Brita Style Fridge Water Filter Jug In-depth Review

The Brita Style was love at first sight for us. Its graceful design and refrigerator door-bin-fitting body makes it an attractive choice for small households. Its Maxtra+ filter core had performed exceptionally well in our chlorine tests with previous Brita models—albeit with the usual slower than average flow rate.

The pitcher and filter performed just as expected. Here are the details of how it fared in our tests.

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Compared to Other Water Filter Pitchers

6.6 Performance

Featuring the Maxtra+ filter, the Brita Style was one of our best performers in the chlorine reduction test. It effectively eliminated chlorine odor and taste from tap water. However, the slow flow rate was a compromise to this high degree of effectiveness.

9.0 Chlorine

Our test water contained an extra-high concentration of chlorine at 10+ mg/l, and the Maxtra+ filter cut out more than 95% of it. This filter on other pitchers has had similarly good results, so this was no surprise. If you don’t like the taste and smell of chlorine in your tap water, you can count on this pitcher for perfectly good-tasting water.

3.0 Flow Rate

As with those pitchers featuring the Maxtra filter, the Brita Style takes its time to work. It took more than 4 minutes to process one reservoir (1200 ml) of water, which translates to about 50 seconds for a full glass. The Brita standard filter typically took only half this time. It’s important to fill this Brita in advance so you can have clean water when you need it. Luckily, because it has a large reservoir in relation to the pitcher, you won’t have to refill too often.

9.3 Taste & Smell

Though it did not go to the extreme in reducing the TDS like a WaterZero filter, the Maxtra core did improve overall water quality. Water came out clear, with no abnormal taste or smell. We didn’t have the technology to analyze its composition, but all three testers were happy with the taste and aftertaste.

9.1 Design

Brita pitchers are not usually famous for their looks, but this Brita Style is, true to its name, an exception and an epitome of style when it comes to filter pitchers. It features a minimalist design with posh colors and elegant rounded corners. All the plastic parts are BPA-free, sturdy, and fit together securely. Its filter life indicator and pour-through lid—both practically designed—are also the most graceful we’ve seen on a Brita.

In the Box

• The Brita Style 10 cup water filter pitcher
• Maxtra filter core 
• User guides 
• Promotional leaflets

Our Brita Aluna came with two user guides covering more than a dozen languages, which naturally include English. Its Maxtra filter core was in a plastic package and not preinstalled. 

The pitcher is white and clear, with a colored refill flap. It’s gray on ours, but is also available in blue and lime.

Dimensions

10 Build Quality

The Style, being a new generation pitcher, enjoys all the best features of the Brita pitcher family and then more. It’s made with clear but durable BPA-free plastic, and has a stylish design with a slim, shiny body and rounded corners. All three testers agreed it’s the most elegant of all Brita pitchers we’ve tested to date.

The handle, though hollow inside, felt solid and had no problem supporting the weight of the full pitcher.

9.0 Conveniences

The Style has an indicator built under the lid, displaying only an LED light that flashes when pressed to show the filter status. It looks a lot more subtle and stylish compared to the traditional display while serving the same purpose. There’s a pour-through door for refilling but no spigot, which wouldn’t be necessary anyway because the pitcher is light enough that you can pick it up with one hand and get water through the spout.

8.5 Filter

The Maxtra+ filter has a robust build and fits in the pitcher funnel effortlessly but securely—evidenced by its performance in the chlorine test. It let no water through without being processed by its combined filtration media of carbon and ion exchange. The funnel is designed so that there’s always some water at the lower part of the filter, so clogging or drying shouldn’t be a problem.

Like most other filters, this one left traces of filtration materials in the filtered water. The particles were smaller and fewer than normal and only detectable upon close inspection. We are uncertain whether these pose any negative health impact, but we don’t suspect they would. 

9.4 Usability

Brita seems to have taken criticisms of previous products to heart and implemented improvements on the Style. The pitcher boasts an impeccably designed lid, offering hassle-free refilling and secure dispensing. The assembly and disassembly process is now effortless thanks to the precise fit. Its compact size and modest weight means anyone can pick it up at full capacity and use it with ease. 

9.7 Assembling

The Brita Style is one of the easiest pitchers to assemble and disassemble. The rubber lid handle helps with lifting up the lid, while the reservoir fits in a way that doesn’t require exerting force to remove. Unlike the Marella or Aluna, the Style’s reservoir has a flat opening. This means you don’t have to worry about aligning the ends when placing it back into the pitcher.

9.8 Refilling

The Style’s refill flap has a mechanism that secures the lid in the open position, allowing for easy refilling. Though a small detail, this is a big improvement from the Marella’s unstable pour-through door. Refilling with the Style is a much more pleasant experience compared to all other Brita pitchers. 

With a large reservoir (1200 ml), you don’t need too many refills before the pitcher (1500 ml) is full.

9.0 Dispensing

Compact, lightweight, and secure at both the lid and handle, the Style allows for easy dispensing without a spigot. It doesn’t have a spout lid, thus more prone to contamination, but this means the flow is smoother and easier to control. We tried pouring when the reservoir was at one third of its capacity and were pleased to see there was no mixing of unfiltered and filtered water. This at least, is a consolation for the slow flow rate.

9.0 Cleaning

The Style is dishwashable, but as with all pitchers, we recommend hand washing it in mild soapy water. With smooth surfaces and rounded corners, it’s quick and easy to clean.