Use the code AHS to get 5% off your purchase of any Berkey Water Filter and accessories!
I want to introduce you to my new love. Say hello to my Berkey Water Filter! David hasn’t stopped laughing at the name Berkey for some reason, but I don’t care because this water filtration system is something I’ve been eyeing for months and I’m overjoyed to finally have it as a staple in our kitchen.
The Berkey offers some of the most revolutionary charcoal water filters and it takes no energy to filter the water since it works from gravity! Not to mention, it’s also pretty to look at. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. I wanted to take the time to answer some of the questions I’ve received since I shared my Berkey love on Instagram.
Why did I buy a Berkey Water Filter?
I don’t claim to be perfect at healthy living, but when I find something that seemingly can make a real difference in my family’s health, I like to implement it. That’s how I felt with the Berkey. I’d been eyeing it for months after seeing it on several wellness Instagram accounts I follow and in health articles I’ve read. My interest skyrocketed when I started questioning more about the water we were drinking on a daily basis. Our water comes from a community well, which is fine (well water is typically known to be fresher than city water), but there have been some concerns in our area about ground water quality. We have a whole house filtration system, but it’s a very basic one (basically a water softener+) and I wanted to feel more confident about the water we were drinking as a family. I started researching to find the best solution for us, and all roads seemed to lead to Berkey water filters. Some of the most well researched information is on the CDC’s website for home water treatment options.
What Does the Berkey Filter Out?
- Bacteria – removed to a 99.99999% level
- Viruses – removed to a 99.9999% level
- Lead – Removed to greater than 99.9%
- Arsenic – Removed to greater than 99.9%
- Iron – Removed to greater than 99.9%
- Mercury – Removed to greater than 99.9%
- Chlorine – Removed to greater than 99.9%
- Bisphenol-A – Removed to greater than 99.9%
- Chloramines – Removed to greater than 99.9%
- Pharmaceuticals – Removed to greater than 99.5%
- Petroleum Contaminants – Removed to greater than 99.9%
- Methylcyclohexane-methane – Removed to greater than 99.9%
- Pesticides – Removed to greater than 99.9%
- Heavy Metals – Removed to greater than 99.1%
- Coliform and e-Coli – Removed to greater than 99.9
- Atrazine – Removed to greater than 99.99%
- Fluoride – Removed to greater than 99.9%
728×90 Low Prices Banner
Berkey Water Filter Facts
- Black Berkey filters exceed EPA log 7 ANSI / NSF protocols for filtration and are rated as water purifiers.
- Gravity fed systems that require no plumbing or water hookups for use
- Black Berkey filters have 3,000 gallon life (6,000 used in pairs)
- Allows red dye testing to know when filters need replacing (no expensive water tests)
- In emergencies allows use of non-public water (stream, lake, etc.)
How long does a Berkey filter last?
Each Black Berkey Purification Element is designed to purify approximately 3000 gallons of water before needing to be replaced. A set of two elements will last approximately 6000 gallons of water before needing replacement. If you have a two filter Big Berkey and you used 5 gallons of water per day, then you have 1200 days the filters will last. That’s over 3 years. I clean mine monthly, which only takes a few minutes in the sink.
What I Love About Having a Berkey Water Filter
- All the technical stuff from above aside, the water tastes so FRESH. It tastes clean. I was surprised at the filter power it has from a seemingly simple system.
- It can filter out food coloring! It is so powerful it can remove food coloring from water without removing the beneficial minerals your body needs. Also, the red food coloring test can be used at anytime to know that the filters have not exhausted their filtering ability.
- We don’t buy bottles of water anymore. I used to keep jugs of water on hand (I have a little bit of a prepper mentality), but now with these powerful filters we could filter any water that we needed to have. It boasts the ability to turn outdoor water from lakes or streams and make it drinkable. That makes me feel better for natural disasters as well like the ones that hit Puerto Rico recently.
- The girls love filling up their bottles out of the spigot and have been drinking more water because of it.
Considerations for the Berkey Water Filter
It’s an investment (use my affiliate code AHS5 for 5% off). I bought the Big Berkey (2.25 gallon) and it’s working for us, but given how much water we drink, I probably should have opted for the Royal (3 gallon) model. I fill a glass pitcher with water from the Berkey and keep it in the fridge as a way to ensure we always have enough water to fill all our water bottles at once.
- Travel Berkey (1.5 gallons)
- Big Berkey (2.25 gallons)
- Royal Berkey (3 gallons)
- Imperial Berkey (4.5 gallons)
Because the water is not kept refrigerated, it is important to empty out any unused water after about a week and clean the unit thoroughly. However, we go through at least a tank everyday, so this isn’t a problem for us. The glass pitcher I keep in the fridge also means we have a cold water option.
