Water Filters Compared: Pitchers, Cartridges and Whole-Home Systems (6 Listings)
As an Amazon Associate, this site earns from qualifying purchases. Every figure below comes from the seller listings.
This page compares six water filter listings: Brita and ZeroWater pitcher cartridges, a Brita pitcher, a GAMOTH replacement pack, a countertop reverse osmosis unit and a whole-home system. The listings state different lifetimes and units, so each figure stays tied to its listing. None of the six lists a water softener function.
Quick answer: the Brita and ZeroWater cartridges are the closest like-for-like pair, but their lifetimes use different units: about 2 months or 40 gallons for Brita, and an estimated 15 gallons for ZeroWater. Only the Kind listing covers a whole house. Listing figures for the two research products were checked on 12 October 2026, and the four extra listings on 18 October 2026.
The six listings at a glance
| Listing | Type | Listed lifetime | Capacity or flow as listed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brita Plus Replacement Water Filter, 4 pack | Pitcher cartridge | About 2 months or 40 gallons | Fits all Brita pitchers except Stream |
| ZeroWater Official Replacement Water Filter, 2 pack | Pitcher cartridge | Estimated 15 gallons | Five-stage ion exchange |
| Mate 3 UV Reverse Osmosis Water Filter Countertop | Countertop RO unit with pitcher | Filter life listed as 1 year | 169 fluid ounces of tank capacity |
| Replacement for Zero Water Pitchers, ZR-001, 2 Count | Pitcher cartridge (third party) | Replace every month per bullets | Not listed |
| Brita XL 27 Cup Water Filter Pitcher, 1 filter | Pitcher with filter | 60 days | 27 cups |
| Kind Water Systems Whole Home Water Filtration System | Whole-home housing with cartridges | Not listed | 15 gpm maximum flow |
Specs and certifications as listed
| Listing | Size as listed | Weight as listed | Certification or limit as listed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brita Plus, 4 pack | 9.63 x 2.42 x 5.5 inches | 1.76 ounces | WQA and NSF/ANSI certified |
| ZeroWater, 2 pack | 3.75 x 3.75 x 7 inches | 1.3 pounds | IAPMO and ANSI listed |
| Mate 3 UV | 9.06 x 9.06 x 14.69 inches | Not listed | NSF/ANSI 42, 53 and 58 cited in bullets |
| GAMOTH replacement, 2 count | 8.2 x 7.5 x 4.3 inches | 2.4 pounds | NSF listed |
| Brita XL 27 Cup | 11.18 x 14.57 x 5.63 inches | Not listed | Maximum TDS 1500 ppm |
| Kind Water Systems E-1000 | Not listed | 19 pounds | Maximum TDS 1000 ppm, 120 F upper temperature |
How we chose these six
We kept filter listings where the seller states a lifetime, a capacity or a set of contaminants, and where the listing identifies the product type. The two research products are the Brita and ZeroWater cartridges. The four extra listings were included only where their status was recorded as ok. Each of the six is a filter product, but they do not share one filter type, so a single rating scale would mislead.
- Type: the table separates cartridges, pitchers and whole-home systems, because a cartridge and a countertop unit are not interchangeable.
- Lifetime: we show each lifetime in the unit the listing uses. Brita uses gallons and months, ZeroWater uses gallons, and the GAMOTH listing uses a monthly replacement interval.
- Certification: we quote the certification named in each listing and do not add one the listing does not state.
1. Brita Plus Replacement Water Filter, 4 Pack
This is a four-pack of BritaPlus cartridges for pitchers and dispensers. The spec sheet lists the material as plastic, the model number as OB08 and the unit count as 4. The highlight names chlorine, copper, mercury and cadmium as reduced, and it says the cartridge is WQA and NSF/ANSI certified. The first bullet compares the cartridge with a standard Brita filter and says it traps twice as many contaminants. The listing says each filter lasts 40 gallons or about 2 months, and that one filter replaces up to 300 single-use 16.9 oz bottles. The compatibility list names the Marella XL, Marella, ON TAP Pro and Style pitchers.
Check the Brita Plus 4 pack on Amazon
The listing says the cartridge is designed to keep beneficial minerals and electrolytes in the water, and it adds that the minerals retained may not be in every user’s water. That caveat appears in the bullet text, so it applies to every claim about retained minerals.
