Review: Kirkland Signature Water Filter Pitcher by Costco (2024)
Written by: Gene Fitzgerald // Last Updated: Feb 1, 2024
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The Kirkland Signature Water Filter Pitcher by Costco is a highly affordable model.
Can it compete with the best on the market though? And is there a reason for the low price tag that might make you reconsider your choice?
Let’s find out.
Contents
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Kirkland Signature Water Filter Pitcher by Costco |
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| Price: | $$ |
| Filter Process: | Presumably Activated Carbon |
| Filter Life: | 40 Gallons |
| Filtered Storage Volume: | 10 Cups |
| Annual Cost: | ~$30 |
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Overall Rating: 3.5/5.0
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Kirkland Signature Water Filter Pitcher – All Specs
- Model: 1304047
- Annual Maintenance Cost: ~$30
- Filtering Capacity: 40 gal
- Storage Volume: 10 Cups
- Height: 10.04”
- Width: 5.91”
- NSF Certifications: Standard 42, 53, 401, 372
- Other Certifications: CSA 1
Kirkland Signature Pitcher – Key Features
First of all, the Kirkland Signature Water Filter Pitcher is also known as the Costco Water Filter Pitcher – Kirkland is one of Costco’s house brands.
With that out of the way, the Kirkland Signature Water Filter Pitcher seems relatively simple in terms of filtration process. Although we lack further details, based on the contaminants that are being removed we can safely assume that we have some type of activated carbon media being used.
What is removed? According to NSF certifications and Kirkland’s own claims, the pitcher can remove chlorine/chloramine, few heavy metals including mercury and cadmium, and all kinds of organic chemicals including pesticides and pharmaceuticals. As such, it is best used on tap water.
What’s more, the overall design of the model is very sleek. You can store up to 10 cups of filtered water, and the product comes with 2 cartridges included. You won’t have to worry about forgetting to replace the filter, as the integrated electronic timer will remind you when it’s time.
Each of the two filter cartridges included in the package can last for about two months or 40 gallons of filtered water – whichever comes first. Replacement filters are made in the UK and cost $35 for a 10-pack.
Costco also offers a full risk-free 100% satisfaction guarantee. The company is known for honoring these clauses with no issues, making this a pretty much risk-free purchase if you just want to try it out.
Costco Water Filter Pitcher Pros
What are the advantages of purchasing and using the Kirkland Water Filter Pitcher?
- Highly affordable
- NSF/ANSI certifications 42, 53, 401, 372, and CSA B483.1 guarantee the removal of certain contaminants as well as other properties of the device
- Small, lightweight design that makes it easy to fit into any kitchen
- Comes with 2 filter cartridges
- Electronic timer reminds you when it’s time to change the cartridge
- No BPA used in the unit’s production
What Contaminants Are Being Removed?
According to Costco and several NSF certifications, the Kirkland Water Filter Pitcher is capable of removing or reducing the following contaminants:
- Chloramine
- Chlorine taste and odor
- Mercury
- Copper
- Cadmium
- Benzene
- Zinc
- 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene
- Estrone
- Meprobamate
- Trimethoprim
- Limescale
- Atenolol
- Carbamazepine
- Linuron
- Phenytoin
Assembly and Filter Priming
Assembling this pitcher is a piece of cake – you just take it out of the box, prime the cartridge, insert it into the pitcher, close everything up, and you’re done!
Please consider these instructions as a general guideline. Always make sure to check and follow your user manual before getting started.
To prime your filter cartridge, simply follow these steps:
- Submerge the cartridge in cold water, and shake it around a bit until bubbles stop coming out.
- Place the cartridge in the reservoir opening, and push down to ensure that it fits snugly. You might have to rotate it to adjust the orientation.
- Fill the pitcher with cold water and let it filter through completely.
- Discard the filtered water, then repeat steps 3 and 4 once.
- Your cartridge is now primed – hold down the button on the timer for a few seconds to reset it. You’re done!
The Package (Parts)
- Water Filtration System
- 2x Filter Cartridges
Maintenance
Maintaining the Kirkland pitcher is just as simple and won’t take too much of your time. Also, costs are highly affordable at around $30 a year.
You’re provided with 2 cartridges in the package, each of which can last for up to two months or 40 gallons of filtered water.
Replacing the filter cartridge is simple and only takes a few minutes:
- Remove old cartridge from pitcher.
- Wash the pitcher’s body with warm, soapy water, and rinse thoroughly with cold water.
- Unpack the new cartridge.
- Insert and prime the new cartridge, following the steps we outlined above.
- Don’t forget to discard the first two pitchers of filtered water after installing a new cartridge!
As mentioned before, there is a filter life timer that counts down from 2 months – reminds you when to replace.
Manual
Sorry, we couldn’t find a manual online.
