A decent water filter jug costs as little as £11.24, yet it can cut the chlorine taste and limescale that plague hard-water areas across the South East and Midlands. This guide explains the three main filter types, the specs that actually matter, and picks the best options from eight products tested across a range of budgets.
What to look for
01Jug capacity and fridge fit
Most filter jugs sold in the UK sit between 2. 5L and 3.5L. A 2.5L jug, such as the Aqua Optima Liscia or the Waterdrop Elfin, is slim enough to stand upright on a standard fridge door shelf, which typically allows around 150mm of clearance. The BRITA Marella XL steps up to 3.5L, which suits a family of four but may need to lie flat in a smaller fridge. If you fill the kettle two or three times a day, a 2.5L jug usually holds enough filtered water without constant refilling. Check the jug's overall height before buying: the Marella XL is taller than it looks in product photos. Dishwasher-friendly bodies, as found on the Aqua Optima Liscia, save time but always check the lid and filter housing are hand-wash only, as most are.
02Filter cartridge compatibility and running costs
The cartridge is where the ongoing cost lives. BRITA's own MAXTRA PRO Pure Performance 12-pack is currently £39.93, working out to roughly £3.33 per cartridge, each rated for about four weeks. Third-party alternatives such as the FilterLogic Universal 6-pack at £12.49 (£2.08 per cartridge) are compatible with BRITA Maxtra+ and Maxtra Pro jugs and can cut annual running costs noticeably. Aqua Optima uses its own Evolve+ cartridges, which are included in bundle deals and rated for 30 days. Always check the cartridge type before buying a jug: MAXTRA PRO and MAXTRA+ are not interchangeable with Aqua Optima's system. If you live in a hard-water area (most of London, the South East, and the East Midlands), consider the BRITA MAXTRA PRO Limescale Expert variant, which prioritises scale reduction to protect your kettle and coffee machine.
03What contaminants does a filter jug actually remove?
UK tap water is safe to drink, but many people filter it to improve taste and reduce specific substances. Chlorine is the most common complaint: it is added during treatment and gives water a faint swimming-pool smell. All the jugs here reduce chlorine. The Waterdrop Elfin goes further, carrying NSF certification for lead and fluoride reduction, which matters if you live in an older property with lead pipework. The BRITA MAXTRA PRO Pure Performance also targets PFAS (so-called forever chemicals) and pesticides, making it one of the more comprehensive options at this price point. Limescale reduction is handled by ion-exchange resin inside the cartridge, which softens the water slightly and reduces the white crust that builds up in your 3kW kettle. No jug filter removes bacteria or viruses: for that, you need a certified under-sink system.
04Jug vs tap filter vs under-sink: which suits your kitchen?
A filter jug needs no installation and costs under £25 to get started, making it the obvious entry point. The trade-off is that you must remember to refill it and replace cartridges every four weeks. A tap-mounted filter clips onto most standard UK mixer taps and filters water on demand, but it adds bulk to the tap and can reduce flow rate. Under-sink systems, typically plumbed into a dedicated drinking-water tap, deliver the best filtration and unlimited filtered water, but installation costs and the unit itself can push the total spend past £200. For most UK renters or first-time buyers who want better-tasting water without any plumbing, a filter jug is the practical starting point. Homeowners in very hard-water areas who also want to protect appliances may find an under-sink system pays for itself over two to three years in reduced descaling and cartridge spend.
Our top picks
Best for budget-conscious first-time buyersAqua Optima Liscia Water Filter Jug
At £11.24 (down from a 90-day high of £11.99), the Aqua Optima Liscia is the lowest-cost entry point here and it includes three Evolve+ cartridges, giving you roughly three months of filtered water straight away. The 2.5L jug is dishwasher-friendly and slim enough for most fridge door shelves. Rated 4.6 stars across nearly 10,000 reviews, it reduces limescale and chlorine without any complicated setup.
Best for older properties with lead pipework concernsWaterdrop PT-05B Elfin Water Filter Jug
The Waterdrop Elfin is currently at its 90-day high of £19.99, but its 90-day low was £12.59, so it is worth watching for a price drop. Its NSF certification for lead and fluoride reduction sets it apart from most jug filters at this price. The 2.5L body is fridge-friendly, BPA-free, and the included filter is rated for 90 days, making cartridge changes less frequent than the standard 30-day alternatives.
