Epic Water Filters Review: The Pros & Cons You Need to Know

Brita and PUR have been dominating the water filter industry for decades.

But new companies are emerging and claiming their filters outperform the big-name brands.

In this review, I give you an up-close look at one of those newcomers: Epic Water Filters.

Although they have only been in business since 2015, the independent lab results prove these water filters worth considering.

Keep reading to learn how Epic Water Filters compares to the competition in terms of:

• Product offerings
• Effectiveness
• Filter lifespan
• And much more

So, if you’re shopping for water filtration products and considering Epic Water Filters, keep reading.

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Please use the links below to navigate this review:

• Product Offerings
• Epic Water Filters vs. Brita, PUR, ZeroWater
• Effectiveness
• Filter Differences: Epic Pure vs. Epic Nano
• Ease of Use
• Design and Special Features
• Filter Lifespan
• Price
• Downsides
• Bottom Line: Should You Buy Epic Water Filters?

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Product Offerings

Before I get into the details, let’s take a quick look at the water filtration products, sizes, and options that Epic Water Filters offers.

As you’ll see in this section, there are plenty of options with Epic Water Filters, whether you’re at home or on the go.

Water Pitchers

Epic offers two 3.5-liter water filter pitchers: Epic Pure and Epic Nano. Both pitchers remove 99.999% of over 200 tap water contaminants, but the Epic Nano also claims to remove bacteria and viruses.

Bottles

There are ten styles of water filter bottles (view on EpicWaterFilters.com), capable of filtering between 75 to 100 gallons of water depending on the model, including:

• Epic Nalgene OG Slim (20-ounce capacity)
• Epic Nalgene OG (32-ounce capacity)
• Epic Nalgene OG Grande (48-ounce capacity)
• Epic Outdoor OG Woodsman (32-ounce capacity)
• Epic Nalgene OG Ultimate Travel Bottle (32-ounce capacity)
• OG Special Edition IOC Phil Lewis Art (32-ounce capacity)
• Vostok Vacuum Insulated Stainless Steel (34-ounce capacity)
• The Escape Glass Water Bottle with Filter (32-ounce capacity)
• OG Special Edition Gretchen Leggitt Art (32-ounce capacity)
•  Nalgene Outdoor OG Atomicchild (32-ounce capacity)

The Answer

The Answer is a product line of eight filters (view on EpicWaterFilter.com) that are compatible with various bottle sizes. So if you already have a great water bottle and just want a filter, these are for you. Here’s the full lineup:

• The Answer Hydro Flask Water Filter (fits Hydro Flask 32-ounce or 40-ounce wide-mouth bottles)
• The Answer Nalgene Filter (fits Nalgene 32-ounce or 48-ounce wide-mouth bottles)
• The Outdoor Answer Nalgene Filter (fits Nalgene 32-ounce or 48-ounce size wide-mouth bottles)
• The Outdoor Answer Hydro Flask Filter (fits Hydro Flask 32-ounce or 40-ounce wide mouth)
• The Answer Takeya Thermoflask Filter (fits 32-ounce and 40-ounce Takeya and 2-ounce or 40-ounce Thermoflask wide-mouth bottles)
• The Answer Hydro Cell Filter (fits Hydro Cell 32-ounce and 40-ounce wide-mouth bottles)
• The Answer Tru Flask Filter (fits Tru Flask 32-ounce and 40-ounce wide-mouth bottles)
• The Answer Camelbak Water Bottle Filter (fits Camelbak 32-ounce and 50-ounce wide-mouth bottles)

Replacement Filters

Epic Water Filters features seven types of replacement filters and a multi-pack option (view on EpicWaterFilters.com).

Home Filtration

Epic Water Filters also makes three under-the-sink filter kits, a refrigerator kit, and one sediment filter kit (view on EpicWaterFilters.com):

• Epic Smart Shield
• Epic Smart Shield with Dedicated Faucet
• Dedicated Faucet Kit
• Epic Smart Shield Universal Refrigerator Filter
• Smart Shield Sediment Filter Kit

Epic Water Filters vs. Brita, PUR, ZeroWater

How does Epic Water Filters compare against household name-brands like Brita, PUR, and ZeroWater? What makes Epic different?

It all comes down to the type of filter.

Many popular, respected water filtration brands such as Brita, PUR, and ZeroWater use granular activated carbon, or GAC, as part of the filtration element. 

If you’ve ever purchased a filter from one of these brands, you may have noticed the small black carbon grains at the bottom of the pitcher when you’re flushing the filter before its first use. Those grains are from the GAC filter. 