NSF and Other Certifications
The Kirkland Water Filter Pitcher holds several NSF certifications, as well as one CSA certification:
- NSF 42: tested for reduction of chlorine, as well as improvement of taste and odor
- NSF 53: reduction of 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene, benzene, cadmium, copper, and mercury
- NSF 372: no more than 0.25% lead is used in the manufacturing of the product
- NSF 401: reduction of atenolol, carbamazepine, estrone, linuron, meprobamate, phenytoin, and trimethoprim
- CSA B483.1: general certification for the production quality of water treatment devices, both point-of-use as well as point-of-entry
Earlier Product Versions
The Costco Water Filter Pitcher is a unique model with no previous entries in the line. We also couldn’t find any hints that Costco might be thinking of releasing an upgraded version down the road.
Kirkland Water Filter Pitcher Cons
- We’re not 100% sure what filter media is being used in the product, as the manufacturer hasn’t provided any information in this regard. It’s most likely activated carbon, possibly mixed with something else.
- The NSF certifications included in this product are not very extensive in their coverage, mainly focusing on organic contaminants as well as taste and odor. There are no certifications related to more harmful contaminants like lead.
- Fragile design combined with poor packaging results in occasionally receiving a broken unit.
- May occasionally leave brown/white deposits in water.
- Potential metallic taste of filtered water.
Kirkland Signature Pitcher Review: Our Verdict + Best for
The Kirkland Signature Water Filter Pitcher by Costco is an adequate product in most terms, but it falls short in categories like the variety of contaminants removed. Most of the contaminants this unit has been tested against are organic chemicals, and no information is provided on the exact filtration process. Overall, we’d give this one 3.5 out of 5 stars and would only recommend it for basic tap water treatment.
Our Rating in Detail:
- Filtration Performance: 3.5/5.0
- Filter Capacity (Life): 3.5/5.0
- Purchase Price: 5.0/5.0
- Annual Cost: 3.5/5.0
- Overall: 3.5/5.0
Comparison to Other Water Filter Pitchers
The Clearly Filtered Pitcher and the Epic Pure/Nano are among the leading competing choices in this market segment. How well does the Costco Water Filter Pitcher measure against them, and is it worth buying over any of those models instead?
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
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Epic Pure |
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| Price: | $$$ |
| Filter Process: | Carbon Block, Ion Exchange |
| Filter Capacity: | 150 gal |
| Total Storage Volume: | 14.8 Cups |
| Annually: | $90-135 |
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Overall Rating: 4.5/5.0
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Kirkland Signature |
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| Price: | $$ |
| Filter Process: | Presumably Activated Carbon |
| Filter Capacity: | 40 Gallons |
| Storage Volume: | 10 Cups |
| Annually: | ~$30 |
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Overall Rating: 3.5/5.0
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When it comes to quality, pretty much nothing stands up to the Clearly Filtered Pitcher. It’s one of the most thoroughly purifying models on the market we’ve seen, with several NSF standards (including 42, 53, and 401), as well as tested reduction of more than 300 contaminants, some of which include chlorine/chloramine, lead, disinfection byproducts, chromium 6, arsenic, many pharmaceuticals and pesticides, forever chemicals, fluoride, and many others.
You can also get more use out of each filter cartridge for your Clearly Filtered Pitcher, with one cartridge lasting for up to 100 gallons or 4 months, much longer than the Kirkland. In terms of storage, this unit is about the same as the Kirkland, storing about 10 cups of filtered water.
When you add in the various smaller finishing touches like the limited lifetime warranty, money-back guarantee, the removable lid, and the sturdy construction, the Clearly Filtered Pitcher becomes a fantastic choice. The only downside is that it costs more upfront, but on the other hand, its maintenance costs are more or less the same as with the Kirkland.
Then we have the Epic Pure and Nano, both of which also address an extensive range of contaminants. The Epic Pure pitcher is specifically aimed at purifying water contaminated with fluoride and heavy metals, while the Nano is more suitable for water with biological contaminants, especially well water. Both are tested against NSF 42, 53, and 401, with the Nano also having standard P231 testing specifically for microorganisms.
The Epic Pure and Nano remove or reduce various contaminants, including chlorine, fluoride, nitrate, chloramine, sulfate, arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury, VOCs, pharmaceuticals and pesticides, and more.
If you’re looking for a pitcher with a particularly long filter life, these two are the prime choice for you – with a cartridge that lasts for up to 150 gallons of water, you will need to replace the filter much less frequently when using an Epic Pure or Nano. Combined with a 14.8 cups capacity, this pitcher should be more than sufficient for even larger households.
Another benefit of these models is that their manufacturer offers a recycling program, where you can send four used filters and receive one brand new replacement filter in return.
Last but not least, Epic offers special discounts for military personnel, medical staff, first responders, teachers, students, seniors, as well as owners and even employees of non-profit organizations. Plus, there’s a lifetime warranty and money-back guarantee.
By the way, both Nano and Clearly Filtered models are produced in the USA.
In the end, we’d probably go with Clearly Filtered if the primary concern is filtration quality. For those on a more limited budget, the Epic Nano/Pure is a great second choice. You might be attracted by the low upfront price of the Kirkland Water Filter Pitcher, but don’t be fooled – it will either end up much more expensive in the long run, or cost you roughly the same but without bringing much to the table as filtration is below our expectations.
This completes our review of the Kirkland Signature Water Filter Pitcher by Costco. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below!
About the Author Gene Fitzgerald
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