Best for comprehensive filtration including PFASBRITA MAXTRA PRO Pure Performance Water
The BRITA MAXTRA PRO Pure Performance 12-pack costs £39.93 (90-day low: £34.99), working out to around £3.33 per cartridge. It is the only option here that targets PFAS alongside chlorine, pesticides, and limescale, making it the strongest all-round performer for households in hard-water areas. Rated 4.8 stars from over 10,000 reviews, it fits all BRITA MAXTRA PRO-compatible jugs including the Marella XL.
Best for cutting the cost of BRITA-compatible cartridgesFilterLogic Universal 6 Pack Filter Cartridges
FilterLogic's 6-pack is priced at £12.49 (at its 90-day low), which works out to £2.08 per cartridge versus over £3 for BRITA's own. Compatible with BRITA Maxtra+, Maxtra Pro, Marella, and even Bosch Tassimo machines, it suits households already invested in the BRITA ecosystem who want to reduce running costs. With 15,292 reviews and a 4.4-star average, it is the most-reviewed product in this round-up.
Best large-capacity jug for familiesBRITA Marella XL Water Filter Jug
The BRITA Marella XL holds 3.5L, making it the largest jug here and well suited to a household that runs through several kettles a day. At £16.50 (down from a 90-day high of £25.99), it includes one MAXTRA PRO Pure Performance cartridge and a digital filter-life indicator so you never forget when to replace it. The flip-lid design allows one-handed filling under the tap, which is a small but genuinely useful detail.
Frequently asked
How often do I need to replace a water filter jug cartridge in the UK?
Most cartridges sold in the UK are rated for either 30 days or 90 days, depending on the brand. BRITA MAXTRA PRO cartridges are rated for four weeks (roughly 150 litres), while the Waterdrop Elfin's cartridge lasts 90 days. In practice, if you live in a hard-water area such as London or the South East, you may find performance drops slightly before the stated date because the ion-exchange resin fills up with calcium and magnesium faster. The BRITA Marella XL's digital indicator takes the guesswork out of timing.
Are third-party filter cartridges as good as BRITA originals?
Third-party cartridges such as FilterLogic's Universal 6-pack are compatible with BRITA Maxtra+ and Maxtra Pro jugs and cost around £2.08 per cartridge versus over £3 for BRITA's own. Independent tests suggest filtration performance is broadly comparable for chlorine and limescale reduction. However, BRITA's MAXTRA PRO Pure Performance cartridges are the only ones in this round-up certified to reduce PFAS and pesticides, so if those contaminants are a priority, the original is worth the extra cost.
Will a filter jug protect my kettle from limescale?
Yes, to a meaningful degree. Filter jug cartridges use ion-exchange resin to reduce the calcium and magnesium ions that cause limescale. If you live in a hard-water area (most of the South East, East Anglia, and the Midlands), filtering your water before boiling it will slow limescale build-up in your kettle and coffee machine. The BRITA MAXTRA PRO Limescale Expert cartridge is specifically formulated for this, prioritising scale reduction over other contaminants. You will still need to descale occasionally, but far less frequently.
What is the difference between BRITA MAXTRA+ and MAXTRA PRO?
MAXTRA PRO is BRITA's newer cartridge format, launched to replace MAXTRA+. The two are physically compatible with the same range of BRITA jugs, but MAXTRA PRO Pure Performance adds filtration for PFAS and pesticides that the older MAXTRA+ did not cover. If you have an existing BRITA jug bought in the last few years, it almost certainly accepts MAXTRA PRO cartridges. Check the base of your jug or the original packaging to confirm compatibility before ordering a multipack.
Can I put a filter jug in the dishwasher?
The jug body on models such as the Aqua Optima Liscia is labelled dishwasher-safe, which is a genuine convenience. However, the filter cartridge itself must never go in the dishwasher: the heat and detergent will destroy the activated carbon and ion-exchange resin inside. The lid and filter housing on most jugs, including BRITA models, are also hand-wash only. Always check the specific instructions for your model before loading any part of it into the machine.