Pur Plus 11-Cup Pitcher Review

What really sets the Pur Plus 11-Cup Pitcher apart is its filtration technology. The 3-in-1 PUR PLUS filter is NSF certified to reduce lead, microplastics, chlorine, and over 20 other chemical and physical contaminants, making it one of the most thorough pitchers we've tested. The powerful filter sits at home in a user-friendly design, allowing for advanced filtration without having to adapt your lifestyle to fit a filter — all you have to do is remember to fill up your pitcher and buy filter replacements regularly.

PFAS Forever Chemical Removal

When it comes to forever chemicals, the Pur Plus did an impressive job. Most PFNA was filtered out in out testing as well. Bottom line: this pitcher delivers contaminant removal nearly on par with reverse osmosis systems in a simple, easy-to-use package.

Critical Contaminant Removal

The Pur Plus 11-Cup Pitcher shines in critical contaminant removal, scoring 9.6/10 overall, which rivals some reverse-osmosis systems we've tested — impressive for a simple countertop pitcher. It consistently removed critical contaminants to near-zero levels across the board, removing 100% of lead, 96.12% of PFNA, 100% of arsenic, and 100% of uranium during our testing.

While it doesn't eliminate fluoride entirely (only 37.5% removed from tap water samples), it reduces nearly every other harmful compound to very low levels. If fluoride, which is commonly added to municipal water sources to protect people's teeth, is an issue for you, look for a different filter. Otherwise, this is an overperformer in reducing critical contaminants.

Heavy Metal and Trace Element Removal

Performance with secondary contaminants is solid but somewhat mixed, placing this Pur pitcher in the middle of the pack among the filters we tested.

The filter excels at removing copper, aluminum, vanadium, strontium, and molybdenum, but results for barium and some other trace elements are weaker, and minor leaching of cadmium, thallium, cobalt, and silver has been noted.

Of those trace elements, all were still far below safety thresholds. The only secondary contaminant this filter seemed to have trouble with was barium — our tester wrote, “If Barium is a concern, don't get this. It did not filter any of it out in our tap water.”

This is still strong for most city water supplies, but not a substitute for a dedicated RO system if your water has unusual heavy metal concentrations. We'd recommend getting your water tested directly if you have specific concerns.

Taste

Taste performance earned top marks in our research, reflecting broad user satisfaction. Customers frequently report that chlorine and other off-flavors are removed, leaving crisp, refreshing water. Some minor complaints relate to perceived bitterness if the filter isn't primed properly on first use, but overall, the filtered water is preferred over other pitchers. It was common for reviewers to regularly call out this filter for improving the water taste better than Brita filters they had tried previously.

Out of all the Amazon reviews for this filter that mention taste, 91% of them were positive. Taste is obviously very subjective, but this filter received great feedback.

Maintenance and Setup

Like any other pitcher-style water filter we tested, this model was simple to use and maintain. The pitcher is lightweight, dishwasher safe, and features a filter change indicator to prevent guessing when it comes to swapping them out. Filters need to be replaced approximately every two months (about 40 gallons), which is slightly more frequent than some budget pitchers but typical for higher-capacity, heavy-filtration pitchers.

Users regularly report that this pitcher is a breeze to clean and that you wouldn't know it was anything other than a non-filter pitcher. The drop-in filter replacements make things easier, too.

Operating Cost

The long-term costs of operating the Pur Plus 11‑Cup Pitcher are a bit disappointing, but not a dealbreaker when considering buying one. Replacement filters cost more than some simpler pitchers, particularly if you're a heavy user. Each filter lasts up to 40 gallons (~2 months), so annual costs can add up compared to basic models, but the tradeoff is superior filtration and reduced bottled water usage.

Replacement filters cost around $10–$13 each, with multi-packs priced at $23–$27, bringing first-year filter expenses to approximately $54 according to our tester. Costs adding up is never exciting, but you're getting what you pay for here — the quality is definitely superb. There are plenty of other models with similarly priced filter replacements that don't deliver the same level of filtration.

Should You Buy the Pur Plus 11-Cup Pitcher?

The Pur Plus 11-Cup Pitcher is an excellent option for anyone who wants high-level filtration without dealing with complex systems like under-sink RO units. Its contaminant-removal performance is impressive for a pitcher, making it ideal for households concerned about lead, PFNA, microplastics, and other common impurities. The compact, dishwasher-safe design and filter-change light make it easy to use and maintain, so it fits seamlessly into daily life. On the flip side, it's not the fastest pitcher on the market, and ongoing filter replacements can get pricey if you use a lot of water, so cost-conscious buyers or those who need rapid filtration may want to look elsewhere.

What Other Water Filter Should You Consider?

If you're willing to make the jump to a reverse-osmosis system, consider the APEC ROES-50 Essence Series. The initial cost will be much more, and setting this system up in your existing plumbing might be a bit of a pain, but it provides the best filtration out of all the filters we've tested and is surprisingly cost-efficient in the long run.