Written by: Gene Fitzgerald // Expert Fact-Checking: Buddhini Dolapihilla, MBSS // Last Updated: Sep 14, 2023
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Before we get started with our Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher review, you should know that the unit is for people who really, really care about the quality and taste of their drinking water.
The Clearly Filtered removes more contaminants than any other water filter pitcher on the market today, making it our top pick for the filtration of tap water and properly disinfected well water.
And there’s more…
Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher |
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| Price: | $$$ |
| Filter Process: | Granular Activated Carbon + Composite Shell |
| Filter Life: | 100 Gallons |
| Total Storage Volume: | 17 Cups |
| Annual Cost: | ~$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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You can use our code “WELCOME10“ to get a 10% discount on any purchase you make on clearlyfiltered.com (does not include replacement filters).
The Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher provides safe, clean, and crisp H2O as you have never tasted before. Sounds a bit exaggerated? We know, but it’s the truth!
What makes the filter pitcher stand out from the competition is that it’s the only model independently tested to 4 different NSF standards (42, 53, 401 & 473) and against literally hundreds of different contaminants.
In other words, effective contaminant removal for the highest drinking water quality is guaranteed. What will be removed? Up to 99.9% of over 365 impurities in total, such as:
Please note: This is only an excerpt! For more information check the performance data for the Clearly Filtered water filter pitcher here.
By the way, these results can be achieved thanks to the so-called “Affinity Filtration Technology”, a combination of granular activated carbon and several proprietary filtration materials formed into a composite shell. The dense shell slows down the flow of water for more contact time with the filter media. Then, contamination is mostly reduced based on ion exchange.
Unfortunately, Clearly Filtered does not disclose the exact filter makeup but promises that none of the materials used will leach anything into your water. We also know that it’s neither bone char nor activated alumina.
By the way, a woven stainless steel mesh is used as the first filter stage and prevents large particles from entering and clogging the filter cartridge.
Now, test results show that the Clearly Filtered pitcher is very powerful.
That said, there are other filter pitchers on the market that are tested to have slightly higher reduction rates for one or more specific contaminants. But what makes the Clearly Filtered stand out is that it has been successfully tested against such a broad range of pollutants. For example:
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| Clearly Filtered | Brita Elite | PUR PLUS | ZeroWater | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NSF Standards Tested/Certified | 42, 53, 401, P473 | 42, 53, 401 | 42, 53, 401 | 42, 53 |
| Filter Capacity | 100 Gallons | 120 Gallons | 40 Gallons | 20 Gallons |
| Total # of Contaminants Tested | 365+ | 33 | 16 | 23 |
| Chlorine | 99.5% | 97.4% | 97.5% | 97.5% |
| Chloramine | 99.7% | – | – | – |
| Lead | 99.3% | 99.5-99.6% | – | 95.9-99.7% |
| Arsenic | 98.3% | – | – | 94.0-98.0% |
| BPA | 99.9% | 95.5% | 99.0% | – |
| Chromium-6 | 97.8% | – | – | 99.6% |
| Fluoride | 99.5% | – | – | 93.0-99.0% |
| Glyphosate | 99.9% | – | – | – |
| PFAS | up to 99.5% | up to 98.1% | – | up to 95.1% |
“–” means not tested
Alexa, our inhouse video content producer, has ordered and tested the Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher with her own hands. In other words, she has assembled and used the pitcher at home for several weeks to gain invaluable first-hand experience and insights. Alexa has documented the entire process and shares her opinion in the video below:
Apart from excellent water filtration – the most important feature obviously – there are a few other things we like about the Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher.
Here is a more detailed list of common impurities and contaminants found in our water supplies these days that will be removed by the CF pitcher:
The Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher – learn more on Clearlyfiltered.com
There’s not much to say here. The Clearly Filtered water filter pitcher is super easy to assemble (we tested this ourselves). It barely takes 2 minutes. You just need to remember to prime each new filter cartridge. Here are some instructions:
Clearly Filtered also provides a helpful video:
One filter cartridge is rated at 100 gallons with an average filter life of 4 months. For light water use, a single filter might last as long as 6 months, while larger families might need a replacement every 2 months. Long story short, it depends on your daily water usage.
The average annual cost is quite high. One filter costs around $50. Although, if you buy in bulk and/or subscribe to get replacement filters automatically delivered to your place on schedule you can save up to $9.25 per piece.
Other than that, try to keep the pitcher out of the sun and away from heat sources (heat contributes to algae growth). You also want to follow the standard cleaning procedure to prevent algae. Warm soapy water usually does the trick.
