Brita 35530 Ultramax Dispenser

To be very, very clear: I am reviewing the product; not the store.

-I so loved and appreciated this product for its water purification for a sulfur type smelling well-source water.

-Hmm….Time passed. Mine had served well but was becoming rather a “dirty-beige” although I had used bleach. (Of course, bleach, over time, will degrade many plastics. Of this I am aware and knew the consequences. It slowly “absorbed” the “colors” of the elements it was “filtering.”

-It just seems smart to do!

-I still think it’s smart to clean such a purification device such a thorough cleanser while rinsing very, very well. And there’s an irony as bleach also can be used to purify water.

-But who wants to drink bleach unless one is w/o any other source to purify drinking water, i.e., surving after a disaster or some such situation?)

>>>Well, I bought the new model.< <<

-No explanation was given on the box that this was the “style/model” and rather different.

-It will measure filter usage for you via a

little touch pad at the top which tells you when to replace the filter.

>>>My little touch pad isn’t accurate.< <<

nor are the instructions clear as to how to reset this.

-In fact, I do not remember finding any and do remember scouring the box looking for instructions for the touch pad measurement device.

-I would try to “reset” the “touch pad” but it would not “update,” “reset” correctly to show water usage.

-It would stay at the same spot not revealing how soon to replace the filter.

-Luckily I had kept my old “red ring” device that also functions to show filter usage and indicates when a replacement is due.

-I went by that indicator as it was more reliable.

>But, I became so tired of a poor fitting filter. Why?

-Retailers, such as, Ace Hardware, and one other fine retailer, like Home Depot or Rite Aid, where I bought more filters, are selling the older model filter where one uses the “red dial” snapped into place to show filtration usage.

>>>The old filters do not fit the new model!< <<

-Now this is probably Brita’s responsibility to clarify and make sure their retailers know what they are selling.

-So what occurs?

>>>Ugh! Dirty appearance of water!

>>>Well, the little bead type things which filter the water and have an appearance of little pebbles, leak all over inside the top and bottom! The water is clear but the “pebbles” create a poor appearance for ingesting the final product.

-Now, I imagine that the retailers are either being sold the old filters.

-Or must they sell out of the old filters and, so, are not selling us an updated filter model that would fit tightly…Or?

-Could Brita be selling out their old filter stock?

>>>Or? Might Brita actually be thinking of never updating the filter model to fit the newer container style??

-Nooo! We want our Brita’s to work and work as well as the old style.

-We want tight fitting filters where the filtration particles don’t end up in the water we are drinking.

-Don’t tell me I have not inserted these correctly.

-Ha! -Don’t dare as I’d been using this system for 5 years….

>>>Then THE change!

>>>Brita! Snap out of it! “Smell the water!”

-Update your filters or label them correctly via some emblem, explanation, or something.

-Also, clearly explain the usage of the “touch pad meter” on top of the new model. Great idea! But useless if it doesn’t work! -(Geesh! Yes, of course, I immediately found the reset button on my own.)

>>>Brita filter users: keep your old “red rings”

that measured filtered usage.< <<

-If anyone has a clue as to how to “enhance” the fit of the old filters to the new style Brita container, please share!

-No, muscle is not an issue here.

-The filters are just plain a wee bit too small; too small so that particles end up in the drinking water.

-This is one awesome, inexpensive and effective filtration system for those of us who can’t afford a great filtration system nor want to add to the tons, tons of plastic drinking water bottles which might not end up being recycled correctly.

-But this isn’t a review written by someone who can actually test the water’s purity.

-Results as to the specific pollutants which are filtered are probably to be found at the Brita site but I’m too lazy to go there.

-I just liked the features of the system for the above reasons and it worked!

-I just know that the older system cleared the “sulfur/sulphur

[acc. to Webster's Online Dictionary there are two spellings as I understand it] smell and/or taste.

-It rendered the water drinkable where I was living.

-Hmmm…I needed to use it again, after a major move to a city as the city water caused my stomach to react, to be specific, “with revenge.”

-Now I’ve lived in this city before but had adjusted to a more purified water. Suddenly the water is making my system go wacko and I sorely needed this filtration.

