PUR holds a real advantage over most grocery-store filter brands that often gets lost in the marketing noise: every PUR PLUS filter is NSF 53 certified, which means independent testing for lead removal, not just a manufacturer claim. That certification, paired with a faucet-mount format that gives you filtered water on demand, makes PUR worth a close look.

Here’s where it earns its place, and where it falls short.

What PUR PLUS Actually Covers

The NSF/ANSI 53 certification is the important number. Standard 53 tests for health-effect contaminants at levels set by NSF’s protocol, which tests at more challenging concentrations than typical tap water contains. PUR PLUS filters are certified to reduce:

• Lead (documented NSF 53 certification)
• Cysts (Cryptosporidium and Giardia)
• Mercury
• Benzene
• Industrial solvents including certain chlorinated hydrocarbons

On top of that, NSF 42 covers chlorine and chloramine taste and odor, along with sediment reduction.

PUR’s marketing materials reference reducing over 70 contaminants. That broader claim comes from their own testing, not all from NSF certification. The NSF-certified reductions are the ones to anchor to. If a specific contaminant matters to you, check the NSF product certification database directly to see exactly what each PUR model is certified for.

The Faucet-Mount Format

PUR’s faucet-mount filter is the brand’s strongest offering. It threads directly onto your faucet aerator, includes a lever that switches between filtered and unfiltered flow, and has a three-color digital indicator that turns green (filter good), yellow (replace soon), or red (replace now). That indicator is more reliable than Brita’s sticker-based calendar reminder, which most households stop tracking within a month.

Installation takes about two minutes. No tools, no plumber. The filter screws on, the diverter lever clicks in, and you’re filtering.

For filling water bottles, glasses, or cooking water at the sink, you get full water pressure with filtered output. You don’t pour and wait like a pitcher. That convenience difference matters in daily use.

The PUR PLUS Faucet Filter runs about $40-50 and comes with one filter included.

Check current pricing (affiliate link, see disclosure above)

The Pitcher Line

PUR also makes an 11-cup pitcher with their MAXION filter. The NSF certifications are the same as the faucet model: 42 and 53. Contaminant coverage is equivalent.

The pitcher is about $30-35 and uses the same filter cartridges as the faucet model. If you already have a faucet filter, the pitcher is an easy addition for keeping filtered water in the fridge without running to the sink.

The MAXION filter is rated at 100 gallons, which is about 2-3 months depending on household size.

Faucet Compatibility: Check Before You Buy

This is where a lot of PUR buyers run into problems. PUR faucet filters fit standard aerator-thread faucets, which covers most US kitchen faucets. They do not fit:

• Pull-out or pull-down spray head faucets
• Ball-type faucets
• Non-standard aerator sizes

If your kitchen has a pull-out spray head, the PUR faucet filter won’t attach. PUR sells an adapter kit, but it doesn’t solve every non-standard faucet. For households with incompatible faucets, the pitcher is the practical option, or a countertop or under-sink filter that connects to the water supply line directly.

The model page lists compatible faucet types. Measure your aerator (typically 15/16 inch for male threads or 55/64 inch for female) before ordering.

Filter Life and Running Costs

PUR PLUS filters are rated at 100 gallons. For a household of 4 using filtered water for drinking only (roughly 1 gallon per day), that’s about 3 months per filter.

Replacement filters run $15-20 each. At 100 gallons, that’s about $0.15-0.20 per gallon. Multi-packs bring the cost down.

Brita’s Longlast+ filter lasts 120 gallons vs. PUR’s 100. Over a year, that means two more filter replacements with PUR. Not a major cost difference, but worth factoring in.

PUR vs. Brita: The Actual Comparison

Both brands hold NSF 42 and 53 certifications with similar contaminant coverage. Neither removes PFAS. Neither removes fluoride, nitrates, or arsenic. For the contaminants they cover, they’re at comparable performance levels.

Where PUR wins:

• Digital filter indicator. The green/yellow/red LED is more reliable than a sticker. Filter replacement is one of those tasks that slides. An indicator helps.
• Faucet-mount format. For most households, the faucet filter is more convenient than filling a pitcher and waiting.

Where Brita wins:

• Filter life. Longlast+ at 120 gallons vs. PUR at 100 gallons.
• Pitcher variety. More size options.

For households that prefer a faucet filter, PUR is the better choice. For pitcher-only households, the two brands are close enough that price at time of purchase is the deciding factor.

What Neither Brand Covers

No standard pitcher or faucet filter removes PFAS. If your municipality has detected PFAS in its water, or if you’re near a military base, airport, or industrial facility with known PFAS contamination, you need a filter with NSF P473 certification. Clearly Filtered covers PFAS in a pitcher format. A reverse osmosis system certified to NSF/ANSI 58 covers it at the under-sink level.

Both PUR and Brita are also limited on fluoride. If fluoride removal matters to you, neither brand handles it. See our lead contaminant guide for context on what faucet and pitcher filters realistically address.

Concrete Recommendation

PUR PLUS faucet filter is the best choice if you want NSF 53 lead certification, on-demand filtered water at the sink, and a filter life indicator that actually works. For renters especially, the no-tool installation and clean removal make it a practical upgrade with zero commitment.

If faucet compatibility is an issue, the PUR PLUS pitcher covers the same contaminants for less money upfront.

If your concerns go beyond lead and chlorine taste, PFAS, fluoride, arsenic, move up to a Clearly Filtered pitcher or a reverse osmosis system. PUR and Brita are the right tools for specific problems, and PFAS isn’t one of them.

For a full side-by-side comparison including Clearly Filtered and ZeroWater, see the best pitcher water filters guide.

Test your water before choosing treatment. Source water varies by region and municipal system. What a filter covers in certified testing may differ from what’s actually present in your water.