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For years, Berkey Filters has been a trusted water filtration choice for myself and for hundreds of thousands of households. Nevertheless, latest circumstances have modified issues. Is Berkey nonetheless an choice? And if not, what options are there for making certain secure, clear consuming water in your house? Learn on to search out out.
My household has been dwelling off-grid since 2017. We harvest rainwater from the roof and retailer it in a buried concrete cistern. This water is then pumped into the home, passing via a 2-stage particulate filter. It’s then saved in a strain tank the place it could then stream to fixtures all through the home.
The particulate filter is ok for getting out the effective filth and particles, however at 20 microns they simply aren’t as much as filtering out the issues that may make you sick, like micro organism and viruses from chook droppings and the like.
We knew that we would have liked one thing extra sturdy to filter our consuming water however didn’t need the facility utilization or potential water waste of a reverse osmosis or UV mild system. We wanted one thing confirmed to take away the nasties with out utilizing energy within the course of.
Enter the Berkey Filter.
I did a ton of analysis on every kind of dwelling countertop gravity water filters. Initially, I didn’t need to spend the cash as a result of we had simply completed constructing our dwelling and have been fairly nicely tapped out. However finally, I broke down and bought a Large Berkey within the spring of 2018. You may examine our full expertise on this publish.
We’ve beloved the expertise of getting a Berkey. The water tastes wonderful and has been completely secure to drink. In reality, the one time my husband by chance drank our sink water he ended up horribly sick for 2 days. Yikes.
With our Berkey, we’ve had dependable, clear water at a fraction of the value and waste of different filter or bottled water choices. I beloved it a lot I began recommending them to family and friends, after which to readers of this weblog. Issues have been going nicely!
After which, I began noticing a whole lot of Berkey objects beginning to be Out of Inventory and staying that means. I contacted the Berkey distributor I’d bought from to ask what was happening. They mentioned they have been having provide points and have been advised they need to be resolved in a matter of months. That didn’t find yourself being the case, sadly.
The EPA vs. Berkey
The US Environmental Safety Company (EPA) issued a Cease Sale order to James Enterprises, Inc. (JEI), the most important US distributor at the moment of Berkey Water Filters by New Millenium Ideas, Ltd. (NMCL). The same Cease Sale was issued to Berkey Worldwide LLC . This Cease Sale order associated particularly to the character of the black filter components.
Water filters ensuring public well being claims, like the power to filter out microorganisms, are regulated underneath the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). Berkey merchandise made particular microbiological claims, which was really one of many causes I turned so eager about them within the first place given our cistern water.
In response to the EPA, these claims meant that Berkey filters needs to be categorized as a pesticide and issued a Cease Sale till they may rectify the state of affairs.
This was on the tail finish of 2022, and since then the state of affairs has not been rectified. In reality, NMCL filed an Utility for Momentary Restraining Order and Preliminary Injunction towards the EPA in response. Berkey Worldwide LLC filed a really related go well with with the identical legislation agency in the USA Federal Court docket District of Puerto Rico.
So what now?
Even when Berkey settles with the EPA and makes their filters completely compliant with what they’re asking for, it has change into abundantly clear to me that of us have to maintain their choices open.
I do know that I personally have had a terrific expertise with our Berkey filters for the previous 5+ years, however they don’t seem to be a panacea. I’ve all the time been a bit irked by their unwillingness to acquire NSF/ANSI certification, in addition to their declare that promoting in California and Iowa can be a cost-prohibitive purple tape.
I’m not going to get into the nitty-gritty of what I imagine is at play right here, as there’s a LOT of nuance and it’s simple for most of the people to make snap judgments about authorities oversight or company greed. I need to keep away from black-and-white pondering right here. Furthermore, I don’t need to inform you precisely what you must suppose.
What I AM going to do is present you some options to Berkey filters to contemplate on your dwelling. In any case, relying solely on one supply for something with out some sort of backup leaves you unprepared.
A number of the hyperlinks I exploit are affiliate hyperlinks, however some should not. I all the time advocate for getting straight from the producer each time potential, and a few of them don’t have affiliate applications. Whereas it’s good to make a small fee from an affiliate buy, it isn’t the end-all-be-all for me. I’d moderately you may have entry to the perfect shopping for choices and if I occur to generate income, nice. But when not, that’s okay too. My purpose is to serve you.
