Review: Mavea Elemaris XL Water Filter Pitcher (* Updated 2024)

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In this review, we’ll be taking a closer look at the Mavea Elemaris XL Water Filter Pitcher to see how it works and if it’s worth your money. Let’s get started!

Mavea Elemaris XL Water Filter Pitcher

Mavea Elemaris XL Water Filter Pitcher

Price:
Filter Process: Activated Carbon, Ion Exchange, Silver
Filter Life: 40 Gallons
Storage Volume: 9 Cups
Annual Cost: ~$75

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.

Mavea Elemaris XL Water Filter Pitcher – All Specs

  • Model: Elemaris XL
  • Annual Maintenance Cost: ~$75
  • Filter Media/Process: Activated Carbon, Ion Exchange, Silver
  • Filtering Capacity: 40 gal
  • Filtered Water Capacity: 9 Cups
  • NSF: Standard 42 (Structural Integrity)
  • Warranty: 60 Days

Mavea Elemaris XL – Key Features

Note: Mavea no longer manufactures new pitchers. You can still buy replacement filters if you own a Mavea pitcher, but new Mavea pitchers are no longer for sale.

The Mavea Elemaris XL Water Filter Pitcher filters water using MAVEA MAXTRA technology. This technology features activated carbon media that adsorbs chlorine and other chemicals and ion exchange beads that soften hard water and trap heavy metals.

What’s more, Mavea filter media is silverized, preventing bacterial growth and thus prolonging the filter’s lifespan. Mavea also uses a micro-screen that reduces the release of carbon particles into the filtered water.

Aside from the filtration process, the Mavea Elemaris XL has a 9-cup filtered water capacity and an automatic pour-through lid that allows for easy refills. It has a 40-gallon per cartridge capacity, and replacement cartridges cost about $75 annually.

Made in Germany, the Mavea pitcher comes with a filter life indicator that displays the remaining filter capacity as well as when to change the filter.

Product warranty: 60 days.

Mavea Water Pitcher Pros

The Mavea Elemaris XL pitcher has its fair share of pros. First, it’s made from BPA-free materials, so you don’t need to worry about recontaminating your water.

But what’s even more important, we have some NSF-standardized testing for contamination reduction rates. Testing was conducted against NSF standards 42 and 53 (more on that below).

Then, replacement cartridges are really affordable – around $75 a year or $10 per cartridge.

Besides, the water pitcher keeps you up-to-date with filter replacements with its filter life indicator. The Mavea Meter micro-computer uses a 3-way measurement to determine when to change filters. The display of the MAVEA Meter clearly shows how much capacity the current filter has left and when it’s time for a new one, which is pretty cool.

The pitcher is also designed for easy refills, thanks to its automatic pour-through lid.

Finally, the Mavea Elemaris XL has rubberized feet that keep it from scratching on surfaces and a rubberized handle for a more comfortable grip.

What Contaminants Are Being Removed?

The Mavea pitcher is claimed to remove:

  • Chlorine taste and odor – 94%
  • Copper – 74.4-90%
  • Mercury – 92.3-94.8%
  • Benzene – 88.2%
  • Atrazine (a pesticide)
  • Limescale

Assembly and Filter Priming

You can assemble and prime the Mavea Elemaris XL Water Filter Pitcher in a few simple steps. Here’s what to do:

Please consider these instructions as a general guideline. Always make sure to check and follow your user manual before getting started.
  1. Hand wash the pitcher and reservoir, or clean them in the dishwasher. Note: You must remove the filter life indicator before washing the lid (to remove the indicator, press the tongues on both sides of the indicator and push back for complete removal).
  2. Reassemble the components.
  3. Take out the protective wrapper and dip the filter in cold tap water for a couple of seconds (remember to shake gently to remove any lingering air bubbles).
  4. Insert the filter into the hollow of the reservoir and press downwards until it latches in place.
  5. To activate the filter, filter and discard the first two pitchers of water (or use it on your plants).
  6. After activating the filter, set the filter change indicator by pushing the start button for around six seconds until all four bars appear on the display and “OK” flashes.

The Package (Parts)

  • Filter
  • Pitcher
  • Reservoir
  • Lid

Maintenance

The Mavea Elemaris XL is one of the more affordable pitchers to maintain – maintenance costs around $75 a year, or $10 per cartridge. And as mentioned before, the Intelligent filter status feature (Mavea Meter) also lets you know when to change the filter so you never miss a replacement date.

Here’s how to read the filter life indicator:

  • If the display shows “OK”, the filter is still in good condition.
  • Each bar of the display shows a percentage that corresponds with the remaining capacity of the filter.
  • If water drops recurrently flash from top to bottom, it means the pitcher is actively filtering water.
  • If the display flashes “NEW”, then it’s time to change the filter.

Filter capacity is 40 gallons which is rather short. To change a filter:

  1. First, remove the worn-out cartridge by pulling the ring on the top.
  2. Then, remove the replacement filter’s protective wrapping and immerse it in cold water for a few seconds.
  3. Next, push the new filter into the reservoir until it sits snugly in place.
  4. Filter two reservoirs full of water and discard the filtered water.
  5. Set the filter change indicator by pushing the start button for six seconds until the four bars appear and flash “OK”.

Manual

Here is a link to the official manual:

https://www.mavea.com/downloads/1054251-00-ELA_GA_MAXTRA_2023_MAVEA_v01_150dpi.pdf

NSF and Other Certifications

We checked online, and this pitcher only holds the NSF 42 certification for material safety.

Earlier Product Versions

To our knowledge, there are no earlier versions of this product.

