Proper water filtration is important. You want to ensure your family’s drinking water is safe and contaminant-free, but you don’t want to break the bank.
And, let’s face it, properly filtered water just tastes better! Use filtered water in your filter coffee machine or kettle for a pot of tea, and taste the difference!
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Brita Vs Berkey Water Filters
There are a variety of popular water filter systems that can meet your drinking water standards and let you stay within your budget. The two we’ll discuss here are Brita vs Berkey water filters. Which one is the best for you?
Berkey Water Filters
The Royal Berkey Water Filter is a gravity-fed water filtration system made from highly polished 304 stainless steel. It is designed to remove a wide range of contaminants from water, including bacteria, viruses, parasites, herbicides, pesticides, VOCs, and heavy metals.
- Capacity: 3.25 gallons
- Ideal for: 2-6 people
- Filtration method: Gravity-fed
- Material: 304 stainless steel
- Filters included: 2 Black Berkey elements
- Size
- Style
- Longevity
- Options and Education
- Price
- Size
Berkey water filters are among the higher-end countertop water filters. Berkey offers water filtration systems in various sizes geared towards home use, travel, and emergencies.
Berkey water filters are free-standing, gravity-fed filtration systems. They consist of two chambers, one on top of the other. Inside the upper chamber are two Black Berkey water filter rods.
To use the system, you pour tap water into the upper chamber, wait for it to run through the filters, and fill the lower chamber. Then, you can pour water from the lower chamber using the spigot.
Pros And Cons
Berkey water filters are larger than other filters, as they are meant to sit on a countertop. This means a greater capacity and less time spent refilling the system. Berkey filters range from 45 centimetres tall with a six-litre capacity to 75 centimetres tall with a 22-litre capacity.
Berkey water filters are available in stainless steel or white stoneware. Either option is simple and elegant and is sure to complement any kitchen.
Two Black Berkey water filter rods can purify up to 22,000 litres of water and come with a two-year warranty.
While Black Berkey water filters remove toxins and contaminants, the White Berkey filters give you additional options. These filtration rods remove fluoride and arsenic from your water. The Berkey website offers plenty of FAQs and an interactive map of the United States showing what water contaminants have been detected.
Berkey water filters are considered high-end for a reason: they are high quality and have a higher price, though exact prices depend on which size you choose.
Size is listed as both a pro and a con of Berkey filters because while Berkey water filters have a larger capacity than many other models, they are fairly large and take up more counter space. Whether the size is a pro or con for you will depend on your available countertop space and kitchen layout.
Berkey Features And Benefits
Some of the consumers’ favourite features of Berkey water filters are:
- Variety of styles and sizes
- Extremely long-lasting filters
- Filtration and removal of over 200 contaminants
The above features give Berkey water filter users the following benefits:
- Many different styles and sizes mean that there’s always a Berkey water filter to match your home’s style and layout.
- The long lifespan of Berkey filters means that you won’t have to worry about replacements for several years.
- Berkey water filters remove hundreds of contaminants from tap water, so you can be sure your water is clean and healthy.
Is The Berkey Water Filter Worth It?
As with any product, the answer to this question depends upon your specific needs. However, Berkey water filters are stylish, high-end water purification systems with long-lasting filters and advanced contaminant filtration, all for only a few hundred dollars. That’s a pretty hard deal to beat!
Berkey Water Filters: Summing Up
To review: Berkey water filters are countertop water purification systems in various sizes and styles. Their Black Berkey water filtration rods can filter up to 22,000 litres of water and last up to two years. They filter out more than 200 common tap water contaminants, with the option of adding additional filters to remove fluoride and arsenic as well.
Brita Water Filters
Brita is a popular water filter name and a favourite for many consumers. Brita offers water filter jugs in various styles, sizes, and colours. They also offer filtering water bottles in plastic, stainless steel, and faucet-mounted filtration systems.
Brita water filters use gravity to filter out contaminants: You fill the top of the pitcher with tap water, which flows through the filter for about 10 to 15 minutes before filling the bottom reservoir portion of the water jug with clean, filtered water.
Brita’s water filtration systems are BPA-free and use ion exchange resin and coconut-based activated carbon to filter out contaminants and heavy metals.
The BRITA Marella fridge water filter jug is a 2.4 liter capacity jug that comes with 6 MAXTRA+ filter cartridges. The filter cartridges are designed to reduce chlorine, limescale and impurities from your tap water, while the jug itself is slim and designed to fit in most refrigerator doors.
