Brita vs PUR vs ZeroWater: Which Pitcher Filter Is Certified for Lead and PFAS?
For lead and PFAS, buy the PUR PLUS filter (PPF951K): IAPMO R&T lists it for lead and Total PFAS. Brita Elite is certified for lead but not PFAS. ZeroWater is certified for lead and PFAS too, and Culligan ZeroWater also for fluoride, but it costs the most to run. Per gallon today: PUR PLUS 22.9¢, Brita Elite 14.2¢, ZeroWater from 72.4¢. The basic PUR, Brita Standard and Brita Plus filters are not certified for lead.
IAPMO R&T lists this filter code for lead and Total PFAS (W-29904); WQA lists it for lead. Rated for 40 gallons, about 2 months. Fits PUR pitchers and dispensers.
Check price on AmazonLead only, costs less per gallon: Brita Elite, 1 filter ($17.07) →Amazon prices as of November 12, 2026 at 12:18 PM ET. Prices can change; the price on Amazon is the one that counts.
Wondering which pitchers are listed for PFAS? See PFAS water filter pitchers.
Pick by what you need
Every Brita, PUR and ZeroWater filter, side by side
"Certified for" comes from the certifier's listing for that filter code, not the box. Per gallon = the Amazon price per filter ÷ the gallons it is rated for, using the pack that costs least per gallon today.
| Filter | Lead | PFAS | Also certified for | Rated for | Per filter | Per gallon | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PUR PLUS Code PPF951K · IAPMO R&T W-29904 (lead and Total PFAS) and WQA (lead) | Certified | Total PFAS | lead and Total PFAS, plus chlorine, taste and odor | 40 gal | $9.18 (from a 3-pack) | 22.9¢ | Amazon → |
| Brita Elite Code OB06 · WQA (NSF/ANSI 53, in about 25 Brita pitchers), IAPMO R&T W-13905 (12 pitchers) and NSF (2 pitchers) | Certified | No | lead, mercury, cadmium, asbestos, benzene and other chemicals; chlorine, taste and odor; microplastics in most pitchers | 120 gal | $17.07 (1 filter) | 14.2¢ | Amazon → |
| Culligan ZeroWater Code ZEROF · IAPMO R&T W-17155 | Certified | Total PFAS | lead, Total PFAS, fluoride, nitrate, chromium-6, mercury, cadmium and copper | 20 gal | $14.49 (from a 6-pack) | 72.4¢ | Amazon → |
| ZeroWater 5-stage (original) Code ZR-017 · IAPMO R&T W-14820 | Certified | PFOA and PFOS | lead, mercury, chromium-6, PFOA and PFOS | 15 gal | $11.84 (from a 2-pack) | 78.9¢ | Amazon → |
| PUR basic filter Code PPF900Z · WQA, IAPMO R&T and NSF | No | No | mercury, cadmium and benzene; chlorine, taste and odor | 40 gal | $6.37 (from a 4-pack) | 15.9¢ | Amazon → |
| Brita Standard (white) Code OB03 · WQA (NSF/ANSI 42 and 53) | No | No | cadmium, copper and mercury; chlorine, taste, odor and zinc | 40 gal | $4.27 (from a 6-pack) | 10.7¢ | Amazon → |
| Brita Plus (white) Code OB08 · WQA (NSF/ANSI 42 and 53) | No | No | mercury, cadmium, copper, benzene and other chemicals; chlorine | 40 gal | $6.08 (from a 6-pack) | 15.2¢ | Amazon → |
| Amazon Basics Brita-fit filter Code 1038346 · WQA (in Amazon Basics pitchers) | No | No | chlorine, mercury, cadmium and benzene | — | $2.97 (from a 6-pack) | — | Amazon → |
| AQUA CREST Brita-fit filter Code AQK-CF06A · NSF/ANSI 42 (in AQUA CREST pitchers) | No | No | chlorine, taste and odor | 60 gal | $2.75 (from a 8-pack) | 4.6¢ | Amazon → |
Amazon Basics and AQUA CREST are cheaper copies made to fit Brita pitchers. Their listings are for use in their own brands' pitchers, and neither is listed for lead.
Where the certifiers disagree
For PUR PLUS, IAPMO R&T lists lead and Total PFAS, and WQA lists lead. NSF also lists PUR filters, but its listing does not show lead or PFAS for PPF951K. We go by the listings that name the claim, and say which one it is.
For Brita, all three certifiers list the Elite for lead, but pitcher by pitcher: WQA in about 25 Brita pitchers, IAPMO R&T in 12, NSF in 2. See Brita Elite vs Standard.
Questions people ask
Which is better, Brita, PUR or ZeroWater?
It depends on the filter, not the brand. PUR PLUS is certified for lead and Total PFAS. Brita Elite is certified for lead and costs the least per gallon of the lead-certified filters. ZeroWater and Culligan ZeroWater are certified for lead and PFAS too, but cost the most per gallon because each filter is rated for only 15 to 20 gallons.
Does PUR remove lead?
Only the PUR PLUS filter (PPF951K). IAPMO R&T and WQA list it for lead. The basic PUR filter (PPF900Z) is not certified for lead. NSF's own PUR listing does not show lead for either filter.
Does ZeroWater remove PFAS?
Yes. IAPMO R&T lists the original ZeroWater filters for PFOA and PFOS (W-14820) and the Culligan ZeroWater filters for Total PFAS (W-17155), both under NSF/ANSI 53.
Which pitcher filter removes fluoride?
Of these, only Culligan ZeroWater. IAPMO R&T W-17155 lists it for fluoride. Brita, PUR and the original ZeroWater filters are not listed for fluoride.
Why does ZeroWater cost so much more per gallon?
Its filters are rated for 15 gallons (original) or 20 gallons (Culligan), against 40 for PUR and 120 for Brita Elite. ZeroWater says to change the filter when its meter reads 006.
Are all ZeroWater packs on Amazon certified?
Not by name. The certificate lists pack codes such as ZR-017, ZR-006, ZR-008 and ZR-012. Codes such as ZR-003, ZR-004 and ZR-600, and Culligan ZEROF08 and ZEROF12, are not named on the certificates. We link only packs whose code is listed.
Sources
- IAPMO R&T certificates W-29903, W-29904, W-29905 (PUR, Kaz USA), W-14819, W-14820 (ZeroWater), W-17154, W-17155, W-17156 (Culligan ZeroWater) and W-13905 (Brita), read October 23, 2026 on pld.iapmo.org.
- WQA Gold Seal listings for Brita, Kaz USA (PUR) and Amazon Basics: find.wqa.org, read October 23, 2026.
- NSF listings: listings.nsf.org, read October 23, 2026.
- Amazon listings and prices: read through Amazon's product API; we show a price only if we read it in the last 24 hours.
- We did not test any filter.
Related: best water filter pitcher · PFAS pitchers · does PUR remove lead? · does ZeroWater remove PFAS?