Brita Dispenser
- Pitcher
- Point of use
- City water
- Well water
- Complete system
- Listed
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Our verdict on the Brita Dispenser
The Brita Dispenser is a 27-cup UltraMax point-of-use dispenser for potable tap water, sold with either a 40-gallon Original filter or a 120-gallon Elite filter. It is not intended to purify microbiologically unsafe or unknown-quality water without adequate disinfection.[1][2][3]
Best for
- Buyers who want a point-of-use dispenser for potable tap water
Not for
- Anyone expecting the dispenser to make microbiologically unsafe or unknown-quality water safe without adequate disinfection
Primary sourceVerified 2026-08-30Brand officialManufacturer datasheet
Certification check: Brita Dispenser
Listed by IAPMO R&T under NSF/ANSI 53, and by WQA under NSF/ANSI 401, NSF/ANSI 42, and NSF/ANSI 53, checked in the certifier directories as of 2026-08-30.
- IAPMO R&T
- NSF/ANSI 53
- WQA
- NSF/ANSI 401NSF/ANSI 42NSF/ANSI 53
IAPMO R&T and WQA certify products against the same NSF/ANSI standards as NSF, so a listing from either one is an equivalent third-party certification, not a lesser one.
| Directory | Result | Listing |
|---|---|---|
| NSF | No listing found (checked 2026-08-30) | View listing |
| IAPMO R&T | Listing found (checked 2026-08-30) | View listing |
| WQA | Listing found (checked 2026-08-30) | View listing |
Claimed vs. certified: Brita Dispenser
| Contaminant | Status | Third-party listing | What the brand says |
|---|---|---|---|
| chlorine (taste and odor) | Marketed only | No entry |
|
| contaminants | Marketed only | No entry |
|
| Cadmium | Certified and marketed |
|
|
| Copper | Certified and marketed |
|
|
| Lead | Certified and marketed |
|
|
| Mercury | Certified and marketed |
|
|
| 2,4-D | Certified only |
| No entry |
| Aesthetic Chlorine | Certified only |
| No entry |
| Asbestos | Certified only |
| No entry |
| Atenolol | Certified only |
| No entry |
| Atrazine | Certified only |
| No entry |
| Benzene | Certified only |
| No entry |
| Bisphenol A | Certified only |
| No entry |
| Carbamazepine | Certified only |
| No entry |
| Carbon Tetrachloride | Certified only |
| No entry |
| DEET | Certified only |
| No entry |
| Endrin | Certified only |
| No entry |
| Estrone | Certified only |
| No entry |
| Ethylbenzene | Certified only |
| No entry |
| Ibuprofen | Certified only |
| No entry |
| Linuron | Certified only |
| No entry |
| Meprobamate | Certified only |
| No entry |
| Metolachlor | Certified only |
| No entry |
| Microplastics | Certified only |
| No entry |
| Naproxen | Certified only |
| No entry |
| Nominal Particulate Class I | Certified only |
| No entry |
| Nonyl Phenol | Certified only |
| No entry |
| p-Dichlorobenzene | Certified only |
| No entry |
| Phenytoin | Certified only |
| No entry |
| Simazine | Certified only |
| No entry |
| Taste and Odor | Certified only |
| No entry |
| TCEP | Certified only |
| No entry |
| TCPP | Certified only |
| No entry |
| Tetrachloroethylene | Certified only |
| No entry |
| Trimethoprim | Certified only |
| No entry |
| Zinc | Certified only |
| No entry |
What the Brita Dispenser does not do
The Elite filter is not intended to purify water. The Brita Dispenser's recorded operating limits are daily water processed for maximum efficiency up to 2 gallons, verified 2026-08-30.
