Over time, ok products can become great products. I got reminded of this yesterday evening, when I looked at my new Brita water pitcher.

A few years ago, I used to own a Brita water filter. I liked the water it produced, but the system was somewhat clumsy and after while, I stopped using it. Recently, we bought a new filter. I have been using it for some six weeks now and simply love it. Here are photos of the old and new system:

Short summary of key changes:

• Cartridge is shorter and wider. It filters water 2x as fast, at slightly lower quality
• Extra lid on top for allowing easier re-fill of the pitcher
• Electronic timer that tells you when to put a new cartridge in
• Narrower form, so it fits in the door of the fridge
• Lid that covers muzzle.

Basically, the new and the old system do the same thing: they filter tap water. I didn’t like the old system, I love the new one. What has changed?

What has changed this product from ok to great is a collection of small improvements. None of them alone would have made this a great product, but in combination, they do.

One additional comment that I have is that there are no additional changes to the system (that I can see) apart from the ones described. All features that Brita changed had a positive impact on the usability of the system. There is no clutter, no stuff that is annoying or in the way. And that is not just ok, but great.

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