The concept is great, a large-capacity Brita filtered water pitcher for the fridge with a handy spigot so the whole thing doesn’t have to be removed for each use. I’ve always seen the convenience in that idea compared to the Brita filtration pitchers I’ve used for years that take up space in my refrigerator door and have to be refilled after each use.
Once I got this dispenser home I began to realize that there are pros and cons to its design, some of which may be difficult to overcome.
Here’s a brief outline about what I like and what turned out to be not so great about this dispenser:
PROS
1. The unit seems to be made about the same as most Brita filtration pitchers, which is to say, it is made well. The plastic is a hard polycarbonate that does not alter the taste of the water, is easy to clean and is relatively safe from cracking and shattering.
2. Part of the top is hinged and folds back to refill the dispenser (using another container) so the whole thing doesn’t have to be taken to the sink.
3. There is a drainage trough molded in to the bottom of the dispenser (one of the reviewers who didn’t like this product is not accurate about not being able to fully empty the container, the drainage trough permits the dispenser to drain almost fully empty. Look at their photo of the product … it is for an entirely different product that doesn’t even look like the one being sold here, apparently the dispenser has been completely redesigned).
4. It uses standard Brita filters which are available almost everywhere.
CONS
1. The #1 negative is the actual height top-to-bottom of the dispenser is about 10-1/2”. It is impossible for me to arrange my refrigerator to accommodate something that tall. Checking with family and friends most of them said their shelves don’t adjust that far apart either.
2. The hole in the spigot is about ¼” from the shelf the dispenser is placed on so there is no way to actually use it without pulling the spigot out over the edge of a shelf each time.
3. The idea of the hinged refill lid sounds great until you learn that it takes up about eight more inches above the dispenser (even more to allow room for the container you’re pouring from), so in reality you need almost 20” between the shelves in your refrigerator.
4. Removing the entire lid (like to replace the filter cartridge) is awkward. The best way to do it is to open the hinged filler lid to grab the lid for removal. That puts a lot of strain on the hinge.
5. There are no real carry handles on the dispenser, which can get heavy when filled with water. There are only two very small plastic handles at either end which are difficult to grab and make the dispenser difficult to carry.
I still like Brita pitchers and I actually still like this large dispenser, but with the caution that you will need a space to put it that is almost 20” tall and that you can hang the spigot over the edge of the shelf without it getting in the way (if I were to hang it over the edge of the shelf in my refrigerator it would hit the door shelves which are spaced the same as my interior shelves). I did find a handy alternative location but I would rather have been able to use it at reachable level on my refrigerator’s main shelf.
I almost did not buy this pitcher because of the negative reviews by people complaining that they could barely disassemble the unit to clean it or replace the filter. I just got this thing, and had no problem doing any of that. The water tastes great, and the dispenser fits very nicely in my fridge. The nozzle hangs off the shelf, but I can still close my refrigerator door, and my fridge isn’t even that big.
Absolutely great! Forget previous reviews about the quality and slowness of the filter. I spoke directly with Brita and they acknowledged that the original long lasting filters manufactured in 2017 were problematic. They instructed me to look at the product code on the filter I received and if it had a 18 (2018) then it was from the new current production. The filter is perfect and the redesign of the storage unit is significantly better than the previous model which I also owned.
This is a review for the “Jet Black” version which I have absolutely no problems with. Easy to clean, water tastes completely pure, but you need to make sure you’re inserting the filter correctly.
Filter: turn the entire dispenser upside down while inserting the filter, so you can make sure the the filter is lining up 100% correctly. I inserted he filter incorrectly my first time and realized once I saw the water flowing too fast into the dispenser.
A+
I had a PUR and really liked it. I tried this one when my PUR wore out and, so far, I like the taste the water from the Brita better. The only thing that was sub-par for me was the capacity of the fill reservoir is roughly 2/3s of the capacity of the catch reservoir so you have to wait a few minutes and fill it a little more to bring it to full capacity. Also, when you are filling a pitcher or glass, it fills considerably slower than the PUR. Otherwise, I really like this product.
