3 Best Stainless Steel Water Filter Pitchers (*Update 2024)
Written by: Gene Fitzgerald // Expert Fact-Checking: Buddhini Dolapihilla, MBSS // Last Updated: Jan 31, 2024
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Water filter pitchers are highly popular: They are easy to use and maintain, and they don’t cost much.
And because some people were concerned about their drinking water getting in touch with plastics which could potentially result in contamination – think BPA and similar chemicals – manufacturers came up with the idea of stainless steel water filter pitchers.
Just like their plastic counterparts, a stainless steel pitcher is installation-free, it fits most refrigerators, and it’s easy to keep clean. All in all, it’s a great way to get access to clean and great-tasting drinking water.
But how to find the best stainless steel water filter pitcher for your needs? Well, you came to the right place!
Contents
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No Time to Read? Check Our List of the Best Stainless Steel Water Filter Pitchers!
| Product | Details | |
|---|---|---|
 Best Stainless Steel Water Filter Pitcher: ZeroWater |
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Price: $ Size (Cups): 11 Filter Life: 20 Gallons Annual Cost: ~$190-225 Warranty: 90 Days Read Review: Click |
 The Runner-Up: Brita |
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Price: $ Size (Cups): 8 Filter Life: 120 Gallons Annual Cost: ~$50 Warranty: 90 Days Read Review: Click |
 Best Stainless Steel Alkaline Pitcher: pH Vitality |
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Price: $$ Size (Cups): 8 Filter Life: 105 Gallons Annual Cost: ~$75-100 Warranty: 1 Year Read Review: Click |
Best Stainless Steel Water Filter Pitcher Reviews
Our Top Picks
- ZeroWater 11-Cup – Best Overall
- Brita Stainless Steel – Runner-Up
- pH Vitality – for Alkaline Water
1. Best Overall: ZeroWater 11-Cup Stainless Steel Water Filter Pitcher
In our opinion, the best stainless steel water filter pitcher in 2024 is the ZeroWater.
It uses a 5-filtration process NSF-certified to remove 97.5% chlorine taste and odor, up to 99.7% lead, 99.6% chromium, and 94.9% PFOA/PFOS among other harmful water contaminants. Besides, it reduces total dissolved solids down or close to zero.
That said, the ZeroWater has its drawbacks. However, when it comes to stainless steel water filter pitchers the range of products is limited, so you have to take what is on offer.
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ZeroWater Stainless Steel Filter Pitcher |
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| Price: | $ |
| Size: | 11 Cups |
| Filter Life: | 20 gal |
| Annually: | ~$190-225 |
| Warranty: | 90 Days |
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Our Rating
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Pros
- Combination of 5 filter stages for broad contaminant removal:
- First, sediments are blocked by a screen filter.
- Activated carbon and KDF reduce heavy metals, organics, and chemicals.
- In order to prevent channeling, a foam pad disperses water evenly across the filter diameter.
- Ion exchange resin is used to filter even more heavy metals.
- Another filter screen, this time combined with a membrane, traps microscopic particles.
- ZeroWater has conducted testing against NSF standards 42 and 53 for guaranteed performance.
- 88 ounces storage capacity is enough for family use.
- Handling is nice thanks to the comfort grip handle.
- A free TDS meter is included. You can use it to determine the filter status.
- When the meter reads “6” or higher, the filter cartridge requires changing.
- 90-day manufacturer warranty.
Cons
- The inside is plastic and not even the entire outside is stainless steel.
- The steel is just to support the plastic so that it doesn’t break.
- Filtration is slow for most people.
- Filter cartridges are prone to clogging. Depending on your water chemistry they might fail after a mere 10 gallons which adds to the cost.
- At least they don’t cost more than $10-15 apiece.
- TDS is not the ideal way to determine drinking water quality.
Best for
The ZeroWater 11-Cup is ideal for people who want their drinking water to be free from TDS and as many other contaminants as possible.
→ Read Our Full Review of the ZeroWater Stainless Steel Pitcher
2. Runner-Up: Brita Stainless Steel Water Filter Pitcher
Our runner-up for the best stainless steel water filter pitcher is the Brita.
