I get a ton of questions about the big silver thing sitting on my counter. Today I am finally going to share all the ins and outs in this Berkey water filter review.
This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you.
The Big Silver Thing on my counter
Ever since I started sharing videos in my kitchen on my Youtube channel, people have been asking me about the big silver thing sitting out on my countertop.
“What the heck is that thing?!”
I mean, its kind of hard to miss.
I move it for some beauty shots on my Instagram page, but 99.9% of the time, this is the real look of our farmhouse kitchen. Pretty farm sink, ticking stripe curtain, white quartz counters and a big old eyesore of a stainless steel Berkey.
But, read on to find out why there is no way I’m moving it off our countertops anytime soon. ie. EVER.
Berkey water filter review video
Is the berkey worth the valuable coutertop real estate
When we were shopping water filter systems, seven + years ago, I had just had my second baby. I was in obsessive research mode about all things health and wellness. I had two tiny humans who depended on me to take care of them, and I didn’t want to mess it up.
It didn’t take long for me to find out that the public water we were consuming was the furthest thing from anything you would want to put in your body. And, being water-drinking health nuts, we were throwing back A LOT of it.
I quickly found out there were a million different filtration options…reverse osmosis, refrigerator pitcher systems, under counter systems..the list goes on.
I was concerned about drinking water loaded with chlorine, lead, arsenic, viruses and bacteria.
Our local water has so much chlorine that it actually smells like pool water, especially now that I am so used to drinking it from the Berkey.
We decided on the Berkey water filter for three main reasons, and we have been loving it ever since!
The three deciding factors for choosing a berkey water filter
- Price- I didn’t want to have to replace filters every few months. Some of the systems were a little cheaper up front, but they required changing out the filters ever few months. Examples are the Brita water filter. Berkey did some math and posted the cost per gallon on their website. This is what they found. The Berkey filter cost per gallon is approximately 1.6 cents. Most of the other major brands averaged between 6 and 8 cents. That’s quite a cost savings when you drink a lot of water over the course of ten years!
- Filter quality- The number one reason we even decided to look into water filters was because the city water we were drinking before was full of junk no human should put in their body. The Berkey met all the requirements, and then some. Unlike other systems, it even filters out viruses and bacteria. You could literally filter pond water through it and still drink it! That impressed me.
- Testing- The Berkey system allows you to test the filters to be sure they are working properly. (I explain the test in the FAQ below) One time my second daughter knocked the whole system off the counter. I was advised to run the “red food dye test” to be sure they didn’t have any hairline fractures that would compromise the filters. I love that this is a possibility with the Berkey. With other filter son the market, you just have to hope that they are filtering properly and it’s hard to know when they have outlived their functionality.
Another thing I love about the Berkey, that can’t be said of most of the other brands, is it doesn’t remove beneficial minerals. Its gets out the bad but leaves the good.
Some FAQ about our Berkey water filter system
How do you do the food dye test with the Berkey water filter?
- Remove the top portion of the stainless steel system, leaving the black filters securely screwed in.
- Place the bottom tip of each filter into a glass jar.
- Add eight cups of water and 10 drops of food coloring to the top basin and give it a little stir.
- Watch the water come out completely clear into the glass jars below.
If the water in the jars has any tint to it, its time to replace those filters!
This is one of the reasons I decided to purchase the Berkey in the first place. With other filter models, how are you supposed to know if the filters are still doing their job?
With the Berkey I can be confident that my water is still being filtered completely for me and my family.
I wrote an entire post on how to do a Berkey red dye test. There is also a vide to show it in action!
What does the Berkey filter out?
According to the Berkey website, Berkeys filter out over 99.99% chlorine, over 99.99% bacteria and viruses, lead, VOC’s, THM’s, lindane, benzene and atrizine.
Does the Berkey remove lead?
Yes, it does! It removes over 96% of the lead in water.
How often do you need to change Berkey filters?
Each black filter will last for 3,000 gallons. Each system can house up to four filters. We have 2 on ours, so that gives a total lifetime filtration amount of 6,000 gallons. We estimate that our filters will last a little over four years.
Learn how to set up a Berkey water filter with my post and video HERE.
How do you clean a Berkey water filter?
First remove all the water from the Berkey system. Next, remove the filter by unscrewing the wing nut that holds it in place. Scrub it down with a scotch brite pad under cold running water.
I have a whole post and video on how to clean a Berkey water filter. You can find that HERE.
Does the Berkey remove fluoride?
It does if you have the optional additional PF-2 elements. We have opted to include these with our Berkey, because of the damage that fluoride can do to gut health.
How often do you change the water in a Berkey water filter?
