# PUR Water Filters Review # PUR Water Filters Review: The Budget Brand That Actually Certifies **strong** All 6 of those name the health standard, and the one part that skips the word drops the listing with it. Three of the 7 are bodies you fill, 2 screw onto a spout, and 2 are the cartridges that keep both halves running. [PUR Water Filters Lineup](#specs) [PUR Filters Review Scorecard](#score) [PUR Water Filters Fit](#who) [PUR Filters Review Trade-offs](#proscons) [PUR Water Filters Cost per Gallon](#cost) [PUR Water Filters Compared](#compare) [PUR Filters Review FAQ](#faq) [PUR Water Filters: Where It Lands](#verdict) **strong** This article contains affiliate links. **strong** at *em*. **strong** retail prices move daily, so we quote ranges and send you to the live figure on the listing. **strong** *em* Every number on this page traces to manufacturer documentation or a certification record, held against the claims on the box. No free products, no paid placements, no manufacturer relationships. Scoring rules are public on our [methodology page](/methodology). [](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DDXJDVX?tag=waterfilternerd-20&linkCode=ogi&th=1&psc=1) ## PUR Water Filters: 3 Classes, 7 Models, 1 Word **strong** Three models hold water: PUR's 11 cup pitcher, that same body with 3 refills in the carton, and a 30 cup dispenser. Two fixtures screw onto a spout, and the vertical one ships only as a 6 pack. The last 2 are the cartridge packs. **strong** Every jug and the dispenser hang off the pitcher part. Both faucet mounts hang off the other. *em* The plastic is a container. The cartridge is the product, and it's the part you buy again. - Fillers: 3 models, 11 cups to 30 cups, and not one carrying a rated capacity in the record we hold. - Spout fixtures: 2 models, a horizontal mount and a vertical one, both at 100 gallons a cartridge, with the vertical sold only in a 6 pack. - The faucet cartridge: the RF-9999 2 pack, 100 gallons each, which is the 3 month rhythm beside it. - The pitcher cartridge: PUR's PPF951K3 3 pack, the part behind every jug and dispenser here, and the box that turns a 42 listing into a 42 and 53 one. - Documentation: Every model names a standard, 3 publish a gallon figure, and not one prints a listing number a buyer can look up. - Money: 3 models sit under $30, and the 6 pack is the only row above $150. **strong** the cartridge in the box decides what the jug removes. Buy the smaller body on its own and the record names 42. That's chlorine, taste and odor, plus copper and mercury. Buy the same body with the 3 pack behind it and the record reads 42 and 53, which adds *em*. Think of it this way **strong** The body costs about the same either way, and the 2 cartridges that fit it aren't rated the same: the refill carton carries the health listing and the jug on its own may not. The PUR Lineup by Class Bars showing the class mix across 7 PUR models: 3 filling bodies, 2 spout fixtures and 2 cartridge packs. The PUR Lineup by Class Model count, 3 classes - 0 1 2 3 Fillers Spout fixtures Cartridge packs 3 models 2 models 2 models The 2 cartridge packs fit the 3 bodies and the 2 fixtures rather than replacing them. Figure 1. Three classes and 7 models, with the cartridge count being the only number that holds the lineup together. Want the mount the lineup is built on? ## PUR Water Filters Review: 4 of 7 for the Faucet Mount Every product here is rated across 7 verifiable criteria, 1 point each, no partial credit. A brand page carries the scorecard of its strongest model rather than an average, and an average across a $27 refill and a 6 pack would flatten both. The horizontal faucet mount carries the top line, and it's the only model here naming 3 standards and a flow rate at the same time. Its 3 zeros are the 3 this index keeps finding. No certificate number, a 100 gallon rating that ties the floor of the faucet aisle, and a running cost of 13 to 15 cents a gallon. The full argument sits on the PFM350V review, and the table below is that page's, row for row. Each row asks 2 questions. Is the number on the record, and does it survive a comparison with the rest of the aisle. A model with no tank size can't answer the second question at all. CriterionPointsEvidence Certified removal scope1 pointNSF/ANSI 42, 53 and 401 with a printed reduction table for all three, the widest standard set we have on a faucet mount Certification and test transparency0 pointsA data sheet that names the model and the standards, but no certificate or listing number, and the sheet says tested while the storefront says certified Filter life and rated capacity0 points100 gallons, the shortest rating in the faucet mount aisle, tied with the Brita cartridge Cost per gallon0 pointsAbout 13 to 15 cents, tied with the Brita cartridge at the top of our faucet models against about 4 cents for the Waterdrop FC-01 Flow rate and pressure drop1 point0.52 gpm rated service flow and a 20 to 100 psig window, both published in the data sheet Install and footprint1 pointScrew on where the aerator was, no plumbing, no tools, no counter or cabinet space at all Maintenance burden1 pointA 3 month clock, so about 4 cartridges a year at a gallon a day, which is the rhythm every faucet mount in the aisle runs The 3 zeros are the paperwork, the tank and the bill. The transparency line is the strangest of the three. PUR prints more than almost anyone in this aisle