The Elite filter is not intended to purify water.[1]
Primary sourceVerified 2026-08-30Manufacturer datasheet
Do not use the dispenser with microbiologically unsafe water or water of unknown quality without adequate disinfection before or after the system.[1]
Primary sourceVerified 2026-08-30Manufacturer datasheet
Brita specifies potable drinking water only; the dispenser is not for other liquids or non-potable water.[1]
Primary sourceVerified 2026-08-30Brand official
Operating limits
| Parameter | Limit | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| daily water processed for maximum efficiency | up to 2 gallons[1] | Brita recommends filtering no more than 2 gallons per day for maximum efficiency. Primary sourceVerified 2026-08-30Manufacturer datasheet |
Fit and sizing: Brita Dispenser
The Brita Dispenser is a pitcher unit installed at the point of use, for city water and well water.
| Form factor | Pitcher |
|---|---|
| Installed at | Point of use (one fixture) |
| Water source | City water and Well water |
| Operating temperature | 32–85 °F[1] Primary sourceVerified 2026-08-30Manufacturer datasheet |
What the Brita Dispenser really costs
DIY install[1]
Primary sourceVerified 2026-08-30Brand official
Replacement schedule
| Element | Replace | Cost per year |
|---|---|---|
| Original OB03 | every 2 months, or every 40 gallons | $47.94 |
| Elite OB06 | every 6 months, or every 120 gallons | $39.98 |
EstimatedVerified 2026-08-30Brand official
Ten-year cost of ownership
| Replacement elements, 10 × $87.92/year | $879.20 |
|---|---|
| Sum of the lines above (as of 2026-08-30) | $879.20 |
Warranty: Brita's current dispenser FAQ states a one-year warranty for damage. (1 years)[1]
Primary sourceVerified 2026-08-30Brand official
Money-back guarantee: Brita states an unconditional 100% money-back guarantee within 30 days of purchase. (30 days)[1]
Primary sourceVerified 2026-08-30Brand official
Installing the Brita Dispenser
DIY install, verified 2026-08-30.
Manufacturer documentation
- Install manual: https://assets.ctfassets.net/bugnyha6so6z/3vpeoHh32ZzMBUZejEwMSu/f737c13402d039dd2211596fa453bf26/20180419-Magnolia_User-Guide_Legacy.pdf (accessed 2026-08-30)
Ongoing maintenance
- Hand-wash the dispenser, lid, and reservoir with mild detergent; do not place them in a dishwasher.
- Replace Original OB03 filter — every 2 months
- Replace Elite OB06 filter — every 6 months
Primary sourceVerified 2026-08-30Brand official
Track record: Brita Dispenser
Amazon — Original-filter variant shows 4.5 out of 5 from 17,222 reviews as of 2026-08-30; Amazon — Elite-filter variant shows 4.4 out of 5 from 9,173 reviews as of 2026-08-30.
| Source | Rating | Reviews | As of |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon — Original-filter variant | 4.5 out of 5 | 17,222 | 2026-08-30 |
| Amazon — Elite-filter variant | 4.4 out of 5 | 9,173 | 2026-08-30 |
The Brita Dispenser against its family and its rivals
The Brita Dispenser has 2 siblings in its family: UltraMax with Original Filter (OB24/OB03), UltraMax with Elite Filter (OB24/OB06).
The live WQA listings cover UltraMax OB24 with Original OB03 and the Jet Black UltraMax OB24 with Elite OB06; IAPMO R&T file W-13905 covers UltraMax Jet Black OB24 with Elite OB06 for Lead under NSF/ANSI 53.[1][2][3]
Primary sourceVerified 2026-08-30WQA listingIAPMO listing
The rest of the family
| Model | What differs |
|---|---|
| UltraMax with Original Filter (OB24/OB03) | Includes the 40-gallon Original OB03 filter and was listed by Brita at $38.99 on 2026-08-30. |
| UltraMax with Elite Filter (OB24/OB06) | Includes the 120-gallon Elite OB06 filter and was listed by Brita at $49.99 on 2026-08-30. |
Brita Dispenser questions, answered
Which Brita dispenser is best?
Verified health claim
Neither UltraMax variant is best for every buyer: choose the Original-filter version for its 40-gallon, roughly two-month schedule, or the Elite-filter version when its 120-gallon, roughly six-month schedule and broader WQA-listed contaminant set match your needs. The directory listings attach different claims to OB03 and OB06, so the cartridges are not interchangeable as evidence.
Is a Brita really worth it?
The UltraMax can be worth considering if you want a 27-cup gravity dispenser and will keep up with its cartridge schedule. On 2026-08-30 Brita priced the Original bundle at $38.99 and the Elite bundle at $49.99, while one-pack filter prices implied about $47.94 and $39.98 per year respectively at the stated time intervals.