It can be used with two different pitcher filter cartridges, Brita Standard and Brita Longlast. We recommend the latter since it’s much more powerful!
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Brita Stainless Steel Pitcher |
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| Price: | $ |
| Size: | 8 Cups |
| Filter Life: | 120 gal |
| Annually: | ~$50 |
| Warranty: | 90 Days |
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Our Rating
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Pros
- All Brita products are highly affordable. That also goes for this Brita stainless steel pitcher.
- The Brita Longlast filter cartridge is NSF-certified to remove some heavy metals such as lead (99%) and mercury (95.5%), chemicals including chlorine (97.4%) and Ibuprofen (94.9%), and other contaminants like asbestos (99%).
- A mix of granular activated carbon and ion exchange resin are used.
- NSF 42 + 53.
- Pouring and refilling is easy.
- The compact pitcher will easily fit in your refrigerator.
- 120 gallons of filtered water per cartridge is much more than average!
- Up to 6 months of filtered water.
- Replacements are very cheap.
- All materials are BPA-free.
- Brita offers a 1-year warranty on all their products.
Cons
- Brita is not our first choice for the most effective pitcher water filter. The number of contaminants removed is very limited.
- As with the ZeroWater, the inside of this pitcher isn’t stainless steel but fully lined with plastic. In other words, the steel is only for décor.
- It can be difficult not to spill water when pouring.
- An electronic filter indicator notifies you when it’s time for a filter change. However, it doesn’t track the amount of water filtered. We assume it’s simply a countdown timer.
Best for
The Brita is our second best choice for stainless steel water filter pitchers.
3. For Alkaline Water: pH Vitality Water Pitcher
The pH Vitality by Invigorated Water is another stainless steel filter pitcher. Only that this time it’s an alkaline unit which increases water pH and negative oxidation-reduction potential (more below).
It’s also the only 100% food-grade 304 stainless steel pitcher that comes without any plastic.
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pH Vitality |
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| Price: | $$ |
| Size: | 8 Cups |
| Filter Life: | 105 gal |
| Annually: | ~$75-100 |
| Warranty: | 1 Year |
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Our Rating
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Pros
- 100% food grade stainless steel.
- Stylish, modern design.
- The pH Vitality doesn’t work with filter cartridges but with filter pouches filled with a mixed of different filter media:
- Calcium balls increase water pH adding calcium.
- ORP Balls provide for anti-oxidant water.
- Maifan stones enrich water with healthy iron, selenium, zinc, ion, magnesium, and other minerals.
- Ceramic balls, zeolite, and activated alumina remove some fluoride, chlorine, and heavy metals including lead and mercury.
- Far-infrared balls increase oxygen content.
- All in all, Invigorated Water claims that their pitcher filter provides drinking water which reduces inflammation, improves your immune system, aids hydration, enhances energy levels, and slows again.
- The ice guard stops dirt and dust.
- One filter pouch lasts for 105 gallons of filtered water.
- 60-day return policy: Full refund + company pays return shipping cost (only when bought on invigoratedwater.com).
- 1 year warranty upon product registration.
Cons
- We assume that the tea bag like filtration is not very effective.
- No NSF testing or certifications.
- Science doesn’t back the health claims associated with alkaline drinking water.
- Many people couldn’t make out a difference in water taste.
- Quality issues: Rusting and loose/broken handles.
Best for
The pH Vitality is ideal for people who want a stainless steel pitcher providing alkaline drinking water.
More Reviews:
Comparison List
How do the best stainless steel water filter pitchers perform when directly compared?
(Mobile Hint: Swipe to Scroll)
| Model | Price | Size | Filter Life | Annually | Warranty | Additional Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ZeroWater Pitcher | $ | 11 Cups | 20 gal | ~$190-225 | 90 Days | |
| Brita Stainless Steel Pitcher | $ | 8 Cups | 120 gal | ~$50 | 90 Days | |
| pH Vitality | $$ | 8 Cups | 105 gal | ~$75-100 | 1 Year |
Buying Guide: How We Picked the Best Stainless Steel Filter Pitchers + What You Need to Consider
The following are things worth considering before you go out and buy a stainless steel water filter pitcher. These are also the very same criteria we focused on when picking our top products for this guide.
