Brita water filters: how long do they really last?

[Placid Casual27]

Have bought a new Brita water filter jug to replace knackered old one

It has an electronic indicator on that goes from 100% filter strength to 0% over about a month to indicate when the filter needs replacing. It is using those Maxtra filters

Is that just a scam (replacing roughly monthly) to make me buy more filters? How long are they actually effective for? Prob gets filled around 5 times a day, our water is a bit hard I think (Herts) but I always suspect they could last longer

Anyone know the science on these things?

This is the kind of middle class consumerist bullshit that bugs me frequently so thanks for any info

 

[trashpony]

I think I started a thread on this once. I change mine every two months, that seemed about right to me

 

[UnderOpenSky]

What's wrong with the stuff out the tap?

 

[pengaleng]

What's wrong with the stuff out the tap?

fuck all.

you'd think we were in an indian slum the way people go on about filters and buying water in bottles like they are gonna die if they dare drink from the tap.

 

[TruXta]

fuck all.

you'd think we were in an indian slum the way people go on about filters and buying water in bottles like they are gonna die if they dare drink from the tap.

I suppose some people fancy soft water. I know I do, altho I still can't be arsed to buy a filtering jug.

 

[Miss Caphat]

Have bought a new Brita water filter jug to replace knackered old one

It has an electronic indicator on that goes from 100% filter strength to 0% over about a month to indicate when the filter needs replacing. It is using those Maxtra filters

Is that just a scam (replacing roughly monthly) to make me buy more filters? How long are they actually effective for? Prob gets filled around 5 times a day, our water is a bit hard I think (Herts) but I always suspect they could last longer

Anyone know the science on these things?

This is the kind of middle class consumerist bullshit that bugs me frequently so thanks for any info

Sounds like you fill it more than the average user. When I had one I needed to change it after about 3 months (you could tell, the water started tasting yuck), but I usually only filled it once a day.

 

[trashpony]

fuck all.

you'd think we were in an indian slum the way people go on about filters and buying water in bottles like they are gonna die if they dare drink from the tap.

Oh I drink it out of the tap, just use the filtered water to fill the kettle because the water here is so fucking hard it kills kettles and you get chunks of calcium in your tea which is rank

 

[TruXta]

Oh I drink it out of the tap, just use the filtered water to fill the kettle because the water here is so fucking hard it kills kettles and you get chunks of calcium in your tea which is rank

Cowgirl up, pony!

 

[trashpony]

Cowgirl up, pony!

Crunchy tea is rank.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Have bought a new Brita water filter jug to replace knackered old one

It has an electronic indicator on that goes from 100% filter strength to 0% over about a month to indicate when the filter needs replacing. It is using those Maxtra filters

Is that just a scam (replacing roughly monthly) to make me buy more filters? How long are they actually effective for? Prob gets filled around 5 times a day, our water is a bit hard I think (Herts) but I always suspect they could last longer

Anyone know the science on these things?

This is the kind of middle class consumerist bullshit that bugs me frequently so thanks for any info

I think they work over time, assuming you are a family of four using the brita filter for more water than you could ever actually drink over the period of a month.

My wife swears by britta but I can't really tell the difference, it's just a water jug for the table.
I did filter vodka in it once or twice but (filter a shit bottle about four times and it becomes like the posh stuff) but my wife went nuts.

 

[Psychonaut]

IIRC these 'filters' have a layer to add minerals to the water to change the flavour. people with high blood pressure arnt supposed to use these because the soidum content goes up.

 

[mrs quoad]

fuck all.

you'd think we were in an indian slum the way people go on about filters and buying water in bottles like they are gonna die if they dare drink from the tap.

Hard water fucks up espresso machines something chronic!

 

[TruXta]

Crunchy tea is rank.

Good for your teeth innit.

 

[mysterygirl]

I think I started a thread on this once. I change mine every two months, that seemed about right to me

ha ha! was that you? I remember posting on it. Words to the effect that I once carried out a highly scientific experiment which consisted of using a filter until the kettle started scaling up and it taking a few months, the control being changing the filter once a month

I use one for the same reason as trashpony & Casual Placid27 - the water here is really hard (Essex) and filtered water stops the kettle making crunchy tea which makes me want to throw up. If Im drinking the water it comes straight from the tap.

 

[quimcunx]

That's a point. I've been thinking my new kettle scales up quicker than the old one......


When did I last change that filter *muses*

 

[blossie33]

I have a Brita jug but I never go by the indicator as I'm sure it's just designed to go down in a month no matter how little it's been used.

I can tell by the taste (slight chlorine) when it needs changing, I only use it to fill the kettle and if I need water for making porridge etc so I probably change it every 3 months.

