16.7.2017

Look around you. Wherever you are, bleakest mountain or the tram into Manchester, they’ll be there clutching their little bottles of water and sipping at regular intervals, as if the mains has just failed. For sure, there’s been an explosion in purchases of bottled water and this trend is set to continue. In some restaurants and bars, asking for water, is often an expensive option, too. I see that student habits have persisted in both my girls and they often ask for a glass or jug of tap water.The trouble is in many parts of the country the taste of tap water can be a variable thing and I remember when I was little journeying to Anglesey and more recently to Eastbourne to visit parents-in-lawI’d encounter very different water from the soft and generally excellent water I’d become used to here in Manchester. Then, too, are the furred up kettles and boilers and water tanks.Enter this super Maxtra + jug and filter from Brita. This has the new Maxtra + filter so make sure when you need replacements you specify this. The whole thing slips from its classy box and the plastic jug and components are wrapped with an almost aseptic feel that imbues cleanliness, safety and I suppose purity - not bad attributes when one is filtering water for consumption! The jug is nicely made with tasteful clear and well fitting inserts that come together easily. The shape of the jug and the components also has a nice tactile feel and I found myself stroking the jug’s bottom (don’t tell my wife!) as I held it.Setup is easy enough – pre-soak and shake the filter then drop it into the funnel. Screw the filter-renewal indicator in the hinged lid, run two or three batches of water through it and it’s ready for use. The whole thing looks super and I particularly like the slight frosting in the plastic of the funnel assembly and the pale grey finish of the hinged lid, which one can operate with one’s thumb applied to the handle as one approaches the tap for a refill. I realise that the filter indicator has to go in the lid of the jug but I would have liked the filling aperture nearer the front as it needs a little careful positioning under one’s tap and we have a high looping sort of tap so I am sure others will struggle. A full funnel’s worth of water runs through in just shy of 5 minutes although one doesn’t have to wait for it all to run through before pouring some out. The jug is slim enough to fit in the fridge for those of you like me who prefer water chilled, though of course if you do this and then use it in the kettle you will give said appliance more work to do – so maybe buy two! Each filter lasts about a month.Taste is well – water − but, of course, it’s clear and it’s pure and one has confidence that it’s every bit as good as that of the person who has just paid rather a lot of money for bottled water that, at best, can only taste as good! I am doing my utmost to cut down my consumption of orange juice. Although it’s not directly bad for you, it is very diabetogenic (can cause diabetes) especially the type with no pith. I am convinced that a nice clear glass of water at breakfast rather than juice will be much better for me, especially if it is filtered in this way and comes straight out of the fridge.Please note this is not a bacteriostatic filter. It won’t purify or make safe un-potable water and if it needs boiling, then it needs boiling. In addition the filter leeches out a little Potassium so if you are on certain tablets mainly water and blood pressure please just heck with your GP first.In truth our Neff fridge freezer has a water chiller and dispenser and ice cube maker which is filtered. Changing the filter every 6 months is an easy thing – at least it would be if I didn’t have to drag the whole thing out in order to get behind it. For those who don’t have this problem and purchase bottled or enjoy tasty ‘uncomplicated’ water – then this Brita filter is perfect. Many thanks.