We use all the water in the Berkey daily, and then refill. To get the last bit of the water out before refilling, we tilt the system toward the spout.
“Mom, will you tip it?!” is a common thing to hear our kiddos yelling around here. Time to refill the Berkey!
Shop the Berkey water filter that we have HERE.
Berkey is running a bundle sale right now, where you can get some accessories free! Find that here: Berkey Bundle Sale
Do you have a Berkey water filter? Do you love it? Let me know in the comments below!
Thank you so much for stopping by the farmhouse!
Learn more about the Berkey water filter
How to Setup a Berkey Water Filter
How to do a Berkey Red Dye Test
How to get a Berkey Water Filter for a Deal
How To Clean A Berkey Water Filter
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Annie says
This is probably a dumb question but does the water come out room temperature? We have a Brita because we like our drinking water to be cold.
Lisa says
It does, but you can fill glass jars and put them in the refrigerator. Way cheaper than Brita in the long run!
Jen Jamieson says
Hi there! What about alkaline?
Cassandra says
We have had a Berkey for a few months now and love it!
Karen says
We’ve been using the Berkey filter for just over 10 years with the fluoride filters. We LOVE it! We also can smell the chlorine in tap water everywhere. We usually take it with us on vacation as well, but didn’t this last time and the well water they have is hard enough to shower in, never mind drink…
Also, my niece uses a brita, and whether it’s the lack of filtration, or not replacing often enough, it always smells chlorinated.
Berkey is definitely the best choice for water filters in my opinion!
Rhonda says
What percent of nitrates does it remove? Big issue where we live.
Christine says
I’m wondering the same. We have the same issue!
Michelle says
This has been on my mind lately and has been under discussion in my home as we want to end the plastic bottles in our lives and home. This system is too large for our tiny apt kitchen but I appreciate being educated a bit more about options. It’s actually doable if I just set it in our tiny dining area. Hmmm!
Allison says
Hi Lisa! I just wanted to thank you for your blog and videos. I am 48, have six kids ages 23-13 and have been home schooling 21 years. I have been burned out for several years because of the responsibility I have felt trying to teach and raise godly children. I used to love to learn. I sewed, prepared fermented foods, made everything from scratch, used all natural cleaning and hygiene products, etc. I began to compromise because I was so tired. Watching your videos has given me such a boost! For the past month I have watched and read all of your posts. They have inspired me to return to what I know to be best for our family and what I love to do! I’m enjoying myself and I have such enthusiasm for cooking healthy whole foods and natural home making.
I have two questions:
1.
Allison says
Hi Lisa! I just wanted to thank you for your blog and videos. I am 48, have six kids ages 23-13 and have been home schooling 21 years. I have been burned out for several years because of the responsibility I have felt trying to teach and raise godly children. I used to love to learn. I sewed, prepared fermented foods, made everything from scratch, used all natural cleaning and hygiene products, etc. I began to compromise because I was so tired. Watching your videos has given me such a boost! For the past month I have watched and read all of your posts. They have inspired me to return to what I know to be best for our family and what I love to do! I’m enjoying myself and I have such enthusiasm for cooking healthy whole foods and natural home making.
I have three questions:
1. What philosophy/ method do you follow in your home schooling?
2. Are you familiar with Charlotte Mason?
3. Are you familiar with homeopathy?
Homeopathy has changed our lives!! I also use herbs, and oils, but my daughter reacted to the mmr vaccine and that’s how I discovered homeopathy.
Thanks again,
Allison O.
Lisa says
Hey Allison! First of all, I am sooo happy I have encouraged you to get back into some of the things you love! I totally understand getting burned out for a while and thats ok too. Its all about balance. As far the questions, I looove the idea/philosophy of Charlotte Mason. In fact, I read her enormous books when my oldest was 3 (you know, back when I still had time to read). Last ear we even purchased the entire Simply Charlotte Mason Curriculum. I love it, but its a lot for us. The problem for me, is I truly believe kids will learn everything they need to learn in the right environment. I know, for me, everything I learned in life that has been useful I learned because I had an interest and cought to learn it. All that to say, i don’t get too caught up with making sure we follow a curriculum to a tee. I have heard of homeopathy and thats about the extent of it. I went to a chiropractor once who did it (put some drops in my mouth) and told me all kinds of things were wrong with me. I guess I should look into it more! It sounds very interesting, just not something I have explored very much yet. Thank you so much for following along with my blog. It is truly so amazing to find like minded individuals!
Judith says
Why have I stopped getting your emails?
Judith says
Why have I stopped getting your emails?I SIgnef up again and again. Used to get them regularly, then they stopped xx resigned up xx same thing.
Lisa says
Oh no! I will try to add you again and see if that helps.
