If you’re the sort of person who says, “Tap is fine” when asked “Still or sparkling water?” you might want to rethink your answer.
Between the news of “do not drink” warnings in Yorkshire due to tap water contamination and last year’s confirmation that London’s tap water is likely tainted by forever chemicals, the humble tap might not be the first place you look for healthy hydration.
However, water is still the best choice when it comes to your wellbeing – a glass of water will always outrank juices, fizzy drinks and drinks containing sugar, caffeine and preservatives. Water is better at keeping you hydrated and for your gut and skin.
So how can you ensure the water you’re drinking is safe? You could opt for bottled water, however, plastic bottles are notoriously bad for the environment and often aren’t recycled in the way they should be. You could also opt for disposable glass bottles but these are heavy and often more expensive.
Your best bet is an at-home water filter and luckily, there are plenty to choose from. The best water filters range from countertop machines that purify every drop and then re-add essential minerals (£369, Skumawater.com) and under-sink filters that transform your tap water (£129, Water2.com) to simple glass jugs with no-frills charcoal filters made from bamboo (£39.95, Livewanda.com). I’ve tried them all and each has its pros and cons.
But if you’re looking for something that offers filtered water, fits comfortably in the fridge and weighs in at a much more affordable price point than some of the aforementioned products, the Brita filter jug is a strong contender.
These jugs are incredibly popular but until a few years ago, I’d never tried one myself. Being ever-curious about the health benefits of every style of filter, I was keen to see how it would measure up and if it would be worth the price tag.
How I tested
I tested the jug for several months and compared it with other at-home filters I’ve tried. I assessed the product on price, design features, look and feel. Beyond this, I considered the quality and taste of the water. Similarly, I tested the filter cartridges, looking at their durability, how long they lasted, and the filtration claims made by the brand. I also took other details into account like sustainability credentials and how I felt after drinking the filtered water throughout the testing period.
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
Emilie Lavinia is The Independent’s fitness and wellbeing editor. When it comes to at-home health, she knows how to put a product through its paces and how to separate a viral trend from a quality investment. She has reported on health and wellbeing for more than a decade and works with a cohort of experts to bust wellness myths and discern which products and services are worth shopping for and which should be left on the shelf.
Brita marella filter jug 2.4l
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While your water should contain minerals, most of which are good for you, tap water can also pick up other minerals and heavy metals on its way to you through the water system. The UK’s tap water is some of the safest in the world, but that doesn’t mean lead, nickel, copper and arsenic aren’t present, especially if you live in an old house.
Having read that a Brita filter can reduce levels of lead, copper and other contaminants that may be present in tap water and reduce limescale, I opted to test this marella jug, which is reasonably priced at £21.99. It comes with three filter cartridges ready to install, but you do need to replace them. A pack costs around £30, but you can opt for Amazon’s own brand filters, which are cheaper but I can’t vouch for them.
Each Brita-approved cartridge lasts a whole month, delivering approximately 150l of filtered water. They are made of plastic, so I felt a little guilty throwing them away. However, Brita does offer a recycling programme – you simply take your used cartridges to your closest collection point.
The filters feature a new micro-mesh to reduce microparticles, which apparently makes them four times better than the previous cartridges and ideal for older houses and pipes, which gave me a little peace of mind. They filter in four stages, first with super fine mesh for larger particles, then with microcarbon made from coconut shells. After that water moves through ion exchange pearls which soften it and finally there’s more mesh.
As for the jug itself, it was lightweight, held 2.4l of water and provided very fresh-tasting water. I kept it in the fridge and ran it through the dishwasher once a week, removing the filter before doing this. I was worried that this might damage the filter reminder that shows you how much time you have left before a change is needed, but it seemed absolutely fine.
The jug is easy to refill thanks to the flip-up lid, and the little spout cover was a nice touch, designed to protect the water inside from any dust in the kitchen should you have yours on the countertop instead of the fridge.
If I were to be extra critical I’d say making a filter jug that helps remove microplastics from water out of plastic seems a little counterintuitive, but a glass version is available. It costs slightly more at £44.99 but is still very affordable compared to many other at-home filter products.
Buy now £21.99, Amazon.co.uk
The verdict: Brita jug
For an affordable at-home filter you can’t really go wrong with the Brita marella. But this is largely down to the quality of the filter. This means that any Brita jug will do the same heavy lifting when it comes to filtering tap water. You could go for the more expensive iteration with built-in sensors, the glass jug, an extra large jug or the cheapest jug in the collection – you’ll still be using the same filter cartridges so can count on tasty filtered water. If you’re concerned about the filter stripping out all the water’s minerals you can play it safe with a glass with added electrolytes each morning, which I do. But short of that, the Brita seems like a solid investment and a great one for your future health and your family’s health too.
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