Review: Brita Metro 5-Cup Water Filter Pitcher
Written by: Alexandra Uta // Expert Fact-Checking: Buddhini Dolapihilla, MBSS // Last Updated: Dec 1, 2023
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The Brita Metro is a compact, lightweight 5-cup water filter pitcher designed for cramped places and convenience. However, that comes with certain compromises. Is the pitcher good enough to warrant a purchase overall?
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Brita Metro 5-Cup Water Filter Pitcher |
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| Price: | $$ |
| Filter Process: | Activated Carbon, Ion Exchange |
| Filter Life: | 40 Gallons |
| Storage Volume: | 5 Cups |
| Annual Cost: | ~$40-50 |
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Overall Rating: 3.5/5.0 ⓘRating based on filtration performance, filter life, price and yearly cost, NSF testing/certification, customer support, product warranty, our testing/experience, user feedback, and other factors.
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Brita Metro 5-Cup Water Filter Pitcher – All Specs
- Model: Metro
- Annual Maintenance Cost: ~$40-50
- Filter Media/Process: Activated Carbon, Ion Exchange
- Filtering Capacity: 40 gal or 2 Months
- Storage Volume: 5 Cups
- Weight: 1.3 lb.
- Water Temperature: 32-85 °F
- NSF Certifications: Standard 42, 53
- Warranty: 90 Days
Brita Metro – Key Features
The Brita Metro Water Filter Pitcher has a sleek design that makes it easy to fit into most narrow spaces including refrigerator doors. However, this comes at a cost – the pitcher can only hold 5 cups of water, which may or may not be enough for your needs.
The pitcher comes in two color schemes – red and white – and is pretty affordable, both upfront and when buying replacement filters.
By default, the pitcher comes with the Brita Standard filter cartridge, which is a step down from the Brita Elite in terms of filtration capabilities. However, you’re free to switch to Brita Elite if you prefer to use that one. With the Brita Standard, you get the following filtration stages:
- Mesh screen: captures various larger particles.
- Coconut-based GAC: captures mercury and chlorine, improving the smell and taste of water.
- Ion exchange resin: reduces copper, zinc, and cadmium.
The Brita Metro has a built-in filter replacement indicator that lets you know when it’s time for a filter change, and it comes with a convenient locking lid. The whole pitcher is made of BPA-free materials, and Brita offers a 30-day money back guarantee for your purchase.
Brita Metro Pitcher Pros
- Compact, lightweight design that makes it easy to fit the pitcher in small places.
- Very affordable, both upfront and in the long run.
- WQA and NSF certifications 42 and 53 for guaranteed contaminant reduction.
- Initial assembly and ongoing maintenance are straightforward.
What Contaminants Are Being Removed?
The Brita Metro can deal with the following contaminants, among few others:
- Large particles
- Mercury: 96%
- Chlorine: 95%
- Copper: 86-94%
- Zinc: 64%
- Cadmium: 93-96%
The Brita Metro – learn more on Amazon.com
Assembly and Filter Priming
To prepare the Brita Metro pitcher for use, you should take it out of the packaging and follow these steps:
Please consider these instructions as a general guideline. Always make sure to check and follow your user manual before getting started.
- Wash all body parts (except the filter cartridge, of course). Don’t use a dishwasher and do it by hand instead, using cold, soapy water.
- Take the filter cartridge out of its packaging and hold it under cold running tap water for at least 15 seconds.
- Insert the filter cartridge into the pitcher, ensuring the groove and ridge align properly. Push it in to seal it tightly.
- Fill the pitcher with cold water.
- Let the water filter through completely and discard the filtered batch.
- Repeat steps 4 and 5 two times.
- Press and hold the “STATUS” button for a few seconds to reset the countdown timer.
As you can see, the process isn’t overly complicated and can be completed within a few minutes!
The Package (Parts)
- Jug
- Reservoir
- Lid
- Standard filter cartridge
Maintenance
You’ll need to replace the filter cartridge in your Brita Metro once every 40 gallons or 1-2 months, whichever comes first. Pay attention to the replacement light indicator for an early alert. To replace the cartridge, simply follow the steps outlined in “Assembly and Filter Priming”.
If you use Brita Standard cartridges, annual maintenance is very cheap.
Manual
Here is a link to the official manual:
NSF and Other Certifications
There are official certifications against NSF standards 42 and 53 awarded by both the WQA and the NSF.
- 42 – WQA – aesthetic chlorine, nominal particulate class I, taste and odor, zinc.
- 53 – WQA – benzene, cadmium, carbon tetrachloride, copper, ethylbenzene, lead, mercury, methoxychlor, simazine, toluene, xylenes.
