Review: LifeStraw 7-Cup Glass Water Filter Pitcher
Written by: Gene Fitzgerald // Expert Fact-Checking: Buddhini Dolapihilla, MBSS // Last Updated: Oct 20, 2023
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The LifeStraw 7-Cup Glass Water Filter Pitcher is a slight upgrade over the standard LifeStraw 7-Cup model, adding a glass body to the mix.
Let’s find out whether or not this upgrade makes the LifeStraw glass pitcher worth your money or if you should better stay away from it.
Contents
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LifeStraw 7-Cup Glass Water Filter Pitcher |
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| Price: | $$ |
| Filter Process: | Microfiltration, Activated Carbon, Ion Exchange |
| Filter Life: | 40 to 264 Gallons |
| Storage Volume: | 7 Cups |
| Annual Cost: | ~$90-150 |
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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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LifeStraw 7-Cup Glass Water Filter Pitcher – All Specs
- Model: Glass 7-Cup
- Annual Maintenance Cost: ~$90-150
- Filter Media/Process: Microfiltration Membrane, Activated Carbon, Ion Exchange
- Filtering Capacity: 40-264 gal
- Storage Volume: 7 Cups
- WxHxD: 5.8”x11.25”x5.8”
- NSF Testing/Certification: 42, 53, 401, P231, P473
- Warranty: 60 Days to 3 Years
LifeStraw Glass Pitcher – Key Features
The LifeStraw 7-Cup Glass Water Filter Pitcher comes in four color schemes, including the more playful “Terrazzo” design. Unfortunately, unlike the plastic model, this one only comes in one size and has no 10-cup alternative.
The filtration used is identical to that in the standard LifeStraw water pitcher, and it’s based on two separate stages:
- The first stage is a membrane microfilter, capable of removing various contaminants like bacteria (99.999999%), parasites (99.999%), microplastics (99.999%), dirt, sand, and any other contaminants that can’t pass through the 0.2-micron pores of the filter.
- The second stage is an activated carbon filter combined with ion exchange media, adding an extra layer of filtration against contaminants like mercury, lead, PFOA and PFOS, chlorine, and several others.
Not bad, especially if your goal is to eliminate waterborne pathogens!
By the way, the glass is hand blown borosilicate glass which speaks for its quality.
The membrane microfilter lasts 264 gallons (1 year) and the second filter stage lasts 40 gallons (2 months). We estimate ~$90-150 in annual cost.
There is a 60-day warranty on the carbon filter and 3 years on the pitcher itself.
LifeStraw Glass Water Filter Pitcher Pros
- We have transparent NSF testing and even some NSF certifications. All lab reports are provided online.
- Filtration process retains healthy minerals.
- Sleek, streamlined, and visually appealing design.
- Easy to use (easy-fill lid) and get started with.
- A silicone base prevents scratching and protects the glass.
- Allows disassembly for easier maintenance.
- Completely free of BPA.
- 1 purchase = 1 year safe water for 1 child
What Contaminants Are Being Removed?
Here are the contaminants that the LifeStraw Home glass pitcher can deal with:
NSF Standard 42
- 97% Chlorine
NSF Standard 53
- 96.1% Atrazine
- 95% Lindane
- 99.94% Glyphosate
- PFOA + PFOS
- 98.9% Lead
- 83.3% Mercury
- 99.7% Cadmium
- PFAS
- Asbestos 99.999%
- Microplastics 99.999%
- And few more
NSF Standard 401
- 94.27% Atenolol
- 98.29% Carbamazepine
- 96.41% DEET
- 99.29% Metolachlor
- 93.93% Ibuprofen
- 91.1% BPA
- 88.85% Naproxen
NSF Protocol P231
- 99.999999% removal of bacteria (Brucella melitensis, Campylobacter jejuni, Francisella tularensis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Shigella, Staphylococcus aureus, Vibrio cholerae (Cholera), Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Yersinia enterocolitica, Yersinia pestis, Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (E. coli), Haemophilus influenzae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Legionella pneumophila, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Burkholderia pseudomallei, Salmonella enterica, Salmonella typhi (Typhoid), Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus pyogenes, Leptospira)
- 99.999% removal of parasites (Ascaris lumbricoides, Cryptosporidium spp., Entamoeba histolytica, Giardia intestinalis, Naegleria gruberi, Schistosoma mansoni, Taenia saginata)
In summary, the LifeStraw 7-Cup Glass Water Filter Pitcher excels at removing microorganisms, although it doesn’t specifically target viruses. It’s also not the best at removing heavy metals such as lead or organic chemicals – there are water filter pitchers with higher reduction rates for these (more below).
