Brita Vs Berkey Water Filters For The Home

Proper water filtration is important. You want to make sure that your family’s drinking water is safe and free of contaminants, 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!

Brita Vs Berkey Water Filters

There are a variety of popular water filter systems that can both 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

Berkey water filters are among the higher-end countertop water filters. Berkey offers water filtration systems in a variety of 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 and wait for it to run through the filters and fill the lower chamber. You can then pour water from the lower chamber using the spigot.  

Pros And Cons 

Berkey water filters are larger than other types of 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 centimeters tall with a 22-litre capacity.

Berkey water filters come in stainless steel or white stoneware. Either option is simple, elegant, and is sure to complement any kitchen.

Two Black Berkey water filter rods can be used to purify up to 22,000 litres of water and come with a two-year warranty. 

While Black Berkey water filters remove a wide variety of 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 that shows what water contaminants have been detected where.

Berkey water filters are considered high end for a reason: high quality, and 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 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 below 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 filter out hundreds of contaminants from your 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 a variety of sizes and styles. Their Black Berkey water filtration rods can filter up to 22,000 litres of water and last for 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. 

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Brita Water Filters

Brita is a popular name in water filters and is a favourite for many consumers. Brita offers water filter jugs in a wide variety of styles, sizes, and colours. They also offer filtering water bottles in plastic and 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 down through the filter for about 10 to 15 minutes before filling the bottom reservoir portion of the water jug with clean, filtered water.  

All of 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. 

Pros And Cons

The Brita Longlast water filter removes lead, mercury, cadmium, benzene, asbestos, Class I particulates, and the taste and odour of chlorine. 

Brita has been in business since 1966 and is certified by the Water Quality Association.  

Depending on which product you use, a Brita water purifier can replace anywhere from 1,800 to 3,600 plastic water bottles per year.  

Given that Brita water filters use simple gravity filtration methods, they tend to fall within a lower price range than other, more complex units

On the down side, Brita filters use gravity to filter out contaminants, and this process can take around 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 a variety of styles, sizes, and colours. Though they aren’t the largest filter jugs on the market, they are a popular, cheap option to filter your drinking water.  

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Brita Vs Berkey Water Filters: Factors To Consider 

While Brita and Berkey water filters are both well-known and well-reviewed, there are many important differences between the two products. 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 thinking about the price of your water filter, you must decide whether you would prefer to pay more up front 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 the taste and odour of chlorine.

Lifespan And Replacement Costs 

As previously mentioned, Berkey water filter units are extremely long-lasting, with Black Berkey filters that can last for 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.  

• Berkey

  Brita

• Price

  Expensive

  Cheap

• Size / Capacity

  Large

  Small

• Styles and Colours

  Variety

  Variety

• Gravity-fed

  Gravity-fed

• 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.

• 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

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Should I Buy A Berkey Or A Brita? 

If you’re looking for a smaller water filter system with lower up-front costs, a Brita filter might be the way to go. 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, if you’re looking to make a more substantial investment in a larger-capacity water filter system with more advanced filtration capabilities and a longer lifespan, a Berkey water filter may be just what you need.  

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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 first consider your specific needs so you can be certain you choose the right filter for your budget and your health.