If you are concerned about plastic consumption in general or don’t want to store your filtered water in a plastic pitcher for hygienic reasons, then a glass water pitcher may be a good option for you. Here’s a comparison of Hydros and LifeStraw glass water filter pitchers to help you make an informed choice.  

Intro

Water filter pitchers are convenient, effective, and affordable methods of filtering your tap water to create crisp, clean drinking water. They are readily available and come in a variety of sizes and colors. The filters are easy to install and can remove the most common contaminants from tap water to give you great-tasting drinking water. Pitcher filters are found in 1 in 5 American homes so you probably know someone who uses one. 

However, glass pitchers are not very common and most brands only offer plastic pitchers. 

Advantages of plastic water pitchers

Most water filter pitchers use plastic for the holding vessel. Plastic does have its benefits:

• it’s lightweight
• it doesn’t break easily
• it’s cheap

Disadvantages of plastic water pitchers

The downsides to plastic are:

• plastic pollution is one of the biggest threats to our environment
• plastic can retain odors (like those funky smells in your refrigerator)
• It scratches easily which can cause it to retain bacteria

Advantages of glass water pitchers

Glass water pitchers are a common alternative to plastic and have many advantages: 

• it is readily recyclable
• it’s easy to clean without scratching
• it doesn’t absorb odors

Disadvantages of glass pitchers pitchers

Of course, glass has its own disadvantages:

• it is heavier than plastic
• it’s more likely to break
• It’s more expensive

If you are looking to buy a glass water filter pitcher, there are a few on the market, but they aren’t as easy to find as plastic pitchers.  Most brands don’t offer a glass option. Two popular brands that make glass pitchers are Hydros and LifeStraw. Let’s compare them side by side.

A few things to consider before buying are

• Capacity – How large is the pitcher. This will determine how many cups of water it will hold and it will also affect the weight. 
• What does the filter remove – Determine first what you need to be removed (chlorine, lead, etc ) from the tap water and then find a filter to suit your needs. This varies widely between brands.
• Filter lifespan – how often will you need to replace the filter. This will affect the overall cost.
• Filter speed – how long does it take for the water in the reservoir to become available to drink. This can vary greatly between filter brands.
• Warranty – How long is the filter pitcher expected to last and will the manufacturer guarantee quality?

Consider which of these things is most important to you and then take a look at these two popular brands to find out which will best fit your home and family’s needs.

In short, both models use borosilicate glass for the pitcher and both brands donate a portion of their profits to social causes. The Hydros is cheaper in initial cost and in annual filter replacements. It filters water super fast and the filters are recyclable. However, it mainly filters chlorine. The Lifestraw filters more contaminants but is also more expensive.

Conclusion

If you are looking for a glass water filter pitcher, your choices are limited. Hydros and Lifestraw are two of the top-selling options with glass pitchers, but their filters are very different in features and what contaminants can be filtered. Consider what your family’s needs are before making your choice.