Brita filter

We do the math to break down how much buying a water filter can help your wallet.

You'll find taste differences based on brand, but that's the biggest difference between buying bottled and filtering your own tap water. (Having tried all three, I found that the dispenser could be a bit cumbersome to get in the sink.) (You can also check out [how Dunkin' and Starbucks actually compare price-wise](/how-to/which-coffee-chain-is-cheapest-starbucks-dunkin-or-caribou-we-do-the-math/), and [if it's cheaper to buy groceries online or in the store](/how-to/is-it-cheaper-to-get-groceries-delivered-than-to-shop-in-the-store-i-did-the-math/).) I looked at three of the most popular brands, Aquafina, Dasani and Nestle Pure Life, all of which fall into a midprice range -- they aren't store-brand cheap, but they also aren't Evian expensive. Tap water filtered through a Brita removes or reduces common impurities that impact safety and taste, like lead and chlorine. For the Brita filter that attaches to your sink, the company recommends replacing the filter every four months. The only other potential upfront cost here would be for a reusable water bottle or cup, which vary widely in price. [largest grocery store chains](https://www.foodindustry.com/articles/top-10-grocers-in-the-united-states-2019/) in the US -- to price out both the cost of a Brita filter and its replacement filters, and of each bottled water option. [Brita filter](https://assoc-redirect.amazon.com/g/r/https://www.amazon.com/Brita-Filtration-Reminder-Reduces-Standard/dp/B004INTGKK/?tag=cnet-buy-button-20&ascsubtag=___COM_CLICK_ID___%7C___VIEW_GUID___%7Cdtp) that connects directly to your tap -- the bestselling option on Amazon. [Harvard Medical School](https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/how-much-water-should-you-drink) recommends most people drink up to six cups of water per day, or 48 ounces. If you're concerned about your water quality, you might want to consider investing in a water filter to get that bottled quality right from your tap. Not only is that bad news from an environmental perspective ( [plastic is literally everywhere now](https://www.cnet.com/culture/features/were-drowning-in-plastic-heres-what-you-can-do-about-it/)), but financially, buying bottled water on the regular isn't cheap.