Best deal on a Berkey filter? (my research)

HowToBe

The Living Force
I've gone far too long without dealing with the fluoride issue, but I finally got around to comparing the options and making a decision. After some discussion in the household, we decided that a Berkey gravity-fed water filter seemed like the best option since it requires neither water pressure nor electricity to run, and the filter units have a long life span. After looking around at the various units, we decided what was the minimum unit that would meet our needs, and started looking for deals. Ebay seemed to be the place.

Attached are an image containing a mind-map type chart I made to help me compare the options in terms of price and capacity, and an HTML file containing the exported data from that chart (albeit in an ugly and terse format). The HTML page contains the links to the Ebay products. My suggestion is to use the chart to compare the options, and then do a search on the HTML page to find the link for the product you want to look at (using Ctrl-f or the "find" option in your browser's "Edit" menu).

Each line in the chart with a tiny Earth icon by it (blue and green circle) indicates a link to a product page, so just do a search for the terms that come before that icon.

I will also attach a copy of the mind-map itself, which I made using the XMind free software. That would be the easiest way to follow the links (just click the little Earth icons), but you would have to install that program to view the file.

Here's a summary of my findings for different sized units:

Royal:

number of filters
Capacity:3.25 gallons
Max Flow Rate:4 gallons/hour
 
Hi HowToBe,

I've used a Berkey system for over 5 years now. The (food grade) plastic model. I have black charcoal filters and ceramic ones. Ceramic in case the source water gets real muddy and contaminated. Charcoal filters will clog.

I also have fluoride filters but found out my town's water system omits fluoridation. Many towns in northern NJ do not put fluoride in their water system. But that may change.

Best investment I've ever made. I would be cautious about buying a used unit. And I would insist on fresh filters -- direct from manufacturer or from authorized dealers only.

While most tend to focus on food storage, clean water is actually far more critical in an emergency.
 
I have a Berkey filter and have written to naturalness.com requesting the link for the article where he testing several gravity fed filters for heavy metal filtering and the Berkey came out on top. As soon as he responds I will share the link. I searched the website and could not find it.
 
Drat! I accidentally hit Post instead of Preview and lost a bunch of text as I tried to correct it... Apologies for the delay in getting this correction up. I'll put the attachments on this post. It turns out I can't attach the HTML file or XMind file here (I'm sure it's a security thing with the forum software), so I've attached them in a Zip file for anyone interested. As a reminder, if you want to view the "mind map" chart in its original format and be able to follow the links, you'll need to install the free version of XMind which you can find online.

To sitting: Yes, water is extremely important, only second to shelter (and warmth) if you find yourself out in harsh elements. You're lucky, my city uses a little over half the "recommended" fluoride concentration, which is of course not good enough, so I'll be getting the PF-2 filters to remove that. At our family's usage rate, a couple of those might last us a year and a few months.

To trobar: You (and others) may be interested in some new test results being announced on a Berkey seller's website, which indicate that the black ceramic filter elements remove over 99% of: BPA, chloramines, pharmaceuticals, petroleum contaminants (think BP gulf oil spill), methylcycohexane-methane, pesticides, heavy metals, and choliform and E. Coli: www.bigberkeywaterfilters.com/blog/test-results/black-berkeys-receive-new-testing-results



Anyway, here are the best deals I found (I was shopping for units to replace the Pur filter my family has used for forever, which really isn't good enough - doesn't remove fluoride - or large enough for our needs). To find the best value, I compared combinations of units and additional filter and spigot purchases that would be necessary to get the following: 1 Berkey unit, 4 Black Berkey Ceramic Filters, 4 PF-2 Fluoride Filters, and 1 appropriately sized Water Level View Spigot.



