Having filtered water on hand means buying less bottled water, which is a huge benefit in itself, but did you know it also tastes much better than the H20 that comes out of your tap? It can also even produce better-quality ice cubes for your chilled drinks.
Although you can splash out on some premium water filter jugs, there are plenty of very affordable models that do the job well, and we couldn’t detect any real noticeable differences in flavour between the filtered waters in our tests. So, to find the jug that’s perfect for you, there’s a few simple things to consider…
First, it’s worth checking the jug’s capacity to ensure it meets your daily water needs. The quoted figure may indicate the volume of the jug overall, however, the figure may refer only to the capacity of the carafe, which is actually the number you need to pay most attention to, as that’s the maximum amount of filtered water you’ll have in your jug at any one time.
Your next consideration will be the water filter cartridges, which although are nowhere near as expensive as their printer cousins, are still an additional cost. You’ll want to ensure you’re getting the optimum use out of the filters, so knowing exactly when to replace them is important. Or if you want to cut down on the amount of plastic bottled water you buy, you may want to consider a jug with a refillable filter compartment
The design of the jug you choose will also be an important consideration. If you prefer to drink chilled water, look for a slimline model that will fit into your fridge door, or that isn’t too tall to fit onto a fridge shelf. If the way the jug looks on your dining table is more important, you may want to spend a little more on one of the more aesthetically pleasing models.
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Each jug in this round-up had its own filter reminder system, ranging from a simple manually adjustable sliding scale built into the lid, to an LED sensor and even free downloadable apps. Each worked well, so it’s really down to personal preference.
We set up each jug following the manufacturer’s instructions and filtered water with it multiple times. We timed how long the jug took to filter 1l of water and compared the flavour of the filtered water to tap water. We assessed the design of the jug to see how effortless it was to fill, and how its weight affected ease of use. We also tested to see if the jug would fit into a fridge door, and its general robustness of construction. Finally, we took into consideration its aesthetic appeal.
Manufacturers make various claims about what their jugs filter from water, including chlorine, limescale, lead and pesticides. Our testing didn’t extend to verifying those claims, but we can say that all the jugs we tested did noticeably improve the flavour of the water that came out of our tap. Read on to find out what else we found…
For more information please see the list of Best fridge water filter pitcher
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