Yep, You're Probably Drinking Microplastics, Bacteria, and Chemicals—This Sleek Pitcher Removes All of Them

I’m going to be honest. As a lifestyle editor, I've tried a lot of different water filter pitchers over the years. At this point, I almost feel like I could add it to my résumé. Sadly, most of the time, that initial excitement turned to disappointment. Sometimes it was the “filtered” water tasting no better than simply filling up my glass at the kitchen sink. Other times it was the (pricey) pain of needing to replace the filter every month. I also questioned the efficiency of these “trendy” options—sure, they looked cool, but what were they even filtering out? But then I fell in love with a fuss-free option that redeemed my faith in water filter pitchers.

The first time I came across LifeStraw, it was through the company’s

Personal Water Filter Straw. As the name suggests, it allows you to stick the device into a lake or river and safely drink the water through the straw. I was amazed: How could such a small device filter out so much bad stuff—bacteria, parasites, dirt, and more—quickly enough to make the water safe to consume? That was way back in 2005. Recently, LifeStraw reentered my life when I had the opportunity to test out the

LifeStraw Home.

Obviously I don’t have the best luck with finding a water filter pitcher that holds a spot in my fridge for longer than a couple months. Knowing LifeStraw’s history, I had a feeling this time would be different and I decided to give it a try.

I thought I was drinking safe water from the water filter pitchers I was drinking from in the past, but I’ve recently found out that’s not exactly the case. It turns out many of the other popular options on the market—I won't name names!—aren't as concerned with filtering your water as they are about the smell and taste.

These options mostly just strip the water of choline in order to make it crisp and smooth, but you're still left with water that potentially contains bacteria, microplastics, chemicals, and contaminants you don't want to be sipping. For how much these filters cost, and how often they need to be replaced, you're certainly not getting your money's worth.

Being equipped with this information, I think my jaw hit the floor when I read through everything LifeStraw’s filter removes from drinking water. It's the only water filter on the market that removes bacteria and parasites (including E. coli, Cryptosporidium, and Giardia) in addition to

microplastics and 30+ contaminants. For me, filtering out microplastics is a big deal: Since

it's estimated that Americans eat and drink between 106 and 142 microplastic particles every day, knowing I’m not drinking plastic is a major plus. The filter also reduces lead, mercury, and chemicals (including PFAS, aka forever chemicals). In total, it removes 30+ contaminants, all while making your water taste delicious.

After first removing the LifeStraw Home pitcher from the box, I couldn’t stop eying it. If you’re into aesthetics (guilty!), it’s something you don’t want to hide away. In fact, with its chic Danish design—consisting of a handblown glass pitcher and silicone base—it’s the first pitcher I’ve actually wanted to put on display in my home.

So it’s got the looks, but how about functionality? One of my least favorite parts about buying a water filter pitcher is getting it ready to actually filter my water (I’m impatient, okay?), but I was pleasantly surprised with how quick and easy it was to get it from the box to my fridge.

The product setup consists of five simple steps. First, you unwrap and rinse the carbon filter under cold water. Then you rinse the filter housing (the center component that holds the filter) and hand-wash the pitcher. Next, you return the filter housing back into the pitcher and run a batch of water through it, which you then discard. After installing the carbon filter, you run one more batch of water through it before it's ready for use.

It’s the moment of truth: How does the water taste? I’m happy to say it puts my tap water—and, honestly, other filters I’ve tried—to shame. The water tastes just as good as pricey bottle options I didn’t think could be beat, plus the fact that it’s actually safe and free of contaminants somehow makes it taste even better.

I didn’t just go off of my own taste buds, though. I also gave my husband a glass of the filtered water to gauge his reaction, and he instantly chugged it down and went for a refill. If that doesn’t tell you it’s top-notch, I don’t know what will.

One of the most annoying things about water filter pitchers I’ve used in the past was the refill situation. It seemed like something was always off with the design, causing me to struggle with a lid that didn’t want to click back into place (or was difficult to remove in the first place). I know these are very minor inconveniences, but let’s be honest—issues like these leave your pitcher sitting empty in the fridge.

When you refill the

LifeStraw Home, you literally need to do... nothing. You take it to the sink and can refill it right through the lid, so there's no need to spend time removing and replacing any parts. It also filters quickly. I generally fill it up and let it sit on the counter as the water moves through. Then before putting it back in the fridge, I fill it up a couple more times. That way, I’m left with a full pitcher ready to drink from.

While most water filter pitchers are entirely plastic, I love how LifeStraw made its

LifeStraw Home 7-Cup Glass option more sustainable by using a hand-blown, borosilicate glass base. Each membrane microfilter lasts up to a year, filtering 264 liters of water, and the carbon filter gets replaced every couple of months. (There’s a super convenient

auto-delivery option that ensures one shows up on your doorstep right when you need it.) By using this pitcher instead of buying bottled water, you can keep over 2,000 half-liter plastic water bottles out of our oceans, parks, and communities. Plus, for every pitcher sold, a child in need receives safe water for a year.

If you can’t already tell, this is by far my favorite water filter pitcher I’ve ever tried. It looks sharp in my home, does its job of filtering out contaminants, and provides me with really good-tasting water. In my month-long testing period, it’s quickly become the most-used item in my kitchen, and I have a feeling it’s going to be gracing my fridge for a very long time.