The LifeStraw 7-Cup Glass – learn more on Amazon.com
Assembly and Filter Priming
It doesn’t take much to get your LifeStraw 7-Cup Glass Water Filter Pitcher ready to use. There are no complicated setup steps involved – here’s all you have to do:
Please consider these instructions as a general guideline. Always make sure to check and follow your user manual before getting started.
- Separate the filter housing and wash the pitcher thoroughly.
- Remove the cap of the filter housing, and install the Activated Carbon + Ion Exchange filter.
- Reinstall housing in the filter, aligning the water spouts carefully.
- Fill the pitcher with water and let it filter completely.
- Discard that batch of water – you’re now ready to use your pitcher!
Video
The Package (Parts)
- Glass pitcher
- Easy fill lid
- Silicone base
- Filter housing
- Filter housing cap
- Membrane microfilter
- Activated carbon + ion exchange filter
- User manual
Maintenance
You can expect to spend around $90 to $150 on replacement filters per year, which is relatively high compared to most other models on the market – check out the company’s subscription service for filter replacements if you’re serious about using this pitcher in the long term as you will probably find good value in that deal, plus it will relieve you of the burden of having to keep track of when it’s time to replace your filter.
You’ll have to replace the carbon filter more frequently than the microfilter – the microfilter can last for up to a year or 264 gallons, while the carbon filter is rated for 40 gallons or 2 months.
Maintaining this pitcher is mostly about replacing the two filters regularly, and keeping the unit clean with regular washing.
Replacing the Activated Carbon + Ion Exchange Filter
- Remove the filter housing from the pitcher.
- Take out the current Activated Carbon + Ion Exchange filter from the end of the cap.
- Install the new filter in its place.
- Place the cap back on the filter housing.
- Install the filter housing in its original place in the pitcher, ensuring that the water spouts are aligned.
- Fill the pitcher with water all the way and drain it once it’s finished filtering.
Replacing the Membrane Microfilter
- Remove the filter housing from the pitcher.
- Take out the Activated Carbon + Ion Exchange filter from the end of the cap.
- Remove the lid.
- Push the old membrane microfilter through the housing and out of it.
- Install a new membrane microfilter.
- Install the original Activated Carbon + Ion Exchange filter in the cartridge.
- Install the lid back on the housing.
- Fill the pitcher with water all the way and drain it once it’s finished filtering.
Cleaning Your Pitcher
- Remove the filter housing from the pitcher.
- Use warm, soapy water to clean the pitcher’s body.
- Leave all parts to air dry.
- Put the pitcher back together.
- Fill the pitcher with water all the way and drain it once it’s finished filtering.
Manual
Here is a link to the official manual:
NSF and Other Certifications
LifeStraw left a very positive impression on us with its openness and honesty about its products. This is one of the few companies on the market that publishes full, detailed documentation regarding the performance of its products, and you can find a lot of information about how the pitcher is made and tested directly at LifeStraw’s website.
In terms of NSF certifications, this pitcher has three:
- NSF 42, testing for the reduction of chlorine and nominal particulate, as well as the overall improvement of taste and smell of your water.
- NSF 53, testing for the reduction of lead, mercury, and nominal particulate.
- NSF 401, testing for the reduction of microplastics.
Earlier Product Versions
There are no earlier versions of this pitcher, although there is an alternative version with a plastic body instead of a glass one. That version also comes in two sizes, including a 10-cup model.
LifeStraw Glass Water Pitcher Cons
The most frequent issues when using the LifeStraw glass water filter pitcher are:
- Very slow filtration – even by the standards of water filter pitchers, this product can be very slow, likely owing to the microfilter.
- Glass scratches and even cracks quite easily.
- Somewhat unintuitive balancing of the jug that leads to difficult handling when it’s full – which is probably also the reason why they didn’t do a 10-cup version of this model.
- If you’re buying this pitcher to avoid having your water come in contact with plastic, keep in mind that filter cartridges are still made of plastic.