28.7.2017

Important points about use:* It should only be used with water that has already passed regulations regarding water safety i.e. municipally treated tap water.* The instructions state that "If an instruction is received from the authorities that mains water must be boiled, then BRITA filtered water must also be boiled. When an instruction... is no longer in force, the entire BRITA water filter must be thoroughly cleaned and a new... cartridge inserted".* The instructions also stated that people who have received medical advice to boil water (e.g. those with impaired immune systems and for babies) must also boil BRITA water.This means that you can't use it to purify unsafe water.* Using this product may cause a slight increase in the potassium content of the water.Although 1 litre of filtered water contains less potassium than an apple, those who are on a potassium-restricted diet, or who have kidney disease, should consult a doctor before use.* The filters should not be washed with other items, in case they pick up discolouration from foods. Other components also require washing by hand.* The lifetime of the cartridge depends on the hardness of the local water. The enclosed leaflet states that it filters up to 100 litres of water in a hard water area. However the 'cartridge change indicator' reminded you to change the filter every four weeks.This implies a household drinking water consumption of just over 3.5 litres per day (excessive if you live on your own, but rather low for a family).If you do consume the 25 litres per week that the manufacturers assume, then the cost per litre works out at 5.33p per litre I.e. almost half the price of the cheapest bottled still water from the supermarket.* The cartridges are fully recyclable (it says).This, of course, is considerably less bulky than the equivalent number of plastic bottles!As to the flavour: obviously filtered water does not have the distinctive flavour of mineral waters. It was, however, completely clear and pleasant tasting.Since, as mentioned above, this system does not claim to purify water, is there any advantage over tap water? The answer depends on the quality of your tap water. In rainy periods, my tap water has a noticeable brownish tinge, due to peaty runoff into the local water supply - so I much prefer the clear water that this system provides! But I would not recommend it to everyone: if you find your tap water acceptable, I doubt that you would notice any improvement from filtering.A further point in its favour: since a jug this size is necessarily quite heavy when full, design considerations are important. The curve of the handle is such as not to put painful stress on my hand (unlike the design of many kettles!), and it is well-balanced; it pivots smoothly, without spilling, when both filling and pouring.My main dislike:it is designed to be filled through the flap in the lid. The hinge of the flap is counterweighted, so you do not need to hold it open with your thumb while filling (a nice touch), but the opening is still located near the handle; this makes it harder than it needs to be, to hold to fill under a kitchen sink tap.There is a 30 day money back guarantee; so you have the opportunity to find out whether filtering your water makes any noticeable difference to you, before committing to the purchase.

30.11.2017

Love the jug, which appears to deliver but the light alarm function appeared defective.I contacted Brita via email and received prompt response:Does the LED light show any signs of life at all when the button is pressed? If it does I have listed some Q&A’s that you may find useful. If not then please let me know and I will be happy to send a replacement LED.Q: How does the Smart Light work?A: The status indication is based on time and volume measurement.Using an intelligent mechanism the volume is recorded by registering the amount of water flowing out, when the jug is tilted during usage.Q: How do I activate the cartridge status indicator (BRITA Smart Light)?A: Press on the LED button on top of the lid for c.5 sec until you see the light fading in and out 3 times in green.

13.8.2017

I have used Brita filter jugs for about 10 years now and really appreciate the difference they make to the water both just for drinking and for making tea and coffee.Until I started using this jug, I was using a Maxtra jug, which I have had for the last couple of years. I was disappointed that Brita have decided not to make the filters and jugs compatible across the Maxtra and Maxtra+ range, but not completely surprised.I didn't have any complaints about my previous Maxtra jug, but there are some nice new features about the Maxtra+ filters and jugs. The filters apparently work better and I can certainly say that the filtered water using the new jug and filters tastes great and makes a crystal

4.8.2017

The first point I have to make about this is that they have FINALLY made a water filter jug where the water in the reservoir (the unfiltered water) is not mixed with the filtered water from the jug when pouring! I've complained about this in the last two water filter jug systems I've had - in this case, when they say that the capacity is 1.3 L filtered water and 2.3 L total capacity, it is actually true! This is a massive selling point for me.As to the rest:- I like the slim tall design of the jug. It fits well in my refrigerator and can even fit in the refrigerator door.- I like that there is not a flip-lid over the pouring snout. It has a tendency to get stuck on the one we have in work,

2.9.2017

This is an attractive jug to have around the kitchen and the water it produces is totally odourless and tasteless. For those reasons I would want to give this 5 perfect stars because it does exactly what it's supposed to do. But, there is more to the jug than just the water it produces.The jug comes with a hinged lid to enable ease of putting in tap water, one new Maxtra+ filter cartridge and an affixable LED light to indicate when a new cartridge is needed. I fitted mine all together and the light didn't work. After checking other reviewers who mostly talked of it flashing green when new, flashing amber to advise to purchase a new filter and flashing red to indicate that a new filter should be used – none said anything about having to activate the light in the first place.

14.7.2017

I've used jug water filters for years, generally Brita. Living in a hard water area my appliances have always benefited from the fact I do use filtered water. Drinking cups and glasses too.I'm delighted to have been offered this really classy looking and superior designed Brita jug - the fact the lid will lift right up and stay open makes for far less messy filling than my previous jug which had to be held open. Run through is also fast, compared to a jug which took the old style (long) filters. Occasionally I found these would stick for some reason, and the unfiltered water component would not fully empty and run through into the jug.No problem with the Maxtra filters which this takes.