Earlier Product Versions
Brita is quite active in the market, and there have been various earlier versions of water filter pitchers. Some of them had a larger capacity – like 10 cups – but they usually used the same filter cartridges, so there isn’t much difference in terms of filtration effectiveness and overall contaminant removal.
Brita Metro Filter Cons
- Very small – for some people, the 5-cup capacity could be seen as an advantage, but it will likely be a hindrance to others, especially those living in larger households.
- Only 90 days of warranty.
- NSF and WQA certifications are provided, but we only have reduction rates for five contaminants, and those aren’t exactly the most important ones. Some of the given rates aren’t very good either, like 64% for zinc. If you need more advanced filtration, there are better pitcher filters out there.
- Pitcher may crack after some use.
Brita Metro Review: Our Verdict + Best for
Here is our final verdict for the Brita Metro 5-Cup Water Filter Pitcher: An overall affordable system with a compact design that could be attractive to some, but it doesn’t quite live up to the task when it comes to removing more stubborn and harmful contaminants. It might work well for improving the smell and taste of your water, but beyond that, you’ll want to look at more comprehensive products with advanced filtration capabilities.
Our Rating in Detail:
- Filtration Performance: 3.0/5.0
- Filter Capacity (Life): 3.5/5.0
- Purchase Price: 5.0/5.0
- Annual Cost: 5.0/5.0
- Overall: 3.5/5.0
Comparison to Other Water Filter Pitchers
If you want a water filter pitcher with better filtration properties, there are various alternative models worth considering. We recommend starting your search with the Clearly Filtered and Epic Pure.
Clearly Filtered |
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| Price: | $$$ |
| Filter Process: | Carbon + Composite Shell |
| Filter Capacity: | 100 gal |
| Total Storage Volume: | 17 Cups |
| Annually: | ~$150 |
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Overall Rating: 5.0/5.0 ⓘRating based on filtration performance, filter life, price and yearly cost, NSF testing/certification, customer support, product warranty, our testing/experience, user feedback, and other factors.
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Epic Pure |
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| Price: | $$$ |
| Filter Process: | Carbon Block, Ion Exchange |
| Filter Capacity: | 150 gal |
| Total Storage Volume: | 14.8 Cups |
| Annually: | $90-135 |
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Overall Rating: 4.5/5.0 ⓘRating based on filtration performance, filter life, price and yearly cost, NSF testing/certification, customer support, product warranty, our testing/experience, user feedback, and other factors.
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Brita Metro |
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| Price: | $$ |
| Filter Process: | Activated Carbon, Ion Exchange |
| Filter Capacity: | 40 gal |
| Storage Volume: | 5 Cups |
| Annually: | ~$40-50 |
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Overall Rating: 3.5/5.0 ⓘRating based on filtration performance, filter life, price and yearly cost, NSF testing/certification, customer support, product warranty, our testing/experience, user feedback, and other factors.
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The Clearly Filtered is a great option for those who want a premium product through and through. It’s gone through extensive testing, covering NSF standards 42, 53, and 401, and can effectively deal with more than 350 water contaminants. Some of the contaminants the Clearly Filtered Pitcher can deal with include chlorine/chloramine, lead, chromium 6, fluoride, pesticides and herbicides, trace pharmaceuticals, VOCs, and PFAS.
Each filter element lasts for up to 100 gallons, making this pitcher more efficient than the Brita Metro. You can store 10 cups of filtered water, which is great if you need a larger capacity, although some users might prefer the more compact form factor on the other hand. Thanks to the removable lid, you can fill the pitcher very easily. Built in the USA, we only have BPA-free materials. Plus, you get a limited lifetime warranty and a 30-day money back guarantee for additional peace of mind.
The Epic Pure is a great option if the Clearly Filtered is too expensive for you. The pitcher uses a blend of activated carbon and proprietary filter media to remove more than 200 water contaminants, and is NSF tested against standards 42, 53, and 401.
With their 150-gallon filter life, this pitcher’s filters have better longevity than both the Brita Metro’s and even the Clearly Filtered’s. You also get a countdown timer to let you know when it’s time to replace filters. Which, by the way, you can send back to the manufacturer – if you send four used filters, you’ll get a brand new one for free in return!
Filters are also made in USA. Plus, the pitcher can hold 14.8 cups total. You get a lifetime warranty and a hassle-free return policy as well. Not only that, but you can get a nice discount if you fall into one of those categories:
- Military personnel
- First responders
- Medical staff
- Teachers
- Students
- Seniors
- Owners/employees of non-profit organizations
All in all, we favor the Clearly Filtered Pitcher because it’s the most effective. But the Epic Pure is good, too, and a bit more affordable. The Brita Metro can be good if you need something small and affordable but don’t care about filter strength too much.
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This completes our review of the Brita Metro Water Filter Pitcher. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below!
About the Author Alexandra Uta
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