PUR Pitcher Filter Replacement: PUR Plus PPF951K vs Plain PUR PPF900Z vs the Older CRF-950Z, Which Pitchers Take Each and What the Cross-Fits Claim
PUR Plus PPF951K (99.7% lead reduction at pH 6.5) and plain PPF900Z fit the same 14 PUR pitchers, replaced every 2 months or 40 gallons per PUR.
- Verified
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- 6 min read
- 9 sources
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Short answer
PUR sells two current pitcher and dispenser cartridges, and PUR’s PPF951K performance data sheet lists both against the same 14 pitcher and dispenser model numbers (PPT700X1, PPT711X1, CR1100X1, DS1800X1, PDS1820X1 and nine more), so fit never decides the purchase. The PUR Plus PPF951K is the lead-reducing filter: 99.7 percent lead reduction at pH 6.5 and 99.4 percent at pH 8.5 on the sheet. The plain PUR PPF900Z prints Not Certified on both lead rows and matches the Plus filter only on chlorine taste and odor, 97.5 percent for each. The older CRF-950Z sits on a separate July 2023 sheet with a 12-system list and no lead table at all. PUR’s replacement-filters page sets the interval at 40 gallons or 2 months for both current cartridges. The spec that must match is the lead claim, not the shape: if the water report shows lead, only PPF951K carries a reduction figure. AQUA CREST and Fil-Fresh sell cross-fits on their own compatibility claims.
The picks
Lead on the water report: the only PUR cartridge with a lead figure
PUR Plus PPF951K, 3-count
99.7% lead reduction at pH 6.5, Class I particulate 99.8%, 40 gal or 2 months, per PUR's sheet
Chlorine taste only, no lead concern, no soak step
PUR PPF900Z, 2-pack
97.5% chlorine taste and odor, Not Certified for lead, 40 gal or 2 months, per PUR's sheet
Cross-fit for chlorine taste; no lead-specific claim on the seller's page
AQUA CREST CF10A bundle, 6 filters
Listed for PPF951K, PPF900Z and CRF950Z; NSF/ANSI 42 and 372 claimed on the seller's page, generic heavy-metal reduction only, no lead percentage published
Cross-fit for chlorine taste; no lead claim at all
Fil-Fresh 4-pack
Listed for PPF900Z, PPF951K and CRF-950Z; NSF/ANSI 42 claimed, up to 40 gallons or 2 months per the seller's page
If lead is not on your water report, you have permission to buy the cheaper PPF900Z and skip the 15-minute soak; the rest of this page is for the household that needs the lead number.
Which filter fits which PUR pitcher?
Every current PUR pitcher and dispenser takes either cartridge. PUR’s 2024 PPF951K performance data sheet prints one list of 14 systems for both PPF951K and PPF900Z, and the older CRF-950Z sheet (24 July 2023) prints a shorter list of 12, where four model numbers end in 10 instead of 11.
| Cartridge | PUR’s name on the sheet | Lead (pH 6.5 / 8.5) | Chlorine taste and odor | Particulate | Interval | Compatible systems on its sheet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PPF951K | PUR Plus Lead Reducing | 99.7% / 99.4% | 97.5% | Class I (0.5 to 1 micron), 99.8% | 40 gal or 2 months | 14 |
| PPF900Z | PUR Filter | Not Certified | 97.5% | Class VI (50 to 80 micron), 99.6% | 40 gal or 2 months | 14 (same sheet) |
| CRF-950Z | PUR Plus Filter (older sheet) | No lead table printed | 97.5% | Class I, 99.8% | Not printed on its sheet | 12 |
The 14 systems on the PPF951K sheet are PPT700X1, PPT711X1, PPT111X1, PPT001X1, PPT120X1, PPT002X1, CR1100X1, CR1111X1, DS1800X1, DS1811X1, PDI4000X1, PDS1820X1, PPT600X1 and PPT650X1. The CRF-950Z sheet names PPT710X1, PPT110X1, CR1110X1 and DS1810X1 in place of the 11-suffix models and omits PPT600X1 and PPT650X1.
