ZeroWater vs Clearly Filtered (2021): Which Is The Better Water Filter Pitcher?

Doctors advise drinking a minimum of eight glasses of water a day to achieve good health. But not all drinking water supplies are created equal. In fact, tap water is somewhat unsafe for consumption as it can still contain harmful chorine, fluoride, and other contaminants. Bottled water is definitely pure, but it will be costly and not environmentally-friendly in the long run. Thus, filtering your own water at home is the way to go.

An affordable way of having filtered water at home is to get a water filter pitcher. So today, we’re going to compare two popular water filter pitchers: ZeroWater and Clearly Filtered. There are various water filter pitcher models from ZeroWater and Clearly Filtered but we’re concentrating our review on both brands 10-cup capacity pitchers to level the playing game. Read on and find out which water filter pitcher will be suit your budget and preference.

ZeroWater vs Clearly Filtered Comparison Chart

Design & Build

ZeroWater and Clearly Filtered 10-cup capacity water filter pitchers have little differences when it comes to design.

ZeroWater and Clearly Filtered water filter pitchers are designed as compact and portable water filters that will not take up too much space in the kitchen or even inside the fridge. From the surface, these two 10-cup capacity water filters look the same. Both look like, well… like typical water pitchers with filter cartridges inside. Filtered water can be clearly seen from the transparent BPA-free plastic body.

One notable difference between the two water filter pitchers is the spigot located just below the handle of the ZeroWater pitcher. With the spigot, water dispensing becomes easy for kids or the elderly as there will be no need to pour the pitcher. Another difference is the TDS meter that is place on top of the pitcher cover. Having a zero TDS score is ZeroWater’s battlecry and we will further discuss this in the next section.

So we have previously mentioned that both water filter pitchers are made of BPA-free plastic bodies, right? What we didn’t mention is that Clearly Filtered pitchers are made of a higher-grade plastic material called Tritan. It is not only BPA-free but also free of BPS (bisphenol S) and all other bisphenols. In fact, some Tritan plastics are approved as medical-grade plastic material suited for medical devices.

Lastly, we have noticed that the top reservoir of Clearly Filtered water filter pitcher is bigger and takes as much as 1/3 of the pitcher space. Having a small reservoir such as ZeroWater’s will mean more trips to the tap to refill the reservoir and fill the pitcher with clean water.

Filtration Technology

ZeroWater and Clearly Filtered employ different filtration techniques.

ZeroWater’s filter cartridge cleans water through these five stages:

1. Coarse Filtering Screen – Removes contaminants that can still be seen by the naked eye.
2. Foam Distributor – Prepares water for distribution through the next stages.
3. Activated Carbon and Oxidation Reduction Alloy – Gets rid of heavy metals and the smell and taste of chlorine.
4. Ion Exchange Resin – Adsorbs ions and filters clean water molecules.
5. Ultra Fine Screen and Non-Woven material – Finally removes any large particles left in the clean water.

TDS testing of water filtered with ZeroWater water filter pitcher will show a score of 000. While having a zero score indicates purity from solids and contaminants, it also means that it even beneficial minerals are stripped from the water.

On the other hand, Clearly Filtered’s Affinity Filtration Technology boasts of three stages of filtration with the last stage having seven different filtration materials. Apart from this, this technology uses a dual approach in filtering tap water. First, water passes through a unique filter that has many twists and turns. A longer travel time for water being filtered means more time to be in contact with the contaminant magnets inside the filter. Once drawn out of the water, the contaminant is locked in the filter and only clean and pure water flows out of the filter and into the pitcher.

Filter Performance

Both water filter pitchers are NSF Certified, but Clearly Filtered gets rid of more contaminants.

Water clearly becomes TDS-free when filtered with a ZeroWater water filter pitcher. Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) includes minerals, salts, chemicals, and metals such as fluoride, lead, chromium, and more. ZeroWater filters are comply with NSF/ANSI Standard 53 issued on May 7, 2018.

On the other hand, Clearly Filtered filter cartridges can remove fluoride, lead, glyphosate, micro plastics, and 270 more harmful water contaminants. More details about these contaminants can be seen posted on the product website. It is also NSF Certified and complies with NSF Standards 42, 53, 244, 401, and 473.

Filter Life & Replacement

ZeroWater and Clearly Filtered filter cartridges must be replaced periodically.

ZeroWater claims that one filter cartridge is good for filtering up to 40 gallons of water. ZeroWater replacement filters are available on the product’s website and in Amazon. ZeroWater filter cartridges come in a universal size and will fit any ZeroWater filter pitcher or water dispenser.

Meanwhile, Clearly Filtered filter cartridges can last up to four months or upon filtering up to 100 gallons of water. The filter cartridges are made of 100% non-leaching material. And as with the pitcher’s body, the material used for the filter cartridge is medical-grade and BPA-free plastic.

When it comes to water filter pitchers, the filter cartridge’s lifespan leaves a huge impact. Less filter cartridge replacements mean lesser costs. ZeroWater users living in areas with heavily contaminated water with may end up replacing cartridges in less than a month. Some customers even reported having the need to replace their filters in less than two weeks.

These being said, it is then obvious that Clearly Filtered emerges as the winner in this area.

Verdict

ZeroWater is the more affordable water filter pitcher but you may be saving more in the long run when you choose Clearly Filtered.

There is no doubt that these two water filter pitchers are efficient in reducing contaminants in tap water. However, when it comes to filtration power and cost-effectiveness, Clearly Filtered water filter pitchers appear to fit the bill.

Clearly Filtered may appear to be the more expensive option but its proprietary Affinity Filtration Technology is one for the books and does make up for the added value on its price tag. Its performance is really impressive and being NSF certified and compliant to five NSF standards places it on a league of its own. Plus, its filter cartridge has a longer life span and can even last up to 6 months if not on heavy use.

ZeroWater, on the other hand, still is a good alternative especially since it does filter TDS out of tap water. You may still get to use the filter cartridge longer if the quality of your tap water is not as bad. Otherwise, be ready to spend on frequent filter cartridge replacements.

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