Durability + Materials
Stainless steel offers many advantages over plastic and is preferred by buyers who want a combination of improved water taste and premium materials. Even if it doesn’t leave any harmful deposits in the water, plastic can still affect drinking water taste noticeably.
Unfortunately, some pitcher models only use stainless steel for the exterior with a plastic interior underneath it. This can be an adequate solution for those who are only interested in stainless steel for its aesthetic appeal, but makes those pitchers useless for buyers who want to avoid the possibility of plastic contamination entirely.
A stainless steel exterior can also make the pitcher more durable. The interior plastic is still susceptible to cracks, however, and those may be more difficult to notice if the pitcher is covered by a stainless steel outer body.
Contaminant Removal
Some pitchers offer advanced filtration that can effectively remove a large number of contaminants from the water.
In other cases, like the Brita, decontamination is very low overall and the models are mainly focused on removing chlorine taste and odor and some larger particles.
Simply put, certain water contaminants require more expensive filters to properly remove. Therefore, it’s important to have a good idea of the quality of your drinking water supply before investing in a stainless steel pitcher if your main goal is to purify your water as much as possible.
NSF/ANSI Standards
Several NSF/ANSI standards are used to rate the effectiveness of water filters. They can be a good indicator of the overall quality of the models you’re considering, but shouldn’t be used exclusively for this purpose, as they don’t reveal everything about a pitcher’s filtration capabilities.
Standards 42 and 53 are of particular importance to most consumers interested in stainless steel pitchers, as these are concerned with the removal of chlorine taste and odor, as well as various heavy metals and chemicals etc.
It’s also important to understand that the presence of a certain standard doesn’t mean a filter removes everything related from the water supply. Rather, it’s a guarantee that one or more specific contaminants will be reduced at specific rates, such as 99.5% lead reduction.
Meaning, not only will be a small portion of contaminants still be left in the water in the end, but some types of contaminants may not even be touched at all.
Water Holding Capacity
Most stainless steel pitchers are capable of holding around 10 cups of water. Considering that you may need to wait for the water to pass through the filter after each refill, a smaller capacity can be a deal breaker for large families.
Buying more than one pitcher can be an adequate solution in these cases, and it’s also worth exploring the market for water filter dispensers, which come with a much higher capacity.
Greater holding capacity doesn’t automatically make a model better. At some point, the pitcher gets too heavy to lift comfortably, especially if you have small children in your family.
Filtration Speed
More advanced filtration systems usually work slower, meaning that you have to wait longer after each refill before you can enjoy your purified water. This isn’t always the case though, and filtration speed shouldn’t be seen as the only indicator of the pitcher’s overall purification strength.
Filtration Capacity
Buying a stainless steel filter pitcher is a long-term investment due to the need for ongoing filter replacements.
Many pitchers have a built-in system to indicate when you need to replace the filter. These systems aren’t always very precise though. Some models simply measure the time you’ve had the pouring flap open. Or even worse, they might utilize a simple countdown timer to estimate when the next filter replacement is due.
In any case, it’s important to consider factors like how long the pitcher’s filters last and how much their replacements cost. Some pitchers seem very cheap due to their low upfront cost, but end up very expensive in the long.
Manufacturer Warranty & Cost
Many stainless steel water pitchers come with a 1-year warranty. Some manufacturers might offer longer deals, but that seems to be the norm across the market for the most part
Since the main reason for investing in a stainless steel pitcher is its durability, it’s a good idea to stick to manufacturers that are willing to go the extra mile in guaranteeing the quality of their products.
More on Stainless Steel Water Filter Pitchers
Further Reading:
What’s a Stainless Steel Water Filter Pitcher and How Does It Work?
Water filter pitchers are small, portable jugs that can hold around 10 cups of water. The water is run through a filter (or series of filters) to remove particles and contaminants before it’s served.
Water pitchers are mechanically very simple – they don’t use any pumps or other moving parts, rather letting gravity do all the work. Water is poured in a compartment at the top of the pitcher, and it runs down through a filter before entering the final storage area.