When it’s time to change your filter, here’s what to do:
Here is a link to the official manual:
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1011/0318/files/Pitcher_Guide_v10.pdf?v=1641503314
The Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher is NSF-certified against standards 42, 53, and 372. That means it is certified to remove aesthetic chlorine, taste, and odor (that’s what NSF 42 covers), and PFOS and PFOA (what NSF 53 covers). NSF 372 confirms that the filter is lead-free.
But that’s not all.
Aside from these certified contaminants, the Clearly Filtered Pitcher is NSF-tested against many, many more. And the company is working on getting official NSF certifications for more of these contaminants. It usually takes time, but they’ll get there.
There were earlier versions of the Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher. A few things have changed, like the overall design, filtration process, and certain reduction rates.
The Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher doesn’t come cheap. In fact, it’s one of the highest priced units on the market. And like we said, replacement filters aren’t exactly cheap either. In other words, if highly clean drinking water isn’t a top priority of yours you might want to consider a product that is a tad more affordable.
Some people said their filter didn’t last as long as advertised and complained about slow flow. To be fair, this isn’t something we experienced ourselves. However, our tap water is already pretty clean.
You also have to remember that the Clearly Filtered was designed with a longer contact time in mind. Meaning the composite shell filter layer slows down the water flow deliberately to allow for higher chemical absorption (can take up to 35 minutes to pass a full upper reservoir of water). Another good news is, the seller is open to sending replacement filters for free if you think the first one’s defective.
Do your research online and you’ll also stumbled on complaints like
From a water quality perspective, the Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher is hands down the best product on the market right now, no doubt about that. It’s ideal for people who are serious about their drinking water, want it to be as healthy as possible, and don’t mind spending a bit more.
The Clearly Filtered is our go-to water filter pitcher. 5 stars!
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Sure, the Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher is a great pick. But let’s see how it fares compared to the Epic Pure/Nano pitcher.
Epic Pure |
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| Price: | $$$ |
| Filter Method(s): | Carbon Block, Ion Exchange Media |
| Filter Capacity: | 150 gal |
| Total Storage: | 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.
Get 20% Off! Use Code: |
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Clearly Filtered Pitcher |
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| Price: | $$$ |
| Filter Method(s): | Granular Activated Carbon + Composite Shell |
| Filter Capacity: | 100 gal |
| Total Storage: | 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.
Get 10% Off! Use Code: |
|
Epic Pure and Nano pitchers use two interchangeable filter cartridges (meaning you can swap Epic Pure filter elements for Epic Nano and vice versa).
The Epic Pure (read detailed review here) is made for fluoride-containing tap water, while the Epic Nano (read detailed review here) is for microbe-contaminated well water. What filtration process do we have here? Activated carbon plus proprietary media. The Epic Nano also features submicron filtration.
With this strong blend, Epic pitchers target 200+ contaminants, including chlorine, fluoride, nitrate, chloramine, sulfate, arsenic, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, lead, mercury, VOCs, pharmaceuticals, disinfection byproducts, pesticides, PFOA, and PFOS – tested against NSF standards 42, 53, and 401.
In other words, Epic water filter pitchers are powerful, but not quite as powerful as the Clearly Filtered. Remember, the Clearly Filtered Pitcher removes 365+ contaminants with lots of NSF testing and few certifications.
Epic pitchers beat the Clearly Filtered in terms of filter life. The Clearly Filtered has a 100-gallon filter life, while Epic lasts as much as 150 gallons. Epic pitchers also cost less than the Clearly Filtered, making them the better choice for a tight budget.
And like Clearly Filtered, Epic has other attractive features. For example, we have a built-in filter life countdown timer to alert you to change the filters when due. We also have a lifelong warranty and easy return policy. Plus, Epic runs a recycling program where you can store and send four used filters and receive one free filter as a reward. The brand also discounts military staff, medical personnel, first responders, educators, students, seniors, and creators and workers of non-profit organizations.
Our conclusion? The Clearly Filtered Pitcher is the best for contaminant removal; however, be ready for the higher cost. The Epic Pitcher is less expensive and still powerful — great if you’re on a budget and still want good quality.
This completes our review of the Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below!
About the Author Gene Fitzgerald
Information provided on BOS is for educational purposes only. The products and services we review may not be right for your individual circumstances.
We adhere to strict editorial guidelines. Rest assured, the opinions expressed have not been provided, reviewed, or otherwise endorsed by our partners – they are unbiased, independent, and the author’s alone. Our licensed experts fact-check all content for accuracy. It is accurate as of the date posted and to the best of our knowledge.
I live in New York City and I was very disappointed with the slow filtering of my water using the Clearly Filtered pitcher. However, we added a PUR filter to our sink and this absolutely solved the problem. Our water zooms through the filtered as it was intended and the freshness can’t be beat. I guess it all depends on where you live and what is in the water that might slow it down.
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