Unlike its competitors, Epic uses solid carbon block filters. A carbon block resembles a hockey puck, whereas GAC looks like black sand grains.

While both use carbon as the active ingredient, the grains in solid block filters are ground 7 to 19 times smaller than GAC filters, and the material is compressed, increasing its density.

Why does it matter?

When water flows through a GAC filter like Brita, PUR, and ZeroWater, channels develop, allowing quick filtering. But solid carbon block filters are so dense, and the compressed carbon grains are so small, water makes its way through it like a maze.

As a result, the water filters slower through block carbon than it does through GAC. But, since the water spends more time in a block system, it filters out more impurities. 

Carbon attaches itself to contaminants and removes them from the water, so it stands to reason that the more time the water spends mingling with the carbon, the cleaner the water becomes.

But there are some cons to using carbon block filters. They are more expensive to produce than granular activated carbon filters and they filter slower, and (in some cases) need to be replaced more frequently than GAC filters.

Below is a helpful chart from EpicWaterFilters.com comparing the differences between solid carbon block and GAC filters.

Effectiveness

Now that you understand the fundamental difference between Epic Water Filters’ solid carbon block filters and they competitors’ granulated activated carbon filters, you’re probably wondering:

Does it actually remove more impurities from the water?

Epic Water Filters are independently tested and verified by EPA-accredited laboratories and have been individually tested at levels exceeding NSF/ANSI standards for contaminant removal. Based on the test results, Epic Water Filters is the industry leader in removing harmful contaminants found in tap water.

When comparing Epic Water Filters to Brita, both filters remove heavy metals such as lead and cadmium and trace pharmaceuticals. But Epic removes more of those elements than Brita. In fact, it also eliminates contaminants that Brita doesn’t address, such as:

• Pesticides
• Herbicides
• PFOA/PFOS (perfluorinated compounds)
• Industrial pollutants
• Fluoride
• Microplastics
• Radiological elements

This is only the shortlist. Epic Pure Water Filters address 200+ toxins that are a threat to safe drinking water. To learn more about performance and effectiveness, check out these information sheets: Epic Pure and Brita. Take a look at PUR and ZeroWater data sheets as well.

Bottom line — if your goal is to remove the most impurities from your tap water, Epic Water Filters does it better than any other brand.

Filter Differences: Epic Pure vs. Epic Nano

Epic Water Filters offers two types of filters: Pure and Nano. 

While both use the carbon block filtering technology, they produce different results. 

Both filter out hundreds of contaminants, but the main difference is that Pure is focused on fluoride removal as well, while Nano zeroes in on bacteria and viruses such as:

• Giardia
• Cryptosporidium
• E. Coli
• Virus MS2 Phage

Click these links to see the full test results for Pure and Nano.

Ease of Use

Epic Water Filters are simple to use. First, flush the Epic Pure and Nano filters before first use. To do so, fill the water reservoir in the pitcher twice and discard (or use it to water plants or for cleaning purposes).

Some Epic products do not need flushing, such as the Epic Urban Bottle Filter. Be sure to read the instructions for each Epic product so that you’ll know how to use them properly.

When washing your pitchers or bottles, remove the filter and use a mild detergent and warm water. Be sure to read the instructions and don’t clean your filter with soap or hot water, as both can damage its performance and effectiveness.

When the pitcher or bottle filter no longer works, it’s time for a replacement. It will stop filtering water completely. As a guideline, replace the filter every three to four months. Home filtration units can last up to a year or more, depending on use.

In short, it doesn’t take a lot of fuss to use, clean, or replace Epic Water Filters.

Design and Special Features

Epic Water Filter pitchers and bottles feature standard designs comparable with what you will find from most water filtration brands. Again, the filtration system is the real star of this brand. All plastic (including straws) used in Epic containers is BPA-free.

Pitcher Design

Epic Pure gives you a choice of white or navy blue, while Nano offers its pitchers in black or navy blue. Both designs filter up to 150 gallons of water. They each have a flip top pour spout separated from the unfiltered water, ensuring you are only pouring filtered water.

The unfiltered water reservoir is on top and easy to see. No more guessing about how much water is left to be filtered with this design. The top has a wide mouth to add water from any style of faucet easily.

Pitcher Special Features

Both pitchers feature an LED timer that counts down from 90 days. It’s a simple way to monitor when to replace the filter. All you have to do is press start after changing the filter.

Bottle Design

Epic Water Filters feature Nalgene, glass, and stainless steel bottles. Unlike some other water bottle filtration systems, the filter is at the end of the straw.

Keep in mind that the filter and straw don’t go all the way to the bottle’s bottom. There needs to be space between the bottom of the filter and bottle to avoid creating a vacuum effect and bringing your sipping to a halt.

