Review: ZeroWater 12-Cup Ready-Pour Water Filter Pitcher
Written by: Gene Fitzgerald // Expert Fact-Checking: Buddhini Dolapihilla, MBSS // Last Updated: Sep 14, 2023
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Let’s consider the ZeroWater 12-Cup Ready-Pour Water Filter Pitcher:
It’s a 5-stage water pitcher system that aims to reduce TDS levels to zero. It has verifiable NSF certifications and is quite affordable at purchase.
What else does it have in store? Let’s find out.
Contents
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ZeroWater 12-Cup Ready-Pour Water Filter Pitcher |
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| Price: | $$ |
| Filter Process: | Carbon, KDF, Ion Exchange Resins, Sediment Filtration |
| Filter Life: | 20 Gallons |
| Storage Volume: | 12 Cups |
| Annual Cost: | ~$190-225 |
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Overall Rating: 4.0/5.0 ⓘ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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ZeroWater 12-Cup Ready-Pour Water Filter Pitcher – All Specs
- Model: ZD-012RP
- Annual Maintenance Cost: ~$190-225
- Filter Media/Process: Carbon, KDF, Ion Exchange, Sediment Filtration
- Filtering Capacity: 20 gal
- Storage Capacity: 12 Cups
- WxHxD: 5.93”x11.63”x11”
- Weight: 3.0 lb.
- NSF Certifications: Standard 42, 53
- Warranty: 90 Days
ZeroWater 12-Cup – Key Features
The ZeroWater ZD-012RP Water Filter Pitcher filters water using five stages:
- Stage 1 is a coarse filter that removes sediment and other particles.
- Stage 2 consists of carbon + KDF filter media that eliminate organic contaminants and prevents bacteria from growing in the pitcher.
- Stage 3 is a distributor that increases contact time, preparing the water for the next filter stage.
- Stage 4 is an ion exchange resin that filters out metal and nonmetal contaminants (it’s a mixed bed of cation and anion resin).
- Stage 5 is a non-woven membrane that further filters water to remove finer particles.
The ZeroWater 12-Cup is NSF-certified and reduces up to 99.6% of all total dissolved solids in water.
As the name suggests, it has a 12-cup water storage capacity (the largest pitcher size ZeroWater offers) and a push-to-dispense spigot that allows you to drink even while the pitcher still filters water.
What’s more, the ZeroWater has a filter life rating of 20 gallons; however, the company recommends you change the filter as soon as TDS levels go above 6 (there’s a free TDS meter included for measuring your water TDS levels).
Annual filter replacements cost around $190-225, depending on if you buy your filters in bulk.
Finally, the ZeroWater 12-Cup pitcher has a 90-day limited warranty.
ZeroWater 12-Cup Ready-Pour Pros
We like that the ZeroWater 12-Cup Ready-Pour 5-Stage Water Filter Pitcher is quite affordable at purchase.
Also, it’s easy to assemble, and with a 12-cup water storage capacity the pitcher is well suited for family use.
What Contaminants Are Being Removed?
ZeroWater provides these reduction rates:
- 94.9% PFOA/PFOS
- 99% antimony
- 98% arsenic 5
- 99.9% barium
- 97% cadmium
- 99.6% chromium 6
- 95.9-99.7% lead
- 96.0-96.7% mercury
- 99% asbestos
- 97.5% chlorine
- 99% fluoride
- 98% nitrate
- 99% nitrite
It also removes a few other metals and nonmetals.
The ZeroWater 12-Cup – learn more on Amazon.com
Assembly and Filter Priming
The ZeroWater ZD-012RP Water Filter Pitcher is really easy to set up. You don’t need to involve a professional.
Please consider these instructions as a general guideline. Always make sure to check and follow your user manual before getting started.
Here’s how:
- Clean all parts except the filter cartridge with warm water or soapy water.
- Attach the filter to the reservoir’s base. Make sure it seals completely.
- Fill the reservoir with tap water and cover it with the lid.
The Package (Parts)
- ZeroWater ZD-012RP Water Filter Pitcher
- ZeroWater Filter Cartridge
- TDS Meter
Maintenance
This pitcher is definitely high-maintenance. Because of its short filter life (20 gallons), you’d need to replace the filters pretty often. ZeroWater recommends filter replacements whenever the water TDS levels exceed 6.
The annual cost of filter replacements adds up to about $190-225.
Here’s how to change cartridges:
- Take off the pitcher’s lid and reservoir.
- Unscrew the old filter to release it from the reservoir.
- Secure the new filter by twisting it into the bottom of the reservoir.
- Reinsert it in the pitcher and add water as you normally would.
Manual
Here is a link to the official manual:
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/B1QBKzMni0S.pdf
NSF and Other Certifications
The ZeroWater ZD-012RP is NSF-certified against standards 42 and 53. NSF 42 confirms that the pitcher reduces chlorine, taste, and odor in water, while NSF 53 covers the pitcher for the reduction of lead, mercury, chromium 6, PFOS, and PFOA.
Earlier Product Versions
There are no earlier versions of this product.
ZeroWater 12-Cup Ready-Pour Cons
The biggest con with this ZeroWater pitcher is its very low filter life of 20 gallons. This means you’d need to do a lot of maintenance work. And some past users even complained that the filters lasted no more than 10 gallons (which means twice as much effort and cash spent on maintenance! Definitely too much).