Feature Product
- SPACE EFFICIENT: The UltraMax Water Dispenser holds 18 cups or 1.13 gallons of water, making it great for families and fits neatly on countertops and refrigerator shelves with a modern, slim design. Height 10.47"; Width 5.67"; Length/Depth 14.37"; Weight 3 pounds
- REDUCES LEAD: The BPA-Free Longlast filter is certified by WQA to reduce 99% of lead, chlorine (taste and odor), cadmium, mercury, benzene, asbestos and more found in tap water for cleaner, great tasting water. *Contaminants reduced may not be in all users' water
- FILTER CHANGE REMINDER: An electronic indicator indicates when it's time to replace your Longlast filters, which last 6 months. That's 4x longer compared to PUR Lead Reduction 30 gallon filter life and Zerowater 15 gallon filter life
- INSTANT POUR: This large, 18 cup filtered water dispenser has a spigot that makes pouring easy. With the flip top lid, refilling is a breeze
- BPA REDUCE WASTE & SAVE: One Brita Longlast Filter can replace 900 standard 16 oz. water bottles. You'll stay hydrated, save money, and reduce plastic wasteFree
Description
Drink healthier, great-tasting water with this BPA free Brita 18 Cup UltraMax Water Dispenser. The extra large capacity makes this water filtration system perfect for busy families, sports teams and offices, while a new, sleek, space efficient design allows for convenient storage. A flip top lid makes refilling a breeze. Plus, just a glance at the filter indicator lets you know when it is time to change the Brita water filter. This filtered water dispenser comes with 1 water filter and delivers great tasting water in every pour.
I've had a Brita pitcher for years. One of my friends had this dispenser and I liked the idea that it would hold more than my pitcher, but because it's taller and thinner, it actually takes up less room in my fridge. I've had it for a week and I'm very happy with my purchase.
One word of caution, if you put it near the edge so that the spigot is hanging over a shelf, making it possible to hold your glass underneath, be sure that when you close your fridge door, that nothing, such as a door shelf is hitting the spigot. I thought it only worked if you pulled the spigot down, but it also works if you push it back. About 30 minutes after I filed it and put it in my fridge, I came into the kitchen to find water all over my floor and the dispenser was empty. I have a french door fridge which has shorter doors, but deeper door shelves. When I closed the door, I wasn't aware that one of the door shelves was pushing against the spigot, causing the water to come out. It was easily fixed by adjusting the shelf and it was definitely not a fault of the product, but hopefully I can spare someone else from making the same mistake.
After two years I grew tired and frustrated with a home water delivery service and decided to cut ties with them due to missed deliveries and poor customer service. The final straw was going 7 weeks before what would have been my next delivery only to have the company reschedule that order,considering how long I went without having water delivered I made the decision to cancel the account and I took my control back and ordered this Brita Water Dispenser and my water is crisp,cold,tasty and refreshing. The heavy burden of lifting 5 gallon bottles and shelling out nearly twice the amount of the price of my Brita on a monthly basis is over now that I have a sleek water dispenser. I've only had this for nearly a week and I'm more than pleased with my decision to make the switch😄😊😄
I'm amazed at the quality of the water. In our house, we have always drank Aquafina bottled water and I can't tell the difference between them! We are seriously picky about the taste of our water and this provides water we will both drink. It's cold too! The actual product is not as sturdy as I thought it would be. If you dropped this I feel confident it would break. That's something to be aware of. It's not as strong as I assumed it would be. If you add too much pressure you can hear the strain of the plastic. Although for $30, I still feel like I got a great deal. The filtering process is very, very slow. I timed how long it takes to filter it and fill it up and it was about 25 minutes. So beware, if you're looking for something quickly filtered and refillable, you might be disappointed. However, I think it's easy to walk away and come back to see it filled. The nozzle pours the water out quickly though. It's just the filtering that is slow while you refill the container. It's fully worth it though and worth every penny. I am satisfied with my purchase. It also fits in my fridge and didn't take up as much space as I assumed it would. I highly recommend this.
Pro: Convenient size, easy to refill, filter is easy to change, water tastes good, spigot doesn't leak at all.
Con: The change-filter reminder light is a stupid feature -- one more battery to dispose of some day. It isn't connected to the filter in any way, so it isn't a filter performance sensor. Apparently it just detects how many times you open and close the refill lid? But of course it has no way of knowing how much water you poured in there each time, and the manual doesn't state the assumed quantity.
This container is taller and skinnier than my old Brita tank, and it doesn't hold as much water, which I think was a 24-cup. We drink a lot of water at my house, so I used to fill the old one every day during the summer (we have no AC, so the cold water helps a lot). I have to fill this one twice. I don't think the water tastes as good either, but maybe that's just my imagination. The flavor would have more to do with the filter than the pitcher, anyway. It's very convenient, and they say it doesn't contain BPAs, and my old container probably does. It has a little channel at the bottom, behind the spout, so you can get almost the last drop out before refilling. It has a flip top so you don't have to remove the entire lid to fill it.
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