Review: New Wave Enviro Alkaline Plus Lead Removal Filter Pitcher
Written by: Gene Fitzgerald // Expert Fact-Checking: Buddhini Dolapihilla, MBSS // Last Updated: Nov 17, 2023
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The New Wave Enviro Alkaline Plus Lead Removal Filter Pitcher is a relatively inexpensive and unassuming water filter pitcher with a 4-stage filtration process.
But maybe it’s one of those hidden gems? Let’s find out!
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New Wave Enviro Alkaline Plus Lead Removal Filter Pitcher |
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| Price: | $$ |
| Filter Process: | GAC, Ion Exchange, Silver, Mineralization |
| Filter Life: | 64 Gallons |
| Total Storage Volume: | 14.8 Cups |
| Annual Cost: | ~$50 |
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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.
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New Wave Enviro Alkaline Plus Lead Removal Filter Pitcher – All Specs
- Annual Maintenance Cost: ~$50
- Filter Media/Process: Granular Activated Carbon, Ion Exchange, Silver, Mineralization
- Filtering Capacity: 64 gal
- Storage Volume: 14.8 Cups
- WxH: 11”x9.75”
- Weight: 1.38 lb.
New Wave Enviro Alkaline Plus Lead – Key Features
The New Wave Enviro Alkaline Plus Lead Removal Filter Pitcher is a compact, sleek model that can easily fit into your fridge and is safe for washing in your dishwasher. It relies on a 4-stage filtration process:
- Coconut-based granular activated carbon removes chlorine, disinfection byproducts, pesticides, and other organic contaminants, and improves the taste and smell of water as a whole.
- Sodium-based ion exchange resin captures lead, copper, mercury, cadmium, and other dissolved metals, with ion exchange fiber that takes care of undissolved metals.
- Silver-impregnated granular activated carbon stops bacteria from growing in the filter cartridge.
- Calcium-based and organic-based mixtures of minerals add calcium, magnesium, and potassium to your water, raising its pH level to around 8.5 – 9.7.
This seems like an effective combination at a glance, but we can’t really be sure of its effectiveness without official testing data – more on this below.
The New Wave Enviro Alkaline Plus Lead pitcher is made of BPA-free materials, and stores 14.8 cups of water total. Filter life: 64 gallons.
New Wave Alkaline Pitcher Pros
- 4-stage filter process uses granular activated carbon and ion exchange resin. These are the 2 essential filter media to be used for effective contaminant removal.
- Adds minerals to water for those who prefer alkaline drinking water.
- A filter replacement indicator lets you know when to change cartridges.
- $50 in annual filter replacement cost is really cheap.
What Contaminants Are Being Removed?
According to the manufacturer, and judging by the filtration stages used, you can expect this New Wave Enviro alkaline pitcher to target at least the following contaminants:
- Chlorine
- Disinfection byproducts
- Pesticides
- Lead
- Copper
- Mercury
- Cadmium
- Lindane
- Various dissolved and undissolved metals
The New Wave Enviro Alkaline Plus Lead – learn more on Amazon.com
Assembly and Filter Priming
Priming the filter doesn’t require anything special as with most similar models.
Please consider these instructions as a general guideline. Always make sure to check and follow your user manual before getting started.
- Wash the body of the pitcher with warm, soapy water.
- Install the filter cartridge.
- Fill the pitcher with water completely, and let it filter through.
- Discard filtered water batch.
- Repeat steps 3 & 4.
- Done!
The Package (Parts)
- New Wave Enviro Alkaline Plus Lead Pitcher
- Filter Cartridge
Maintenance
To keep your New Wave Enviro pitcher in check, you simply need to replace the filter when it expires, and wash the pitcher as well. One filter cartridge can last for about 64 gallons of water, which comes down to around $50 in annual replacements. That’s pretty good compared to other similar models.
As mentioned before, the pitcher has an integrated filter replacement indicator – simply turn it to the appropriate month so you don’t forget when it’s time for a swap. You can also sign up for a reminder program, which will automatically send you an e-mail when it’s time for a replacement.
Manual
Sorry, we couldn’t find a manual online.
NSF and Other Certifications
There are no official certifications that we could find, NSF or otherwise. The company claims that the pitcher has been “Tested and Certified by IAPMO” for chlorine, lindane, copper, cadmium, and mercury reduction, but we could not verify that.
Earlier Product Versions
To our knowledge, there are no earlier versions of the New Wave Enviro Alkaline Plus Lead Removal Filter Pitcher.
New Wave Pitcher Cons
- No official testing certifications that we could find, despite the manufacturer’s claims of being “Tested and Certified by IAPMO”.