What are the downsides of using a BRITA water filter?
Verified health claim
The key limits for this dispenser are recurring cartridge replacement, a recommendation of no more than 2 gallons per day for maximum efficiency, and the warning that it is not intended to purify microbiologically unsafe or unknown-quality water without adequate disinfection. Hard water may also require filter replacement sooner than the nominal schedule.
Should I get a Brita pitcher or dispenser?
Choose the UltraMax dispenser when its 27-cup capacity and spigot format suit your use; Brita markets smaller pitchers separately. The dispenser can sit on a counter or fit in a refrigerator, but its exact dimensions differ between Brita's two current variant pages, so measure against the specific SKU you plan to buy.
Sources and data report: Brita Dispenser
Every figure above is taken from the highest-trust source that carries it and re-derived from that source by a separate check. How we verify product data.
What we could not establish, and why
| Field | Why it is blank |
|---|---|
| identity.asin | The generic Dispenser record covers two separately purchasable UltraMax variants with different confirmed Amazon ASINs, so no single exact-product ASIN represents the family. |
| identity.upc | Brita's current product pages, both user guides, and the exact Amazon listings did not publish a family-wide UPC; variant packaging identifiers were not carried across the family. |
| certified.certIndexKey | The repository available to this job contained no certification index record that could be matched to UltraMax OB24; this says nothing about the positive live WQA and IAPMO R&T listings recorded separately. |
| mechanism.treatmentMethods | Brita names coconut-based activated carbon and ion-exchange resin for Original OB03, but describes Elite OB06 only as a pleated filter with proprietary active filtering agents; there is no single family treatment train that can be mapped to the closed vocabulary without guessing. |
| fit.bathroomsServed | Bathroom sizing does not apply to this point-of-use dispenser, and Brita's product pages and manuals publish no bathroom range. |
| fit.householdSize | Brita calls the 27-cup dispenser suitable for busy families and offices but publishes no numeric household-size range in the product pages or manuals. |
| fit.serviceFlowGpm | Brita and the live listings do not publish a continuous gpm service-flow rating for this gravity dispenser; IAPMO publishes a 2 GPD use pattern, which is not a gpm flow rate. |
| fit.roOutputGpd | This is not a reverse-osmosis product, so the manufacturer publishes no RO membrane output. |
| fit.roTankCapacity | This is not a reverse-osmosis product and has no RO storage tank specification. |
| fit.dimensions | Brita's current Original and Elite variant pages publish different dimensions, and the Original Amazon listing also conflicts with Brita's stated depth; no family-wide dimensions could be established without choosing one SKU's numbers. |
| fit.pressureRange | The dispenser is filled manually; Brita's product pages, manuals, and performance sheet publish no inlet-pressure range. |
| fit.connectionSize | The dispenser has no plumbed connection, and Brita publishes no connection-size specification. |
| fit.requiresElectricity | Brita's setup documents show a gravity dispenser with a sticker filter indicator but do not state an electrical-requirement field explicitly; the value was not inferred from silence. |
| fit.requiresDrain | Brita's setup documents show a manually filled dispenser but do not state a drain-requirement field explicitly; the value was not inferred from silence. |
| cost.msrp | Brita publishes current selling prices for both variants but does not label either figure as MSRP. |
| cost.streetPrice | Two exact current SKUs were confirmed at different dated prices ($37.97 Original and $49.98 Elite on Amazon), so one scalar street price would misstate this family record. |
| cost.tenYearTotalUsd | The family has two purchase prices and two replacement schedules; the schema provides one scalar total, so both reproducible variant totals are retained in the report instead of selecting one. |
| cost.wasteRatio | Brita publishes no reject-water ratio for this gravity dispenser; it is not an RO system and the field cannot express non-applicability except as null. |
| install.difficulty | The manufacturer provides consumer setup steps but does not assign an easy/moderate/hard difficulty rating, and the pipeline did not invent one. |
