European Water Filter Brands

Tap water in Europe is usually safe to drink, so household water filters mainly improve taste, reduce limescale and protect appliances. This page lists European filter brands, from jugs for the kitchen table to systems that treat the water of a whole house.

Filter jugs and bottles

BRITA from Taunusstein is the best-known name and introduced the table water filter in 1970. BWT from Austria offers jugs with magnesium, and LAICA from Italy sells jugs, filter bottles and tap filters. All three work with replaceable cartridges that need to be changed at regular intervals.

Systems for the whole house

Grünbeck from Höchstädt in Bavaria supplies softening and treatment systems that are installed in the pipework. BWT also makes such systems alongside its household range. These systems are bought through plumbers and heating specialists. They suit households with hard water, where limescale puts a strain on taps, boilers and appliances.

Comparison

Brand	Country	Typical products
BRITA	Germany	Filter jugs, bottles, water dispensers
BWT	Austria	Magnesium filter jugs, water treatment systems
LAICA	Italy	Filter jugs, bottles, tap filters
Grünbeck	Germany	Softening and filter systems for buildings

What a filter can and cannot do

A jug or tap filter with activated carbon and ion exchange resin reduces limescale, chlorine and some metals, and it improves the taste of coffee and tea. It does not make unsafe water drinkable, and it does not replace a water test where the pipes or the source are suspect. Jugs need regular cartridge changes and cleaning, otherwise bacteria can build up in the filter. BRITA has run a cartridge recycling programme since 1992.

Gaps in the European offer

Reverse osmosis units and gravity filters with very high filtration rates are often sold by US or Asian brands. European brands focus on jugs, tap filters and installed systems, and we list only the brands that fit this profile.