So with out additional ado, let’s discover among the finest water filter options!
Past Berkey: The Greatest Residence Water Filter Choices
For the needs of this publish, I’m going to be specializing in 4 essential options which can be essentially the most just like Berkey. I can’t be specializing in reverse osmosis programs, mechanical programs, or filters that combine along with your plumbing. Are there extra Berkey options on the market? Positive. However these are the 4 that, in my estimation, are the perfect and highest high quality options for folk who have been drawn to Berkey filters within the first place.
BOROUX basis. Water Filters
Within the years main as much as the Berkey debacle, I had been an affiliate with BerkeyFilters.com (JEI). They’re the parents I had initially bought our unit from, and I had such a beautiful customer support expertise that changing into an affiliate for them was a no brainer.
Sadly, as one of many largest distributors of Berkey Filters within the US, they have been the primary to shut their Berkey operations. However they have been in a position to make an essential pivot as an alternative of merely closing for good.
Todd Emerson, who began James Enterprise Inc. (JEI) and who operated BerkeyFilters.com, determined to work with Boroux to create their very own filter system.
Boroux had beforehand been recognized for his or her high-quality glass shatter-proof tumblers and stainless-steel cups. We even have 4 of their stainless cups that got here as a part of the bundle deal that they had going after I first bought our Berkey and they’re nonetheless our FAVORITE cups.
Taking some classes from their frustrations with NMCL, Boroux has poured a whole lot of effort into acquiring the correct testing and certifications. They attempt to remain as clear as potential about their strategies and processes, even when they flip off some potential clients alongside the way in which.
I just lately had the chance to check out their new Legacy filter system and wrote an enormous overview on it. You may learn all about it right here.
The truth that they technically can’t say they filter out microorganisms leaves a little bit of uncertainty for me too, since microorganism contaminants are a major concern of mine with our cistern water. With their specs being so related, I’ve a tough time believing they wouldn’t take away them. However I can’t but converse to that have and don’t need to make these claims.
That mentioned, if I had a municipal water supply and wished a high-quality filter, I might purchase this in a heartbeat.
Their new stainless-steel unit has a capability of three gallons, which is correct between the Large Berkey (2.25 gallons) and Royal Berkey (3.25 gallons).
Their black filter components declare TWICE the rated variety of gallons per filter and have specs VERY just like Berkey. They’ll additionally match into all sizes of Berkey in addition to a variety of different main gravity filters, together with Alexapure Professional and the ProOne Large+ and Large II.
Alexapure Professional
Alexapure is a really related stainless-steel gravity filter that’s broadly trusted within the prepper neighborhood. They’ve strong, dependable, unbiased testing knowledge and are proven to have the ability to take away microbiological contaminants. They declare to be “Manufactured from NSF/ANSI customary 61 and California Prop 65 Compliant licensed coconut shell carbon and uncooked supplies” however don’t say outright that your entire filter is licensed, if that is a crucial function for you.
Alexapure solely presents one measurement of filter similar to the Large Berkey at 2.25 gallons, so should you’re searching for a bigger capability filter this one possible isn’t it.
The large factor that held me again from shopping for this specific filter the primary time round is the truth that the filters solely have a rated lifespan of about 200 gallons. And at $80-100+ that may begin to get fairly dear for our household of three, who may use that a lot in 2-3 months. That’s roughly $0.50 per gallon in comparison with $0.02-0.03 for the standard alternative set of Berkey black filters or $0.012 for the newer Boroux filters, which may course of as much as 12,000 gallons per pair.
To equal the capability of two Berkey or Boroux filters that price round $160 per pair, we’d undergo roughly 30 Alexapure filters at an eye-popping complete of $2,500-3,000. That sounds form of loopy to me. (Alexapure homeowners, please chime in if this has not been the case for you!)
Nonetheless although, the Alexapure Professional is a strong alternative for a chrome steel countertop gravity filter with an extended observe document of success within the homesteading and prepping neighborhood and is price consideration.
