Brita Metro Review

This compact pitcher is a simple kitchen addition to get fresher-tasting and clearer water. The fast-flowing filter keeps cup or water bottle fill-ups quick, and users report its six-cup capacity is decent for small households. We tested this model with Standard Brita filters, but you can also snag the Elite filters for less-frequent replacements and a slightly better contaminant removal performance.

The main drawbacks to this pitcher are that the capacity is a little low for bigger families, and its contaminant removal during testing was only average — it did well removing heavy metals and trace elements, but struggled with more critical contaminants like lead.

Critical Contaminant Removal

The filter does a decent job with everyday city water, reducing chlorine, lead, and uranium to safer levels — but not levels that our testers were impressed with. Only 50.78% of PFNA was removed from our contaminated solutions, so it's not a go-to for more serious contamination. This is really only a pick for light filtering of drinking water that's already decent quality.

Heavy Metal and Trace Element Removal

Generally, this filter performed well for its price point, particularly in terms of secondary contaminants. Most metals and trace elements were lowered to comfortable levels, though aluminum still showed up in some tests. Overall, it's reliable for everyday drinking water.

We did notice some differences in testing results between Brita pitchers using the same standard filter. The Brita Metro wasn't able to eliminate the trace amounts of Chromium that were present in our sample water — this is rarely a concern in municipal supplies, but it is a confusing data point worth considering.

Taste

Taste is the metric that the average user talks about the most with this pitcher. Users report crisp, fresh water with little to no chlorine flavor. Some note a slight charcoal or flat aftertaste initially, but it fades after a few uses. Out of 828 reviews on Amazon that mention water taste, 738 were positive, highlighting a noticeable improvement over unfiltered tap water. In our opinion, this is the main reason to buy this filter, as it isn't as effective at contaminant removal as some others.

Maintenance and Setup

Setup is simple: rinse the filter, fill, and go. Standard Brita Filters last around 40 gallons. For an average two-person household, we estimate this to be around 2 months. If you prefer to deal with fewer filter changes, you can opt for the brand's Elite filters which last 120 gallons according to Brita. In both cases, replacing the filters is a simple task. Just keep the filter wet between uses to avoid drying out. This pitcher is low-effort and straightforward for everyday use.

Operating Cost

Replacement filters are inexpensive, ranging from $8 for a single pack to $30 for a six-pack. While filters need to be swapped fairly often, the total yearly cost remains low, making it one of the more budget-friendly options for small households. As long as you aren't running through filters in a larger household (which this pitcher wouldn't be a great option for anyway, considering its size), our tester estimated the five-year cost of this pitcher to be around $176.

Should You Buy the Brita Metro?

The Brita Standard Pitcher is a solid choice for individuals or small households who want better-tasting, cleaner water without fuss or high cost. It works well for city or well water that is already generally safe and is easy to maintain with inexpensive filters. However, it's not the best option for anyone dealing with high-risk water, heavy contamination, or specific health concerns, such as PFAS or extreme nitrate levels.

What Other Water Filters Should You Consider?

Pitcher-style filters are very convenient, and if you'd like to stick with this, but want better filtration abilities, we recommend the Pur Plus 11-Cup Pitcher. It has top-tier scores when it comes to contaminant removal, and it will cost you a bit less overall.