A stainless steel water pitcher isn’t too different from an ordinary pitcher made out of plastic. Stainless steel improves the durability of the device and prevents any unpleasant taste associated with water that’s been sitting in a plastic container for some time.
Who Needs a Stainless Steel Water Filter Pitcher?
Filtration can greatly improve the quality of household water, including its taste. For many people, water that’s been in contact with plastic tastes noticeably different. The taste might not be unpleasant, but it’s still there. If you’re going through the trouble of filtering your drinking water, you might as well take one extra step and invest in a model that delivers the best possible taste.
Stainless steel models are also more durable. Plastic is prone to cracking after a couple of years of use, while a good stainless steel water pitcher can last for many years without showing any signs of wear.
What Are the Advantages of a Stainless Steel Water Filter Pitcher?
No Plastic (Ideally)
The main reason you might want to go with a stainless steel water filter pitcher is that there’s no plastic used in the design. This means that your water will never come in contact with any plastic containers, guaranteeing a fresh, consistent taste with every sip. It also rules out recontamination with BPA and similar chemicals.
If this is important to you, you should explicitly verify that the models you’re considering don’t use any plastic in their interior parts. It’s possible that stainless steel is only used for the exterior, and in some cases that’s even not very obvious.
Increased Durability
Many plastic water filter pitchers tend to start cracking after one or two years. This is true even for more expensive models. No matter how careful you might be in using your pitcher, some of its parts will be put under some strain when you’re lifting it and pouring from it.
Once a small crack has formed, it’s only a matter of time before it propagates and makes the whole pitcher unusable.
That’s never a problem with stainless steel models. With proper maintenance, they can last for many years. And with just one quick wipe down, your stainless steel pitcher will look as good as new.
Disadvantages
Rust
Some people wrongly assume that stainless steel cannot rust at all. While the main purpose of the material is indeed to prevent the formation of rust, it still doesn’t block it completely.
Depending on the chromium content of the stainless steel used in your pitcher, it can take many years before you see any signs of rust, but it will happen eventually.
Plastic Parts
As we mentioned above, some “stainless steel” water pitchers are a bit misleading in their presentation, as they only use steel for their exterior. It’s possible that the interior container is actually made completely out of plastic.
Plastic is likely used in the filter cartridge as well. If you want to avoid any contact between your drinking water and plastic surfaces, you’re going to severely limit your range of options on the market.
Inferior Filtration
Plastic is a much more popular material for water filter pitchers on the market right now. This means that it’s very easy to find plastic pitchers in various configurations, including different sizes and filtration strengths.
Stainless steel models are much more limited in comparison. And among those currently available, you’re not going to find any with particularly impressive filtration capabilities. If you insist on using a stainless steel water filter pitcher, you might have to accept inferior filtration as a general drawback.
More Expensive
Steel is more expensive than plastic, so it should come as no surprise that a stainless steel water pitcher is more expensive than its alternatives, even when all other factors are more or less equal.
Remember that the initial purchase price is not the most important factor when it comes to the long-term cost of a water filter pitcher though – the cost of its filters weighs much more heavily. Thus, spending a bit more on a stainless steel pitcher might not matter much in the long run as the cost will more or less equalize once you’ve gone through a few filter cartridges.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- Which stainless steel water filter pitcher removes the most contaminants?
As far as we know, the ZeroWater 11-Cup removes the most contaminants from all stainless steel water pitchers on the market. - Do stainless steel filter pitchers actually work?
Stainless steel filter pitchers work just like any regular water filter pitchers. - Why should I use a stainless steel filter pitcher?
Some people are concerned about their drinking water getting in touch with any plastic – and for good reason: Many types of plastics have been known to leach chemicals such as BPA into water.
Questions? Ask away!
About the Author Gene Fitzgerald
Information provided on BOS is for educational purposes only. The products and services we review may not be right for your individual circumstances.
We adhere to strict editorial guidelines. Rest assured, the opinions expressed have not been provided, reviewed, or otherwise endorsed by our partners – they are unbiased, independent, and the author’s alone. Our licensed experts fact-check all content for accuracy. It is accurate as of the date posted and to the best of our knowledge.