Pitcher filters compared by certification

Of the 19 pitchers and countertop dispensers in our data, 5 have a lead claim and 4 have a PFAS claim backed by an IAPMO R&T listing for that model, checked 16 Oct 2026. The rest cite NSF or WQA, which we check by hand, make claims without citing a certification, or make no lead or PFAS claim.

How to read the table

Each label describes the brand's lead or PFAS claim, not the product as a whole. A filter can be certified for chlorine taste and odor and still carry a lead claim that no listing backs.

• Certified (IAPMO listing, checked 16 Oct 2026): an active listing in IAPMO R&T's directory shows the claim for this model or its cartridge.
• Brand says certified, not found in IAPMO's listing; check NSF: the brand says the claim is certified, and IAPMO has no listing that shows it. Both brands in this group name NSF or WQA; you can search NSF's listings and WQA's directory.
• Brand claim, no certification cited: the brand states the reduction without saying it is certified, and IAPMO lists nothing for it.
• No claim: the brand does not claim to reduce it.

The table

What the certified listings show

All five are NSF/ANSI 53 listings, and each covers a named cartridge.

• PUR PPF951K: "Lead" and "Total PFAS" for PUR pitchers and dispensers using this cartridge, rated 40 gallons. Some of the same pitchers are also listed with the basic PPF900Z filter, without either claim.
• ZeroWater ZR-017: "Lead, Mercury, PFOA, PFOS, Hexavalent Chromium" for ZeroWater pitchers and dispensers with the listed 15-gallon cartridges.
• Culligan ZEROP10: lead and Total PFAS, among other claims, for its 20-gallon ZEROFXX cartridge.
• Culligan Scout MCSP: "Lead, Total PFAS" for its 50-gallon MCF701 cartridge.
• Brita Elite OB06: "Lead" for the Brita pitchers named on the listing, rated 120 gallons. Brita's data sheet also names NSF and WQA certifications for some models and claims.

Before you buy

• For lead, EPA's consumer tool says to look for a certifier's mark with NSF/ANSI 53 and a lead claim, and ideally NSF/ANSI 42 for particulate reduction (Class I). See Lead pipes and lead filters.
• For PFAS, EPA points to NSF/ANSI 53, or 58 for reverse osmosis. For a pitcher, that means NSF/ANSI 53.
• Buy the listed cartridge. The claim belongs to the cartridge named on the listing.
• Count the cartridges. The certified pitcher cartridges here are rated 15 to 120 gallons. The lowest-cost ways to get a certified PFAS filter shows what that means per year.