Best water filter jug 2023: Brita, Aqua Optima, Argos and more

There’s a lot to love about this jug: filters last 45 days, which is 15 days more than Brita’s, and the reservoir fills up in four to six minutes (mind you, a few refills are needed if you want to fill up the whole jug). But probably most impressive are its environmental credentials.

The jug is made in the UK (reducing carbon footprints) and new filters fit through your letterbox, as the cartridge you receive can be refilled with your filter mixture of choice. The packages are filled with a mix of coconut shell-activated carbon – which gets rid of the nasties – and either electrolytes (in the alkaline filter pack) or ion exchange beads (found in the clean pack).

The electrolytes from the alkaline pack adds magnesium to the water for better hydration, while the ion exchange beads from the clean pack softens water by reducing hardness and limescale. Both packs have different benefits, and while the alkaline pack helps reduce acid reflux and aid sports recovery, the clean pack is designed especially for hard water – great if you’re using the water to fill up your kettle too.

What’s a little inconvenient is that instructions for setup are written on the inside of the box the jug arrives in (to save waste), so be careful you don’t rip up the box. There’s also a barcode on there to scan for activating your guarantee. The jug also won’t fit into most fridges, which lost it some points in our book, and it’s also relatively heavy, as it’s made from glass.

While there’s no timer on the jug, you can download the Phox app instead and manually insert the date you’ve changed the filter. The app will then do the countdown for you and send you a notification when it’s time to change the filter. You can purchase a refill via the app too.