Written by: Gene Fitzgerald // Expert Fact-Checking: Buddhini Dolapihilla, MBSS // Last Updated: Sep 14, 2023
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The ZeroWater EcoFilter Water Filter Pitcher is a simple system that can be used for removing chlorine taste and odor.
It is designed to reduce waste, so it does not use a plastic filter shell like most other water filter pitchers do.
Let’s examine all the features, pros, and cons of the ZeroWater EcoFilter Water Filter Pitcher and see if it’s worth your money.
First of all, the main selling point of the ZeroWater EcoFilter is that it produces less waste by not using a plastic filter shell. So there isn’t a lot for you to dispose of – there’s only the activated carbon media, which you can simply throw in the trash.
Speaking of, the ZeroWater EcoFilter pitcher features very basic carbon filtration; it can only remove chlorine, more or less. This will improve how your drinking water tastes and smells.
The pitcher has a storage volume of 10 cups which is pretty average, and a filtering capacity of 100 gallons.
All the materials used are BPA-free.
Finally, there is a 90-day warranty.
It’s nice that this water filter pitcher reduces waste.
It is also user-friendly, featuring a round shape that fits easily into refrigerators. It’s simple to fill and use; no hassle at all.
Then, there’s the long filter life — 120 gallons! It saves you the stress of replacing filters frequently.
And, the ZeroWater EcoFilter Water Filter Pitcher is NSF-certified to remove chlorine taste and odor.
The ZeroWater EcoFilter Water Filter Pitcher reduces 69.5% chlorine taste and odor.
The ZeroWater EcoFilter – learn more on Amazon.com
The pitcher is easy to fill up and use. Also, you can install it yourself without voiding the warranty; using an authorized dealer is not compulsory.
Here are the installation instructions:
The ZeroWater EcoFilter is easy to maintain because it has a long filter life of 120 gallons. It means you don’t have to replace the filter element very often.
When you do, follow these steps:
The company recommends hand washing the pitcher, cap, reservoir, and rear lid each time you replace the filter. Ensure to use mild dish soap and rinse thoroughly with clean water before you resume using the filter.
Here is a link to the official manual:
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/A1O3lYj7SvL.pdf
The ZeroWater EcoFilter Water Filter Pitcher is certified against NSF standard 42. The certification confirms that it reduces chlorine taste and odor.
This product has no earlier versions.
We find the EcoFilter’s filtration to be too basic; as mentioned before it only removes chlorine taste and odor. In other words, you shouldn’t rely on it to remove any other and possibly more harmful water contaminants. Plus, it only removes 69.5% chlorine, which isn’t a whole lot. Other pitchers can remove more than 99% chlorine.
That’s probably why many users complained that they didn’t notice a difference between their tap and filtered water. Many who used ZeroWater products for years found this filter rather disappointing.
The system has a warranty, but it’s only a 90-day warranty — too short.
No waste is great, but if the ZeroWater EcoFilter Water Filter Pitcher doesn’t really improve water quality, you could ask where is the point of using a filter pitcher in the first place? 3 stars.
Let’s compare the ZeroWater EcoFilter to the Clearly Filtered pitcher and the Epic Pure and Epic Nano water filter pitchers.
The Clearly Filtered (get the full review here) achieved outstanding results in the most detailed testing we’ve ever seen with a water filter pitcher. It’s tested against NSF 42, 53, 401, and protocol P473, and has proven to reduce 365+ contaminants! These contaminants include chlorine, chloramine, DBPs, lead, chromium 6, arsenic, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, VOCs, semi-volatile compounds, PFAS, fluoride, and radiologicals. The Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher is a premium model indeed.
Its filter stages include organic carbon filtration and different proprietary media. Each filter cartridge lasts for about 4 months (or 100 gallons) and the system can store about 17 cups total. It is completely BPA-free, USA-built, and uses an easily refillable lid.
What’s more, the CF pitcher has a lifetime warranty and 30-day satisfaction guarantee, superseding ZeroWater’s 90-day warranty. On the flip side, it’s expensive to buy and maintain.
Second, we have the Epic Pure/Nano pitchers. These are cheaper than the Clearly Filtered, and test results show they are powerful too. They have NSF testing for standards 42, 53, 401, and P473, and for the Nano, P231 for microorganisms. The filters use a mix of activated carbon and ion exchange resin to remove over 200 contaminants. These include chlorine, fluoride, nitrate, chlorine, sulfate, arsenic, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, lead, mercury, VOCs, pharmaceuticals, disinfection byproducts, pesticides, PFOA, PFOS, and others.
The Epic Pure works well for fluoridated tap water. Epic Nano is for private well water possibly containing microorganisms. You can exchange the filter cartridges if you need to.
Filter life: 150 gallons. Total storage capacity: 14.8 cups. The pitchers are BPA-free, USA-made, and backed by a long-term lifetime warranty and hassle-free return policy.
Other features include a built-in filter life countdown timer (which lets you know when to replace the filter) and the company’s recycling program (which gives you a free replacement filter when you send four used filters). You also get discounts from the brand if you are a military worker, medical worker, first responder, teacher, student, senior, or a non-profit organization owner or worker.
All in all, Epic Pure/Nano pitchers are slightly more expensive than the ZeroWater to buy but more affordable to maintain.
The bottom line: Clearly Filtered is the best but also the most pricey pitcher. Epic is more affordable and still powerful. ZeroWater is the least expensive, but it only does a little for your water.
This completes our review of the ZeroWater EcoFilter Water Filter Pitcher. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below!
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