And like we said, filter replacements aren’t exactly cheap and there are better filter pitchers available for removing contaminants other than microorganisms.
LifeStraw Glass Pitcher Review: Our Verdict + Best for
All in all, the LifeStraw 7-Cup Glass Water Filter Pitcher is not a bad model overall, but for this price, it could also be better. This pitcher is a good choice if you’re particularly concerned about microorganisms in your water, but is probably not the ideal choice if you want to deal with heavy metals and various other contaminants.
That said, the market for glass water filter pitchers is quite limited, so this is one of the few good options available – in fact, it’s our favorite – if you specifically want to use a glass pitcher.
Our Rating in Detail:
- Filtration Performance: 4.5/5.0
- Filter Capacity (Life): 4.0/5.0
- Purchase Price: 4.5/5.0
- Annual Cost: 4.5/5.0
- Overall: 4.5/5.0
Comparison to Other Water Filter Pitchers
With all that in mind, what are some viable alternatives available to the LifeStraw glass water pitcher on the market right now? Two of the most popular competing models are the Clearly Filtered Pitcher and the Epic Nano Pitcher – let’s take a look at what they have to offer in comparison.
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 Nano |
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| Price: | $$$ |
| Filter Process: | Carbon Block, Ion Exchange, Submicron Filtration |
| Filter Capacity: | 150 gal |
| Total Storage Volume: | 14.8 Cups |
| Annually: | $90-135 |
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Overall Rating: 4.5/5.0 ⓘRating based on filtration performance, filter life, price and yearly cost, NSF testing/certification, customer support, product warranty, our testing/experience, user feedback, and other factors.
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LifeStraw Glass |
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| Price: | $$ |
| Filter Process: | Microfiltration, Activated Carbon, Ion Exchange |
| Filter Capacity: | 40-264 gal |
| Storage Volume: | 7 Cups |
| Annually: | ~$90-150 |
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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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In terms of filtration capabilities, the Clearly Filtered Pitcher has the same NSF certifications as the LifeStraw, so standards 42, 53, and 401. However, Clearly Filtered’s model has been more extensively tested and confirmed to remove/reduce way more than 300 contaminants. The reduction rates are better than that of LifeStraw, with microorganisms being the only exception. So if you’re looking for something that’s better at dealing with contaminants like chlorine, chloramine, DBPs, lead, arsenic, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and more, then the Clearly Filtered Pitcher is likely a better option for you.
On top of that, it also offers a longer lifetime of its filters – up to 100 gallons or 4 months, which is better than the LifeStraw Home Glass. The pitcher is also larger with 10 cups filtered and 17 cups total water storage volume.
The only downside is that this all comes at a cost – the Clearly Filtered Pitcher is one of the most expensive products of its type, although it somewhat makes up for that with the lower cost of its long-term maintenance. And let’s not forget that the pitchers is Made in USA and comes with a lifetime warranty (limited) and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
If you’re looking for something slightly cheaper, but still effective in terms of overall filtration, we recommend looking into the Epic Nano (detailed review). It costs a bit less than the Clearly Filtered Pitcher, although still more than the LifeStraw Home Glass, and it also comes with NSF certifications 42, 53, and 401 – as well as P231 for the reduction of microorganisms. This pitcher works well against chlorine, fluoride, nitrate, chloramine, sulfate, arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury, VOCs, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, bacteria, cysts, and various other contaminants.
It can also last for up to 150 gallons of filtered water, more than both the LifeStraw Home Glass and the Clearly Filtered Pitcher. You’ll also know when it’s time to replace your filter thanks to the built-in timer. And if you collect four filters and send them back to the company, you’ll get a fresh one for free!
You can also get a discount for buying an Epic Nano if you fall into one of various categories, such as military personnel, first responders, students, teachers, seniors, and employees/owners of non-profit organizations.
And finally, we also have a lifetime warranty and money-back guarantee with filters Made in USA.
Con: The LifeStraw is tested for many more types of bacteria and pathogens.
Bottom line: If you want a glass water filter pitcher and/or need microorganisms removed from your water, the LifeStraw makes a great choice. For all other cases, we recommend the Clearly Filtered or the Epic Nano.
More Reviews:
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This completes our review of the LifeStraw 7-Cup Glass 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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