What does the tap water taste like in your house? Compared to other countries, the quality of drinking water in Spain is high and complies with European Union regulations, which impose strict limits to guarantee the safety of its consumption.
However, the state of water varies between regions due to factors such as water sources, mineral concentration and the level of modernization of treatment infrastructure. In the north of the country, for example, drinking water is usually abundant and of good quality thanks to the rains. Madrid’s water stands out for its excellent quality, coming from the Sierra de Guadarrama, although in some areas of Castilla-La Mancha the water has hardness problems due to the concentration of minerals. In the south, water scarcity increases the concentration of salts, affecting its flavor and hardness.
The bad taste of tap water is usually due to the presence of chlorine, which combines with minerals such as calcium and magnesium, or even with traces of organic compounds or contaminants in low concentrations. In these cases, a jug with a filter can help us improve the flavor, reduce hardness and eliminate possible contaminants from tap water.
How Water Filter Pitchers Work
Pitchers with water filters, such as those from the well-known manufacturer Brita or Philips, work through a double tank that passes water through a filter cartridge that generally contains activated carbon and ion exchange resins. These materials allow you to eliminate impurities, such as microplastics, reduce chlorine and heavy metals, and reduce the hardness of the water, eliminating calcium salts. Activated carbon absorbs organic particles and odors, while resins exchange calcium and magnesium ions for sodium or potassium, softening water. The result is cleaner, more palatable water.
Some manufacturers, such as LifeStraw, also include a membrane filter designed to eliminate bacteria and parasites, which can be useful when you have to drink non-chlorinated or purified water, whether in another country or in the countryside.
One of the occasions in which we can quickly notice the difference is when making coffee. The absence of chlorine and minerals allows the natural flavors and aromas of the grain to develop better, avoiding bitter or metallic flavors.
Maintenance of water filter jugs basically consists of replacing the filter cartridge according to the manufacturer’s instructions, generally every one or two months, since the filter loses effectiveness with time and use.
A permanent under-sink filtration system, for example, can provide better results, better quality and purer water, and less frequent filter changes, but it is also more expensive to install and maintain. The question then is, what is the long-term cost of filtering water using a jug?
When to choose a water filter pitcher
Filter jugs offer advantages such as simple installation without tools, and they are portable, allowing you to have filtered water anywhere in the house or even outside it. Replacing the filters is as easy as removing the old one and inserting the new one into the carafe.
Additionally, jugs are a good option for those looking to filter smaller amounts of water, such as one or two people, or for specific applications, such as coffee or baby bottle preparation, without making modifications to the faucet.
He kit The initial version of a filter jug includes the container and the first filter, with a cost between 20€ and the 30€. Later it will be necessary to change the filters at least every two months, and each new filter, depending on the brand and the quantity purchased, has a price of between 5€ and 8€. Packs of several filters are usually cheaper than loose filters. It must be taken into account that the filters may not be compatible with other brands, which would force us to buy the filter from the manufacturer of our jug.
One of the main drawbacks of water filter jugs is their limited capacity. Most models have a capacity of about two liters, and are designed to be placed inside the refrigerator. However, this also requires you to constantly refill the jug, which can be uncomfortable. Additionally, filtering water until the jug is full takes a few minutes.
If we use the jug daily, we should change the filter every month. At the end of the year, this represents a cost of between 60€ and 96€ in filters. If we compare it with an under-sink filtration system, the initial cost is somewhat higher than that of a jug, between 50€ and 100€including a small secondary tap through which we would obtain filtered water instantly. The filters used in these systems last a whole year, at a cost of about 40€. The final price at the end of the year is similar to that of the jug and its replacement parts, and from the second year there is a considerable saving, so it may be a better solution for those who need filtered water more frequently.
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