You can overflow the bottom chamber. I learned this through experience. Only pour in the top what can fit in the bottom. We are trying to get in the habit of adding water every time we take some so we will continuously have water at the ready without overflowing. You can, however, purchase the water view spigot which will show you how much water remains in the tank.
If you’re looking for a trustworthy product that will filter even the dirtiest water leaving clean, purified water that tastes the same every time, then get a Berkey. We use ours now to make coffee, tea, soups, and more and have been able to taste a difference, but further more, my mind has been put at ease.
If you have any questions about Berkey Water Filter, ask away. And if you are interested in getting one for yourself,
728×90 Drink Better Water
Use the code AHS for 5% off the system of your choice!
Sarah says
This seems great! Lately I have been reading so much about the benefits of alkaline water. Do you happen to know if the filtration system increases the pH of the water at all?
Brittany Dixon says
Sorry for the slow response but I wanted to get the right answer! The Berkey system is not designed to alter ph levels. Most contaminants, however, are acidic in nature and by removing them the ph is naturally raised slightly. Typically between .5 and 1. I hope this is helpful!
Nadine says
Does your refrigerator provide filtered water? Do you think the Berkey is much different or better than that?
Brittany Dixon says
Yes our fridge does! We have to replace it every 3 months (well we did). The Berkey provides a higher quality of filtration (filters out more things while leaving the good minerals). They are a lot of different filters that filter out different things (like our whole house filtration system is really mostly a water softener, which is great, but I was after a deeper filtration for drinking water). I hope that helps!
brittney says
I’m SO interested! I’ve looked into different systems for awhile. Stupid question- the filters need to be replaced every 3,000 gallons not the actual system correct? Have you ever had a brita? How does it compare if so? Thanks for this post
Brittany Dixon says
Not a stupid question at all! Yes, just new filters are needed, not a new system. I had a Brita years ago and my understanding is that the Berkey is just a higher quality filter that filters out more than a Brita does. I haven’t looked up the Brita filter, but I’m sure you could do a side by side comparison, especially if there is something specific you are looking for (heavy metals, fluoride, etc). I hope that helps!
Catherine says
That is wonderful you bought a Berkey! We have had our for severals years and have bought one for our son. The contaminants it filters out of the water is remarkable. Lots of our neighbors have Berkey’s also. We use the water literally for everything, cooking, drinking, beverages, making Kombucha, etc. I make 2 gallons of Kombucha every two weeks so our Berkey gets a workout. We have the same size you do and it handles our household and all the company we get. We keep a 2 gallon glass dispenser with a serving spout on our kitchen counter filled with fresh Berkey water. This allows us to keep the Berkey going with filtering water and you don’t have the “wonder how much water is in the Berkey?”
Plus, it cuts down on all the plastic bottles of water!
Kerry says
Hi! Just wondering where your stainless steel cups are from?
Brittany Dixon says
I ordered them with my Berkey filter- look under accessories on their site 🙂
Layne Hellman says
Does this filter out the good minerals and. Nutrients too?
Brittany Dixon says
No it doesn’t! That’s why it’s different from RO water. Here’s a great detailed article on the topic: https://ecobluelife.com/berkey-purification-vs-reverse-osmosis-vs-distillation/
Wayland says
We have salty taste in our water from water softener. Will your filter remove the salt?
Brittany Dixon says
This is what they say on the Berkey site: The Black Berkey™ purification elements are designed to remove heavy metals, but will not remove mineral salts, which are added by a water softener. The salt in softened water has the tendency to clog the pores of the BlackBerkey™ element. You can use one of our purification systems on a regular basis by bypassing your water softener to get your drinking water. Most water softeners have a bypass valve or way to get water before it passes through your softener. Therefore, we highly recommend that you obtain pre-softened water directly from the source rather than run softened water through your Black Berkey™ Elements.
Alyssa says
Hi I just bought a Berkey, we have softened well water and I saw that we aren’t supposed to use softened water in the Berkey… Do u use the softened water from your sink or do you fill it from a u softened spigot outside? It’s a lot more work than I had imagined to have to haul this thing outside to fill it every time 😱 if you use your softened water have you noticed any difference in length of life of your filters? Thanks for your help
Alyssa
Brittany Dixon says
Hi Alyssa! Softened well water will wear harder on your filters, making you need to change them more often. We’ve replaced our filters about once a year and clean them more often, but it still has worked well for us!