Review: Culligan PIT-1 Water Filter Pitcher (2024)
Written by: Gene Fitzgerald // Expert Fact-Checking: Buddhini Dolapihilla, MBSS // Last Updated: Feb 1, 2024
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Update: The Culligan PIT-1 Water Filter Pitcher has been discontinued according to the official Culligan website.
“Easy to store and easy to pour, the Culligan drinking water pitcher filter is the perfect solution for great-tasting water at an economical price. For pennies a gallon, stay hydrated with Culligan!”
This is how Culligan advertises the Culligan PIT-1, a compact water filter pitcher that fits most refrigerator doors. How compact? Exactly two quarts, although the fillable area at the top that filters water into the bottom is more like 1 quart. Now, 1 quart is not a whole lot of water which is why we consider the PIT-1 perfect for 1-2 people but no more than that.
Besides, the unit is very affordable – it can even compete with some of Brita’s models.
But can it also compete with the top water filter pitchers in the market? Let’s find out!
Contents
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Culligan PIT-1 Water Filter Pitcher |
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| Price: | $ |
| Filter Process: | Not Specified |
| Filter Life: | 50 Gallons |
| Storage Volume: | 8 Cups |
| Annual Cost: | ~$50 |
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Overall Rating: 3.0/5.0 ⓘ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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Culligan PIT-1 Water Filter Pitcher – All Specs
- Model: PIT-1
- Annual Maintenance Cost: ~$50
- Filtering Capacity: 50 gal or 2 Months
- Water Storage: 8 Cups
- Water Temperature: 35-85 °F
- NSF Certifications: Standard 42, 53
- Warranty: 2-Year Limited
Culligan PIT-1 – Key Features
Most importantly, the Culligan PIT-1 Water Filter Pitcher was tested and certified to NSF/ANSI Standard 42 for the reduction of aesthetic chlorine taste and odor (82.8%), zinc (97.4%), and particulate class VI (>99.9%). A certification according to NSF Standard 53 guarantees the removal of copper (>84.1%) and mercury (>91.8%).
FYI: Particulate class VI includes particulates above 50 microns in size which is rather large.
Filter capacity is 50 gallons or 2 months per cartridge, whichever comes first.
On top of that, a 2-year warranty (limited) provides cover in case anything goes wrong.
Culligan Water Pitcher Pros
The Culligan water pitcher makes your drinking water taste and smell better, and it is affordable to buy and maintain.
There are not too many other benefits that we can add to our list.
On the one hand, the built is pretty sturdy. And while not the highest in quality (more below), the spout cover will prevent impurities from transferring into the pitcher.
Furthermore, we have a simple integrated filter replacement indicator on the lid that reminds you when it’s time to change cartridges.
What Contaminants Are Being Removed?
The Culligan PIT-1 can deal with:
- Chlorine: 82.8%
- Zinc: 97.4%
- Particulate Class IV: >99.9%
- Copper: 84.1% – 97.9%
- Mercury: 91.8% – 93.8%
The Culligan PIT-1 – learn more on Amazon.com
Installation
Most of you will know how to properly use a water pitcher filter. Nevertheless, for the sake of completeness we decided to provide a quick rundown:
Please consider these instructions as a general guideline. Always make sure to check and follow your user manual before getting started.
- Before using the PIT-1 for the first time, wash it with warm soapy water. Rinse thoroughly afterwards. Obviously, you are not supposed to wash the filter cartridge. And please note that the pitcher is NOT dishwasher safe.
- Then soak the filter cartridge for 15 minutes.
- Push the cartridge firmly into the reservoir to create a good seal when assembling the pitcher.
- Only ever fill the reservoir with cold tap water. At first use it may be necessary to empty the first 1-2 pitchers of filtered water to flush out any remaining carbon fines.
- As mentioned above, you can set the filter change indicator as a reminder to replace the cartridge.
Also, try to keep the cartridge wet at all times. If it dries out it may need to re-soak before being used once again.
The Package (Parts)
- PIT-1 Water Filter Pitcher
- Lid with integrated filter reminder dial
- 50-Gallon filter cartridge
- Cartridge change reminder sticker
Maintenance
In terms of maintenance, there is only one duty that you have to remember apart from periodic filter cartridge replacements and that is washing all parts except the cartridge on a regular basis.
Replacement filters (Culligan PR-1 and PR-3) are affordable (~$50 a year). You can also use PR-1U and PR-3U, however you can’t purchase those in the state of California.
Before you can use a new cartridge, you have to soak it in clean water for approx. 15 minutes. This will flush out any loose carbon fines.
Manual
Here is a link to the official manual:
NSF and Other Certifications
As mentioned earlier, we have 2 NSF certifications awarded by the WQA:
- NSF 42: covers aesthetic chlorine, nominal particulate class VI, taste and odor, as well as zinc.
- NSF 53: specifically about the removal of copper and mercury.
Earlier Product Versions
The Culligan PIT-1 Water Filter Pitcher has no earlier versions.
Culligan Pitcher Cons
Our main issue is that the product has been discontinued according to the official Culligan website, meaning it will become harder and harder to get by which may also apply to replacement filters.
What’s more, a handful of users complained that water filtered with the PIT-1 pitcher tasted bad, really bad. It was even worse than their tap water and was often described as having a faint chemical hinge to it. Even after rinsing a couple of gallons through the unit the taste did not improve.