2. ZeroWater Official Replacement Water Filter, 2 Pack
This is a two-pack of five-stage replacement filters for ZeroWater pitchers, with the model number ZR-017. The spec sheet gives the cartridge size as 3.75 by 3.75 by 7 inches and the weight as 1.3 pounds. The highlight says the filter is IAPMO certified for lead, chromium, mercury and PFOA/PFOS. The product benefits field lists odor, chlorine, TDS, lead and PFAS reduction. The bullets give an estimated life of 15 gallons per filter, and they say a single filter can save up to 110 plastic bottles. The bullet about changing the filter gives the TDS reading as ‘006’, which is how the listing prints it.
Check the ZeroWater 2 pack on Amazon
The bullets refer to Culligan ZeroWater products, while the spec sheet gives the manufacturer as Zero Technologies, LLC. The listing does not explain how the two names relate, so the two names are shown here exactly as the listing gives them.
3. Mate 3 UV Reverse Osmosis Water Filter Countertop
This is a countertop unit rather than a pitcher cartridge. The spec sheet gives its size as 9.06 by 9.06 by 14.69 inches, and the tank capacity as 169 fluid ounces. The pitcher is a 44 ounce smart autofill pitcher made of borosilicate glass. The listing says the unit is a nine-stage reverse osmosis system with UV and mineral enhancement, and it describes a 3:1 pure-to-drain ratio. It needs power, because the spec sheet gives the power source as corded electric. The spec sheet lists the filter life as 1 year, and the warranty bullet gives a 5-year period for the unit, excluding filters and mineralization media.
Check the Mate 3 UV countertop unit on Amazon
The listing says the unit needs no drilling, plumbing or under-sink installation. It also states that the reverse osmosis membrane cannot block dissolved contaminants without electric power, and that the pump supplies the operating pressure. Those statements describe how the unit works, and they tell you that a power cut stops it.
4. Replacement for ZeroWater Pitchers ZR-001, 2 Count
This is a two-count replacement pack from a third-party maker, GAMOTH. The spec sheet gives the model number as SMF1023 and the part number as SMF1049, and it lists the compatible pitcher as the ZeroWater ZP-006. The item highlight names a five-stage filter system that reduces lead, chromium, PFOA and PFOS. The bullets list a long set of compatible model numbers, including ZR-001, ZR-003, ZR-004, ZR-017 and ZP-007RP. The item is 8.2 by 7.5 by 4.3 inches and weighs 2.4 pounds, and the listing gives an external testing certification of NSF.
Check the GAMOTH 2 count replacement on Amazon
The last bullet says the filter is not sourced or sponsored by the original brand, and it notes that Culligan is a registered trademark. The bullets advise a monthly change for best results, and they say the lifespan may vary with water condition. The spec sheet gives a unit count of two, which is the same count as the ZeroWater pack, so the two packs can be compared by count but not by listed lifetime. The listing gives no volume figure, so the monthly interval is the only replacement guide on the page.
5. Brita XL 27 Cup Water Filter Pitcher With 1 Brita Plus Filter
This is a 27-cup dispenser in black, with one BritaPlus filter in the box. The spec sheet gives its size as 11.18 by 14.57 by 5.63 inches and its capacity as 27 cups. The listing says the dispenser is BPA-free and has a spigot, and the spec sheet gives a filter life of 60 days and a maximum supported TDS level of 1500 ppm. The filter indicator is listed as a special feature. The model number is 6025850941, and the spec sheet lists the item type as a water pitcher filter, which is a different category from the cartridge packs above.
Check the Brita XL 27 cup pitcher on Amazon
The bullets say one filter replaces up to 300 single-use bottles, and they say the filter is WQA and NSF/ANSI certified for two months of use or 40 gallons. The bullets also say the filter retains minerals and electrolytes, with the same caveat as the Brita cartridge pack.
6. Kind Water Systems Whole Home Water Filtration System
This is a whole-home system with a filter housing, cartridges and an installation bracket. The spec sheet names the model E-1000, the product as a Compact Whole House Water Filter, and the installation as freestanding. The purification method is listed as activated carbon and sedimentation. The spec sheet gives a maximum flow of 15 gallons per minute, an upper temperature of 120 F and a maximum supported TDS of 1000 ppm. The item weighs 19 pounds, and the listing names the chlorine reduction as its special feature.
Check the Kind Water Systems whole-home filter on Amazon
The listing gives a maximum flow of 15 gallons per minute and no typical flow. If the system ran at that maximum for one minute it would pass 15 gallons, so the figure is an upper limit and not an estimate of household use. The bullets claim the system removes chlorine, chloramine, sediment, silt and debris, and they say the system is easy to install and needs low maintenance in homes with up to six bathrooms. They also make claims about softer skin and hair, and about better-tasting water. The listing gives a 120-day satisfaction guarantee. It does not give a cartridge replacement interval.
