Review: Brita Wave 10-Cup Water Filter Pitcher
Written by: Alexandra Uta // Expert Fact-Checking: Buddhini Dolapihilla, MBSS // Last Updated: Nov 22, 2023
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The Brita Wave is a 10-cup water filter pitcher that is highly affordable.
But is it also effective at removing harmful water contaminants?
We’ll discuss this and other questions in the review below!
Contents
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Brita Wave 10-Cup Water Filter Pitcher |
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| Price: | $$ |
| Filter Process: | Activated Carbon, Ion Exchange |
| Filter Life: | 40 Gallons |
| Total Storage Volume: | 10 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 Wave 10-Cup Water Filter Pitcher – All Specs
- Model: Wave (OB53)
- Annual Maintenance Cost: ~$40-50
- Filter Media/Process: Activated Carbon, Ion Exchange
- Filtering Capacity: 40 gal or 2 Months
- Storage Volume: 10 Cups
- WxHxD: 6.38”x10.32”x11.8”
- Weight: 3.3 lb.
- Water Temperature: 32-85 °F
- NSF Certifications: Standard 42, 53
- Warranty: 90 Days
Brita Wave – Key Features
The Brita Wave 10-Cup Water Filter Pitcher is a pitcher-style filter system featuring both activated carbon and ion exchange filter media. In addition to its average 10-cup storage capacity, it sports several features that can make it an attractive choice for everyday use.
Most importantly, the Brita Wave comes with 2 of Brita’s Standard filter cartridges. They use
- a mesh screen to capture larger particles.
- coconut-based granular activated carbon for the reduction of mercury (96%) as well as chlorine taste and odor (95%).
- ion exchange resin which acts like a magnet to copper (86-94%), zinc (64%), and cadmium (93-96%).
All in all, filtration is rather basic, meaning it focuses on improving how your drinking water tastes and smells. Is it suited for removing more harmful contaminants such as PFAS or chromium 6? Not really!
What’s more, an electronic filter life indicator lets you know when a filter cartridge is approaching the end of its useful life, plus an easy-fill flip-top lid makes filling the reservoir a breeze.
Brita’s new comfort grip handle provides an ergonomic grip and attractive look. Plus the Brita Wave is available is 3 different colors: White, berry, and blue.
Filter life is 40 gallons/2 months at $40-50 in annual replacement cost. Product warranty: 90 days.
Brita Wave Pitcher Pros
Selling for less than $50, the Brita Wave pitcher retails at quite an attractive price point, making it a solid option when you don’t want to splurge on more advanced pitcher systems. The maintenance costs are also reasonable, coming in at approximately $40 to $50 annually, depending on your usage level and water quality.
Equally as important are the NSF certifications awarded by both the NSF and the WQA for standards 42 and 53. This essentially backs up Brita’s claims about contaminant reduction.
Additionally, the system features BPA-free materials.
You also get a 30-day money-back guarantee for peace of mind.
What Contaminants Are Being Removed?
The Brita Wave features a mesh screen, activated carbon, and ion exchange resin inside its Standard filter cartridge. The mesh screen and activated carbon remove chlorine taste and odor (96%), mercury (95%) as well as particulates, while the ion exchange resin removes copper (86-94%), cadmium (93-96%), and zinc (64%).
By the way, you can swap the Brita Standard filter cartridge with the Brita Elite to remove more contaminants.
The Brita Wave – learn more on Amazon.com
Assembly and Filter Priming
Setting up the Brita Wave is simple, but does require washing and flushing the cartridge before use.
To set up the system:
Please consider these instructions as a general guideline. Always make sure to check and follow your user manual before getting started.
- Clean your hands and then wash the pitcher thoroughly with warm water and mild dish soap. Rinse and dry.
- Run cold water over the filter cartridge for 15 seconds to flush. Then, line up the filter and its housing using the groove as a guide. Push securely to form a tight seal.
- To activate the filter indicator, depress the ‘STATUS’ button for 2 seconds until the green-colored LED flashes 3 times.
- Now, pop the lid open and fill the filter with cold water. Discard the three first pitchers or use them for cleaning/plants. Fine carbon particles may appear in the first several pitchers, this is normal and not a cause for concern.
If you want to check the status of your filter life, press the STATUS button rapidly. If the red LED flashes, the filter needs replacement and it’s time to change cartridges.
The Package (Parts)
- Brita Wave Pitcher
- Lid
- Filter Cartridge
Maintenance
Like other water filter pitchers, the Brita Wave only requires periodic filter cartridge replacements as well as occasional cleaning. To change filter cartridges, follow these steps:
- Take the fresh cartridge out of its plastic packaging and set aside. Run cold tap water over the cartridge to flush it.
- Remove and discard the old filter cartridge.
- Line up the groove on the new cartridge with the slot inside the reservoir and depress firmly until it forms a strong seal.
- Fill the pitcher with cold tap water and discard the first three pitcher’s worth of filtered water.
The filter cartridge will need replacement approximately every 40 gallons. Annual cost: Around $40 to 50.
