Berkey Water Filters

Back40

Well-known member
#1
Have any of you used one of the Berkey water filters? What was your experience like?

I've always heard they are really good, but have investigated a bit lately and they also have some pretty bad reviews that I've seen.

Hoping someone here has personal experience with one.

My water situation is "very good" and because of that I wouldn't likely be filtering water that is dangerous to drink. No pond water, etc.

Instead, the water running through the filter would be from a source that's close to drinkable already, just needs to run through a filter to be on the safe side.

Let me know if you have personal experience with one.

Thanks.
 

john 1775

Freedom is given, liberty is what you take.
Brass Subscriber
#2
Have any of you used one of the Berkey water filters? What was your experience like?

I've always heard they are really good, but have investigated a bit lately and they also have some pretty bad reviews that I've seen.

Hoping someone here has personal experience with one.

My water situation is "very good" and because of that I wouldn't likely be filtering water that is dangerous to drink. No pond water, etc.

Instead, the water running through the filter would be from a source that's close to drinkable already, just needs to run through a filter to be on the safe side.

Let me know if you have personal experience with one.

Thanks.
No personal experience, but the water expert ‘Zeke’ at SB say they’re crap.
 

Jayclimber

Well-known member
Moderator
#3
We have the Big Berkey...

https://www.berkeyfilters.com/products/big-berkey

We use it for everyday drinking water and for the coffee pot and tea pot! Our water comes from a pump station the city owns on Lake Erie and the last few years the water has developed a bad taste. Mostly due to the algae blooms on the lake and the increased use of chloride and fluoride by the city treatment plant.

Pros:
-Easy to use
-Long filter life
-Improves water taste
-Initial cost is reasonable
-Gravity fed system
-Cost per oz cheaper than Pur home system

Cons:
-Flow rate a bit slower than advertised (this is dependant on water quality and the fill level)
-Cleaning the outer part of the filter is needed every month (but every good system requires maintenance).

We fill ours twice a day, in the morning after everyone fills bottles for the day and making coffee and we top it off every evening. Bought it 6 months ago.

We also have Katadyn and MSR filters/purifiers (pump style) for emergency use too.
 

The Branch Manager

Winter is coming. Forever.
#4
Ditto what Jay said. We have the big Berkey, love it. HOWEVER, I get much more use out of my zero water i keep in the fridge. I'm on well water, so my water is really good anyhow, but I can tell the difference using the filter. Also have a whole house filter on the well head, which only needs changing about every 2nd year. Berkey still stays full and gets used for coffee and cooking. I'm happy with the system.
 

HandLoad

Twinkle Me, LORD
Brass Subscriber
#5
(Sticking My Oar in the Water) Distiller (Mini Classic III, from Pure &Secure) costs roughly Three times the Berkey. Costs us roughly $100/ Year for consumables and maintenance parts.

Pros: Distilled! Ours has been in service for Decades. All Stainless, Medical grade Silicone, or Glass. Removes Arsenic that is so common from Ground Water, and very nearly everything that is not Water!

Cons: A bit of Fan noise, roughly 2.8 Hrs/ 0.8 Gallon; Uses 120 VAC Power, @~750 Watts. Uses a bit more Counter Space. Roughly 3 Batches needed for Our Family of 3 each Day.
 

Josh

We could edit this?!
#8
My parents love theirs so much they own two, one for the house and one they take any time they travel.

I personally have filters built into my house, and my no running water plan is to use a Survivor Filter like this: https://www.survivorfilter.com/collections/electric-filtration-system

Actually had to bust it out last night because we had a storm-related power outage that prevented my normal house filter from working.
 

HandLoad

Twinkle Me, LORD
Brass Subscriber
#9
I had a Strong "Go-Round" with Zeke WRT Distilled being "Bad" for human consumption. We differ considerably. I am a Distiller advocate.

My Sea-Going Union has members who have been going to Sea on Ships (that all use Flash Distillers/Evaps). Many have been Sailing for the Majority of their Adult lives. Very high Percentage of them leave this o'er at greatly advanced ages. If things are/were as bad as Zeke sez, none would have lived as long.

Besides, Tea, Coffee, and Mixed Drinkys taste MUCH Mo Betterer wit Distilled. 😁 I am not spending Bux for good Booze/drinkies, only to have random "Mystery Reactions" happening in them, or in My Beautiful Bawdee!🤣🤣🤣
 

The Branch Manager

Winter is coming. Forever.
#10
I’d be careful with Zeke. He’s an expert on everything.
Was another guy Steve something maybe?
He was actually a certified water guy that worked for a municipality. Knew his stuff too to bottom.
You've also got to be careful you get legit filters and not Berkley filters. IIRC those will fit but they're not as good.... maybe the adhesive. Don't remember.
 

Bacash

Just a guy
Brass Subscriber
#11
Wife and I have been talking about getting one for every day use. We have well water, which is perfectly drinkable, but also have a spring. We have been thinking about starting to use the spring water for drinking and the well water for everything else. Being that a creek runs through our property by the spring, that also runs past a dairy farm, it seemed prudent to filter water before drinking.

One thing I cannot find is the "lifespan" of their filters. Has anybody seen anything on that? It's not on the Berkey Guy's website.
 

GOBLIN X

PUKUTSI
Brass Subscriber
#18
I had a Strong "Go-Round" with Zeke WRT Distilled being "Bad" for human consumption. We differ considerably. I am a Distiller advocate.

My Sea-Going Union has members who have been going to Sea on Ships (that all use Flash Distillers/Evaps). Many have been Sailing for the Majority of their Adult lives. Very high Percentage of them leave this o'er at greatly advanced ages. If things are/were as bad as Zeke sez, none would have lived as long.

Besides, Tea, Coffee, and Mixed Drinkys taste MUCH Mo Betterer wit Distilled. 😁 I am not spending Bux for good Booze/drinkies, only to have random "Mystery Reactions" happening in them, or in My Beautiful Bawdee!🤣🤣🤣
think i was involved in that argument on distillers as well. drank de-sal for years and there's nothing "twitch " wrong "twitch twitch" with me "twitch"