ProOne Large+ and Traveler+
ProOne (rebranded from Propur in 2021) is one other high-quality stainless-steel gravity filter. Their white filters are examined by an authorized unbiased lab to NSF/ANSI Requirements 42, 53, P231, P401 and P473.
There are a number of upsides to this filter. First, they don’t require any priming (which is nice for these of us who don’t have reliable water to prime with). Second, they don’t must be saved saturated when not in use, which is nice for when you must take prolonged journeys away. Third, they take away fluoride on their very own with out the necessity for secondary fluoride filters, for folk who care about that.
So far as price per gallon, these fare barely higher than Alexapure filters however nonetheless not in addition to Boroux or Berkey. ProOne states to switch these each 6 months or 1000 gallons. At roughly $79 per filter, that works out to $0.079 per gallon.
If You Already Have a Berkey and Want Substitute Filters
In the event you’re like us and you have already got a Berkey of your individual however want viable alternative filters, you may have a number of choices.
One, you’ll be able to really nonetheless order Berkey filters via Acutely aware Water, which relies in Canada. They can ship to the US, so should you’re useless set on solely utilizing Berkey black filter components, that is positively one thing to contemplate. Bear in mind, costs are listed in Canadian {dollars} and can be completely different in USD.
Boroux and ProOne filters listed above each match into the highest chamber of most Berkey filters. Double-check your particular mannequin earlier than you order although, as ProOne presents each 7-inch and 9-inch filters.
Some Berkey suppliers now carry the white tremendous sterasyl filters usually related to British Berkefeld/Doulton. One pair, usually priced round $80, can filter round 1,000 gallons. This works out to $0.08 per gallon, which isn’t too horrible. The tremendous sterasyl filters have a really lengthy observe document of success and are NSF/ANSI Normal 42, 53, and 372 examined and accepted.
A Be aware About Buying Filters on Amazon
First, I warning anybody from shopping for low cost alternative filters on Amazon. Berkey already had points with purported knock-offs on Amazon earlier than the troubles with the EPA. That drawback has ballooned since then.
Whether or not Berkey’s claims themselves are 100% reliable or not, these knock-offs have their very own points. I appeared via many various cheap Berkey alternative filters on Amazon. Most of them claimed to have some sort of NSF/ANSI certification, which on the floor sounds effective however might be exhausting to confirm.
After I began digging via the opinions, most of them mentioned how they’d do issues like go the “purple dye take a look at” at their preliminary set up solely to fail a month or two later. Or about weak spot of the plastic stems that match via the holes between chambers and the way they’d crack and fail inside just a few months.
The saying in our home is, “the costliest device is an inexpensive device,” and that actually appears to be true on this case.
Past that, having filters that fail that rapidly might be harmful should you’re on a water supply the place microbes might be a difficulty, like we’re. Skip a budget options and get one thing from an organization you’ll be able to hint and that has actual testing knowledge.
In the event you’re buying from Amazon, do your finest to ensure the shop you’re purchasing WITHIN Amazon is an official vendor and never a no-name reseller.
For instance, purchase ProOne filters from the ProOne Amazon retailer. Purchase Doulton/British Berkefeld filters from the Doulton Amazon retailer. That is typically follow it doesn’t matter what you’re shopping for on Amazon.
In the event you discover a filter that appears prefer it may do the job and the value is correct, attempt trying to find the title of the model in a separate search tab. Does that firm have a web site? Is there verifiable security and testing knowledge? If not, you may need to go.
Clear water shifting ahead…
I want I might see into the long run and understand how issues have been going to pan out with Berkey and the EPA. The authorized system is gradual and arduous, and even when issues get sorted out, it looks like Berkey could have an uphill battle to reclaim belief within the eyes of many.
I’m not completely certain what choice our household will select the following time we have to change our Berkey, however in researching for this publish I used to be happy to really discover a number of appropriate choices.
If nothing else, my hope is that Berkey’s present troubles immediate extra corporations to innovate and discover high-quality, inexpensive water filtration options that folk of all stripes can entry. Whether or not you reside within the nation with cistern water, like us, otherwise you dwell in a metropolis with lead contamination, clear water is one thing we should always all have entry to.
Supply Supplies
If you need to take a look at the supply materials I utilized in researching this publish, see the references under:
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