-Sniff! I had to give it up but only after my body could finally accept the “city” water again through showers and other methods of absorbing the water.

-Too many “pebbles” in my filtered water made me hang the system up to dry!

-I do not want to revisit water deliveries as the large bottles are just too difficult for some of us to lift.

-I didn’t want to just drink bottled water and use more and more plastic.

-I still continue to re-use one plastic water bottle over and over until it’s all dented before I toss it for another.

-I’m just that way as many of you are, I am sure. So this is a great solution.

-The only recycling query would regard the filters.

I tried my best to “save our environment” but keep my stomach/bowels in functioning and comfortable mode.

-So Brita, please return to your awesome service standards and help us out by offering us the correct filters for your new container.

-Label them.

-Pull the old filters that don’t fit off the shelves of retailers selling the new container. Or come up with another solution.

>>>Brita! Step up to the “plate” in front of “your drinking fountain” and clean up the water! Please???<<<
Rating: 3 / 5

this product arrived cracked. as we live overseas and needed to immediately pack it into a suitcase, we didn’t have time to return it to Amazon and were forced to throw it out.

Really disappointing…
Rating: 1 / 5

Throughout the years I have used and owned many different versions of the Brita Pitcher Water Dispenser. All of these filtered water containers have been great. The only complaint I have ever had with these filters is size. The Brita Ultramax Water Filter Dispenser was supposed to answer this problem. Unfortunately due to bad design, it introduced a multitude of problems that never existed with past Brita products.

Pro:

Size: This water dispenser can definitely hold a lot of water. (Ironically, this is really a disadvantage; as you will find below.)

Con(s):

Mold: If you do not let this filter dry within a maximum of two days, you will get mold. This mold will probably make you ill (sore throat) (Conversely if you look at it from another point of view – it will strengthen your immune system). To avoid this problem, the water dispenser should be washed every week at very least (to safe you should wash it more often). I have never had this problem with Brita’s other products (I have friends who never washed their Brita pitchers for months, and there is not even the slightest sign of mold when they do wash it).

Left Over Water: Due to the faulty design of the product, there will be left over water both above the filter and below it. Besides turning the product upside down, you cannot dispense all of the water. This is just stupid and hints at the lack of quality assurance testing of this product. Not surprisingly, this helps further contribute to mold growth.

Conclusion:

Save your money and buy Brita’s other well designed pitchers or even Pure’s pitchers. (The key word is pitcher.) You will only waste time and possibly your health with this poorly designed product.
Rating: 1 / 5

The spigot on the britta system is poorly designed. It breaks and snapps off really easy. Ours brook when it fell into the sink from the counter. A mear 3 inch drop. I ordered one and it was delivered and the spigot was brooken in the same spot so I returned it. I then went to purchase one and was glad I opened the box it came in first because that one also had the spigot brooken on it. To bad because I really like the brita filter system.
Rating: 1 / 5

Throughout the years I have used and owned many different versions of the Brita Pitcher Water Dispenser. All of these filtered water containers have been great. The only complaint I have ever had with these filters is size. The Brita Ultramax Water Filter Dispenser was supposed to answer this problem. Unfortunately due to bad design, it introduced a multitude of problems that never existed with past Brita products.

Pro:

Size: This water dispenser can definitely hold a lot of water. (Ironically, this is really a disadvantage; as you will find below.)

Con(s):

Mold: If you do not let this filter dry within a maximum of two days, you will get mold. This mold will probably make you ill (sore throat) (Conversely if you look at it from another point of view – it will strengthen your immune system). To avoid this problem, the water dispenser should be washed every week at very least (to safe you should wash it more often). I have never had this problem with Brita’s other products (I have friends who never washed their Brita pitchers for months, and there is not even the slightest sign of mold when they do wash it).

Left Over Water: Due to the faulty design of the product, there will be left over water both above the filter and below it. Besides turning the product upside down, you cannot dispense all of the water. This is just stupid and hints at the lack of quality assurance testing of this product. Not surprisingly, this helps further contribute to mold growth.

Conclusion:

Save your money and buy Brita’s other well designed pitchers or even Pure’s pitchers. (The key word is pitcher.) You will only waste time and possibly your health with this poorly designed product.
Rating: 1 / 5