Table of Contents
Water is essential for our bodies to function day-to-day, but with beverages like coffee, tea, sugary juices, and soft drinks at our fingertips, it can be hard to choose plain water.
Water Benefits
Life on Earth wouldn’t exist without water, and humans are no exception. Your body needs water, both from fluids and solid food, to regulate body temperature, maintain the body’s sodium balance, carry out digestion, and ensure healthy bowel movements. Drinking water when you’re thirsty instead of sugar-sweetened or caffeinated beverages will help your body with day-to-day functioning. Infusing water with fruits, herbs, or vegetables is a healthy, low-sugar way to convince even the “water is boring” crowd into drinking more water.
Stop Drinking Liquid Sugar
Did you know that a 500 mL (2 cups) bottle of Coca-Cola has 55 grams of sugar? That’s roughly 13 teaspoons of sugar per bottle. Think about all the fruit (or chocolate!) you could eat for that one bottle of Coke! Your teeth may be aching after thinking about that much sugar from one drink, but Coca-Cola isn’t alone. Other carbonated beverages, fruit juices (naturally and artificially flavored), sports drinks (like Gatorade), energy drinks, and other sweetened beverages are pretty much cans, bottles, and cartons of sugar with water and food coloring added.
Sugar-sweetened beverages are taking their toll on human health. Not only do they rob us of the stomach space for more nutritious food and drinks, but they can also make us gain weight, increase our chances of developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease, weaken our bones, and wear away at our teeth. Cutting back on sugary drinks is a step in the right direction for a healthier you!
Choosing the Right Fruit Infuser Pitcher for You
Choosing the fruit infuser pitcher best suited to you and your family’s needs is determined by the pitcher’s materials, volume capacity, and cleanability. The fruit infuser pitchers we reviewed are glass, plastic, or a mix of the two. Some of them have stainless steel filters or lids, particularly the ones with glass jugs.
All of the pitchers we reviewed are designed with cold beverages in mind. The plastic in all the pitchers are bisphenol A-free (BPA) to give you peace of mind, but most should not be used with hot or boiling water, particularly the plastic ones. If you’re trying to cut back on the amount of plastic in your life, the glass pitchers with just a plastic filter (or no filter at all) may be better choices for you.
The smallest pitcher we reviewed holds a quart of liquid (1 L), while the largest ones hold up to 2.6 quarts (2.5 L). If you’re going to use a fruit infuser pitcher for more than 1-2 people in your household, one of the larger pitchers may be more appropriate than a smaller one.
All the fruit infuser pitchers we’ve reviewed, whether they’re made of glass or plastic, should be hand washed (lids, infusers, and other components included). Some of the pitchers are dishwasher friendly, but the manufacturers all recommended against it. Gentle handwashing ensures your pitcher will last. In the case of plastic pitchers, dishwashers can cloud the clear plastic, so a sponge and dish soap is the way to go for them.
Product Reviews
Glass Fruit Infuser Water Pitcher by Hiware
This attractive water pitcher can infuse both hot and cold beverages. You can infuse water with the BPA-free plastic infuser or remove it to make a pot of tea or to hold milk, juice, and various alcoholic beverages, including sangria, wine, and cocktails.
The lid can be separated from the infuser, which means you can refill the pitcher without removing the fruit. The drip-free spout and filter will always pour a perfect glass or cup of your favorite drink, keeping ice cubes, and stray fruit seeds and pulp in the pitcher.
The pitcher’s wide opening makes it easy for you to stick your hand and sponge in while cleaning.
Pros
- Made of borosilicate glass, which can withstand temperatures between 0° to 300°F (-18° to 149°C).
- The lid’s filter prevents ice cubes, tea bags, or any stray bits of fruit from getting into your drinking glass.
- Can be washed by hand or in the dishwasher, though handwashing is recommended.
Cons
- The infuser is made of plastic with wide holes. Not suitable for coffee grounds or loose tea.
- The lid isn’t airtight and doesn’t seal.
- Borosilicate glass is durable, but it’s still glass. Use caution when transferring the pitcher from temperature extremes.
RIO Glass Water Pitcher and Infuser by GROSCHE
Unlike the other pitchers we’ve reviewed, GROSCHE’s pitcher doesn’t have an infuser to insert in the jug. Instead, the fruit is put directly into this hand-blown glass pitcher, and a stainless steel filter in the lid prevents pieces of fruit from being poured into your glass.
The lid also serves as an aerator for wine and homemade sangria. The pitcher’s capacity is designed to hold an average-sized bottle of wine. Just add fruit to the wine, chill overnight, and enjoy your sangria!
When you tilt the pitcher, the lid automatically opens, aerating your drink as it comes through the filter. This pitcher is meant for holding cold beverages like water and alcoholic beverages, and should not be used for hot drinks.