Royal:
Capacity: 3 gallons
Max flow rate (when fill tank is full):
for 2 filters: 4 gallons/hour
for 4 filters (max capacity): 8 gallons/hour

$476.47 for the following purchases, combined:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ROYAL-BERKEY-Water-Filter-w-4-Black-Filters-4-PF2-Filters-H-C-Bottle-FREE-SHIP-/151604613349?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item234c56d0e5
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Royal-and-Imperial-Berkey-Sight-Glass-Water-Level-Spigot-10-Free-Ship-/161595005657?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item259fd01ad9



Imperial:
Capacity: 4.5 gallons
Max flow rate (when fill tank is full):
for 2 filters: 5.5 gallons/hour
for 4 filters: 11 gallons/hour
for 6 filters (max capacity): 16.5 gallons/hour

$504 for the following purchases, combined:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/IMPERIAL-BERKEY-w-2-Black-2-PF-2-Filters-1-Water-Level-View-Spigot-FREE-SHIP-/161585485067?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item259f3ed50b
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-Big-Berkey-Black-Berkey-Purification-filters-2-PF2-/321680016388?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4ae59f8404

In addition, the following deal gives an especially good value on additional filters for this unit (better than buying those extra filters separately):
$571.99 for the following purchases, combined:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Berkey-Water-Filter-System-Big-Crown-Royal-Imperial-Light-Travel-Berkefeld-PF-2-/400665316839?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&var=&hash=item5d49838de7
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Royal-and-Imperial-Berkey-Sight-Glass-Water-Level-Spigot-10-Free-Ship-/161595005657?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item259fd01ad9



Crown:
Capacity: 6 gallons
Max flow rate (when fill tank is full):
for 2 filters: 6.5 gallons/hour
for 4 filters: 13 gallons/hour
for 6 filters: 19.5 gallons/hour
for 8 filters (max capacity): 26 gallons/hour

$486.99 for the following purchases, combined:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Berkey-Water-Filter-System-Big-Crown-Royal-Imperial-Light-Travel-Berkefeld-PF-2-/400665316839?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&var=&hash=item5d49838de7
Note: In the Above link, you must select the following from the drop-down menus to get the deal:
Model: Crown Berkey (6 gal)
Fluoride Filters: 4 PF-2
Filter Type: 4 Black Berkey Elements
It should display a price of $455.50.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Crown-Berkey-Sight-Glass-Water-Level-Spigot-13-FREE-Ship-/171709217149?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27faaab97d



As you can see, the Crown unit is the best deal by far, actually cheaper than the best Imperial I could find, and very near to the price of the best Royal unit.

Important Note: The Crown Berkey is currently out of stock due to demand and is estimated to become available in mid-to-late April. For this reason, the arrival date on the Crown deal above appeared as April 29 on the day I collected all of this info. In other words, if you purchase it, you cannot expect to receive it until it is restocked by the seller and shipped, so there may be risk involved. Assuming nothing major changes between now and then, if your purchase did not arrive by the estimated arrival date, you can claim Ebay's Money Back Guarantee within 30 days, and if for some reason that doesn't work and you paid with Paypal, after Ebay's 30 days have passed you can use Paypal's Purchase Protection within 180 days of the purchase.

Flow rate note: Flow rate is reduced 15-20% by the addition of the optional PF-2 Fluoride filters.

Fluoride Filter note: The PF-2 Fluoride filters work for 1000 gallons of water each, while the Black Berkey ceramic filters last for 3000 Gallons each. So, to have enough PF-2 filters to last the life of your Black filters, you will need to buy more.

Spigot note: I didn't realize when I made my purchase, but apparently the water level viewing spigot is not a manufacturer approved option, according to this comment on a seller's website: "We do not offer the stainless spigot on the site because it is not approved by the manufacturer due to rusting problems." http://www.bigberkeywaterfilters.com/blog/test-results/black-berkeys-receive-new-testing-results/#comment-21663

Finally, the following links provide information about the various Berkey models:
http://www.bigberkeywaterfilters.com/berkey-water-filters.html
http://www.berkeyfilters.com/berkey-answers/selecting-model/
(That previous link provides a useful chart of the maximum number of people a Berkey could support in a disaster if kept constantly filled).

By the way, I did some comparison shopping, and, based on the Crown deal above, over the first four years of use, the Crown unit and filters divided by the number of gallons used in that time by about 4 people comes to ~15-17 cents per gallon, the exact same as the cheapest Reverse Osmosis under-the-sink unit I found at a glance on Amazon (including the RO filter changes). Rough calculations, but they settled my mind that the Berkey unit is a good spend for what it provides.