 

[trashpony]

I have a Brita jug but I never go by the indicator as I'm sure it's just designed to go down in a month no matter how little it's been used.

I can tell by the taste (slight chlorine) when it needs changing, I only use it to fill the kettle and if I need water for making porridge etc so I probably change it every 3 months.

Yes it's entirely time-related which is rubbish really. Slight chlorine taste noted

 

[Placid Casual27]

Oh I drink it out of the tap, just use the filtered water to fill the kettle because the water here is so fucking hard it kills kettles and you get chunks of calcium in your tea which is rank

This, entirely. Same re the iron (I mean the iron we iron clothes with, not the iron in the water)

 

[Placid Casual27]

Yes it's entirely time-related which is rubbish really. Slight chlorine taste noted

Well it def did used to be just time related (the indicator on the jug). Now on this new one, get this, they reckon it is not just an indicator but a meter (darling) that also measures/remembers how much water you out in (ie how many times you fill it up. I suspect that bit is blatant bullshit

Course I drink water from the tap (and use it for cooking) but def filtered for appliances

Saves money, innit

From the replies, I'm gonna reset the indicator/meter at end of month and just do 2 months for each filter

 

[bbboomer1951]

fuck all.

you'd think we were in an indian slum the way people go on about filters and buying water in bottles like they are gonna die if they dare drink from the tap.

 

[geminisnake]

What's wrong with the stuff out the tap?

It gives me stomach cramps They changed the external pipes a few years ago round here and the water never tasted as good as it did, plus it gave me cramps so boiled water it is

 

[8ball]

What's wrong with the stuff out the tap?

Nothing at all, but London water just tastes bad to me and those filters really sort it out.

 

[bbboomer1951]

I live in a small city and the water is contaminated with atrazine which is used in pesticides which managed over years to seep into the water system. Atrazine causes cancer and even though the city " adds chlorine " to the water it doesn't remove atrazine. Not all people buy water or use Brita & Pure to look " cool ". You need to grow up and use the brain god gave you.

 

[MrSki]

I thought when they got too old the bacteria growth over time on the filter was actually adding something to your water rather than take it out.

 

[Sirena]

I thought when they got too old the bacteria growth over time on the filter was actually adding something to your water rather than take it out.

I change mine when the green slime appears....

I was in Tobago last year. Tobago is a quietly sophisticated place that is about 80% protected rain forest (first ever - in the world - legally protected nature reserve) and has no industry. It was amusing to hear a conversation between some newly-arrived tourists about whether or not its water was drinkable....

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

I live in a small city and the water is contaminated with atrazine which is used in pesticides which managed over years to seep into the water system. Atrazine causes cancer and even though the city " adds chlorine " to the water it doesn't remove atrazine. Not all people buy water or use Brita & Pure to look " cool ". You need to grow up and use the brain god gave you.

Ours is too. We also have a much higher rate of Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma to go with it.

And then there's the nitrate contamination. Its so bad in some places that they provide free bottled water to infants and pregnant women.

 

[8ball]

I live in a small city and the water is contaminated with atrazine which is used in pesticides which managed over years to seep into the water system. Atrazine causes cancer and even though the city " adds chlorine " to the water it doesn't remove atrazine. Not all people buy water or use Brita & Pure to look " cool ". You need to grow up and use the brain god gave you.

Where is that?

 

[zenie]

Anyone use the compatible cartridges? I have a brita maxtra' but the aqua optima which say they are compatible with the maxtra are nearly a quid cheaper for filter. So a tenner per year. I know it's not much but....

Also, how do you recycle them?

 

[Sirena]

Anyone use the compatible cartridges? I have a brita maxtra' but the aqua optima which say they are compatible with the maxtra are nearly a quid cheaper for filter. So a tenner per year. I know it's not much but....

Also, how do you recycle them?

I think Argos have bins for used water cartridges.

 

[bmd]

Anyone use the compatible cartridges? I have a brita maxtra' but the aqua optima which say they are compatible with the maxtra are nearly a quid cheaper for filter. So a tenner per year. I know it's not much but....

Also, how do you recycle them?

I get mine from Amazon when they have a deal on. I think I got 6 for £18 last time I bought some. Never used the Optima ones. I had a look but there were more negative reviews for them than the Brita ones so I didn't bother. I just use them until the water starts tasting bad.

For people who wonder why bother: the water in the UK is perfectly fine to drink wherever you are from the point of view of contaminants but my water tastes really bad and the filter sorts it out. I had never heard of tap water tasting bad before I moved here but a quick google shows that it's quite common.