filter. Dunelm’s filter jug is a good budget option too – it fits comfortably in the fridge, filtration is decent and replacement filters are excellent value.
How do water filter jugs work?
Water filter jugs generally use several layers of filtration to remove certain components, which can improve taste and remove contaminants from your water. These commonly include activated carbon to remove elements such as chlorine and pesticides, while ion-exchange resin can reduce hardness and some heavy metals. A mesh screen is often present to catch larger particles. Most systems use gravity to funnel tap water through the cartridge into the jug below.
When should I replace the filter in a water jug?
“All of these systems employ filters, which must be replaced according to the manufacturer’s guidelines,” Jenkins says. “For pitcher style water filters considered here, filter costs per annum range from £30-£80, according to make and filter type. They can even be as high as £150 per year. For basic or standard jug cartridges, replace them every 4 weeks (or 15 L) and for long-life, they are every 2-6 months.
“This will of course depend on if you have hard water or high sediment levels as the filter may clog and need replacing more frequently, or if you have high usage.”
Some jugs come with a dial or light to make it easier to remember. You should also change the filter if the water starts to smell strangely or not taste right.
How I tested water filter jugs
I used all these jugs in my own family kitchen for several weeks, to see which one worked the best. I considered several different factors including:
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
Siobhan Grogan has been writing product reviews for IndyBest since 2021. She has a keen eye for detail and quality, and looks for products that will ensure our readers get the best value for money. She’s reviewed everything from reusable water bottles to the best induction pans, so she knows how to spot a great product.
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