Does PUR water filters have PFAS?
PFAS Authority is a scoring system, not a laboratory. We do not test products ourselves. Grades are model-based, built from published ingredients, materials, certifications, brand disclosures and third-party lab results where they exist. See the rubric.
We graded 9 PUR water filters products, averaging Excellent (95/100). 9 of them grade Good or better. Against the other 27 water filters brands we grade, where the middle brand sits at 95/100, PUR is worse than typical, scoring above 26% of them.
PUR water filters worth buying Good or better, safest first
PUR
Honeywell Pur 11 Cup Water Filter Pitcher HWLCR1100C
Plastic pitcher housing; activated carbon filter cartridge
Bacterial growth in filter cartridge
Activated carbon filters provide a nutrient-rich surface for biofilm formation if not…
Activated carbon dust or particle shedding
New filter cartridges may release fine carbon particles into the first 1-2 pitcher fills.…
Housing cracks or material degradation over time
Polypropylene can become brittle after 2-3 years of exposure to light and temperature…
Unverified contaminant removal claims
PUR's marketing claims (e.g., lead, cyst, or chlorine reduction) typically rely on NSF…
Carbon filters and plastic pitchers are not common PFAS sources, but PUR lacks disclosure.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
PUR
8 Cup Slim Water Filter Pitcher
Plastic pitcher body with activated carbon filter cartridge
Bacterial growth in filter cartridge if unmaintained
Activated carbon filters provide a moist environment that can harbor bacteria if…
Polypropylene micro-particle shedding from pitcher body
Extended use, scratches, or UV exposure can degrade the plastic pitcher over 5+ years…
Incomplete filtration of all waterborne contaminants
Gravity-fed carbon filters do not remove all dissolved minerals, viruses, or some…
Filter cartridge resin composition opacity
PUR does not publicly disclose the full chemical composition of proprietary ion-exchange…
Lower PFAS risk for standard use, but verify current cartridge specs if concerned.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
PUR
10 Cup Water Pitcher Filtration System W 10.2 inch x H 10.6 inch x L 6.8 inch
polypropylene pitcher body, activated carbon filter media
Bacterial growth in filter media
Activated carbon filters can harbor bacteria if left wet and unmaintained between uses or…
Activated carbon filter integrity and replacement fraud
Counterfeit PUR filter cartridges have circulated in online marketplaces, potentially…
VOC or odor from new pitcher off-gassing
New polypropylene pitchers may release mild plastic odor in the first 1-2 uses. This is…
Standard design carries minimal PFAS risk, but PUR hasn't disclosed PFAS specifications.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
PUR
Fred Meyer Pur Plus Water Filtration Pitcher
Activated carbon filter media, plastic pitcher housing
Bacterial growth on exhausted or improperly maintained filter media
Activated carbon filters can harbor bacteria if left in place beyond recommended…
Filter media degradation and particle release
Activated carbon can shed fine particles or dust, especially if the cartridge is cracked…
PFAS
Standard activated carbon does not effectively capture all PFAS compounds; PUR has not…
Contaminant rebound if pitcher is left standing unused
If the filled pitcher sits for extended periods (days), microorganisms can begin to…
Activated carbon filters and plastic pitchers pose low PFAS concern without brand verification.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
PUR
7-Cup Water Filter Pitcher
Plastic pitcher + activated carbon/ion-exchange filter cartridge
Bacterial growth in filter cartridge or pitcher if neglected
If water sits in the pitcher longer than 2-3 days without use or cartridges are not…
Cartridge housing or seals degradation over time
Plastic seals and cartridge housings can degrade with repeated use and age, potentially…
PFAS
Standard activated-carbon pitcher filters are not designed to remove PFAS or most…
Lower PFAS concern, though PUR hasn't publicly stated PFAS commitments.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
PUR
Plus 30-Cup Water Filter Pitcher Dispenser DS1811Z