PUR’s own naming is inconsistent. Its data sheets label the plain cartridge simply “PUR Filter” (PPF900Z), while PUR’s pitcher and dispenser support FAQ separately calls the same rinse-only cartridge the “PUR Basic filter”. Its July 2023 sheet calls CRF-950Z a “PUR Plus Filter”, the same name it now gives PPF951K. Read CRF-950Z as the legacy Plus cartridge, absent from PUR’s current replacement-filters page, and match against the 12-system list on its own sheet.
All three sheets say the systems were tested according to NSF/ANSI 42, 53 and 401, and the PPF951K sheet says the lead row is certified by WQA to the NSF/ANSI standard; those listings are per PUR’s pages, since no NSF or WQA database was opened this session. The NSF/ANSI standards guide explains what each number covers. If you own a PUR faucet mount rather than a pitcher, the PUR RF9999 and RF3375 page carries those cartridges and this page does not.
What else fits the same pitchers?
Two cross-fit makers list their cartridges against all three PUR part numbers. Both claims come from the seller’s own page or listing title; neither publishes a data sheet with a reduction percentage or a capacity test.
| Alternative | Listed for | What the seller claims | What is missing |
|---|---|---|---|
| AQUA CREST CF10A (6-filter bundle: a 4-pack plus a 2-pack) | CRF950Z, PPF951K, PPF900Z | NSF/ANSI 42 and 372 on the seller’s page; generic heavy-metal reduction, no lead-specific claim found for this listing | No lead percentage, no capacity figure; the ASIN opened this session is a bundle, and no standalone 2-pack or 4-pack pitcher listing was isolated |
| Fil-Fresh 4-pack | PPF900Z, PPF951K, CRF-950Z | NSF/ANSI 42, up to 40 gallons, up to 2 months, on the seller’s page | No lead claim at all |
The AQUA CREST listing that circulates under ASIN B0C4F38XJC is a faucet-mount cartridge for the RF9999, not a pitcher filter, and does not fit any pitcher on PUR’s list.
How often do they need replacing?
PUR’s replacement-filters shop page says to replace genuine PUR pitcher filters every 2 months or 40 gallons, and the PPF951K and PPF900Z product pages repeat the same two figures. Pitchers fitted with a Filter Change Light flash red at that point, per PUR’s pitcher and dispenser support page.
PUR publishes no condition that shortens the interval and no flow rate for the pitcher line: the gravity cartridges carry no gpm figure on either sheet, unlike the 0.52 gpm PUR prints for its faucet mounts. PUR also publishes no counterfeit-check procedure for pitcher filters, so a hologram or code check is not something PUR’s pages offer.
Preparation differs by cartridge. PUR’s support FAQ has the Plus filter soak 15 minutes in cold water and then rinse 10 seconds under the cold tap; the plain PUR filter needs only the 10-second rinse.
Which cartridge to buy
The PPF951K is the only cartridge here with a lead figure, and it costs the Plus premium plus a 15-minute soak for it; if lead is not on your report, the PPF900Z gives the same 97.5 percent chlorine figure with a coarser Class VI particulate rating. Buy AQUA CREST or Fil-Fresh only if chlorine taste is the whole job: their NSF 42 claims are the seller’s and neither prints a lead percentage. Skip all four if your pitcher is not on PUR’s 14-system or 12-system list, and check the lead service line guide before you decide the lead question at all.
Frequently asked questions
Does the PUR Plus pitcher filter PPF951K reduce lead?
Yes, on PUR's own figures. Table 1.1 of PUR's PPF951K performance data sheet prints 99.7 percent lead reduction at pH 6.5 and 99.4 percent at pH 8.5, and the sheet states the lead row is certified by WQA to the NSF/ANSI standard. The plain PPF900Z on the same sheet prints Not Certified on both lead rows.
Does the plain PUR pitcher filter PPF900Z reduce lead?
No claim exists for it. PUR's PPF951K performance data sheet places PPF900Z in the second column and marks both lead rows Not Certified. PPF900Z matches the Plus filter only on chlorine taste and odor, 97.5 percent for each, and carries a Class VI particulate rating (50 to 80 micron) at 99.6 percent rather than the Plus filter's Class I.
How often should a PUR pitcher filter be replaced?