Pros
- Comes with two interchangeable rubbery bands (orange and red) that keep the filter attached to the lid. Change the band to match whatever drink you’re infusing!
- The pitcher itself can either be washed by hand or put into the dishwasher, though the other components should be washed by hand.
Cons
- Not meant for hot beverages.
- Liquid capacity of the pitcher is on the smaller side, so this pitcher might not be the best to use at a dinner party or gathering.
- Being made of glass, this pitcher cannot handle sudden temperature changes from one extreme to the other.
Fruit Infuser Water Pitcher with Ice Core by Home Ikon
Home Ikon’s fruit infuser pitcher comes in a unique diamond shape. This pitcher is made out of shatterproof acrylic plastic.
The purchase of this pitcher includes two inserts, one for filling with fruits for infusion, and the other for making an ice core. The frozen ice core, once inserted in your pitcher, will keep your water and other beverages cold for up to 4 hours.
This pitcher is top-rack dishwasher friendly, but Home Ikon recommends you hand wash the pitcher to keep the plastic clear and clean-looking.
Pros
- Include two different inserts, one for fruit infusion and the other for making an ice core.
- Able to hold a large amount of infused water, juice, and other cold beverages, perfect for entertaining or just keeping in your refrigerator.
- Dishwasher friendly, though it’s recommended you handwash the pitcher.
Cons
- Pouring water over 140°F (60°C) may damage the pitcher. Not suitable for hot drinks like tea and coffee.
- The lid does not screw onto the pitcher top. Instead, it sits in place of the top. This pitcher doesn’t leak when poured, but be careful not to drop it when full.
Fruit Infuser Water Pitcher by Vremi
Vremi’s acrylic pitcher is similar in volume capacity to Home Ikon’s. This pitcher comes with one infuser.
Fill the infuser up with fruits and herbs or tea bags to make infused water, iced tea, and other healthy alternatives to soft drinks and juice. Fill the pitcher with water, add your filled infuser, and chill the whole thing in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours or more for refreshing infused water.
You can also use this pitcher to make sangria!
Pros
- Infuser is airtight when attached to the lid, keeping fruit, herbs, and tea bags in the pitcher and not on your kitchen counter or table when pouring.
- Makes a large batch of your favorite beverages, making it suitable to encourage your whole family to drink more water.
Cons
- Pitcher opening doesn’t seal, which means this pitcher could spill if accidentally tipped.
- Cannot be used with boiling water.
- Must be washed by hand.
Glass Water Pitcher with Lid & Fruit Infuser Rod by Kitchen De Lujo
This stylish borosilicate glass pitcher doesn’t hold as much liquid as most of the other fruit infuser pitchers we’ve reviewed, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less versatile.
You can use this pitcher and its plastic infuser for water or wine to make sangria. The infuser is removable, meaning you can also use this pitcher for plain water, juice, and other cold beverages.
Pros
- Slender shape saves space in your refrigerator.
- Filter at the spout prevents ice and any stray pieces of fruit from escaping the pitcher while pouring into a glass.
Cons
- Liquids pour very slowly from this pitcher unless the lid is taken off first.
- The infuser insert doesn’t reach the bottom of the pitcher, so you have to fill the pitcher completely to make sure your drink infuses properly.
Our Recommendation
Our favorite pitcher from the ones we reviewed is the first one: Hiware’s 2qt. (1.9L) capacity Glass Fruit Infuser Pitcher. The borosilicate glass, often associated with old Pyrex cookware, is more durable than regular glass and can withstand both hot and cold temperatures, unlike Home Ikon and Vremi’s plastic pitchers. However, care must be taken when transferring any type of glass, borosilicate or not, from extreme heat or cold. Let the pitcher cool down or warm up on its own before filling it with cold or hot liquids, respectively.
Hiware’s pitcher can hold lots of water to make not only infused water and iced tea, but also a variety of other drinks. Replace the water with wine to make sangria, or remove the infuser and use the pitcher for holding milk, juice, or your previously-brewed iced coffee. The pitcher’s capacity is too small so that a large glass drains it, but also not too large so that the fruit rots before you can finish the pitcher. This fruit infuser pitcher is the ‘sweet spot’ between the large and smaller pitchers we reviewed.
Hiware’s pitcher is dishwasher-safe, but as we said previously, they recommend washing it by hand. The pitcher’s wide mouth, unlike GROSCHE’s pitcher, is just the right size for your hand to fit inside for washing up. Whether you wash it in the dishwasher or not, cleaning Hiware’s pitcher isn’t too much of a hassle.
Regardless of the fruit infuser pitcher you choose, you and your family are sure to enjoy fresh, tasty, and healthy beverages in the comfort of your own home whenever you want!