Worked example: how long a filter lasts at one gallon a day
Take a household that uses one gallon of filtered water a day. A Brita Plus cartridge rated at 40 gallons would last about 40 days at that rate. The same listing says the cartridge lasts about 2 months, which is about 60 days. The two figures do not match unless the household uses about 0.67 gallon a day, which is 40 gallons divided by 60 days. The listing does not say what volume the 2 month figure assumes, so the gallon figure is the more useful one to plan around.
Now take the ZeroWater cartridge at the same one gallon a day. An estimated 15 gallons lasts about 15 days. The listing says the filter life varies with water quality, so a house with harder water may change the cartridge sooner. The Brita XL filter is listed by time, 60 days, rather than by volume, so it cannot be checked the same way. The listings do not compare the cost of each cartridge.
The Mate 3 tank is listed at 169 fluid ounces, which is about 1.3 gallons. At one gallon a day, that tank covers roughly 1.3 days of use. The listing says the 169 ounce tank and the 44 ounce pitcher suit daily use by one to four people, but it does not say how often the tank must be refilled at that level, so the household size claim cannot be checked against a daily volume.
What the listings do not say
None of the six listings states a water softening function. The Kind listing describes filtration and a sediment stage, and it does not mention hardness, so a reader who wants softening must look for a different product. The listings also do not show independent test data for the reduction claims. The Mate 3 bullets say the filtered water passed SGS third-party testing, and the Brita and ZeroWater bullets cite certifications, but the pages do not show the test reports.
The TDS figures are limits, not results. The Brita XL lists a maximum supported TDS of 1500 ppm, and the Kind system lists 1000 ppm. Both figures describe the highest incoming TDS the product is rated for. The listings do not say what TDS reading a given tap gives, so a reader needs a local water report or a meter reading before comparing these limits with their own supply.
The bullets give a range of claims for the Mate 3 unit, including removal of up to 99.99 percent of contaminants. The listing does not say which contaminants that figure covers, and it does not show the figure for a specific water supply. The GAMOTH bullets also give percentages of 98 and nearly 99 for chlorine and dissolved solids, without naming the test conditions.
Frequently asked questions
Do the Brita and ZeroWater cartridges fit the same pitcher?
No. The Brita Plus cartridge is listed for Brita pitchers and dispensers except Stream. The ZeroWater cartridge is listed for ZeroWater pitchers, and the GAMOTH replacement lists the ZeroWater ZP-006 as its compatible model. Check the model number on your pitcher before you buy.
How long does a pitcher filter last?
The listings give different measures. Brita lists about 2 months or 40 gallons, ZeroWater lists an estimated 15 gallons, and the Brita XL lists 60 days. The GAMOTH listing advises a monthly change. Use the gallon figure if you know your daily use, and use the day figure if you do not.
Does the Mate 3 UV unit need a plumber?
The listing says it needs no drilling, plumbing or under-sink installation. It is a countertop unit that plugs in, and the spec sheet gives its power source as corded electric. The unit needs power to run its pump, so it will not work during a power cut.
Is the Kind whole-home system a water softener?
No. The listing describes activated carbon and sedimentation, and it does not describe any softening stage. The bullets mention softer skin and hair, but the listing does not say the system softens water.
Are the GAMOTH and ZeroWater cartridges the same product?
No. The GAMOTH listing is a third-party replacement, and it says it is not sourced or sponsored by the original brand. The ZeroWater listing is for the brand’s own cartridges. The GAMOTH bullets give a monthly change interval, while the ZeroWater bullets give an estimated gallon figure.
Conclusion
For a pitcher, the Brita Plus 4 pack and the ZeroWater 2 pack are the two cartridges in this group with a stated lifetime. The Brita listing gives both gallons and months, which makes it easier to plan. The ZeroWater listing gives only an estimated gallon figure. If you want a pitcher with its own filter, the Brita XL lists 27 cups and a 60 day filter life. For a countertop unit that needs power, the Mate 3 UV is the only option here. For a whole house, the Kind listing is the only whole-home system in the group, and it does not claim softening. Before you order a cartridge, match the model number on your pitcher to the compatibility line of the listing, because the Brita and ZeroWater cartridges are not interchangeable.
Brita Plus 4 pack · ZeroWater 2 pack · Mate 3 UV countertop · GAMOTH 2 count · Brita XL 27 cup · Kind whole-home system
For more on water use at the shower, see best high pressure shower head for water saving, best water efficient hand held shower heads and removing a water saver from a shower head.