Remember to keep in mind the size and practical aspects of how you will use your filter: the Crown unit is about 30 inches tall, so it may be tricky to find a way to reach both the fill tank and the spigot easily.

I hope this helps someone save some money if interested in buying this type of filter.
 

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I'd only buy a brand new Berkey from an established, authorized dealer.

You can spend under $300 for a Travel Berkey including fluoride filters.

It is a good idea to get a fluoride tester, like this one by Hanna, because the Berkey fluoride filters may need to be replaced a lot sooner than you expect.

Hanna Instruments HI 729 Checker HC Handheld Colorimeter, For Fluoride
_http://www.amazon.com/Hanna-Instruments-Handheld-Colorimeter-Fluoride/dp/B005FH2N76
 
sitting said:
Hi HowToBe,

I've used a Berkey system for over 5 years now. The (food grade) plastic model. I have black charcoal filters and ceramic ones. Ceramic in case the source water gets real muddy and contaminated. Charcoal filters will clog.

I also have fluoride filters but found out my town's water system omits fluoridation. Many towns in northern NJ do not put fluoride in their water system. But that may change.

Best investment I've ever made. I would be cautious about buying a used unit. And I would insist on fresh filters -- direct from manufacturer or from authorized dealers only.

While most tend to focus on food storage, clean water is actually far more critical in an emergency.

I've also been using the Berkey filters for over two years now. All I bought though, were the two filters and made my own system with 2 five gallon (food grade) pails. I got the idea and instructions on You Tube. It's been working very well, and saved me about 2/3 the cost of buying the complete system.
 
Thanks for the tips on this water filter, looks good!

Stoneboss, is this the video you watched? Any problems with leaking? I like the idea of adding a ceramic filter as well for muddy water, is that possible in your opinion? Looks like a great idea :).

https://youtu.be/XYG_TLoI9O4
 
Here's the link from naturalnews.com where the water filters were tested: http://www.naturalnews.com/047620_water_filter_lab_tests_arsenic_removal.html and the article has this link: http://www.waterfilterlabs.com/

We have used a British Berkefeld (think it's related to Berkey) gravity filter since 1999 when it was purchased in preparation for Y2K! It has the ceramic filters which can be cleaned and lasts for thousands of gallons. The filters have been replaced a few times over the years. It works great.
 
SummerLite said:
Thanks for the tips on this water filter, looks good!

Stoneboss, is this the video you watched? Any problems with leaking? I like the idea of adding a ceramic filter as well for muddy water, is that possible in your opinion? Looks like a great idea :).

https://youtu.be/XYG_TLoI9O4

Yes SummerLite, that's the video I watched, and no problems with any leaks. It's actually very easy to do, and takes little time. The only thing I did differently was to use a different spigot. I used an outdoor water tap instead to increase the water flow (makes it much faster to fill a kettle or pot of water).

As far as adding a ceramic filter for muddy water, I think that it would have to be filters that are compatible with the Berkey filters (so the fittings would work to attach them). However, I don't think you would need extra filters for muddy water because from some of the other videos I've seen on You Tube, it seems that the Berkey filters are quite capable of filtering even muddy stagnant pond water.

That said, Berkey do have add on fluoride filters, claimed to eliminate 95% of the fluoride.

You can find them here: http://www.berkeyfilters.com/berkey-water-filters/replacement-filters/

Hope this helps… :)
 
trobar said:
I have a Berkey filter and have written to naturalness.com requesting the link for the article where he testing several gravity fed filters for heavy metal filtering and the Berkey came out on top. As soon as he responds I will share the link. I searched the website and could not find it.

I finally received a response to my email requesting the links to the water filter testing and see that someone else has posted them already. Thank you for posting the links.
 
Thanks HowToBe and everyone for this great thread! I just purchased the Berkey carbon and fluoride filter sets and will build the DIY container/decanter per youtube videos. Not sure I entirely trust even the 'food safe' plastic of 5 gal drinking water jug plastic. It might be a good idea to decant the filtered water in glass storage containers.