Every 2 months or 40 gallons, whichever comes first, for both the PUR Plus PPF951K and the plain PPF900Z. PUR's replacement-filters shop page and both product pages state the same figure. Pitchers with a Filter Change Light flash red at that point, per PUR's pitcher and dispenser support page. PUR publishes no condition that shortens the interval.
Do PUR Plus and plain PUR filters fit the same pitchers?
Yes. The footer of PUR's PPF951K performance data sheet lists one set of 14 pitcher and dispenser model numbers, from PPT700X1 to PPT650X1, for both PPF951K and PPF900Z. The older CRF-950Z sheet from July 2023 carries a shorter list of 12 systems, including PPT710X1 and DS1810X1, which the newer sheet renames PPT711X1 and DS1811X1.
Why does a PUR Plus filter need to be soaked before use?
PUR's pitcher and dispenser support FAQ instructs a 15-minute cold-water soak followed by a 10-second rinse under cold running water for PUR Plus filters. The plain PUR filter needs only the 10-second rinse. PUR gives no reason on the page; the soak is simply the maker's stated preparation step for the Plus cartridge and skipping it is outside PUR's instructions.
Fact sheet and how to cite this page
- Answer
- PUR’s PPF951K performance data sheet lists the PUR Plus PPF951K and the plain PUR PPF900Z against the same 14 pitcher and dispenser models. PPF951K prints 99.7 percent lead reduction at pH 6.5 and 99.4 percent at pH 8.5; PPF900Z prints Not Certified on both lead rows. PUR’s replacement-filters page sets both at 40 gallons or 2 months.
- Applies to
- PPF951K (PUR Plus Lead Reducing)
- PPF900Z (plain PUR)
- CRF-950Z (older PUR Plus sheet)
- Compatibility basis
- PUR Performance Data Sheet PPF951K vs PPF900Z (2024 revision), the lead and reduction tables and the compatible-systems footer; PUR Performance Data Sheet CRF-950Z vs PPF900Z (24 July 2023)
- Assumptions
- Certifications are listed per PUR’s own sheets, which state the systems were tested according to NSF/ANSI 42, 53 and 401; no NSF, WQA or IAPMO database listing was opened this session.
- AQUA CREST and Fil-Fresh compatibility and NSF claims come from each seller’s product page or listing title, not from a certification document or a data sheet with a percentage.
- No flow rate is published for the pitcher cartridges; PUR prints a gpm figure only for its faucet-mount line.
- Method
- Reduction percentages, particulate class and the compatible-systems list read directly from PUR’s two performance data sheets; the 2-month or 40-gallon interval and the pre-use soak and rinse taken from PUR’s shop and support pages; each Amazon listing opened to confirm ASIN and pack size.
- Primary source
- PUR, Performance Data Sheet, PPF951K vs PPF900Z, 2024 revision (PDF) (manufacturer or vendor document)
- Facts verified
- Last updated
- Cite as
- OwnerSpec, "PUR Pitcher Filter Replacement: PUR Plus PPF951K vs Plain PUR PPF900Z vs the Older CRF-950Z, Which Pitchers Take Each and What the Cross-Fits Claim", https://ownerspec.com/water/parts/pur-pitcher-filter-compatibility-plus-basic/, facts verified 14 September 2026.
Every figure above also appears, with its source, in the article. All sources · How OwnerSpec verifies numbers
Sources
- PUR, Performance Data Sheet, PPF951K vs PPF900Z, 2024 revision (PDF) (manufacturer or vendor document)
- PUR, Performance Data Sheet, CRF-950Z vs PPF900Z, 24 July 2023 (PDF) (manufacturer or vendor document)
- PUR, Replacement Filters shop index (manufacturer or vendor document)
- PUR, PUR Plus Lead Reducing Pitcher Filter product page (manufacturer or vendor document)
- PUR, PUR Pitcher Filter (PPF900Z) product page (manufacturer or vendor document)
- PUR, Pitcher and Dispenser Support and FAQs (manufacturer or vendor document)
- PUR, Filter Performance Data index (manufacturer or vendor document)
- AQUA CREST, replacement for PUR pitcher filter CRF950Z / PPF951K product page (seller claim, not a certification document) (manufacturer or vendor document)
- Fil-Fresh, pitcher filter replacement for PUR and PUR Plus pitchers product page (seller claim, not a certification document) (manufacturer or vendor document)