Brita Aluna S0500 Water Filter Pitcher In-depth Review

If you’re looking for a fridge-door friendly water filter pitcher, you’ve probably come across the Brita Aluna. Using the Maxtra+ filter, this pitcher promises “ideal-tasting water” for drinking, brewing tea and coffee, and preparing meals.

In this comprehensive review, we explore the features and performance of the Brita Aluna and whether it lives up to advertising claims.

Key Specs

Where to Buy Price at publication $31.55

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Compared to Other Water Filter Pitchers

6.1 Performance

The Brita Aluna water filter pitcher uses the Maxtra, a new Brita filter that’s more effective against chlorine and other contaminants than the standard filter. The water it filters tastes great with healthy levels of total dissolved solids (TDS). This filter, however, doesn’t offer the fastest flow rate. It took almost a minute to process a glass of water in our test.

8.0 Chlorine

The Aluna’s Maxtra filter proved highly effective in neutralizing chlorinated water, reducing the chlorine concentration down to 1 mg/l from 10 mg/l. Admittedly, it’s still not the most potent filter we've tested, but it certainly comes close.

Nevertheless, this filter is more than capable of efficiently purifying tap water, which typically contains chlorine levels below 4 mg/l.

3.0 Flow Rate

While the Brita Maxtra+ filter is better at chlorine removal than the Brita Standard filter, it takes about twice as long to process the same amount of water. With a flow rate of 4 ml/s, it will take the Aluna 55 seconds to produce a glass of clean water. Not surprisingly, none of the Brita pitchers with this filter made it to our Best Water Filter Pitchers final list.

Given its small size and the slow speed, this filter pitcher is best suited for serving drinking water in a one or two person household. If you are a larger family or also need filtered water for cooking, it may be better to look at larger pitchers, such as the Brita Everyday or the Brita Ultramax.

9.3 Taste & Smell

While not designed to reduce total dissolved solids, the Brita Maxtra filter did bring the TDS from 70 down to 51 ppm, part of this being chlorine. This was enough to improve the water aesthetics—all three testers reported excellent tasting water and a clear smell after filtration.

8.9 Design

The Brita S0500 Aluna has a sturdy, durable design with a minimalist touch. It won’t make a statement on your dining room table, but will mingle in easily. Thanks to its compact size, the lack of a spigot doesn’t affect its ease of use, although a refilling trap door would be useful. 

As a new-generation filter, the Maxtra is not only better designed and less prone to leaking materials, but it’s also easier to install. There were no major faux pas to complain about.

In the Box

• The Brita Aluna water filter pitcher
• 1 x Brita Maxtra filter
• 3 x user guides 
• 1 x registration card

The Brita Aluna comes in a compact box along with a filter (not pre-installed) and three user guides. We bought ours at a fair in Ho Chi Minh City so there’s a Vietnamese user manual, but the guide is also available in eight other languages.

Dimensions

9.0 Build Quality

The Brita Aluna is sturdy with durable, well-fitted components. The handle, although small, is easy to hold and looks like it’s an extension of the pitcher instead of a connected part, giving it a strong and secure feel. Crafted from translucent, non-toxic and BPA-free plastic, the pitcher exudes an elegant aesthetic.

8.5 Conveniences

The Aluna features Brita’s signature filter replacement indicator, Memo. However, with its modest filter life (26 gal), it’s probably easier to simply change the filter every month. The pitcher is small enough to fit in most fridge doors. The only room for improvement would be a trap door for easy refilling without having to remove the lid.

9.0 Filter

The Aluna, as mentioned, features the new generation Brita Maxtra filter which is more effective against chlorine. It is well made and fits into the designated space easier than the Standard filter. We didn’t detect leakage, but there was a carbon-like residue on its underside, as you can see in the photos.

We didn’t experience any clogging with this filter. Water runs through it slowly but steadily, suggesting that there is no hollow space inside the filter.

8.2 Usability

Without tricky parts and components, the Brita Aluna is easy to use, assemble, take apart, and clean. The short filter life means you’ll have to replace it more often than most, but it takes little effort. The pitcher would score higher if there were a trap door for refilling.

8.7 Assembling

The spout cover had some hiccups at times when closing the lid, but other than that, the Brita Aluna is easy to assemble and disassemble. The parts all fit well and are likewise easy to remove for replacing or cleaning. Replacement involves lifting the old filter out and inserting a new one, which requires no force, skills, or tool.

7.5 Refilling

Without a trap door, you have to remove the lid to refill the Aluna, which is easy enough since there’s a nook on the lid for that purpose. The small size and light weight make it easy for people with small hands even when full. We also liked that the reservoir is transparent, allowing you to see the water level easily.

The pitcher itself is only slightly larger than the reservoir, so it takes only one refill to reach its full capacity, although you can add half a reservoir more if needed.

8.5 Dispensing

The light weight and compact size means the Aluna is easy to pick up and pour, even when at maximum capacity. There’s no spigot, but we’d argue that for the size, it’s better without one. Even with its simple design, the pitcher lid stays in place when pouring; however, make sure the reservoir water level is at one third or less when you pour, otherwise unfiltered water will mix with filtered water.

8.5 Cleaning

The pitcher and reservoir are safe in a dishwasher, but with a generally smooth appearance, the Aluna takes less than two minutes to manually clean. The filter life indicator means you’ll have to hand wash the lid anyway. The only tricky part is the ‘tube’ inside the handle which is only reachable with a soft, flexible brush. The good thing is it’s open on both sides, so the chance of mold developing inside is small. Essentially, soapy water is all you need to do the job.