Top 3 Water Filter Jugs

These days new, and increasingly exotic/daft, dietary fads seemingly arrive to assault our senses (and insult our intelligence) with each month that passes. And yet few of them endure. Clean Eating is only the latest trend the fickle health and beauty industry has fallen in and out of love with, the complex encyclopedia of foodie fashion would now encompass several volumes. But there is one healthy living staple on whose benefits experts and quacks alike can agree. One which our own mothers would advocate and to which 90% of supermodels apparently attribute their beauty…

Water.

Certainly abiding by the 8 glasses a day principle will likely bring you a clearer complexion and greater radiancy, especially if combined with a healthy diet and moderate exercise. But there’s more to the drink more water principle than the improbable promise of becoming the next Gisele. Good hydration also aids concentration. Schools across the nation are encouraging pupils to bring a bottle to class to help alleviate that mid afternoon slump. Just as many of us are now inseparable from our giant coffee cups  – a notion that would have seemed far fetched little more than a decade ago – so too do we now rely upon our little plastic bottles of H20.

However, this healthy hydration habit has an impact that goes deeper than the tax upon our pockets. Increasingly we will each have to become more conscientious about the way we use and abuse our planet. Those little bottles, though convenient, are hardly very earth kind. In addition we have an endless supply of the wet stuff flowing from taps in our own homes. A supply for which we pay a pretty penny. Tap water may not seem as glamorous as an aspirationally marketed brand with a slick ad campaign but often there are surprisingly few qualities differentiating them.

In fact, well filtered tap water can be cleaner in both taste and purity. After the initial investment in a filter jug (and remembering to replace your filter quarterly or as your particular usage dictates) you can have access to premium level H20 for a fraction of the price even a budget brand could set you back. There are myriad advantages to filtering your own water from home beyond the budgetary. With bi-annual scares about evil toxins in plastic, red top scandals about spring water drawn directly from common taps and ongoing disagreement in some circles about the levels of good minerals actually present in bottled water brands, the right jug can guarantee a safe and scandal free supply.

Filter jugs vary in effectiveness and methodology from brand to brand and budget will have an impact upon effectiveness, to some extent. Nevertheless, even a basic jug (when maintained correctly) can efficiently cut down on levels of limescale (a particular asset in hard water areas) and impurities. There have been issues raised about the leaching of unhealthy levels of silver and other potentially harmful elements from filters into the sitting water in a jug so again we would draw your attention to the importance of good jug maintenance, regular replacement of filter cartridges and the careful adherence to manufacturer guidelines.

With that in mind, here are 3 of the best examples of water filter jugs currently available:

AcalaQuell Water Filter Jug Review – Our Number 1

The AcalaQuell (CHECK PRICE HERE!) is very much the New Age Ferrari of water filter jugs. Sleek design combines with smart materials and somewhat esoteric methodology for a jug which produces delicious, unlimited, undeniably clean water with every single use. Yes some of the more unusual claims may raise an eyebrow or two if you are unfamiliar with their provenance but the results speak for themselves.

• 5 litre volume producing 1.2 litres of quality filtered water
• Slim proportions allowing the jug to comfortably sit in your fridge door
• Multi layered filtration to optimise water purity
• Micro sponge water filter stops all dust, rust and other floating particles including bacteria
• 1 millionth of a metre sized pores in the sponge only allow cleared water to pass through
• PI-Technology creates ‘living water’ using magnetism and natural rocks to enliven it
• A bioceramic element releases good minerals (calcium and magnesium ions) into water
• The plastic used for the body of the jug has been safety tested to German standards

The aesthetic of the AcalaQuell Water Filter Jug is reassuringly friendly with a lime green lid and attractively curving lines. And even if you dispute the doctor Frankenstein powers of all those little rocks they do look rather more beautiful than a standard water filter might. What cannot be denied is this jug’s ability to extract impurities. Those miniscule pores in the sponge layer reassure users of a continuous supply of safe, clean water to drink. Which is the point, after all.

Summary

Features: Filters 1.2 litres –  Micro sponge filter – Bioceramic element – Fits into fridge door – Multi layered filtration

Pricing: Mid range

 

 

HoLife Alkaline Water Filter Jug Review – Number 2

With its bright white looks, clean lines and handy electronic filter replacement reminder, the HoLife Alkaline Water Filter Jug is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a basic, single process, user friendly jug. Filtering 3 cups of water within a minute the HoLife would be well suited to busy family life and, at a more purse friendly price point, one wouldn’t feel the need to be too gentle with it.

• Filters out rust and other heavy metals, harmful bacteria and toxic carcinogens
• Activated carbon filter cartridge to optimise water purity
• Filter replacement reminder to keep your jug safe and working at peak performance
• Multiple layers of filtration catch more impurities than a single process jug

Starting the day by hydrating is a good habit for anyone to fall into but we are all busy people juggling multiple distractions. Being able to simply run a tap into a jug and pour again before your toast has had time to pop up is a real selling point. The generous capacity and the reassurance of BPA free plastic make this a safe, family friendly product to incorporate into your daily routine.

Summary

Features: BPA free plastic – Filters up to 10 cups – Carbon filter cartridge – Fast filtration over multiple layers – Replacement reminder

Pricing: Affordable

 

 

Brita Marella Cool Water Filter Jug Review – Number 3

Here now is a recognisable name in water filtration. For many years we automatically associated Brita with water filtration and the Brita Marella Cool Water Filter Jug ably demonstrates that Brita’s good reputation lives on with many by virtue of its position as a market leader. A big concern among new adopters of products like this can be ongoing costs. Brita have addressed that well here by including 3 cartridges with the jug. This is a complete starter kit and a well priced one to boot. Any concern about adapting to life away from those easy plastic bottle is further allayed by the integrated ‘Memo’ function which prompts users when a new cartridge is required.

• The 2.4 litre volume offers users a generous 1.4 litre filtered water capacity
• Maxtra filter cartridge for proven reduction in limescale, chlorine and other impurities
• Features a flip top lid for convenient one handed filling
• A soft grip handle and non slip base make this a family friendly jug
• A cartridge exchange ‘Memo’ indicator reminds users when a replacement is due
• The jug fits comfortable into a fridge door

This is a simple jug which effectively performs a simple function. Well. It will not purify water to the exemplary standard of a more complex (read expensive) product but for general everyday use by users looking simply to cut mineral water expenditure and/or improve the taste and standard of their tap water, the Brita Marella would be the perfect fit.

Summary

Features: 3 cartridges included – Filters 1.4 litres – Fits a standard fridge door – Replacement reminder – Trusted brand

Pricing: Affordable

 

 

Verdict

They had us at PI-Technology! Well, not exactly (we’re still not quite clear on how that works) but it’s delightful to imagine that one’s water does have the living, health giving, properties of a natural spring… More seriously though, we were incredibly impressed by the well considered and realised design and efficiency of the AcalaQuell Water Filter Jug.

This jug produced a cleaner tasting and cleaner testing end product than any other and looked rather lovely while doing so. Obviously we are not advocating this as a purchase for someone looking simply to upgrade their tap water but for a daily mineral water drinker looking to make a change or for anyone committed to living a less polluted life this jug is absolutely worth the financial reach.