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
Pin it for later
I have had a Berkey for about a year. I bought a camper and hate bringing a ton of bottled water. Campground water smells terrible, so I never drank it. I had a friend who recommended the Berkey for home use. I purchased a smaller one and just bring it camping. I never run out of water and it tastes so clean. I also started with sourdough in the last year and of course it is perfect for that. My parents actually made me a stand for it recently so it doesn’t have to sit at the edge of the counter anymore.
How do you go about testing your water supply to know if you need something like the Berkey? And do you have any resources on what’s in the water and why it’s bad? Just starting to look into this and don’t know where to begin.
There are water quality testing kits on Amazon and you can also work with a water company to test your water. If you’re on a city water source, then you should be filtering your water because they have a lot of added chemicals in them already.
Hello Lisa. I hope you are able to respond. I purchased my Travel Berkey in 2020 and enjoyed it immensely, however, they are apparently having issues with the EPA regarding the black filters…. Now I can’t seem to located any. I have spoken in length with several reps but have made zero progress. I am still unable to get replacements. Do you have any recommendations? Thank you so much for any advice or help. I’m ready to get mine up and working again!
I have not had to replace mine yet. Let me see if I can find a new source to purchase them from.
I was just looking into getting a Berky with our tax refund but see they are currently not for sale due to their lawsuit with the EPA. Do you have any other recommendations?
I still use my Berkey!
Hi there, what size of Berkey is in the picture? Trying to decide if I need the Royal or Imperial at the moment. Thanks for your review!
I have the Royal!
Hi! I was wondering about the necessity of filtering well water. Our house is on a well and we live very fairly far from the city, we aren’t even in any city limits. The well obviously has a filter on it and our fridge, where we usually drink water from anyway, has a water filter. Do you see any benefit in filtering it yet again with the Berkey?
If you feel confident in your well water, I wouldn’t worry too much about filtering it. Some wells can still test for harsh chemicals and too hard of minerals. Just keep in mind that your fridge filter isn’t really filtering out anything that could be toxic for you like a Berkey would.
Who do you now order your filters from?
There’s still several places online that are selling Berkey filters. I haven’t had to order any new filters yet.
I have recently noticed your Berkey is gone and faucet water being used, did you switch to a whole house filter, if so, which did you go with?
I have not. We just have really good well water so we’ve just been using that for cooking and baking. The Berkey is in the pantry.
Hey Lisa, Where did your Berkey water filter go. I haven’t seen you use it in awhile.
She has it in her walk in pantry now.