- Thorough filtration.
- Reputable company
- Environmentally friendly
- Low cost
- Takes time – up to 15 minutes
- Cartridges need to be replaced frequently
Pros And Cons
The Brita Longlast water filter removes lead, mercury, cadmium, benzene, asbestos, Class I particulates, and chlorine taste and odour.
Brita has been in business since 1966 and is certified by the Water Quality Association.
Depending on your product, a Brita water purifier can replace anywhere from 1,800 to 3,600 plastic water bottles annually.
Since Brita water filters use simple gravity filtration methods, they tend to fall within a lower price range than other, more complex units.
On the downside, Brita filters use gravity to filter out contaminants, which can take 10 to 15 minutes. Also, on average, Brita filter cartridges need to be replaced once a month. However, if your tap water is particularly hard (above 12 degrees of Clarke hardness), you’ll need to replace the filter cartridges more frequently.
Brita Features And Benefits
Some of the best features of Brita water filters are as follows:
- Ergonomic handles
- Many different styles
- Two-month filter lifespan in some filters
- NSF certification in contaminant removal
- Filter replacement reminders
What Benefits Do These Features Give Brita Buyers?
- Ergonomic handles make the pitchers easy to lift and hold when you need to refill
- The filtration water bottles allow you to take your Brita filter with you on the go
- Long-lasting filters translate into lower replacement costs
- An NSF certification means you can feel confident in your water quality
- Filter replacement reminders mean you’ll never be without properly filtered water
Brita Water Filters: Summing Up
Brita water filters come in various styles, sizes, and colours. Though they aren’t the largest filter jugs on the market, they are a popular, cheap option for filtering drinking water.
Brita Vs Berkey Water Filters: Factors To Consider
While Brita and Berkey water filters are well-known and well-reviewed, the two products have many important differences. Before you buy, consider the factors below:
Price
While Berkey water filters are initially much more expensive than Brita filters, they are also much larger and longer-lasting. When considering the price of your water filter, you must decide whether you would prefer to pay more upfront for a larger system or pay more over time for a smaller system with a shorter filter lifespan.
What Contaminants Are Removed?
Berkey water filters remove over 200 tap water contaminants, including viruses, pathogenic bacteria, trihalomethanes, inorganic minerals, and heavy metals. Brita water filters remove, at most, lead, mercury, cadmium, benzene, asbestos, Class I particulates, and chlorine taste and odour.
Lifespan And Replacement Costs
As previously mentioned, Berkey water filter units are extremely long-lasting, with Black Berkey filters lasting up to two years. Brita water filter cartridges need to be replaced roughly once every one to two months, or more frequently, depending on the hardness of your water. This can add up to higher replacement costs over time.
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Berkey
Brita
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Price
Expensive
Cheap
-
Size / Capacity
Large
Small
-
Styles and Colours
Variety
Variety
-
Gravity-fed
Gravity-fed
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Contaminants Removed
Over 200 tap water contaminants, including viruses, pathogenic bacteria, trihalomethanes, inorganic minerals, and heavy metals
Remove, at most, lead, mercury, cadmium, benzene, asbestos, Class I particulates, and the taste and odour of chlorine.
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Filter Cartridges
Long-lasting
To be replaced once or twice a month or more frequently depending on the hardness of your water
-
Other Features
Option of adding additional filters to remove fluoride and arsenic; comes with a 2-year warranty
Ergonomic handle; BPA-free filtration system
Should I Buy A Berkey Or A Brita?
A Brita filter might be the way to go if you’re looking for a smaller water filter system with lower up-front costs. This could also be a good choice if you are fairly confident in your water quality and only need to filter out a few specific contaminants.
However, suppose you’re looking to invest more in a larger-capacity water filter system with more advanced filtration capabilities and a longer lifespan. In that case, a Berkey water filter may be just what you need.
Brita Vs Berkey Water Filters: The Final Word
While Brita and Berkey water filters ostensibly serve the same purpose, the two can’t be compared. Brita filters are smaller, filter out fewer contaminants, and, while initially less expensive, come with more replacement costs. Berkey filters are larger, last longer, and are initially more expensive.
Before making a water filter purchase, you should consider your specific needs to be certain you choose the right filter for your budget and your health.