The Pitcher:
Aquagear’s Filtered Water Pitcher filter is made in the USA and is a non-premium 100% BPA-free plastic that is vegan and recyclable. It can filter up to 120 gallons per filter, which on average lasts about 6 months. The capacity for the pitcher is not listed on their website.
Clearly Filtered's Water Pitcher uses Tritan® materials, which are medical-grade and completely free of BPA and BPS. It can filter up to 100 gallons per filter which on average lasts about 4 months. The capacity for the pitcher is 10 cups.
- AquaGear: 120 gallons per filter (6 months on average)
- Clearly Filtered: 100 gallons per filter (4 months on average)
The Filter
Aquagear targets 79 contaminants, including Fluoride, Lead, Chromium 6, Mercury, Volatile Organic Compounds and more.
The structure of the filter uses 3 small "utter-like" block filters. The issue that can present itself with a filtration solution like this is if one of the filters tend to flow faster (which is almost always the case) than the other 2, that filter will be taxed much faster than the claimed 120 gallons. Because not all of the water is forced through the entire volume of filtration media, there's no way to determine its true effectiveness in a real-world scenario.
Clearly Filtered targets over 365 contaminants, including Fluoride, Chlorine, Microplastics, Perflourinated Chemicals, Herbicides, Pharmaceutical Drugs, Heavy Metals, Semi-Volatile Compounds, Volatile Organic Compounds and Radiological Elements.
Clearly Filtered targets over 4.5x more contaminants (365+) than Aquagear, which targets 79.
Both Aquagear and Clearly Filtered keep healthy and essential minerals in your water, such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium (depending on the source of your tap water).
- Aquagear: 79 contaminants
- Clearly Filtered: 365+ contaminants
When analyzing the vital contaminants to fully understand which is the better filter it is good to look as some of the most common and harmful contaminants found in tap water:
Cost:
The Aquagear Pitcher costs $69.95 USD on their website and replacement filters are $49.95 USD (or $39.95 USD with a subscription plan).
The Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher with Affinity® Filtration Technology costs $90 USD (or $81 with a filter subscription) on the website and replacement filters are $55 USD (or $49.50 with subscription).
- Aquagear Pitcher: $69.95
- Aquagear: replacement filter: $49.95
- Clearly Filtered Pitcher: $90
- Clearly Filtered Replacement Filter: $55
Subscription:
Aquagear’s subscription program sends a replacement filter every 6 months at 20% off + free shipping. They do not give the option to customize your delivery or frequency for replacement filters. Clearly Filtered’s subscription lets you choose how often you want to receive your replacement filters with the option to add, skip, edit or cancel your subscription at any time. The benefits of subscription include: convenience, free shipping, and 10% off every replacement filter.
- Aquagear Pitcher on Subscription: $69.95
- Aquagear Replacement Filter on Subscription: $39.95
- Clearly Filtered Pitcher on Subscription: $81.00
- Clearly Filtered Replacement Filter on Subscription: $49.50
Testing:
The Aquagear Water Filter Pitcher claims it is independently tested to meet NSF standards 42 & 53 although if you read through their compiled data they do use data from various tests that are not done to NSF standards (ie. Lead).
The Clearly Filtered Water Filter Pitcher is independently tested to NSF standards 42, 53, 401 & 473.
- Aquagear Test Results: https://www.goaquagear.com/pages/testing-certifications
- Clearly Filtered Test Results: https://www.clearlyfiltered.com/pages/performance-data-for-the-clearly-filtered-water-pitcher-and-filter
Summary:
Aquagear’s filter uses activated coconut carbon and a formulation of ion exchange materials to filter 79 contaminants. Activated coconut carbon removes organic compounds and pollutants from water. Proprietary blend of ion exchange media removes dozens of health-related contaminants using adsorption, absorption, chemical bonding, chelation, and depth filtration.
Clearly Filtered's Affinity® Filtration Technology uses 7+ proprietary filtration media to create multiple stages of filtration. Stage 1: woven mesh screen - which keeps large particles from entering the filter. Stage 2: granulated coconut carbon - which filters chlorine, bad taste, and odors. Stage 3: composite shell - which is made of 7+ proprietary filtration materials which slows down the flow of water to allow for more contact time and superior removal percentages on all contaminant types. This technology removes up to 99.9% of over 365 contaminants—including regulated, unregulated and new and emerging contaminants—to make sure you are protected from the risks we know today and those we could learn about tomorrow.
Which filter is right for you?
Both Aquagear and Clearly Filtered are similarly priced and more advanced pitcher filters than your bargain brands like Pur and ZeroWater. Both are effective against contaminants while keeping essential minerals that your body needs. Both independently test their filter pitcher and post the test results on their websites. Both offer subscription plans, while Aquagear’s program is standard and Clearly Filtered’s program is more customizable with options for frequency. On average, Aquagear’s filter lasts a little longer than Clearly Filtered. Clearly Filtered water filters target 4.5x more contaminants (365+) than Aquagear, which targets 79. Clearly Filtered is also independently tested to NSF standards 42, 53, 401 & 473, while Aquagear is only independently tested to meet NSF standards 42 & 53.
Shop the Clearly Filtered Pitcher here.
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