Mavea Pitcher Cons

The biggest con with this pitcher is that Mavea no longer manufactures it. This also means replacement parts like new lids or filter life indicators are no longer available. And although Mavea still sells replacement filters, it’s possible that they could stop selling those too eventually.

In addition, we checked online for Mavea’s NSF certifications and found only one for NSF standard 42 (material safety only). However, Navea claims to have NSF standards 42, 53, and 372 – this makes us a little skeptical.

Aside from that, the Mavea is only tested for the reduction of 6 water impurities/contaminants and even these reduction rates are lackluster.

And then there’s the issue of the warranty – even if you could still claim your warranty (which we doubt), it would only cover the first 60 days after purchase.

Mavea Elemaris XL Review: Our Verdict + Best for

In our opinion, the Mavea Elemaris XL Water Filter Pitcher is best for water with low contamination levels. The reason is that the pitcher apparently isn’t tested or certified – at least as far as we can tell – to remove a wide range of harmful substances. So, if you’re not dealing with a lot of pollutants and you’d just like better-tasting water, this pitcher might serve the purpose.

Overall, customer feedback for Mavea water filters is positive. We saw positive reviews with people expressing that they like the taste of the filtered water and that their pitcher handles hard water well.

That said, the Mavea water filter pitcher isn’t available anymore, so…

Our Rating in Detail:

  • Filtration Performance: 3.5/5.0
  • Filter Capacity (Life): 3.5/5.0
  • Purchase Price: X.X/5.0
  • Annual Cost: 4.5/5.0
  • Overall: 3.5/5.0

Comparison to Other Water Filter Pitchers

How does the Mavea Elemaris XL fare against its competitors? Let’s compare it to two other water filter pitchers: the Clearly Filtered and the Epic Pure/Nano.

Clearly Filtered Water Filter Pitcher

Clearly Filtered

Price: $$$
Filter Process: Carbon + Composite Shell
Filter Capacity: 100 gal
Total Storage Volume: 17 Cups
Annually: ~$150

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: WELCOME10

Epic Pure Water Filtration Pitcher

Epic Pure

Price: $$$
Filter Process: Carbon Block, Ion Exchange
Filter Capacity: 150 gal
Total Storage Volume: 14.8 Cups
Annually: $90-135

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: BOSEpic

Mavea Elemaris XL Water Filter Pitcher

Mavea Elemaris XL

Price:
Filter Process: Activated Carbon, Ion Exchange, Silver
Filter Capacity: 40 gal
Storage Volume: 9 Cups
Annually: ~$75

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.

The Clearly Filtered holds the cake amongst water filter pitchers. It’s been tested against NSF standards 42, 53, and 401 to remove over 350 water contaminants. This testing is pretty hardcore for a water filter pitcher, and the results are impressive – the Clearly Filtered pitcher is certainly much more powerful than the Mavea Elemaris.

The Clearly Filtered Pitcher (reviewed) removes contaminants like fluoride, disinfection byproducts, chromium-6, lead, chlorine, pesticides, chloramine, VOCs, PFAS, semi-volatile compounds, radiologicals, arsenic, pharmaceuticals, and more. It has a filter life of 4 months (100 gallons), a total storage of 17 cups, and a 10-cup filtered volume — this beats the Mavea.

The Clearly Filtered Pitcher filters water using several proprietary filter media and granular activated carbon. It’s built with BPA-free materials and made in the USA.

Other noticeable perks are the removable lid that makes refilling easier and the 30-day satisfaction guarantee and lifetime limited warranty. The only downside with the Clearly Filtered Pitcher is high purchase and maintenance cost.

The Epic Pure/Nano is another quality water filter pitcher. It costs less than the Clearly Filtered but is still very effective.

The Epic Pure pitcher (detailed review) is designed for fluoridated tap water, while the Epic Nano can handle well water (with microorganisms). Nano and Pure cartridges are designed to be interchangeable, so you can swap them when the need arises.

Epic filters remove over 200 contaminants in water. They are tested against NSF standards 42, 53, 401, and the Epic Nano has additional testing for P231 (for microorganisms).Contaminants removed include mercury, chlorine, VOCs, nitrate, disinfection byproducts, PFOA, pesticides, sulfate, fluoride, arsenic, PFAS, hexavalent chromium, lead, cadmium, and pharmaceuticals.

Epic pitchers are made with BPA-free materials in the USA and come with a lifetime warranty and stress-free return policy. They have a long filter life of 150 gallons (more than Clearly Filtered and Mavea), and a 14.8-cup total storage.

Epic pitchers have a filter life countdown timer that tells you when to replace cartridges. There are also some privileges to enjoy when you purchase an Epic pitcher. For example, you benefit from Epic’s recycling program, where you exchange four used filters and get one replacement filter in return. Epic also has special discounts for teachers, students, first responders, medical personnel, seniors, military personnel, and employees and owners of non-profit organizations.

Bottom line: The Clearly Filtered Pitcher is our favorite here. Epic comes in a close second. The Mavea filter pitcher isn’t as effective as the Clearly Filtered and Epic pitchers, plus it’s no longer available for sale. You couldn’t get a new one even if you wanted to.

This completes our review of the Mavea Elemaris XL Water Filter Pitcher. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below!

About the Author Gene Fitzgerald

Gene Fitzgerald is one of the founders of BOS and currently head of content creation. She has 8+ years of experience as a water treatment specialist under her belt making her our senior scientist. Outside of BOS, Gene loves reading books on philosophy & social issues, making music, and hiking.
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Gene

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