So don’t worry about that little bit of water you can’t seem to reach; you’ll be able to drink it on the next fill.

Nalgene

Nalgene is an extremely durable and leak-proof BPA-free plastic. Depending on which bottle you choose, the filter can process anywhere from 75 to 100 gallons of water before replacing it. There are plenty of design and color choices. 

Glass

The glass bottle (Escape) is made from BPA/BPS-free glass and features a BPA/BPS-free medical-grade silicone sleeve that creates a grippy surface and prevents breakage if your bottle happens to fall.

Stainless Steel

The stainless steel offering (Vostok) comes in black or grey and features two professional-grade stainless steel walls for increased insulation to keep your water cold. It also boasts a durable powder coating for a matte look.

The Answer

The Answer is a straw and filter combo that you can use to turn ordinary standalone water bottles into a personal water filtration system. The Answer has a standard filter and may come with an additional filter such as the Outdoor Adventure filter, which can be used during travel when you encounter questionable water sources such as rivers, lakes, or streams (excluding saltwater).

Filter Lifespan

The lifespan for pitcher and bottle filters is roughly 90 days, but it also depends on the frequency of use. The same goes for home filters such as the under the sink and refrigerator filters. As a general guideline, you can follow this schedule:

• Pitcher Filter: Every 2 to 5 months
• Bottle Filter: Every 3 to 4 months
• Smart Shield (under sink/fridge): Every 10 to 14 months
• Sediment Filter: Every 10 to 14 months

When you are ready for a new filter, you can either purchase one or join the Clean Water Club. The club automatically ships new filters with a built-in 20% discount. You can also recycle your Epic Water Filters.

How does this compare to the lifespan of Brita and PUR filters?

Brita also offers a discount automatic filter replacement option. PUR doesn’t feature a filter replacement club.

Here are the lifespans for both product lines:

PUR

• Pitcher Filter: Every 2 months
• Faucet Filter: Every 3 months

Brita

• Pitcher Filter (Longlast): Every 6 months
• Pitcher Filter (Standard): Every 2 months
• Pitcher Filter (Stream): Every 2 months
• Bottle Filter: Every 2 months
• Faucet Filter: Every 4 months

Brita Longlast pitcher filters have the longest lifespan among the three companies, but Epic Water Filters have the longest lifespan in terms of faucet filters.

Price

Epic Water Filters products are generally more expensive than Brita, PUR, and ZeroWater. Its higher price is mainly due to the carbon block filter design (rather than a GAC filter).

Also, the bottle filters and Nalgene bottles are made in the United States, where manufacturing costs are higher. The rest of the product line is made overseas in an FDA-complaint facility.

Yet, the true cost of any water filtration system comes down to how long the filters last.

For example, the Epic Water Filter for the pitcher should be replaced every two to five months, but the standard Brita pitcher filter requires a replacement every two months. So, over time, you could end up needing twice as many filters.

To give you more context, below is a quick comparison of the current filter prices:

Note: These prices are pulled in real-time from Amazon. You can click the chart to view each product on Amazon.

Downsides

Epic Water Filters gets great reviews from verified purchasers, but there are a few downsides to consider before you buy:

• Price: They are the most expensive among comparable brands.
• Slow Filtering: They take a longer time to filter the water than granular carbon filters. Not the best choice if you need filtered water in a rush.
• Limited Product Offerings: When it comes to pitcher filter systems, Epic has fewer options than competitors like Brita and ZeroWater.
• New Brand: Epic Water Filters is still a new brand and does not have a long track record. 
• Availability: You can find brands like Brita and PUR everywhere, but you can only buy Epic Water Filters on its website, Amazon, Wal-Mart, and eBay.

Bottom Line: Should You Buy Epic Water Filters?

If you want a brand that uses advanced filter technology to deliver the purest, cleanest water in the industry, you should buy Epic Water Filters.

Their test results speak for themselves.

Epic costs a bit more than the established brands and may take a bit longer to filter water due to its carbon block filtration system, but you can’t put a price on the cleanest and healthiest water.

Plus, filtering your water is significantly cheaper than purchasing dozens of bottles of spring or filtered water from your local big-box store (and better for the environment, too).

If you are just looking for quick filtered water and don’t care that a slight amount of impurities get through, one of the other brands might be the best bet.

I recommend the Epic Water Filter Pure or Nano Pitcher for clean water at home and one of the many bottle offerings when you are on the go.

Want to learn more? Check out Epic Water Filters on Amazon or EpicWaterFilters.com, where you can see the full product lineup and read dozens of reviews.