and still misses it. A data sheet that names the model and the standards is not the same thing as a number a buyer can look up in a registry. Six of those 7 models carry Plus on the box, and every one of those 6 names standard 53. The exception is the entry body sold on its own, and nothing about the plastic explains it. Put a 120 gallon rival beside the pick ## Who the PUR Water Filters Fit, and Who They Don't The jugs fit a household that wants cold water in a fridge door and won't touch a pipe. The fixtures fit a renter with a standard spout, no tools and 2 minutes of patience. The 30 cup dispenser is for a kitchen pouring for a crowd, and it holds about 2 gallons when it's full. Rated capacity is the number to shop on, and 4 models here ship without one. The cheap jug has nothing to divide. #### This Is Not Your Lineup If A listing number is what you need for a landlord, a school or an inspector. Nothing here prints one, and neither does anything else in the index. - Your plan is to hide the filter under the counter. PUR keeps everything above the sink, so that decision belongs to the under sink roundup instead. - You pour 2 glasses a day. The clock retires a faucet cartridge at 3 months whatever the counter pours, and the RF-9999 replacement page runs that arithmetic out. - PFAS is the reason you are reading. 2 models here name standard 401, both of them on the tap side, and the pitcher roundup asks the same question of the jugs. Put another way **strong** A gallon figure is the only thing that turns a cartridge price into a running cost, so half of this lineup asks a household to trust the pour rather than price it. What the Plus Label Predicts Figure showing how the 7 models split by the label on the carton: 2 models with Plus name 3 standards, 4 name 2, and the 1 model with no Plus names 1. What the Plus Label Predicts Standards named, 7 models - 0 2 4 Plus, 3 standards Plus, 2 standards no Plus, 1 standard 2 models 4 models 1 model The 1 model with no Plus in the name is the entry pitcher sold on its own. Figure 2. The word Plus is on 6 of the 7 cartons, and all 6 of those models name the health list. Refilling a pitcher? Price the 3 pack ## What the PUR Water Filters Lineup Gets Right The strength is a certification ladder that climbs without a jump in price. The weakness is documentation on the jug side. Four models carry no gallon figure, and the entry body carries the shortest standard list here. Every model names a standard, which isn't true of every category here. Both faucet cartridges reach the health list and the refill carton covers every jug. The arithmetic after that is honest and boring. #### What You Get Standard 42 on all 7 models, from a refill under $30 to the 6 pack, so the floor is the same everywhere. - Standard 53 on 6 of the 7, which is the line between a taste filter and a health filter. - Two cartridge threads instead of 7 parts, so a household swapping jugs rebuys the same cartridge. - A change light on the faucet mounts, so the reminder counts water rather than watching a wall calendar. #### What It Costs You - Zero listing numbers across the 7 models, which is the same zero the whole index carries. - The bar lowers at the entry body: 42 alone in the box, and the lead listing arrives with the refill carton rather than the jug. - Four models carry no rated capacity, so there is nothing to divide on them. - The 3 month clock retires a 100 gallon faucet cartridge at about 4 changes a year, and the faucet mount page prices that out in cents. [Feeding a crowd? The 30 cup dispenser](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CRSK5KX?tag=waterfilternerd-20&linkCode=ogi&th=1&psc=1) ## What PUR Water Filters Cost per Gallon **strong** The honest comparison in this category is the cartridge divided by the gallons it's rated for. *em* - The faucet cartridge: PUR's 2 pack sits under $30 and covers 100 gallons a cartridge, which is about 14 cents a gallon once the 3 month clock is counted. - The pitcher refill: 3 cartridges for under $30, or roughly $9 a cartridge, against no gallon figure on the record. The cents come off the box or not at all. - The 6 pack: the vertical mount is sold only that way, and the carton lands at about $33 a fixture against a single horizontal mount in the $30 to $40 band. A gallon a day is about 365 gallons a year, and that's the figure the clock charges against. **strong** On the tap side, the calendar and the rating agree. The jug side has no such comparison, because 4 models carry no rating to divide. *em* The 11 cup pitcher and the same body with 3 refills ship with different cartons, and their records carry different standards. **strong** [Own the mount? Price the 2 pack](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009G6MLQ?tag=waterfilternerd-20&linkCode=ogi&th=1&psc=1) A 2 pack covers about 6 months at the spout, at about 14 cents a gallon. ## PUR Water Filters Review: The 7 Models Side by Side **strong** The standards and the rated life come from the certificate trail rather than the copy on a listing. Bands rather than live figures, and the points column carries each part's own page score, so *em*. PartClassCertifiedRated lifeUpfront bandPoints **strong**Spout fixture**strong****strong****strong****strong** PUR Plus Vertical Faucet Mount, 6 pack (B0GDJMJ36T)Spout fixture42, 53100 gal$150 and upnot scored PUR Plus 30 Cup Dispenser (B07CRSK5KX)Dispenser42, 53not stated$40 