Articles: BPA-Free Water Filter Pitchers

There has been much published studies regarding the negative effects of BPA (Bisphenol A) that I wanted to avoid using plastics that contain it, especially food and water containers. The current Brita water pitchers I use does not say it is BPA free, so I must presume it is made of polycarbonate plastic which does have BPA. I try to help avoid BPA leakage/leeching into the water by keeping the filtration pitcher away from direct sunlight and heat. But in the end I thought maybe there are some BPA-free water filtration pitchers out there for more peace of mind.

One solution I found was the Homedics Restore (RWS-100) water pitcher purchased from Sellout.Woot.com. It is BPA free. In addition to filtering water it also can purify it via a built-in UV lamp. After using it for a couple of weeks, I found myself having used the UV feature only twice. There is a manual switch on the handle of the pitcher which needs to be in the correct position in order for water to pass through from the top reservoir. On time it took me literally half an hour to figure out why the water was going down- apparently I had accidentally toggled the switch. But overall I am pleased with the purchase. It certainly does not look like a cheap water pitcher like the $6 slim Brita pitcher I had also purchased recently.

The other BPA-free solution I've found is the Mavea Elemaris XL Water Filter Pitcher. It has a slightly larger capacity than the Homedics RWS-100 (9 cups vs 8 cups), but is a little more expensive. It doesn't have the UV germ-killing lamp, but does have a digital meter that helps you track the water hardness and the amount of water used. It also seems more ergonomic with how you do not need to remove the top lid to fill fill. Also the Mavea filter deters bacteria via the use of silver. A 3 pack of the Mavea Maxtra filters is slightly more expensive than the 3 pack of the Homedics Restore filters (after subscribe-and-save).

Personally I look forward for some company to make a stainless-steel or glass water filter pitcher. Though the Homedics Restore and the Mavea Elemaris pitchers do not have BPA, they are still made of plastic and who knows what other plastic-derived compounds can leach into water that could potentially be harmful. But for now these two are some of the better solutions out there for those of us looking to steer away from BPA.