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Our Verdict (Best for)
The Brita Ultramax combined with the Brita Elite filter cartridge is easy to set up, use, and maintain with low annual filter replacement costs. Also, the dispenser has a nice, slim design, although the plastic feels thin. And there are quite a few customer complaints that raise concerns about quality. Our biggest issue with the Brita Ultramax, however, is its weak filtration results. While the filtered water tasted and smelled clean, in our lab testing, 6 contaminants showed little or no reduction. Plus, 0.06 ppm silver appeared post-filtration – not too far below the 0.1 ppm EPA limit for eye and skin discoloration – which is not exactly reassuring. And while the Brita Elite filter boasts NSF certifications for 34 contaminants, these are mostly for “easy-to-remove” organics. Bottom line: There are better countertop water filter options out there.
The Brita Ultramax is a countertop water filter dispenser that doesn’t require a plumbing connection. It’s designed for use as a drinking water filter and can purify both tap water and properly disinfected well water.
As usual, we’ve tested the system with our own hands:
- Hands-on experience: We installed/assembled, used, and maintained it.
- Filtration effectiveness: We sent an unfiltered and a filtered tap water sample to a professional lab for analysis in order to determine real-life contaminant reduction capabilities. Plus, we checked for NSF certifications and other test data.
- More testing: We performed a taste & odor test and a filtration speed test.
- All other product aspects: We considered initial + long-term cost, product warranties, additional features, frequent customer complaints, etc.
Contents
Overall Rating: /5.00
Filtration: /5.00
Usability: /5.00
Costs: /5.00
| Type: | Countertop Water Filter Dispenser |
| Price (Jan 20, 2025, w/o Short-Term Sales): | $49.98 |
| Estimated Yearly Cost (Aug 28, 2024): | ~$62 |
Overall Rating: /5.00
What We Like Most
- Filtered water tasted and smelled 100% clean.
- Holds NSF certifications for 34 contaminants against NSF standards 42, 53, and 401.
- Easy to set up, use, and maintain, with a slim design.
- Filter life indicator.
- Affordable to maintain.
What We Don’t Like
- No or partial reduction for 6 contaminants in our lab testing (and a 28% increase in nitrate).
- Silver appeared post-filtration (0.06 ppm) nearing the EPA limit for skin & eye discoloration (0.1 ppm).
- Third-party NSF certifications mostly limited to “easier-to-remove” organics.
- Plastic reservoir feels a bit thin and prone to cracking.
- Short 120-gallon filter lifespan when compared to countertop water filters in general.
- Short 90-day warranty.
- Significant 3rd-party customer complaints (especially on brita.com) include cracked plastic, leaking/broken spigots, leaking filters, and taste issues.
How the Brita Ultramax Compares to…
25 Other Countertop Water Filters
In this video, Sara highlights our countertop water filter top picks. The Brita Ultramax was included in our testing, but didn’t make the cut.
Please note: Our full guide on the best countertop water filters is available here.
Video Chapters + Comparison Sheet
- Link to Comparison Sheet
- 00:00 – Intro
- 00:33 – Our 26 Countertop Filters
- 03:14 – How We Tested & Rated
- 09:11 – Best Overall (AquaTru Classic)
- 14:33 – Best RO Budget Pick (AquaTru Carafe)
- 16:50 – Honorable Mention (Bluevua RO100ROPOT)
- 18:27 – Best “Regular” Filters (Aquasana CWM & ZeroWater)
- 27:47 – Best “Regular” Budget Pick (Waterdrop ED04)
- 33:04 – Summary
Full Analysis of the Brita Ultramax
Filtration: /5.00
1. Lab Results: /5.00
Remember that our before vs after lab comparison is not an exact science. It’s informational and subject to variability, inaccuracies, and interferences caused by natural fluctuations in water quality, accidental contamination, human error, instrumentation issues, and more. Furthermore, our lab-testing is limited to those contaminants present in our water supplies and at their respective concentrations. As such, it can only give us a general idea for how effective a certain water treatment product might be.
Lab Results Chart
| Potentially Harmful | Aesthetic Issues | Feed Water Level | Filtered Water Level | Reduction Rate | |
| Water Disinfectants | |||||
| Chlorine (mg/L) | ✖ | ✖ | 0.82 | 0 | 100% |
| Disinfection Byproducts | |||||
| Bromodichloromethane (µg/l) | ✖ | 0.61 | 0 | 100% | |
| Dibromochloromethane (µg/l) | ✖ | 0.55 | 0 | 100% | |
| Chloroform (µg/l) | ✖ | 0.55 | 0 | 100% | |
| Metals | |||||
| Copper (mg/L) | ✖ | ✖ | 0.06 | 0 | 100% |
| Aluminum (mg/L) | ✖ | ✖ | 0 | 0.04 | Added (See Below) |
| Barium (mg/L) | ✖ | 0.04 | 0.01 | 75% | |
| Boron (mg/L) | ✖ | 0.05 | 0.04 | 20% | |
| Zinc (mg/L) | ✖ | 0.01 | 0 | 100% | |
| Lithium (mg/L) | ✖ | 0.01 | 0 | 100% | |
| Strontium (mg/L) | ✖ | 0.44 | 0.33 | 25% | |
| Salts | |||||
| Nitrate (N) (mg/L) | ✖ | 1.42 | 1.82 | 28% Increase | |
| Fluoride (mg/L) | ✖ | 0.4 | 0.39 | 3% | |
| Other | |||||
| Uranium (µg/L) | ✖ | 1 | 1 | 0% | |
| Impurities NOT Detected in Unfiltered Tap Water Sample | |||||
| Aluminum (mg/L) | ✖ | ✖ | 0 | 0.04 | |
| Silver (mg/L) | ✖ | 0 | 0.06 | ||
| Explanation: | |||||
| Full Removal | |||||
| Considerable Reduction | |||||
| Concentration More Than Double of Unfiltered Water Sample | |||||
| Potential Leaching Reached or Exceeded the Strictest Public Health Guideline We Could Find | |||||
*100% means reduction to below the minimum detection level. To learn more about our testing procedures check our editorial guidelines.
Link to Filtered Water Report
Link to Unfiltered Water Report
Usability: /5.00
Costs: /5.00
Please note: This page is still a work in progress. Additional content and details will be added shortly – stay tuned!
Further Reading
About the Author(s)
Sara has been a lifelong home-improvement fan (she’s been hooked on This Old House since she was five) and taught herself any project she didn’t already know by watching YouTube tutorials. She is also an award-winning filmmaker. Armed with this skillset, Sara installs, primes, samples, uses, and maintains nearly every point-of-use water treatment systems we test – then brings her results to life on camera for our YouTube channel.
Raoul has a background in mechanical engineering and has been writing about home water treatment since 2015. He designs our product review processes, analyzes the results, and ties everything together. As editor-in-chief, he tries hard to keep the whole operation running smoothly behind the scenes.