The utility of a Brita carafe is well established. BUT this particular model has some drawbacks obviously due to design flaws. The top cover, for example, lets the water tank as long as you slightly basculiez carafe backwards ... there was actually an opening ... so you often have chances to see the water running on the handle ... so be careful. And when you pour water into a glass and the upper reservoir is at least 2/3 full, water (so it is not yet filtered) flows through the valve from above and mixes with the filtered water ... unless you make very careful. I am quite disappointed by these small design flaws. Too bad.