18.7.2017

This is perhaps of lighter-weight construction than our Marella jug but seems perfectly adequate for the job. We like the flip-open lid and it pours well. The handle is fine with us. There’s no rubber base but we don’t find that a problem. Like Marella, it’s dishwashable (remove the “Smart Light” from the lid first).As for the “Smart Light”, it apparently “monitors the filtration performance and indicates intuitively when to change the cartridge”. Haha. I reckon I know when to change the cartridge from the calendar, the taste of the water and the scum on my black tea. Anyway, pour some water or press the light for a second or two and the led blinks three times – green, amber or red.

16.7.2017

Having used Water Filter Jugs for many years I was interested to test the latest version produced by BRITA who have successfullyproduced all sorts of different products with water filters. If you are in a hard water area or like me living in the countryside andraising your water from a bore hole, the significance of effective water filters take on increased importance.I have been using the previous version of the jug, being a 2.4 litre capacity, yielding 1.4 litres, for a number of years and I have to declare straight away that I really value and approve the differences in design of the new version.Firstly the jug is slimmer, (no decrease in volume,)

17.8.2017

I had previously had an older style Brita water jug which gave good service over a period of approx. 5 years, so this was purely an update for me. The jug came well packaged and has all you need to start filtering water straight away (the Brita water filter jug, LED ‘traffic light’ indicator and Brita Maxtra+ water filter).I find that when water is filtered in a Brita water filter jug it tastes much better than straight from the tap as it does not have the fluoride flavour that exists in most water supplies today. It would seem that a lot of other impurities are filtered out as well as water which is normally cloudy from the tap now looks crystal clear.This jug is a big improvement on the

1.8.2017

The drinking water quality in my area is pretty good with no discernible taste or smell so I am happy to drink it straight from the tap which is probably safer than some bottled water brands. It is the scale I have an issue with, it isn't excessive, but does build up. A few years ago I picked up a Brita filter that I keep for filling the kettle and Iron and this has kept the scale at bay.This one is a little bigger than my old one and if you intend to keep this in the fridge, it will take up a chunk of space. I keep mine on the side and use it when needed. It filters water through at about the same rate as my other and there are no long wait times if I run out. I tend to keep it topped up,

22.8.2017

This has to be the most delicious 'water taste' I've had from the fridge without going for bottled mineral water.Hard water in London (or most cities) might be a problem, but ridding tea of scum for a proper tasting brew is no longer an issue, plus filtering our water before putting it in the kettle means the tea tastes better and the kettle lasts longer - win win!No pun intended - the jug is watertight and snug, so pouring overflowing water into the tank doesn't trickle down into the filtered water. The jug plastic is high quality too, and it just looks good in your fridge - as good looking as plastic jugs go!I wouldn't call the smart light feature which tells you when your filter needs a replacement a gimmick per se...

16.7.2017

I'm really pleased with my new water jug.I've filtered my water ever since I left home, and my mother before me, as I was brought up in hard-water area. Filtered water is much better for the iron and the kettle. There may be health benefits also.This jug is nice-looking, a clean design and a green lid which 'goes' with my kitchen decor. I like the oblong shape which means it fits neatly in the milk section of the fridge door.The jug was nicely packed and easy to set up - it basically just needed unpacking. The cartridge which filters the water is packed separately, and once out of the bag you just slot it into the cavity inside the jug, as per the Amazon illustration. The jug also has a 'warning light'

20.7.2017

. There are three versions of this latest Brita water filter jug. Brita is a tried and tested top of the range water filter that has been widely sold and highly rated for many years. This new one is just as good and really the only difference is the in the lids. Which version you choose will depend on how much you want to spend and how gadget-minded you are.I have the one with a "Smart Light" in the lid, sold by Amazon, and I think this is probably going to be the most popular version. The little LED light unit which fits neatly into the lid monitors the filtration and its sensor measures the time since the last cartridge change, and it also takes into account the volume of water used.

24.7.2017

I live in a hard water area, but must admit that I have never used a water filter jug before at home (although I have one at work). This is a more up to date version of the jug we have at work and, really, water filters are very useful as they help prevent the build up of limescale in appliances, such as kettles, make water taste better and – obviously- save money on bottled water.This jug has a Smart Light in the lid, to remind you when to replace the filter cartridge, it fits neatly inside your fridge door and is dishwasher safe (apart from the top, with the smart light). It comes with a good instruction booklet and a reminder that the ‘old’ Maxtra filters will not fit.The jug itself has a nice,

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