One customer made the observation that the flavor seemed to be more intense the longer the water had been in contact with the filtering media – a quite unsettling thought, he remarked.
Another issue is the top, which does not always stay on when pouring. It’s also rather fragile so that it might break when dropped.
We also don’t like that the upper reservoir must be completely empty for pouring. Otherwise the holding tank pours out unfiltered water that mixes with the filtered. On a side note, this design flaw is a common issue among pitchers.
And there’s more:
- A lot of product details are lacking such as the filter media used. We can only assume that it’s activated carbon possibly mixed with ion exchange resin.
- More contaminant reduction rates would have been nice. Especially because those provided are not the most harmful of contaminants. And even with those tested, reduction rates are certainly not the best.
- Some customers claim that they received a replacement product when requesting a refund.
Culligan PIT-1 Review: Our Verdict + Best for
Although most customers seem satisfied with the Culligan PIT-1 water pitcher, we also have plenty of smaller and larger issues, such as unpleasant water taste. We also don’t like the fact that the product has been discontinued. Filtration performance is not too bad for a pitcher filter but also far from great. 3 stars!
The Culligan PIT-1 is best for people looking for a filter pitcher that provides basic tap water treatment to improve taste and odor.
Our Rating in Detail:
- Filtration Performance: 2.5/5.0
- Filter Capacity (Life): 3.5/5.0
- Purchase Price: 5.0/5.0
- Annual Cost: 5.0/5.0
- Overall: 3.0/5.0
Comparison to Other Water Filter Pitchers
What other options do you have if you’re looking for a reliable water filter pitcher with proven performance? The Clearly Filtered and Epic Pure are among the most popular models on the market, and they both offer a good alternative to the Culligan PIT-1.
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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Culligan PIT-1 |
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| Price: | $ |
| Filter Process: | Not Specified |
| Filter Capacity: | 50 gal |
| Storage Volume: | 8 Cups |
| Annually: | ~$50 |
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Overall Rating: 3.0/5.0 ⓘ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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When it comes to quality, few models can stand up to the Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher. This is a premium product in all aspects, and it’s been thoroughly tested for numerous contaminants and against NSF standards 42, 53, and 401. The company has gone all the way in ensuring that the pitcher is tested as much as possible. The Clearly Filtered can remove or reduce more than 350 contaminants, making it significantly better than the Culligan in this aspect. Contaminants that can be removed include:
- Chlorine
- Chloramine
- DBPs
- Lead
- Chromium-6
- Arsenic
- Pharmaceuticals
- Pesticides
- VOCs
- Semi-volatile compounds
- PFAS
- Fluoride
- Radiologicals
The pitcher accomplishes this through the use of granular activated carbon combined with special proprietary filter media specifically designed for targeting various contaminant types. You can filter about 100 gallons of water with a single filter cartridge, making the model more efficient than the Culligan PIT-1.
You can also store more water: 17 cups. The product is convenient to use too, with features such as a removable lid that simplifies the refilling process. Clearly Filtered makes its pitchers in the USA and uses 100% BPA-free materials. Finally, you get a limited lifetime warranty combined with a 30-day satisfaction guarantee, a better deal than what Culligan offers. The only downside to the Clearly Filtered pitcher is that it’s more expensive than the Culligan PIT-1, both in terms of the immediate purchase price as well as ongoing maintenance.
On the other hand, we have the Epic Pure, which is a bit cheaper than the Clearly Filtered, but still more expensive than the Culligan PIT-1. It’s especially suitable for tap water with fluoride. Using a combination of activated carbon and proprietary filtration media, the pitcher can remove/reduce more than 200 contaminants, and carries NSF testing 42, 53, and 401. This makes it better at overall filtration than the Culligan PIT-1. The list of contaminants targeted by the Epic Pure includes:
- Chlorine
- Fluoride
- Nitrate
- Chloramine
- Sulfate
- Arsenic
- Cadmium
- Hexavalent chromium
- Lead
- Mercury
- VOCs
- Pharmaceuticals
- Disinfection byproducts
- Pesticides
- PFOA
- PFOS
The Epic Pure also stands out with its filter life, being capable of filtering up to 150 gallons, which is better than both the Clearly Filtered and Culligan PIT-1. You even get a countdown timer that reminds you when it’s time to replace the filter, and you can get a free replacement filter by sending four expired ones back to the company.
The pitcher stores 14.8 cups of water, which is adequate compared to most other models. Filter cartridges are produced in the USA using BPA-free materials just like Clearly Filtered. And the Epic Pure comes with a lifetime warranty and a very streamlined return policy, both of which are an improvement over Culligan’s offer. In addition, you can get a discount if you belong to various social groups, including:
- Military personnel
- First responders
- Medical staff
- Teachers
- Students
- Seniors
- Non-profit organization owners and employees
All things considered, Clearly Filtered offers a lot that other models on the market don’t, and comes in an overall balanced package. As long as you don’t have a problem with its price, we recommend going with that one. Otherwise, if you’re constrained financially, consider the Epic Pure. Only get the Culligan PIT-1 if you want a really cheap model and don’t care about general filtration quality that much.
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This completes our review of the Culligan PIT-1 Water Filter Pitcher . If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below!
About the Author Gene Fitzgerald
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