| install.estimatedHours | Brita's setup guides give steps but no completion-time estimate. |
| install.tools | The setup guide does not list tools; absence of a tool list was not converted into a sourced claim that no tools are required. |
| install.video | A Brita-hosted video thumbnail appeared on the product page, but the captured page did not expose a stable direct video URL that could be opened and cited. |
| seo.verification | The independent verification loop has not run; it stamps this field after verification rather than during initial research. |
Every source behind this page
- Brand officialaccessed: 2026-08-30https://www.brita.com/water-dispensers/
- Brita currently offers the UltraMax dispenser in Original- and Elite-filter configurations
- Current 27-cup variant prices
- Brand officialaccessed: 2026-08-30https://www.brita.com/products/brita-ultramax-water-dispenser/
- Original-filter variant has 27-cup capacity and a 40-gallon replacement interval
- Original-filter dispenser capacity, spigot format, and counter or refrigerator placement
- Brand officialaccessed: 2026-08-30https://www.brita.com/products/brita-ultramax-water-dispenser-with-elite-filter/
- Elite-filter variant has 27-cup capacity and a 120-gallon replacement interval
- Elite-filter dispenser capacity and its separately published dimensions
- Manufacturer datasheetaccessed: 2026-08-30https://assets.ctfassets.net/bugnyha6so6z/7hvbL1gjgucjQxnu3E2tsw/5abcdf7a24fb7d3065487f969863acc5/Longlast_Plus_PDS.pdf
- Elite filter is not intended to purify water and carries the microbiological-water warning
- Elite filter is not intended to purify water
- Microbiologically unsafe and unknown-quality water warning
- Recommendation to filter no more than 2 gallons per day for maximum efficiency
- Filter operating temperature range of 32°F to 85°F
- Two-gallon daily recommendation and microbiological-water warning
- Brand officialaccessed: 2026-08-30https://www.brita.com/support/faq/dispensers/
- Dispenser is for potable drinking water only and not other liquids or non-potable water
- Current one-year dispenser warranty
- Current 30-day unconditional money-back guarantee
- Hand-washing instruction and Original and Elite replacement intervals
- Original and Elite replacement intervals
- Hard water may require more frequent filter replacement
- Brand officialaccessed: 2026-08-30https://assets.ctfassets.net/bugnyha6so6z/3vpeoHh32ZzMBUZejEwMSu/f737c13402d039dd2211596fa453bf26/20180419-Magnolia_User-Guide_Legacy.pdf
- Manufacturer user guide provides consumer setup instructions without professional installation
- Original-filter UltraMax OB24/OB03 setup, use, cleaning, and replacement instructions
- Brand officialaccessed: 2026-08-30https://www.brita.com/products/brita-original-replacement-filters/
- Original OB03 one-pack price of $7.99 and 40-gallon or two-month replacement interval
- Original filter one-pack price and replacement interval used in annual arithmetic
- Brand officialaccessed: 2026-08-30https://www.brita.com/products/brita-elite-replacement-filters/
- Elite OB06 one-pack price of $19.99 and 120-gallon or six-month replacement interval
- Elite filter one-pack price and replacement interval used in annual arithmetic
- Government agencyaccessed: 2026-08-30https://www.cpsc.gov/search?search_api_fulltext=Brita%20UltraMax
- CPSC search for Brita UltraMax returned no results
- Unverifiedaccessed: 2026-08-30https://www.bing.com/search?q=%22Brita%20UltraMax%22%20lawsuit%20litigation
- Live news/web search located no product-specific UltraMax litigation result
- WQA listingaccessed: 2026-08-30https://find.wqa.org/find-products/ctl/detail/mid/1054/cid/brita_lp/sid/1
- WQA model and replacement-filter scope for UltraMax OB24 under NSF/ANSI 42
- WQA listingaccessed: 2026-08-30https://find.wqa.org/find-products/ctl/detail/mid/1054/cid/brita_lp/sid/3
- WQA model and replacement-filter scope for UltraMax OB24 under NSF/ANSI 53
- Different NSF/ANSI 53 claim sets for UltraMax OB24 with OB03 and OB06
- IAPMO listingaccessed: 2026-08-30https://myplc.iapmo.org/certificate#/18823
- IAPMO R&T W-13905 scope for UltraMax Jet Black OB24 with Elite OB06 and Lead
Cite this page
TapWaterData Editorial. "Brita Water Dispenser Review: Cost & Cert Check." TapWaterData, verified 2026-08-30. https://www.tapwaterdata.com/filters/brand/brita/dispenser
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