I have also previously purchased a small, portable camping filter that I can have in the car or in a case where I have to "bug out". These filters don't remove fluoride or viruses, (best practice is to boil after filtering to remove viruses), but do a good enough job with lake or river water and could be a life-saver in certain situations. The one I got is the Miniworks ex microfilter, it's ceramic and could also be used as a sort of additional pre-stage filter to help increase the life of the Berkey filters. There are lots of portable camping filters out there, most can be had for around 100 us or less, I paid a little over 80 for this one. Here's a review site for the one I got:

http://pocketwatermicrofilters.com/msr-miniworks-ex-water-filter-review
 
Stoneboss said:
However, I don't think you would need extra filters for muddy water because from some of the other videos I've seen on You Tube, it seems that the Berkey filters are quite capable of filtering even muddy stagnant pond water.

If the water is muddy enough, all filters will eventually clog ... I think.

Difference is that the ceramic ones (not on top -- but in place of the charcoal ones) can withstand heavy scotch pad type scrubbing. Hence you can clean them better.

The draw back is (I've found) the ceramic ones have a much slower flow rate compared with the charcoal. So I need to use 4 ceramics in place of 2 of the charcoal ones.

One cannot emphasize enough the importance of having clean water in an emergency.
 
This IS a great topic. The way to go for me is making my own with the Berkey filters, that's the plan at the moment anyway. Easily accessible filters with decent prices are found on Ebay.

sitting, are you referring to ceramic filters by Berkey or another brand? We have the muddy water situation off and on so this is a consideration. I'm researching now for the best combo of filters. I think 2 black will be sufficient in a 5 gal. bucket. A arsenic filter may be called for, I need to find out if this is in our local water, river and streams. I don't believe Berkey has a ceramic filter?

Just saw this on the Berkey site under maintance kit. So this can be used for awhile anyway.

2 Berkey approved Scotch Brite scrubbing pads for cleaning Black Filters - See more at: http://www.berkeyfilters.com/berkey-water-filters/berkey-maintenance-kit.html#sthash.KtV4SVTR.dpuf

Just noticed this maintenance kit says fits ONLY for SS containers( washers, wingnuts etc) . hmm, wont be using that but the plastic. Any ideas? May be it would be good to have these spare parts.

Thanks Stoneboss for your input!
 
SummerLite said:
sitting, are you referring to ceramic filters by Berkey or another brand?

Hi SummerLite,

My ceramic filters are the Doulton brand. The black charcoal filters are from Berkey. There's a slight difference in the diameter of the threaded end. I simply drilled and enlarged the hole openings in the feed water container a bit. With either filter, the rubber washer will give a good seal once you tighten the wing nut. (Firm but not too tight, or you'll destroy the thread).

I use the charcoal filters all the time, but have tested out the ceramic ones. That's when I found their flow rate is significantly slower. You can wait a lot longer, so be prepared.

Good also to scout out near by streams or ponds. Plan beforehand. Carrying a lot of water is a heavy chore. So perhaps have a cart or wagon handy. For me, there's a stream about 75 yards away. Which is fortunate.

Great idea to build your own system. You can save half the cost, which is no small thing in our time. I hope this helps.
 
Thanks sitter, Very helpful, yes. I'll check out the Doulton's as well. And good point about moving the water with a cart or something. And planning for more time on the ceramic. I'm totally new to this. We have a shop here that has an excellent reverse osmosis filtering system and I get all my water there. Never needed a filter. But I see how this Berkey could be used to treat my tap water also, (need the fl filter though,) so that's another positive.

Funny, yesterday I was talking to a friend here about getting a water filter. She was a bit dubious for herself since she lives quite aways from the river. I said maybe she could get a mule and cart to move the the water for her....we had a good laugh. But maybe not far off, who knows! I was thinking about getting around on horseback today as an off the wall thought. I don't have a horse but there are some around. Might be okay. Increases travel time ;).

Building my own! YES!!!!!!! Its the Way to Go!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D
 
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