Kathy A says
We LOVE our Berkey – so worth the counter space!!! Our city water has tons of chlorine too which I’m sensitive to. Also have 2 filters & fluoride filters.
Lisa says
Yes! Our city has so much chlorine too. The berkey smells and tastes amazing. 🙂
Brandi says
Hi, we have had berkey for two years and love the clean healthy water. However, i have changed the filters three times in two years because the water literally takes two days to filter a gallon of water. Have contacted berkey about the problem and was told to do the dye test. I did. It filters out the dye but still takes days to run through the top water. Sometimes it never filters the entire top tank. I scrub the filters and prime weekly but works well for one filtering and then goes super slooooowwwww there after. Just wondering, do you ever experience super slow filtering. We still love our berkey but it is a lot of work to keep us in water everyday.
Love your blog 🙂
Lisa says
I wonder if it has something to do with your water. I would say maybe its hard water, but ours is super hard and we don’t have that issue. I’m surprised Berkey can’t figure it out. Certainly someone else has had the same problem. Sounds like you’re doing everything right, bu doing the tests and cleaning the filters. Baffling!
Jenessa says
Hey! So we just purchased our Big Berkey and it tastes a little fishy! I’m so bummed! Any advice on this??
Justina says
Super late to the game but this is exactly what happens to us as well! We had berkey send us new filters as our system isn’t even a year old yet and our filters just stopped. We got a new pair last month and already, our water isn’t filtering. We have tried literally everything and have been in communication with berkey throughout it all but they can’t seem to figure it out either. Frustrating because we love our berkey water.
movzio.com says
WOW just what I was searching for. Came here by searching for wedding cakes
Anna says
Hi! I see you have the Big berkey. Do you like that size or do you sometimes wish you had a larger size? Is it important to use all the water in it daily before refilling? Id also like to use it for cooking/the dog and keep extra in thr fridge
Lisa says
I wouldn’t want it any larger. We just keep it full throughout the day. 🙂
Audrey says
When I click the link in your video, it says you have the Royal Berkey (not the Big Berkey as mentioned in this comment). Can you clarify which model you have? Big Berkey is 2.25gal, Royal Berkey is 3.25gal. Thanks!
Lisa says
We have the Royal. Sorry about that oversight! I think they are currently all sold out. 🙁
David says
Great review about Berkey water filter. Thank you!
Lisa says
You are quite welcome!
Katie says
What size does your family have?
Thank you 🙂
Debi says
I’ve had the Big Berkey for about 6 months now and posted an instagram picture of it on my counter a little while back! So worth the investment & assurance of cleaner healthier water!
I enjoy your You Tube videos and love how your new farmhouse is coming along!
Lisa says
Thanks!!
Mike says
So many helpful tips here. Thanks for sharing about the Big Berkely and other water filters.
Lisa says
Hi Mike,
You’re welcome! 🙂
Elvis M. Ives says
This is such a nice review. Thanks for sharing this.
Catherine says
Does your system filter out micro plastics?
Jackie says
Hi Jackie –
I think this article will answer you question:
https://www.bigberkeywaterfilters.com/blog/microplastics/can-berkey-remove-microplastics-from-water/
John says
I just received my first Burkey system with two black filters. I primed filters installed filters and plugs and filtered 2 gallons of water Xs2. Then performed the red dye test—big fail. I’m going to test them individually to check specificity however my question is have u ever received a damaged filter- possibly in transit. Truly I’m bummed, I’ve been looking forward to fresh clean water. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance. John
Alex says
Do you use your Berkey water filter for baby formula?
Lisa says
I have never used formula, but the Berkey filter is perfect for that.
Lori S says
Hello, I see there are four filters used in the video. Two are in my with the initial purchase. Is four or two filters needed?
Thank you for the information video.
Lori~
Betty Jo Ferry says
Hi! I just purchased a Berkey and love it! So much easier than a Zero water purifier. I wish I would have watched your videos before trying to set mine up. The instructions should note your blog and videos!!! Thank you for sharing your experiences!
Amy says
This is the most in-depth post on the Berkey walter filter system that I’ve seen. Well done, Lisa!
Patricia Theod says
Can a Berky that I plan on taking to a friend’s vacation cabin (that we use a few times a year) be left there for occasional use?
Lisa says
Yes, I would just empty before I left each time.
Stephanie Oldham says
Hi Lisa,
We’re a family of 7. What size would you purchase if you had it to do over again?
Emily says
What size berkey do you have?
Lisa says
Royal
Amanda Hoover says
Hello! Do you still recommend the berkey water filter. I no longer see it on your counters and I see they have a lawsuit against them do to their filters leaching.
Lisa says
I do still use it, but moved it to the pantry.