If you’ve ever thought about investing in a water filter, check out my review on the Berkey Water Filter and learn why we now use BOROUX filters.
Clean water is a priority at the farmhouse. It’s important for our health, and, of course, clean water is essential in creating a thriving sourdough starter. (Sourdough is a pretty big deal around here in case you didn’t know!)
Whether you have well water or city water, it’s important to filter your water or find another water source.
And with eleven people in our house, we wouldn’t want to go through that much bottled water.
That’s why we’ve been using our Berkey® water filter (now BOROUX® filters … more on this below) for almost 15 years.
But when I first started looking into water filtration options, I quickly discovered there were an overwhelming amount to choose from — reverse osmosis system, refrigerator pitcher systems, under counter systems, and more.
I did a lot of research, and after 15 years of use, I am still sold on our decision to invest in a Berkey.
You may have noticed, though, that Berkey no longer sells its famous Black Berkey Filters. So, if you are looking for a water filter now, here is a run down of what we use currently and why we love it.
Why are the Black Berkey Water Filters no longer available?
Berkey came under fire from the EPA in 2022. The EPA ordered that the sale and use of the Black Berkey Filters stop because it was not compliant with the federal law FIFRA. This non-compliance was due to claims made by the company and not the product itself. (Learn more about this EPA battle here.)
Due to these issues with the EPA, Berkey no longer sells its Black Berkey Filters, but a different filter system.
However, one of the main distributers of Berkey, JEI, created a new brand, called Boroux. Using the same technology as the Black Berkey filters with improvements and third-party testing, they created the Boroux Foundation Filters. These filters are FIFRA compliant.
So, long story short, we still use our Berkey, but with replacement filters from Boroux.
If you have a Berkey, you can now purchase replacement filters through Boroux. But if you are looking for a whole water system, Boroux offers it all, with beautiful stainless steel chambers.
We have a Royal Berkey, which is comparable to the Boroux Legacy Water Filter System. Both hold around 3 gallons of water. You can also purchase a smaller, more compact gravity-fed water filter from Boroux, that holds about a gallon and a half.
How the Boroux Water Filters Work
The Boroux is a gravity water filter, just like the Berkey.
You simply pour water into the top chamber, and then it trickles down through the filter. The Foundation Black filters remove more than 80 contaminants, including heavy metals, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), pharmaceuticals, plastic and industrial chemicals, and more. For a full list of the contaminants the filter removes, check out the Boroux website here.
It does this all while keeping the good minerals, such as calcium and magnesium, in your water.
Once the water is filtered, it trickles into the lower chamber, where you can use the spigot to get your filtered drinking water.
One note to keep in mind: If you are hoping to get rid of fluoride in your water, you’ll need to add on the fluoride filters, too.
The Pros: Why I Recommend Boroux Filters
Here are the top reasons why I recommend the Boroux Filters.
Price Point – Even though some systems were slightly cheaper up front, many required you to purchase replacement filters every few months. With Boroux, you replace filters about every year. Overall, I felt this was the most cost-effective option for our family. The Boroux filter also comes with a lifetime warranty. And if you are purchasing the whole filter system, you have a 101 day risk free trial to make sure you love it.
Third-party Testing – The filters are tested by third-party labs and are scientifically proven to remove more than 80 contaminants. That means these are test results you can trust, making you confident in your filtered water.
Filter Replacement – Many filtration systems require you to change out filters every few months or even more frequently. For example, pitcher water filters typical require a filter change every month or two. Boroux filters last up to one year before you need to replace them.
Easy to Refill – I simply fill the chamber right in my kitchen sink. It’s so easy!
One of the other features I love about the Boroux is the stainless steel and ceramic spigot. This is a big upgrade from the plastic spigot on the Berkey.
The Cons
Space – Stainless steel countertop water filters do take up precious countertop space. The 3-gallon Boroux stands almost 2 feet tall, and is 9 inches wide. So, make sure to measure the spot you plan to keep it in before purchasing.
Cleaning – You will want to clean the upper chamber and bottom chamber every once in awhile. They recommend once every month. This is typical for gravity-fed filters. Although it does require this maintenance, it is super easy to clean. So, for me, this is not a down side. It takes no time at all to clean the stainless steel compartments. For full instructions on how to clean your Boroux, visit their site here.
FAQs
We never have an issue with not using up the water quickly with 9 kids in the house. However, Boroux recommends using the water within 1 to 3 days, ideally.
The red dye test allows you to test your Boroux filter to make sure it is still working. The Boroux filters come with the red dye test solution so you can verify they are working before you begin. You can also use this test to make sure your filters are still working properly after a few months and do not need replaced.
Here’s how to perform the test: 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.
Yes. According to Boroux’s website, it removes up to 99% of lead.
They recommend switching out filters every 12 months if you have up to two people using it, and every 9 months if you have up to four people.
To remove fluoride from your water, you’ll need to purchase a separate fluoride filter. This additional filter will fit onto a Berkey as well.
Can these Boroux Legacy filters be used in the Big Berkey water filtration system? or do I need to buy the whole system from Boroux?
They can be used in the Berkey!
My filter inserts just gave out, do you have a replacement brand you recommend? Looking and it seems like untrustworthy suggestions are all I can find.
These are what I recommend.
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.