Is the Big Berkey water filter all it's cracked up to be?

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Is the Big Berkey water filter all it's cracked up to be?

Posted: 1/25/2016 10:28:37 AM EDT

It is mentioned and recommended on all sorts of survival and prepping sites, but I don't know anyone personally with one.

Anyone with actual experience care to share?

Thanks!

Posted: 1/25/2016 12:13:48 PM EDT

[#1]

We have a well that has good water but we still filter the drinking water in a Berkey for 18 years 1000s of galons. After 15 years we dropped one for for the filters and broke it so we are on set 2. It works great helps the taste and the fine sand out. We just got a 2 one as a backup so when we need a lot of water fast.

Posted: 1/25/2016 1:02:38 PM EDT

[#2]

So it's as good as Alex Jones says it is?

Was wondering how well it would work as a whole house filter, and if you're only on the 2nd filter in that long... I'd say it's G2G.

Posted: 1/25/2016 1:37:05 PM EDT

[#3]

GTG. Use on well water for benefit on coffee makers, etc. filters last forever

Posted: 1/25/2016 1:56:54 PM EDT

[#4]

I would not trust them to filter a source that is known to be contaminated.

Posted: 1/25/2016 2:20:56 PM EDT

[#5]

You can save some real $ by just buying the filters, and building your own housing out of 5g buckets or what have you. Right now the Big Berkey is listing at $285 on the web site, filters at $107/pr. You can get about 2.5x the filtering capacity for roughly the same money by putting together your own.

Posted: 1/25/2016 5:47:35 PM EDT

[#6]

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You can save some real $ by just buying the filters, and building your own housing out of 5g buckets or what have you. Right now the Big Berkey is listing at $285 on the web site, filters at $107/pr. You can get about 2.5x the filtering capacity for roughly the same money by putting together your own.

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I was going to say the same thing.

It is dead simple to do, and you can configure it any way you want.

Posted: 1/25/2016 6:08:30 PM EDT

[#7]

GTG

You certainly won't go back to tap water.

Posted: 1/25/2016 6:15:23 PM EDT

[#8]

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I would not trust them to filter a source that is known to be contaminated.

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I would not trust them to filter a source that is known to be contaminated.

What do you have that's better? Still less than $300? Portable?

Big Berkey was by far the best-performing gravity water filter we tested, achieving near-total removal of all toxic elements
When it comes to reliable removal of toxic elements such as lead, cadmium, arsenic and even uranium, Big Berkey is the best performing gravity water filter available on the market today.

http://www.waterfilterlabs.com/Big-Berkey-gravity-water-filter-heavy-metals-lab-results.html

Posted: 1/25/2016 8:42:51 PM EDT

[#9]

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What do you have that's better? Still less than $300? Portable?

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Quoted:
I would not trust them to filter a source that is known to be contaminated.

What do you have that's better? Still less than $300? Portable?

Sawyer and a Katadyn Pocket Filter. Sure as hell would not dump river water in my Berkey and kid myself that I won't be getting sick.

Posted: 1/25/2016 10:38:30 PM EDT

[#10]

The Berkey light that I ordered through Amazon was just delivered tonight. So far after cleaning it, priming the elements, and filtering our well water everyone loves it. I ended up trying the red food coloring test which was pretty cool.

Posted: 1/26/2016 3:51:04 AM EDT

[#11]

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The Berkey light that I ordered through Amazon was just delivered tonight. So far after cleaning it, priming the elements, and filtering our well water everyone loves it. I ended up trying the red food coloring test which was pretty cool.

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so the red dye test worked?

Posted: 1/26/2016 2:37:11 PM EDT

[#12]

Quoted:

Quoted:
The Berkey light that I ordered through Amazon was just delivered tonight. So far after cleaning it, priming the elements, and filtering our well water everyone loves it. I ended up trying the red food coloring test which was pretty cool.

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so the red dye test worked?

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Yes. I can post pictures this evening.

Posted: 1/26/2016 9:48:48 PM EDT

[#13]

Posted: 1/27/2016 2:54:38 AM EDT

[#14]

That is pretty impressive. I have looked at these and a few of the ceramic filters. I would like to have a stash of them just in case.

Posted: 1/27/2016 12:04:49 PM EDT

[#15]

Yes, and Yes again!

we use one Every Day and it does perform as it should....bought years ago-put on shelf...when our well began making us sick, we put it into service and no more sickness. That settled it for me! (much longer story)

I bought my folks one for Christmas this year!

Posted: 1/27/2016 5:50:41 PM EDT

[#16]

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I would not trust them to filter a source that is known to be contaminated.

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Why not? That is within what the filters are designed to handle.

Posted: 1/27/2016 6:21:44 PM EDT

[#17]

Have one, seems to work just fine. not sure what else to say about it?

Posted: 1/28/2016 7:08:49 PM EDT

[#18]

My family of 4 is going on year 3 of filtering 100% of our drinking and cooking water through the big berkey. I am completely satisfied. If you want a real test, make a pot of coffee with the berkey water and then make a pot with tap water. The difference is night and day.

Posted: 1/28/2016 8:37:22 PM EDT

[#19]

where is a good place to buy just the filters? I have my own buckets. Right from the Berkley website?

Posted: 1/28/2016 9:41:45 PM EDT

[#20]

amazon has them, I like to buy from Directive21

Posted: 1/29/2016 9:17:58 AM EDT

[#21]

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Quoted:
My family of 4 is going on year 3 of filtering 100% of our drinking and cooking water through the big berkey. I am completely satisfied. If you want a real test, make a pot of coffee with the berkey water and then make a pot with tap water. The difference is night and day.

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I think the real test would be to make coffee and pour it through the filter

Posted: 2/7/2016 9:39:37 PM EDT

[#22]

Wife and I use one every day. Wouldn't trade it for our old Brita or a faucet filter. No comparison.

Posted: 2/8/2016 8:04:10 AM EDT

[#23]

Over a year on ours. Filter drinking water, coffee pot and humidifier water through it, water source is tap water. Bought it to have in case tap water source became contaminated. Boil water notices are common in our area (NE TN, SW VA). Average 3 gallons per day and still on the same set of filters.

The red dye test was pretty neat

. I wish the manufacturing of the components was on par for the price you pay though... Seems excessively overpriced and wish I would have bought the filters and put together the rest of the components myself.

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I would not trust them to filter a source that is known to be contaminated.

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I'm curious as to why you say this? Do you have lab data showing it to not filter specific sources of water? Someone you know get sick from using one? I have 3 Sawyer Minis for backup as well.

Posted: 2/8/2016 8:13:07 AM EDT

[#24]

On a well with a slight sulfur problem. Bought it at the request of my SO who couldn't stand the taste of our water. Been going just fine for several years of daily use. Still on the same set of filters and still passes the food coloring test. She's happy, so I am happy.