Culligan ZeroWater Pitcher vs. Sans Water Purifier: Which Is Right for You?
As headlines about harmful chemicals and PSAs about PFAS in our food and drinking water continue to pop up, consumers are erring on the side of caution. Last year, I tossed out my plastic cooking utensils and non-stick skillets. This summer, Graza began selling its Instagram-famous olive oil in glass bottles to avoid microplastics question. And that just scratches the surface. Keeping up with everything you are not supposed to be consuming is frankly overwhelming.
My recommendation for navigating the world trying to poison you? Take it one step at a time like I did. Start with what you can control. Your water, for example, should be number one. Unless you're drawing from your own well like Mac Demarco, a filter is how you keep an eye on what's in your water. I started by finding the right filter to get the cleanest, purest drinking water I can. If I know there's nothing harmful in my drinking water, I've already won half the battle.
If I could, I would simply install a reverse osmosis filter under my sink and never worry about it again. Or, I'd install a whole-home filter for everything, including my yard. But I live in a small, rented apartment in Brooklyn with no yard. I need something that will fit in my fridge or the corner of my countertop. I figured, the best thing I could do was try one of each, a pitcher and countertop water purifier.
After doing my research I chose the popular Culligan ZeroWater. And my co-workers heavily endorse the Esquire awarded countertop Sans Reverse Osmosis Water Purifier. I tested both for a month in my apartment, and these are my honest thoughts.
Culligan ZeroWaterThe Brita I'd been using before I got my Culligan with ZeroWater was simply not cutting it. In an instant, I could taste the difference.
ZeroWater is certified by the NSF and IAPMO to remove lead, mercury, and other harmful PFAS. Using five-stage ion-exchange filtration, the primary aim of the ZeroWater is to lower the Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) level to zero. Hence the name. The brand is so committed that the pitcher even comes with a TDS meter attached. It can be used independently, but it also snaps in place behind the handle to read the TDS levels (how many particles per million aren't water) of the water in your pitcher.
Initially, I had some issues reading the TDS meter. When I gave the pitcher a first wash, I must have got water inside the meter, which caused rust particles to give constant misreadings. The numbers I was seeing were too high and didn't make sense. After drying it off, I was seeing TDS readings in the 40s and 50s from the tap and in the 20s from the competitors filter pitcher. Ever since fixing this it's been giving me accurate readings. True to its name, the water has stayed at zero the whole time.
Culligan recommends changing the filter once the TDS hits six. After a month of use, I haven't had to change it yet but it stands to reason I'll need to in another month or two. The filters are more expensive than the pitcher, $55 for a 4 pack, and that's Amazon prices. This is where the real cost of the ZeroWater starts to add up.
- Very affordable upfront
- Lives in the fridge
- The best purification you can get in the pitcher form factor
- Includes TDS meter for reading water purity
- Filtration not as effective as reverse osmosis
- Filter expenses add up over time
Admittedly, even Culligan knows the ZeroWater pitchers can't hold a candle to reverse osmosis filtration. The Sans Water Purifier uses a combination of four-stage reverse osmosis and UV-C purification to eliminate 99 percent of all contaminants in your water. Even the best pitcher won't filter out PFOA and microplastics. This purifier will.
Unlike the ZeroWater, the filtration system here is separate from the pitcher and lives on your countertop. Fill up the tank in the back with tap water and wait while it filters. Once it's done, it will automatically fill up the very nice glass pitcher for you so you always have clean drinking water on hand. You can even make it dispense hot water, a great option for a quick cup of tea or a bowl of ramen.
Unlike a pitcher, you don't have to swap the filters out every two to three months. These filters last closer to a year, often longer. When you calculate buying six additional filters over the course of 18 months, the price of the ZeroWater is more comparable than it seems on the surface.
The Sans is not quite as good for eliminating total dissolved solids as the Culligan pitcher, but with everything else it does that's not a great point of comparison. Stick the meter from ZeroWater in Sans water and you will get a higher number. Looks great for ZeroWater, but the truth is TDS is only measuring one thing. But it's important to note, that if you're truly concerned about all the contaminants in your water, the Sans is proven and certified to be removing more of them.
Still, I couldn't help but think about how much more convenient the $30 pitcher was. It lives in my fridge, keeping my water cold and staying out of the way. Whereas the Sans took up a lot of precious countertop space and fridge space if I want cold water. These personal peeves prevented me from falling in love with the Sans countertop purifier, but those are just personal preferences. Ultimately, I also recognize that the Sans reverse osmosis is more purifier, just not setup the way I would like.
- Reverse Osmosis and UV-C purification removes 97-99% of contaminents
- Instantly fills the pitcher every time so you always have clean drinking water
- Hot water button
- You only have to replace the filter every one to two years
- Glass pitcher is nice
- Takes up counter space
- Does not dispense cold water
I realized the price different actually means something here. These products are not for same type of people—at all. My preferences wound up being more aligned with the Culligan ZeroWater pitcher: it's more affordable product and space saving, but in the long run it requires more upkeep.
I recognize that if I lived somewhere with poor water quality I would be singing the Sans' virtues even louder. But in NYC where our tap water is generally excellent (sure we got lead, but it's America. Who doesn't?) the need for a $500 purification system doesn't feel entirely vital to me at this point in my life, but I could understand why this appeals to many consumers right now.
Winner for me: ZeroWater. Winner overall: Sans
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