- We miss contaminant reduction rates, and information provided about the product online is pretty sparse in general.
- The official website could use a touch-up for a more trustworthy appearance.
- In our opinion, doesn’t give you a lot for your money, despite the low price.
- No info on warranty.
- Some users report parts occasionally missing from the package, such as the filter replacement indicator.
New Wave Enviro Alkaline Plus Lead Review: Our Verdict + Best for
The New Wave Enviro Alkaline Plus Lead Removal Filter Pitcher is not a bad product for its price, but it’s missing a lot to make it a high-end pitcher. For example, we would be happy to see some information on contaminant reduction rates or certification testing. Without these details, we can only give this pitcher 3.5 stars out of 5.
Our Rating in Detail:
- Filtration Performance: 3.5/5.0
- Filter Capacity (Life): 4.0/5.0
- Purchase Price: 5.0/5.0
- Annual Cost: 5.0/5.0
- Overall: 3.5/5.0
Comparison to Other Water Filter Pitchers
If you’re interested about alternative options available, we’ve covered two that we believe fit the bill more or less perfectly – the Seychelle Gen 2 Dual pH2O Water Filter Pitcher and the Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher.
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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Seychelle Gen 2 Dual pH2O |
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| Price: | $$$ |
| Filter Process: | Activated Carbon, Ion Exchange, Mineralization |
| Filter Capacity: | 150 gal |
| Storage Volume: | 8 Cups |
| Annually: | ~$120-180 |
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Overall Rating: 4.5/5.0 ⓘRating based on filtration performance, filter life, price and yearly cost, NSF testing/certification, customer support, product warranty, our testing/experience, user feedback, and other factors.
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New Wave Enviro Alkaline Plus Lead |
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| Price: | $$ |
| Filter Process: | GAC, Ion Exchange, Silver, Mineralization |
| Filter Capacity: | 64 gal |
| Total Storage Volume: | 14.8 Cups |
| Annually: | ~$50 |
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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.
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You should take a look at the Seychelle Gen 2 Dual pH2O Water Filter Pitcher if you’re specifically interested in alkaline water. It can increase your water pH level to 9.5 with the use of mineralization, and it also offers excellent filtration capabilities thanks to the combined approach utilizing GAC and an ion exchange resin. Not only are the contaminant reduction rates impressive, they have also been independently tested against NSF standards 42 and 53. Some of the contaminants targeted include:
- Many types of VOCs: 99.8%
- PFOA and PFOS: 98-99%
- Chlorine: 90.91%
- Arsenic: ~90%
- Aluminum: ~95%
- Chromium: 95-96%
- Lead: 93.5-96%
- Fluoride: 98.6%
- Nitrate: 97.7%
- Nitrite: 85.5%
The maintenance requirements of the Seychelle Gen 2 Dual pH2O Water Filter Pitcher are lower in comparison too, with a 150-gallon filter lifespan, much better than what the New Wave offers. The whole body of the pitcher is made of non-BPA leaching plastics and filter elements are produced in the USA. However, there are some caveats worth mentioning: First, the pitcher only comes with a 90-day warranty. It’s also more expensive to maintain, despite requiring less frequent filter replacements – expect to spend around $120 – $180 per year on new filter cartridges. On top of that, you may see some cartridges occasionally start clogging up faster.
The Clearly Filtered Pitcher is not an alkaline model, but it’s one of the leading all-around filter pitchers on the market right now. It comes with three NSF standards – 42, 53, and 401 – and can remove/reduce more than 300 contaminants overall, making it much better than the New Wave in that regard. It accomplishes that with filter media utilizing GAC and a special proprietary blend. Some of the contaminants targeted by this combination include:
- Chlorine
- Chloramine
- DBPs
- Lead
- Chromium-6
- Arsenic
- Pharmaceuticals
- Pesticides
- VOCs
- Semi-volatile compounds
- PFAS
- Fluoride
- Radiologicals
You can expect to replace your cartridges every 100 gallons or 4 months, and the pitcher can hold up to 17 cups of water (10 cups filtered). Thanks to the removable lid, refilling is very easy. The pitcher is made of 100% BPA-free materials and is built in the USA. It comes with a lifetime warranty and a 30-day satisfaction guarantee. However, this is a very expensive model – it costs a lot upfront as well as in the long term, and it doesn’t produce any alkaline water.
Bottom line is, if you insist on high-grade contaminant removal, go with the Clearly Filtered. If you want alkaline water, check out the Seychelle Gen 2 Dual pH2O. Only go with the New Wave if you don’t have the budget for the other 2.
More Reviews:
This completes our review of the New Wave Enviro Alkaline Plus Lead Removal 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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