plastic pitcher (BPA-free specified), activated carbon filter cartridge
Bacterial growth if filter or water not maintained
Any pitcher filter with standing water can develop biofilm inside the spigot valve and…
Filter cartridge housing material safety
The filter cartridge itself is not a transparent hazard, but replacement cartridges from…
Degradation of plastic seals or valve over time
The spigot valve and pitcher seals are plastic and may crack, shrink, or degrade after…
Low concern; standard carbon filter without known PFAS coatings, though PUR hasn't tested.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
PUR
Plus 11 Cup Water Filter Pitcher
Activated carbon and resin filter media, plastic pitcher housing
Bacterial growth in pitcher housing and filter media
All pitcher filters can harbor bacteria if not cleaned weekly and filters not replaced on…
Resin saturation and reduced contaminant removal
Ion-exchange resin exhausts after filtering the rated gallon volume; if filters are not…
Inadequate testing and disclosure of sourced filter materials
PUR does not publicly disclose third-party testing for PFAS, heavy metals, or other…
Low concern; standard carbon filters unlikely to contain PFAS, though the brand provides no verification.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
PUR
11 Cup Water Filter Pitcher
Activated carbon filter cartridge; BPA-free plastic pitcher body
Bacterial growth if filter cartridge unmaintained
Activated carbon, once saturated, becomes a nutrient medium for bacteria and mold growth…
Activated carbon dust or fines ingestion
New filter cartridges may release loose carbon particles; rinsing the cartridge before…
Contaminant breakthrough if cartridge exceeds rated capacity
Overusing a cartridge beyond 40 gallons reduces filtration effectiveness and allows…
Plastic housing degradation or cracking over time
Repeated filling, freezing if stored near cold surfaces, or drops can compromise the…
Low concern; no identified PFAS triggers, though no testing disclosure exists.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
PUR
11 Cups Blue Water Filtration Pitcher
Plastic pitcher (likely polypropylene or BPA-free plastic), activated carbon filter media
Bacterial/mold colonization in filter or housing
Activated carbon media and drip mechanisms are warm, moist environments where bacteria…
Activated carbon dust or media fragmentation
If the filter is damaged during installation or the cartridge media degrades, fine carbon…
PFAS
The manufacturer does not publicly test for or claim PFAS removal; standard activated…
Housing brittleness and crack risk over time
Polypropylene becomes increasingly brittle with age and UV exposure; pitcher housings can…
Lower concern, but brand transparency on PFAS is absent.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
Better water filters from other brands
Graded higher than the PUR average of 95.
ZeroWater
Culligan 12-Cup Water Filter Pitcher with ZeroWater Technology
Activated carbon and ion-exchange resin filter media
Bacterial growth in reservoir if filter unmaintained or water stored too long
Limited concern
Filter cartridge degradation and particle escape if overfilled or misseated
Limited concern
Ion-exchange resin saturation without visible warning
Moderate concern
Lower concern; filters are designed to remove PFAS, not introduce them.
✓Naturally PFAS-free material
ZeroWater
22 Cup Ready Read Water Filtration Dispenser
Ion-exchange resin cartridge, plastic dispenser housing
Bacterial growth in filter housing
Limited concern
Ion-exchange resin particle shedding into water
Limited concern
Mineral scale buildup and mold on external surfaces
Limited concern
Cartridge disposal and resin environmental burden
Moderate concern
Lower concern. PFAS-free claim backed by standard certifications.
✓Verified PFAS-free by a third party
Generic
Reverse Osmosis System (generic)
Bacterial growth in storage tank and tubing
High concern
BPA & bisphenols
Limited concern
Semipermeable membrane integrity failure
Moderate concern
Chlorine damage to membrane and pre-filters
Limited concern
Low PFAS risk from the filter mechanism itself.
✓Lab test found no PFAS
See every PUR product we grade on the PUR brand page, or the full water filters ranking.