Brita Metro Review

The Brita Metro is a simple, budget-friendly way to get better-tasting water. We love its compact size, which takes up minimal fridge space, and its large fill hole, which makes refills easier. That said, the smaller capacity requires frequent refills, making the Metro best for individuals or small households. And it did little to remove the risky, health-related contaminants we spiked into our water samples.

Lead & Metals

The Metro scored below average in our metals test. It helps some, but we'd still like to see a bit more protection.

Heavy metals are a concern because they can be harmful to your health, even when present at very low levels. The Brita picked up over 90% of heavy metals like lead and uranium, but left others, like arsenic, completely behind.

If you have old pipes and your lead levels are only mildly elevated, the Metro should be adequate to reduce the burden. But for severely elevated levels, like those seen in Flint, Michigan, 94% removal isn't enough to be considered safe.

Forever Chemicals (PFAS)

PFAS are chemicals that build up in our bodies over time and can increase our risk of cancer, disrupt our hormones, or cause reproductive and developmental effects. They're yucky stuff and fairly common in urban areas. Unfortunately, the Brita had one of the worst performances of the group, offering little protection from PFAS.

The Brita Metro reduced PFNA and PFBA (two common PFAS chemicals) by about 50%, which is better than nothing. Still, that may not be enough to bring the levels down to the EPA's “safe” zone.

Microplastics

Just like with PFAS, the Brita Metro provided poor microplastics removal.

Microplastics are everywhere, though we're still not entirely sure how harmful microplastics are to our health. If you like to play things safe, it's best to find a filter that can catch them. The Brita captured very little ultrafine microplastics (less than 5 microns) and even shed some larger microplastics (greater than 15 microns) into our drinking water.

Fluoride & Nitrates

Fluoride, nitrates, and sulfates are tricky contaminants to remove, best tackled by a specialized reverse osmosis system. So, like most pitchers, the Brita Metro scored below average in this metric.

While the Brita made a small dent, it's not adequate to make a meaningful impact. If you live in an agricultural area, drink from a private well, have water that smells like rotten eggs, or just have concerns about fluoridated water, your best bet is to invest in a more robust filtration system.

Taste & Chlorine

Most municipalities add chlorine to your tap water to keep it clean and free of microorganisms. Unfortunately, this can also leave your water tasting like a chemically-treated pool.

Like all water filters we tested, the Brita Metro removed 100% of chlorine, making it much more palatable and refreshing. And, about 90% of Amazon reviewers agree that the Brita improves taste. It's not spring water quality, but it's a big step in the right direction.

Daily Use & Upkeep Cost

The Brita Metro is pretty darn affordable for singles or couples with low water consumption. And its small 6-cup size is perfect for refrigerators low on space. But it needs to be refilled constantly, which felt like a daily chore. Because of this, it scored slightly below average in daily use & upkeep cost.

The Brita Metro is very easy to set up and requires minimal maintenance, aside from occasional cleaning. After you've filtered about 40 gallons of water, the filter alert will light up, letting you know it's time to change the filter.

If you're a single person just using the pitcher for drinking water, you'll need to replace it every few months. But if you're a couple using it for cooking as well, it may need to be replaced every month.

Replacements are cheap, especially if you buy in bulk. We estimate that a standard household of two that uses filtered water for cooking and drinking will spend about $60 a year on filters, which is pretty darn good. If you're a larger family, it's more expensive and tedious to keep up.

The Brita Metro filters water faster than most, but we still didn't like having to refill it so often. We wouldn't recommend this to families or users with high water needs.

Should You Buy the Brita Metro?

The Brita Metro's biggest draw is its low price and compact size, but when equipped with the Original Filter, it struggles with basic contaminant removal. If you have fairly safe drinking water and are only looking to improve taste, this will get the job done. But if you also want protection against toxic contaminants, this isn't the setup for you.

What Other Water Filters Should You Consider?

The Amazon Basics 10-cup Pitcher offers much better contaminant removal and costs less overall. Seems like a no-brainer to us. Or if you can spend a little more, the PUR PLUS 11-Cup Pitcher offers the best protection against health-related contaminants, and even comes in a smaller 7-cup version for space-limited households.