A pitcher is the simplest way to improve tap water, and most of them look alike. The differences are in what the filter is certified to remove and how much it costs per month to keep using.
Look for independent certification (NSF/ANSI 42 for taste and chlorine, 53 for specific contaminants such as lead). A pitcher that only says “reduces impurities” without a standard behind it is telling you nothing.
Divide the price of a replacement filter by the gallons it is rated for, then multiply by what your household drinks. This one number separates the cheap pitcher with expensive filters from the pricier pitcher that costs less to run.
Measure the fridge shelf first. Then check the filter time; slow pitchers get skipped, and a skipped filter does nothing.
A lid that stays on when you pour, a filter-change indicator that counts water rather than days, and a reservoir you can fill without removing the lid.
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