As mentioned before, a filter life indicator reminds you when to replace filters.
Manual
Here is a link to the official manual:
NSF and Other Certifications
The Brita Wave is tested and certified to NSF/ANSI Standard 42 for the reduction of ‘aesthetic effects’ in water. This standard relates to the removal of chlorine taste and odor as well as particulates.
In addition, the system is tested and certified to NSF/ASNI Standard 53 for the reduction of contaminants with known ‘health effects’. In this case, this pertains to the removal of cadmium, mercury, and copper.
Earlier Product Versions
There are many different filter pitchers by Brita. Most of them use the same filter cartridges. There have been plenty of pitchers before.
Brita Wave Filter Cons
While the Brita Wave water pitcher is overwhelmingly well-regarded, there are nonetheless several weak points that need to be addressed:
First, while the system has two NSF certifications (Standards 42 and 53), it is only certified to remove 5 contaminants. These contaminants are not typically the most important nor harmful contaminants requiring removal. On top of that, the filtration levels are not particularly impressive when compared to other pitcher-style water filters.
Another drawback is the relatively short 90-day limited warranty. This is shorter than we would like to see for a product of this type, which often come with one-year warranties.
Taking a look at customer reviews – while the overwhelming majority were positive – a few issues popped up repeatedly that merit mentioning. First, several users had issues with the lid hinge not closing properly. Secondly, a small number of users had issues with the plastic handle or pitcher breaking or cracking. This is not that unusual considering the pitcher’s price point, but something to be aware of.
Brita Wave Review: Our Verdict + Best for
Overall, the Brita Wave makes a solid option if you’re looking for a barebones affordable water filter pitcher. It retails at a fair price plus annual filter cartridge costs are below that of most competitors.
The important thing to keep in mind, though, is that the pitcher will only filter out basic contaminants and is not appropriate for more thorough filtration. While there are 2 NSF certifications – which is good – they only cover a mere 5 contaminants, and even then, the removal levels are not particularly impressive.
Essentially, if you’re looking for an affordable filter pitcher to improve the taste of relatively clean tap water, then the Brita Wave can be a good option. Anything more than that and you’ll want to look elsewhere.
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
A good way to gauge the merit of a water filter system is by comparing it with the top filters on the market. Let’s take a look at both the Clearly Filtered Pitcher and the Epic Pure Pitcher.
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: | $$$ |
| Filter Process: | Carbon Block, Ion Exchange |
| Filter Capacity: | 150 gal |
| Total Storage Volume: | 14.8 Cups |
| Annually: | $90-135 |
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Overall Rating: 4.5/5.0 ⓘRating based on filtration performance, filter life, price and yearly cost, NSF testing/certification, customer support, product warranty, our testing/experience, user feedback, and other factors.
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Brita Wave |
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| Price: | $$ |
| Filter Process: | Activated Carbon, Ion Exchange |
| Filter Capacity: | 40 gal |
| Storage Volume: | 10 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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First, the Clearly Filtered is a premium pitcher-style water filter with incredibly thorough third-party testing against NSF standards 42, 53, and 401. The system will remove over 350 contaminants including chlorine/chloramine, arsenic, lead, VOCs, pesticides, PFAS, chromium-6, trace pharmaceuticals, semi-volatile compounds, and DBPs. The pitcher uses a combination of granular activated carbon and proprietary filter media to accomplish this.
It features a 100-gallon filtration capacity, more than double that of the Brita Wave. It also features slightly better storage, at 17 cups total and 10 cups filtered volume. The pitcher also features USA construction, a removable lid for easy filling, a limited lifetime warranty, and a 30-day satisfaction guarantee. The system’s only major drawback is its higher price point and higher cartridge replacement cost.
Next, let’s take a look at the Epic Pure. This 14.8-cup pitcher-style filter system is somewhat more budget-friendly than the Clearly but retails for more than the Brita Wave. It’s specifically designed to remove contaminants commonly found in tap water and is tested to remove over 200 including fluoride, chlorine, chloramine, nitrites, arsenic, sulfates, lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, PFOA/PFOS, disinfection byproducts, trace pharmaceuticals and many more. NSF testing against Standards 42, 53, and 401 is included.
The pitcher features an impressive 150-gallon filter life, longer than both the Brita and the Clearly Filtered. Another interesting selling point is Epic’s recycling program, which allows you to send in four used filter cartridges for a new one free of charge. Additionally, the system features BPA-free construction, a lifetime warranty, and hassle-free returns.
Overall, comparing the above two systems with the Brita Wave it quickly becomes clear that the Brita falls short on filtration effectiveness. While the Clearly Filtered and Epic Pure are tested to remove between 200 and 350+ contaminants, the Brita is only tested to remove a mere 5. This may not be an issue for you if you’re looking for a budget option to improve the taste/aesthetics of relatively clean water, otherwise, it makes sense to look into the other 2.
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This completes our review of the Brita Wave 10-Cup Water Filter Pitcher. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below!
About the Author Alexandra Uta
Information provided on BOS is for educational purposes only. The products and services we review may not be right for your individual circumstances.
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