Does a Brita or carbon pitcher remove microplastics?

Only if that specific model is certified for it. A carbon pitcher is not automatically rated for particles this small, so the certification listing is the thing to trust, not the type. In our catalog the Brita Elite Pitcher is listed on the public WQA certification database under a master certification to NSF/ANSI 53 and 401 that includes microplastics, while a plain carbon pitcher with no such listing does not earn that credit in our scoring.

Does boiling water remove microplastics?

Boiling is not a certified method for reducing microplastics, and we found no accredited certification that treats it as one - so it is not the answer here. To target microplastics specifically, the certified approaches are a filter listed to NSF/ANSI 53 for microplastics or reverse osmosis under NSF/ANSI 58.

Contaminant · Water

Microplastics

No federal EPA MCL yet; reduction is certified under NSF/ANSI 53. 6 of the water filters we score hold an accredited NSF, WQA, or IAPMO certification to reduce Microplastics, and 5 more market it with no accredited certification we could verify. A claim is not a certification.

What it is

Microplastics are exactly what they sound like - tiny plastic particles, generally measured down to about 0.5 microns (a micron is a thousandth of a millimeter, far too small to see). They reach tap water from things like the breakdown of larger plastic debris, synthetic fibers, and packaging, and they can hang on as water moves through pipes and treatment systems. Worth knowing for what comes next: they are counted as physical particles, not as a dissolved chemical.

Why it matters

This is a newer concern, and the rules are still catching up. There is no federal maximum contaminant level for microplastics yet, and California became the first state to require monitoring for them. NSF/ANSI 53 has since added a microplastics reduction claim, which tests the reduction of plastic particles roughly 0.5 microns and larger. What we score is whether a filter is certified to reduce this contaminant, not any health outcome.

What removes it

The certified path is a filter listed to NSF/ANSI 53 for microplastics, or reverse osmosis under NSF/ANSI 58. The trap to watch for: an ordinary carbon pitcher does not necessarily capture particles this small, so a generic "filters your water" claim tells you almost nothing here. What you actually want is certification for microplastics specifically, listed on a public NSF, WQA, or IAPMO database.

Reference: EPA (no federal MCL for microplastics; California monitoring requirement); NSF/ANSI 53 microplastics reduction claim; NSF/ANSI 58 (reverse osmosis).

Scored filters certified for Microplastics

8.4
Brita Elite Pitcher (10-Cup)
A pour-through pitcher whose Elite filter is certified to reduce lead, mercury, cadmium and more, with a long 120-gallon cartridge.
7.5
AquaTru Classic Countertop RO
A no-plumbing countertop 4-stage RO purifier certified to NSF standards for lead, PFAS, fluoride and arsenic with an efficient drain ratio.
7.2
Aquasana AQ-5200 Under-Sink
Certified for lead and PFAS, cheap per gallon, marketing matches the certified scope.
7.0
Brita Faucet Mount (FF-100)
A tool-free faucet-mount system whose FR-200 filter is WQA Gold Seal certified to NSF/ANSI 42, 53 and 401 for chlorine, lead, asbestos, benzene, VOCs and microplastics.
6.4
PUR Plus Faucet Mount (PFM400H)
A faucet-mount system whose RF-9999 cartridge is genuinely NSF certified for lead, chlorine, mercury and microplastic reduction.
5.9
PUR Plus Pitcher (7-Cup)
An affordable pitcher certified to reduce lead, mercury, microplastics and chlorine, though its 40-gallon filter needs frequent swaps.

Marketed for Microplastics, but not certified

These scored filters market Microplastics reduction but we found no accredited NSF, WQA, or IAPMO certification for it - "tested to" is not "certified to." Absence of certification is not proof a product fails to reduce it, only that we found no independent verification.

4.3
Home Master TMAFC-ERP Artesian RO
A 7-stage RO with permeate pump, a 1:1 waste ratio and alkaline remineralization - but the complete system holds no third-party performance certification.
4.1
Epic Smart Shield Under-Sink
A slim inline under-sink filter genuinely certified by IAPMO to NSF/ANSI 42, 53 and 401 for lead, VOCs and more - though its PFAS reduction is tested to standards, not in the certified scope.
3.2
Epic Pure Pitcher
A 150-gallon solid-block carbon pitcher lab-tested to NSF/ANSI standards for fluoride, lead and PFAS - tested to standards, but not third-party certified.
2.7
LifeStraw Home Pitcher
A membrane-and-carbon pitcher marketed against bacteria, microplastics, lead and PFAS, but its claims rest on 'tested to' lab data rather than active third-party certification.
2.5
Clearly Filtered Pitcher
Certified only to NSF/ANSI 42 and 372, its 365+ contaminant claims come from non-accredited lab testing, not health-effects certification.

FAQ

Does a Brita or carbon pitcher remove microplastics?: Only if that specific model is certified for it. A carbon pitcher is not automatically rated for particles this small, so the certification listing is the thing to trust, not the type. In our catalog the Brita Elite Pitcher is listed on the public WQA certification database under a master certification to NSF/ANSI 53 and 401 that includes microplastics, while a plain carbon pitcher with no such listing does not earn that credit in our scoring.
Does boiling water remove microplastics?: Boiling is not a certified method for reducing microplastics, and we found no accredited certification that treats it as one - so it is not the answer here. To target microplastics specifically, the certified approaches are a filter listed to NSF/ANSI 53 for microplastics or reverse osmosis under NSF/ANSI 58.