to $50not scored PUR 11 Cup Pitcher (B00G15A8E6)Pitcher42not statedunder $30not scored PUR 11 Cup Pitcher with 3 refills (B0GZQR86YM)Pitcher42, 53not stated$50 to $60not scored PUR Plus Pitcher Cartridge 3 Pack (B06WVDVDXB)Cartridge pack42, 53not statedunder $30not scored PUR Plus Faucet Cartridge 2 Pack (B0009G6MLQ)Cartridge pack42, 53, 401100 galunder $30**strong** **strong** Every model names a standard, and both spout fixtures publish 100 gallons. The entry body is the only row stopping at 42. *em* **strong** Six of these models carry Plus and all 6 name 53, and the 1 without the word carries 42 alone. One syllable decides whether the pitcher on your fridge shelf is removing lead. The [Brita lineup](/brita-review) is the other brand page this aisle is judged against. The [faucet mount roundup](/best-faucet-mount-filters) puts both fixtures against 8 rivals, and the [replacement cartridge roundup](/best-replacement-cartridges) does the same for the 2 refill packs. If lead is your reason for reading, the [pitcher roundup](/best-pitcher-filters) asks it of the jugs. The short version **strong** Seven models share one brand name and land on 3 different standard lists, so the name on the jug tells you who made it and the name on the cartridge tells you what it takes out. [Compare the pitcher bundle](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GZQR86YM?tag=waterfilternerd-20&linkCode=ogi&th=1&psc=1) The 11 cup jug with 3 refills, and the only bundled model in the lineup. ## PUR Water Filters Review FAQ **strong** On 6 of these models they do, because those 6 name standard 53, which is *em*. The exception is the entry jug on its own, where the record reads 42 and nothing else. The same body bundled with the 3 pack names both standards, so the cartridge in the box settles it rather than the jug. **strong** The fixture is the better documented model here. It names 3 standards, a flow rate and 100 gallons a cartridge, and all of it sits on a data sheet rather than in seller copy. The jug side is cheaper up front and thinner on paper, with 4 models carrying no rated capacity. *em* **strong** Every 3 months or 100 gallons, whichever arrives first. That's about 4 cartridges a year for a household pouring 1 gallon daily, and roughly 91 gallons by the calendar. A 2 pack covers about 6 months. Both fixtures run that same thread, so the rhythm doesn't change with the mount. **strong** It tracks the listing rather than the price. All 6 models with Plus in the name name standard 53, and the 1 model without the word names 42 alone. *em*, and it lines up on every model in this lineup. **strong** Not on any record we hold. The data sheets name the model, the standards and a capacity. The seller copy repeats a substance count, and 0 of the 7 models print a number a buyer can look up. *em* ## PUR Water Filters Review: Where the Lineup Lands **strong** Six models carry Plus and the health listing with it, the entry body alone stops at 42, and the rest of the difference is which jug you pour from. The pick is the [horizontal faucet mount](/pur-pfm350v-review): 3 standards, 100 gallons, no counter space and no plumbing, and a running cost of 13 to 15 cents a gallon. *em* For a jug, the 11 cup pitcher with 3 refills is the version naming the health list, and the dispenser runs that same cartridge thread for a crowd. The [faucet cartridge 2 pack](/pur-rf-9999-review) is the cheapest way to keep a mount running at about 14 cents a gallon. The [Brita lineup](/brita-review) remains the shelf standard it's measured against. The [water filter index](/best-water-filters) holds all 136 models. **strong** *em* **strong** [Check the PUR faucet mount band](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DDXJDVX?tag=waterfilternerd-20&linkCode=ogi&th=1&psc=1) ### One Word, and It Sits on the Cartridge Box The 11 cup body is a 42 listing on its own and a 42 and 53 listing with the refill carton behind it. Whichever jug or fixture you start with, *em*. [Keep the pitcher pouring? The refill 3 pack](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06WVDVDXB?tag=waterfilternerd-20&linkCode=ogi&th=1&psc=1) ## Every Standard the PUR Water Filters Name **strong** The aesthetic effects standard: chlorine, taste, odor and particulate class. All 7 models here name it, which makes it *em*. **strong** The health effects standard, certified per listing, covering lead, mercury, chromium and named compounds. Six models name it, and every one of those 6 carries Plus in the name. **strong** Emerging compounds, a separate listing from the health standard, covering a short list of pharmaceuticals and flame retardants. Two models name it, both on the tap side of this lineup. **strong** The resin bead half of a PUR cartridge. It swaps a contaminant ion for one it can hold. That's how a small part takes lead out *em*. **strong** The gallons 1 cartridge is certified to treat. Three models publish one and 4 carry none. That's why the jug half of the lineup is priced by the box rather than by the gallon. ## Keep Reading: More PUR Water Filters - Best Water Filters: the hub above all of this, 136 models scored on the same 7 lines. - Best Faucet Mount Water Filters: where these 2 fixtures sit against the 8 model class. - Best Pitcher Water Filters: the jug class the 3 filling bodies here compete in. - The Nerd Stamp Methodology: how the 1 to 7 rating is built and what each line asks for.