Others say...

"Does what it's supposed to do"
Having lost my last water filter, I needed a replacement, and I didn't want to spend a lot of money so I bought this product. It does what I want expected it to do - filter water to eliminate some of the (unpleasant) taste of tap water. Of course, your results may vary depending on the geographic location you live in, since the chemicals and taste of water varies greatly from region to region.

The size of this pitcher is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it's rather small, so it easily fits in a variety of places (such as a refrigerator), but because the bottom only holds a few cups of water, you'll find yourself refilling this filter regularly. Some reviewers have mentioned finding filter granules in the water - I've only seen those granules come loose in the top part of the pitcher, not the bottom part which actually holds the filtered water.

"Too many granules in my water pitcher!"
I had been using this pitcher for about two years. I know that it is normal for pieces of carbon to be in the TOP reservoir and in the actual pitcher for the first few uses. This was my experience for about the first year. Then, when I bought replacement filters, they kept leaking so many particles (and I pre-soak the filter as instructed) that they kept leaking into the pitcher. I thought maybe I had purchased a defective filter and exchanged it for another from my local grocery store where I had purchased it. I had the same problem, and it was VERY annoying! I finally had enough and just bought a Pur water pitcher/filter. Would you believe that there was not ONE piece of carbon in the pitcher on the first use. Nice!

I read some of the comments underneath the reviewer who stated he or she also had granules in their water. Someone stated they thought that the granules are harmless and might be beneficial. Even if this statement was backed up with actual scientific data, who the heck wants crunchy water?

Another point is that Brita doesn't remove as many harmful substances as Pur, according to the box. I can tell you that based upon flavor alone, Pur wins and I will no longer use Brita.

"Perfect size for one person!"
This is the first time I have used a Brita filtration system and I will definately use them again and again! This pitcher fit perfectly in my 1.7cu ft fridge in my dorm room yet it holds a days worth of drinking water for one person. It is so simple to use but lacks the filter change indicator like other Brita pitchers.

There was an obvious difference in taste of the filtered water compared to the tap water. It has been so easy for me to drink more water and I have even used it to filter water for my fish tank!

"Don't bother!"
In the instructions it says to run water through twice to get rid of the granules of carbon that will be floating around in the water. After about 12 times we just chucked the filter in the garbage and just used the pitcher for tea. What good is it if you can't drink the water coming through the filter?

"Stick with a flip top brita!"
I am a fan of Brita pitchers, but this one is just OK. I had a larger Brita pitcher with a flip top which makes it easy to refill. I had it for about 6 years and decided to downsize. The top on this is near impossible to get off without using your nails. I'd definitely get one with a flip top in the future.