*UPDATED 1/22/2024*
It’s been about three years now that we’ve owned our Travel Berkey Water Filter and I still to this day couldn’t be happier with my purchase. Seriously, the best thing we’ve ever done! For ages I complained about the various water filters we had…pitchers, the ones you hook onto your kitchen faucet – we did it all, you guys! I eventually thought about just driving to a local spring and filling up a ton of glass bottles. But c’mon…I ain’t got time for that! Especially since the local spring was almost an hour away, LOL. Nope. So, we finally bit the bullet and bought a Berkey! But why a Berkey you ask? Well, first off, let’s chat about…
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WHY IS FILTERED WATER SO CRUCIAL?
We’ve always been told we need to drink X amounts/cups of water..but have we thought about the quality of the water we’re drinking? Everyone should consider the impact that water filtration will have on their health. If you don’t filter your water, your body has to do the hard work of detoxifying all of those contaminants! Filtered water not only supports proper cell and organ function, healthy, glowing (happy skin), and digestive system…but it’s essential to our living. I mean, duh, right? True story: I struggle with drinking water something fierce, I won’t lie, but let me tell you – it is so much easier knowing that what I’m drinking is aiding in my body functioning optimally.
You know what they say….don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater! (Don’t worry, I’m not throwing the babies anywhere…it’s an idiomatic expression for an avoidable error in which something good is eliminated when trying to get rid of something bad, or in other words, rejecting the essential along with the inessential. *LOL*) The inessentials are the nasties that come with tap water, heck even bottled water (don’t even think about (plastic) bottled water..that’s a whole other topic!)…such as chlorine, fluoride, heavy metals, pesticide residue, and other gross stuff…I mean even prescription drugs, you guys! YUCK. But, some water filtration systems are also discarding the essentials! Essentials such as beneficial mineral deposits our body needs!
“Some of the methods to filter water remove all the beneficial minerals from the water making the water an acidic “hypotonic” solution.”
WHY I BOUGHT A BERKEY
[Update 1/22/2024: I am leaving this info here, pretty much unchanged, just for referencing! But keep in mind Berkey as a whole is no longer a company – please see below’s updated info for a new option and more information on that!]
If you’re looking for something easy, cost-effective, and accessible, THE best countertop water purifier (in my opinion) is the Travel Berkey Filter. Besides the incredible technology Berkey utilizes that was developed, refined, and proven through years of investigative research and testing performed by leading specialists, researchers, and engineers*…let’s look at the other great reasons why it’s highly recommended by me, as well as many others!
1. Berkey’s are effective at filtering and therefore the result is tasty water.
The whole reason why you want a water filter is to get contaminants out and have pure and great-tasting water, right? Well, voila! The Berkey systems include a set of “black” carbon filters, as well as the option to filter out fluoride (we did this!) with their PF-2 filter. Their filters are guaranteed to remove:
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- 100% pathogenic bacteria, parasites, and cysts
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- 99.9% of viruses
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- 99.9% volatile organic compounds
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- 99.9% trihalomethanes (like chloroform)
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- 99.9% inorganic minerals (like chlorine)
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- 95% heavy metals (lead, mercury, cadmium, copper)
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- 95% fluoride removal (with the fluoride attachment filters.) *exact reduction percentage may vary depending on the water source.
2. The filters can be cleaned and last a long time.
Each “black” carbon filter lasts for 3,000 gallons and can be cleaned up to 100 times (I clean mine every 6 months, which is recommended on the Berkey site. It only takes a couple of minutes in the sink).
3. The countertop design makes them portable and easy to use. If you don’t have a permanent living situation the Berkey is a flexible, portable solution to water filtration. It sits on the countertop instead of being plumbed in, which can be a big commitment if you are on the move.
4. The Berkey Filters are extremely cost-effective! About 1.6 cents per gallon!
Something to consider is if you need their PF-2 filter, which removes fluoride. Some people are fortunate enough to be on well water, so you can purchase a model without this filter. However, if you’re on municipal water (as I am) that is fluoridated, this would be a (necessary) option for you.
Berkey‘s systems are available in a variety of sizes, from 1.5 – 6 gallons. I’ve listed them below from largest to smallest:
- Crown Berkey (6 gallons)
- Imperial Berkey (4.5 gallons)
- Royal Berkey (3 gallons)
- Big Berkey (2.25 gallons)
- Travel Berkey (1.5 gallons)
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BIG UPDATE 1/22/2024: What happened to Berkey?
Some of you have heard and some of you may not, but basically due to expanded COVID-era regulations, the EPA recently wielded its newfound authority (big eye roll) to categorize Berkey black filters as pesticides. This decision resulted in Berkey having to stop selling these filters, even though they are composed of the same natural materials they have always used, without any harmful substances. Notably, no similar device has ever been classified as a pesticide before, and the filters DO NOT meet the definition of a pesticide. (Again, big eye roll!)
As Berkey stated:
Berkey’s filters are not “substances or mixtures of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling, or mitigating any pest”, as FIFRA defines pesticides. Rather, they mechanically remove contaminants through a tortuous maze of micropores, absorption and ionic adsorption.
The EPA’s decision to label these filters as pesticides required Berkey to undergo a time-consuming and costly registration process to continue selling them. While there are other gravity water filters on the market, the EPA specifically targeted Berkey, preventing them from selling their product since May. The EPA has even pursued smaller retailers selling Berkey (gravity filter) products…so ridiculous.
In essence, the EPA’s stance boils down to a demand: either pay to register the filters as pesticides or forfeit the ability to sell them. (Are you joking me!? Extortion at its finest!)
Berkey even came out with a statement on it all HERE, but of course, the EPA doesn’t care about any of it.
Despite the EPA’s classification, it is important to emphasize that there are ZERO harmful substances in Berkey filters, and they have not been treated with pesticides. Surprise surprise, the EPA is stretching the legal definition of a pesticide to fit its agenda.
So, what’s next then you may be asking? You might have a Berkey unit and need to replace your filters soon…how will that work?
I have some good news for ya! There is a new filter available! It’s now sold under a different name and by a new company (the same company Berkey used to be, just a different name): Boroux! Don’t worry though, it will function the exact same way as the Berkey black filters! Yay! You can check them out HERE and read some FAQs HERE!
So for now, this is what’s available and I know Boroux is going to be working hard on creating more products and accessories down the line! Be sure to give them a follow on IG and check their website out!
How pure is your drinking water? Do you have a Berkey unit or use any other water filters? Is a fresh spring, or well water accessible to you? If so, how does it compare to filtered water at home?
Will you be purchasing the new Boroux filters? If you do, be sure to use my code: HULLOSAM to save $$!
Let me know in the comments below!
Bottoms up!
xo
This post contains affiliate links, which means that I receive a percentage of commission if any products are purchased through my links. As always, these are companies I have used personally, believe in and support. Also, thank you for supporting me, hullosam through your purchases. :)
Song: Dirt by Loyal Lobos
Lois says
SO good!! Very informative.
Megan says
The Berkey15 code you mention on your promo page doesn’t work and I want a Berkey! Do you have an updated code? THANKS!
hullosam says
That is expired, please refresh the codes + promo page and it will be there updated. Thanks!
We have a Berkey system and can’t live without it! Water has never tasted so fresh :)
Right!? So good!
did you replace the spigot? love it with the silver!
I did! We have the silver spigot and love it!!
We have a Berkey system and can’t survive without it! Water has never tasted so crisp :)