Another downside is the short 90-day limited warranty and slow filtration rate.
Besides, we don’t believe TDS is ideal for measuring water quality. TDS refers to all the dissolved solids in water, but your TDS meter doesn’t differentiate between good dissolved solids and bad ones. A high TDS level could mean that there are many harmful dissolved solids in your water (like lead and arsenic). But it could also mean that your water contains high levels of healthy dissolved solids like calcium and magnesium.
Plus, we must not forget that dissolved solids are not the only kind of contaminant in water. There are other harmful pollutants that do not count as TDS. So your water might be low in TDS and still be unhealthy to drink.
Last but not least, some past users complained about the spring coming out of the push-button dispenser causing it to fail. For others, the dispenser leaked water all over the floor.
ZeroWater 12-Cup Review: Our Verdict + Best for
All in all, the ZeroWater 12-Cup Water Filter Pitcher uses activated carbon, KDF, and ion exchange resins, so there’s a mixture of effective filter media. The filter’s reduction rates also look promising. The biggest downside is the extremely low filter life, which means frequent replacements and extra costs. And, as we mentioned, we don’t like the 0 TDS marketing approach.
Final verdict: 4 stars.
Our Rating in Detail:
- Filtration Performance: 4.0/5.0
- Filter Capacity (Life): 2.0/5.0
- Purchase Price: 5.0/5.0
- Annual Cost: 3.5/5.0
- Overall: 4.0/5.0
Comparison to Other Water Filter Pitchers
Let’s compare the ZeroWater 12-Cup Ready-Pour 5-Stage Water Filter Pitcher to two competitors: The Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher and the Epic Pure/Nano.
Clearly Filtered |
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| Price: | $$$ |
| Filter Process: | Carbon + Composite Shell |
| Filter Capacity: | 100 gal |
| Total Storage: | 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 Pure |
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| Price: | $$$ |
| Filter Process: | Carbon Block, Ion Exchange |
| Filter Capacity: | 150 gal |
| Total Storage: | 14.8 Cups |
| Annually: | ~$90-135 |
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Overall Rating: 4.5/5.0 ⓘRating based on filtration performance, filter life, price and yearly cost, NSF testing/certification, customer support, product warranty, our testing/experience, user feedback, and other factors.
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ZeroWater 12-Cup |
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| Price: | $$ |
| Filter Process: | Carbon, KDF, Ion Exchange, Sediment Filtration |
| Filter Capacity: | 20 gal |
| Storage: | 12 Cups |
| Annually: | ~$190-225 |
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Overall Rating: 4.0/5.0 ⓘ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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The Clearly Filtered pitcher (click for review) is a first-class model. It’s been third-party tested/certified for NSF standards 42, 53, and 401 (and protocol P473) with amazing results. The results show that the Clearly Filtered is effective against over 365 water contaminants (including chlorine, chloramine, semi-volatile compounds, pesticides, lead, pharmaceuticals, VOCs, PFAS, chromium-6, arsenic, DBPs, and much more). This is the most in-depth testing we’ve seen with a water filter pitcher.
The Clearly Filtered pitcher tackles different contaminants using proprietary filter media and granular activated carbon. The filter life is 100 gallons (or four months) – much longer than with the ZeroWater. The total storage is around 17 cups and 10 cups filtered volume. It has a removable lid that makes refilling really easy and is 100% BPA-free. The Clearly Filtered also has a limited lifetime warranty (much better than the 90 days with the ZeroWater) and a 30-day satisfaction guarantee. The entire system is built in the USA.
The downside is that it’s expensive to purchase; however, it’s cheaper to maintain than the ZeroWater in the long run.
The Epic Pure/Nano water filter pitchers are a more affordable option, but they do the job well. ZeroWater focuses on removing as many dissolved solids as possible, whereas Epic removes a lot more different contaminant types.
The Epic Pure (fully reviewed here) is suited for fluoride-containing tap water, while the Epic Nano (review) works for (well) water containing microorganisms like cysts, viruses, and bacteria.
The filter process involves activated carbon and some proprietary filter media (mainly ion exchange resin). This blend targets over 200 contaminants, including chlorine, nitrate, chloramine, arsenic, fluoride, cadmium, mercury, pharmaceuticals, lead, disinfection byproducts, PFOA, PFOS, pesticides, hexavalent chromium, and more. We have NSF testing against standards 42, 53, 401, and P473 (Epic Nano is also tested against P231 for microorganisms).
Filter life is 150 gallons (more than both Clearly Filtered and ZeroWater). There’s a built-in filter countdown timer that tells you when it’s time to change your filters. Also: 14.8-cup total storage, made in USA, 100% BPA-free material, smooth return policy, and a lifetime warranty. Epic also runs a recycling program that allows you to turn in four old filter cartridges for a new replacement filter free of charge.
Epic is slightly more expensive than ZeroWater (at purchase), but cheaper to maintain.
Bottom line: The Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher comes in first. It’s the most effective water filter of the 3. Next comes Epic which provides a good balance of filtration effectiveness and affordability. The ZeroWater comes in last. It’s initial price tag is low, but maintenance cost start to add up and filtration is not very broad.
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This completes our review of the ZeroWater 12-Cup Ready-Pour 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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