Berkey replacement filters

[teddy12b]

I need more berkey replacement filters. Ideally, I'd like to get 4 or 6 of them. Back when I bought my Berkey, there weren't a lot of options other than Berkey. Are there good generic options out there?

 

[Ingomike]

I need some too. Was somewhat surprised how much they have gone up since my last purchase. I paid about $110 for a pair in 2020, now I do not see any less than $160. I am cautious about buying from unknown sources and unknown manufacturers as these are critical systems and cheap Chinese made with fentanyl would suck…

 

[bwframe]

Don't know if they are good or not, but I bought a set of these. Water tastes fine. Flow is very good. Haven't got around to dye checking them, but the company claims they will.





Hopefully, OEM Berkey's will be discounted around the holidays? I'd like to have a new set to store for SHTF. $150+ is just out of range for filters that clog to unusable every 2-3 years with my Monroe County tap water.


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[cg21]

Been told old ones can be scrubbed / sprayed out to prolong the life.

 

[bwframe]

Been told old ones can be scrubbed / sprayed out to prolong the life.

There's Berkey procedures to follow for cleaning. Still my water eventually clogs them beyond cleaning.


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[patience0830]

Been told old ones can be scrubbed / sprayed out to prolong the life.

Not sprayed out. A fresh scotchbrite pad will clean the exterior of the filters. They say they're good for about 6000 gallons. And $160 is as good as I've seen lately. Bought mine at White Oak Trail online. I asked and they gave me a 5% discount for being a vet.

 

[teddy12b]

Have you guys seen or heard anything like this?



youtube search: "WARNING! Berkey JUST Got BUSTED! • DON'T BUY A BERKEY Water Filter! • SCAM!"

Apparently Berkey isn't quite the quality name I once thought it was.

 

[cg21]

Have you guys seen or heard anything like this?



youtube search: "WARNING! Berkey JUST Got BUSTED! • DON'T BUY A BERKEY Water Filter! • SCAM!"

Apparently Berkey isn't quite the quality name I once thought it was.

Video is gone how about a summary? Mine has been good to me so far

 

[teddy12b]

Video is gone how about a summary? Mine has been good to me so far

Basically Berkey filters had zero certified tests done and had zero official qualifications from any organization to make the claims they did on their filters. Their name is now mud from what I'm reading.

 

[bwframe]

It'd be great to get another scource for the supposed Berkey problems.

 

[Ingomike]

From Berkey site:

No NSF/ANSI Certification​

We stand behind our independent rigorous and extensive testing, rather than obtaining unnecessary and expensive NSF/ANSI certifications. Berkey Water Filters do not have NSF/ANSI certification for two main reasons. First, the independent lab tests we have, test for far more contaminants than the applicable NSF/ANSI certifications. Secondly, the fees for NSF/ANSI certifications are very cost-prohibitive for what is being tested. Avoiding unnecessary costs helps us to provide the Berkey System and products for the best price. For a more in-depth explanation, please continue reading.

Our independent lab tests, test for substantially more under more rigorous standards than NSF/ANSI certifications. For example, our tests certify the Berkey as not only a filter but a purifier, which removes both bacteria & viruses, NSF/ANSI certifications do not!

The two NSF/ANSI certifications which apply to the Berkey are Standard 42 (aesthetic effects) and Standard 53 (health effects). NSF/ANSI Standard 42 covers systems “designed to reduce specific aesthetic or non-health-related contaminants such as chlorine, taste and odor, and particulates that may be present in public or private drinking water.” NSF/ANSI Standard 53 addresses, “systems designed to reduce specific health-related contaminants, such as Cryptosporidium, Lead, Volatile Organic Chemicals, and MTBE’s that may be present in public or private drinking water.”

Our independent tests prove the Berkey’s removal of all the above-listed contaminants tested under both NSF/ANSI standards 42 & 53 as well as numerous additional contaminants. See below for the removal of each.

✔ Chlorine Removal: >99.9%
✔ Cryptosporidium Removal: >99.997%
✔ Lead Removal: >99.9%
✔ Volatile Organic Chemicals (VOCs) Removal: Below Lab Detectable Limits
✔ MTBE’s Removal: Below Lab Detectable Limits
In summary, we’ve decided to avoid additional unnecessary and expensive testing required to obtain NSF/ANSI certifications. Our test results far exceed NSF/ANSI standards, and avoiding unnecessary costs helps us to provide the Berkey System and products for the best price. See all Test Results

Top Berkey Water Filter System Complaints

Top Berkey Water Filter System Complaints Thinking about buying, but wonder what the the main customer complaints on the Berkey Water Filter are? We list the key concerns shoppers & customers have around buying a Berkey. Weigh the options, and see if the Berkey is the right Water Filtration...

berkeyhome.com

 

[Ingomike]

At the end of the day, who do we believe?

 

[teddy12b]

At the end of the day, who do we believe?

Only way to really know is to take water from a berkey and something that passed those certifications and then do some tests to see what's in the water. Personally, I think if I owned the Berkey business I'd be making sure what I was selling had the certifications. They sell a premium priced product so they don't have much of a leg to stand on saying that it's too expensive to get the certs. Just my two cents.

 

[bwframe]

Maybe Berkey has been selling us on "feel good" for a while?

 

[Basher]

Maybe it’s a placebo, but we notice a difference with ours. I’m not saying it’s filtering everything they say it is like parasites and such because I can’t prove that it is, but in terms of the water quality, we can see and taste a difference.

Also, it’s clearly filtering at LEAST sediment and other crap. Back in AZ, we had hard water and saw/felt/tasted a difference, but we got a lot of use from the first set of filters (about three years or so). The set we have now (second set), we replaced about nine months before moving out here, and they’re probably over halfway through their useful life after filtering the incredibly awful water they have up in Kosciusko county. So they’re filters out some nasty crap for sure.

If crap hit the fan we’d be boiling our water first and then filtering it anyway, just to be safe.

 

[Ingomike]

Maybe Berkey has been selling us on "feel good" for a while?

So I can see this from two different ways.

Berkey: the certs are expensive, the testing may not be what they want, why make products cost way more for a cert?

Online influencers: Maybe compensated to push this by the certification companies and or competitors, could do testing themselves but seem more interested in click bait than providing information.

After the past few years I do not trust anyone. Hope to search to see if I can find any testing done on this…

 

[Ingomike]

First blog post on testing the Berkey filters.

Is the Berkey Water Filter Worth It? (Independent Test Results!)

To make sure the Berkey Water filter worked, I sent my water to an independent lab for testing. I am sharing my results and what I now think of the Berkey.

www.tidbits-cami.com

 

[Ingomike]

Berkey Water Filter Review

Big Berkey Water Filter Review: We use this at our off grid homestead to filter our lake water. Here's my review for 2021.

www.anoffgridlife.com

 

[Ingomike]

If you guys can find any Berkey tests please post them.

Also any testing on generic filters that fit a Berkey.

One thing I saw is your use might be germane to wether a Berkey is right for you. Mine is not for daily use but for situations where one may need to clean water in an emergency or SHTF. A powered system probably is better for day to day use over a gravity feed.

 

[teddy12b]

I don't think a Berkey filter is bad. Bottom line people have been paying a premium and using these all over the world and that would have ended quickly if the filters didn't work. The issues lay in the certifications and pricing. If there's no independent 3rd party that tests products for quality and consistency then how do you really know what you've got. Unfortunately, I'd consider myself to be to skeptical of everything now and I didn't start with a big amount of trust in all human beings. Ideally, there'd be some other brand with the certifications and filters at a fraction of the price. There's too much drama around berkey filters at the moment.