I bought my Crown Berkey in 2016. It came with two black filters. Priming the black filters is just running them under water, nothing complicated and no hoses required. It’s 2023 and I just now had to purchase replacement filters. I’m single and all I drink is water and I always take two bottles of water to work, make coffee with my Berkey water every morning and cook with it. I’m beyond pleased with how well my Berkey has held up. I’ve washed the filters every year and the last time I washed them I had to use plumbers tape to hold one in place, probably because I over-tightened and stripped the threads. I suspect that my Berkey filters lasted well beyond 6,000 gallons. I never had to wait 2 hours to get water, after ten minutes I could fill up a glass, because it filters continually and I don’t need all of the water at once. Plus I never had to keep my black filters completely submerged in water…ever. It’s best to drain the Berkey and then fill it all the way up each time, I just tip it forward to drain out the last drops into my water bottle or coffee carafe! Then I refill it to the brim again. Mine works great and 2 filters for one person lasted 7 years. I have to refill about every 5-6 days. That’s a lot of $$ saved by not buying bottled water. I just replaced the two filters directly from the Berkey company for $166. I’m super pleased with my Berkey but caution people to be careful of knock-off filters because I’ve heard those can be problematic. When your Berkey filters are spent, you’ll immediately notice a change in the water quality because it will have a bad taste. It’s the same with all water filters I’ve ever used but especially noticeable with the Berkey. Seriously, this video reminds me of the late night infomercials where they exaggerate every “problem” with their competitor and minimize the exact same processes required with their product. I honestly don’t think their product would save much, if any, money for me personally. But I think everyone should experiment and find what works best for them. This might be a good option for anyone who has had a bad experience with Berkey and wants an alternative. That’s not me, but I still found it useful to know that this option exists and would work with my existing Berkey. Water is crucial for survival and everyone should invest in a gravity water filtration system because it doesn’t require any electricity. It’s always good to have extra filters for any extended water emergencies. Buy this, buy a Berkey, buy a Sawyer life straw, buy SOMETHING so you are prepared! (Edited for typos)
I've had my Royal Berkey since 2018 and mine never took 2 hours to fill. The max time was roughly 50 min. I also could fill a glass after about 10 min. I've never used more than 2 black filters and 2 fluoride filters and I cleaned my filters once a year. I moved about 1 year ago and kept my clean filters in the fridge in a zip loc bag. I finally pulled them out after about 6 months and had to clean off serious mold on the black filters. My fault, I did not store them as directed since I thought I'd have my Berkey up and running within 2 weeks. I've not had any other problems with Berkey but was very concerned when I read about the lawsuit. I did some research and was even more concerned. Due to the lack of NSF certification I will most likely purchase non Bereky filters when mine need to be replaced.
Excellent comment and advice. I came here looking for a cheaper option on filters. Still haven't found one. 1200 gallons vs 6000, doesn't give me any savings.
Agree with you all...I've had my Berkey since 2018, only had to prime it initially. I've had the same filters, will probably switch them at the end of this year.
I did so much research and bought the Alexapure system, and we are so happy. You are working too hard. The Alexapure has one filter, certified, filters fluoride, and one filter lasted us 3 years, they cost 100.00 to replace, AND they come in sealed bags fully cleaned and wet, ready to go, no priming ever!!
I'm in month 4 with my Alexapure - after a month long case of Covid...I'm very satisfied with my 2+ gallons of fluoride free (and other tap water chemicals) daily water supply!
I have owned and used a British Berkefeld Big Berkey made in England since 1999 and don’t use the black filters at all. My Berkey came with the ceramic Doulton style filters and they are the only ones I will use. They are easy to clean and the water tastes great. Not only for drinking but cooking like making soups and such. Even my cats drink Berkey water and love it. I always buy 4 backup Doulton type ceramic filters and I am totally satisfied with them.
In order to make a case for or against a filter, the real question is not which comes out faster or is easier to use but actual water analysis. I would be interested in a video showing lab results when comparing these two filters.
Exactly! Knowing the quality of the water is what matters. I currently have a ZERO gravity water system with a 40 cup glass dispenser. Their filters are NSF Certified to Reduce Lead, Chromium, and PFOA/PFOS. It comes with a water tester which is great! The water tastes great, but the filters are expensive and I have to replace every few weeks to keep getting quality water. I would love to invest in a system that has filters that last for a longer period of time and truly filters out all the bad stuff. Can you please test the water from your new filters and let us know the results?
@@tdmccoy1211No the lab results are saying Berkey filters don't filter nearly as well as they claim. And the fluroride filter leaches aluminum into the water. There is also 2 lawsuits that are on going and the stuff coming out is making the company look shady af.
Been using BERKEY for years and I will be installing an RO system for under the sink. Your Pro One filters look good. When I run out of my backup BERKEY filters I’ll order those.
Here’s a handy trick for managing your water filters. You have two systems: a large one for home and a smaller one for your RV. The large filter has four slots, while the RV filter has two. Use three filter elements in the large system and one in the RV filter. When you finish traveling, transfer the used RV filter element to the large filter. When you’re prepping to travel, move one of the four elements from the home system to the RV filter. This rotation eliminates the need for priming and keeps your filters working efficiently.
Let me begin by saying how much I appreciate this video and all of the effort involved in its production. This has been very timely for me because I've been budgeting for a gravity water filter. It was the added expense of the fluoride filter that put me off of the Berkey. Fluoride filtration is a must for me. As a senior citizen on SS, getting the most for every dollar is vital, so your research and demonstration provided here is greatly appreciated. I had no idea just how labor intense the process was. After watching, I now feel that my decision will be the most informed possible by this research freak. If I may share two caveats: 1. Handle the porcelain filters carefully. Broken porcelain is extremely sharp and will cut quick and deep in a nanosecond. It'll be a trip to the ER. Don't ask me how I know. 2. In the video, during the pre-wash, it shows the filter lying down in the bottom of the sink. Please! Do not do that. There are research studies out there that prove the kitchen sink has more bacteria than your toilet. Never lay anything you plan to use in preparation for ingesting food or drinks, in the bottom of your kitchen sink. I don't care how much of a clean freak you think you are, you will be exposing yourself and others to potentially severe illness. In a water filter, this can be deadly, not to mention the expense to replace your filters and the labor of sanitizing the base unit.
From another, I learned how to prime Berkey filters the smart way, by using gravity. Install them "upside down" so they hang down in the lower portion, then pour water into the top part: Gravity will "force feed" the water through the filters, soaking them thoroughly; you can't fight gravity! Once soaked, reinstall the filters the normal way in the top portion. Works like a charm! I wanted "off grid" filter, and so I got Big Berkey; frankly, I don't think the water tastes any differently than from the Brita faucet filter I've got installed on my kitchen sink, but at least the Berkey would still work in the event of a natural disaster, and so it's a good contingency. I'll consider NSF certified filters going forward, however.
I am trying this. I understand that I place the filters in the bottom chamber and pour water thru the top. How long should this take and is water going into the cartridges although they are plugged and screwed on? I don't have the proper faucet to prime and am trying to figure this out. Thank you.
Not long at all, may 30 minutes at most? Filters' "udders" facing up in the upper chamber, filters themselves in the lower chambers. Gravity will cause water you place in upper chamber to perfuse filters in lower chamber, thoroughly soaking them. Once accomplished, you can subsequently install them the correct way. Would love to hear how it worked for you; good luck!@@kish9503
He did say Install them upside down. They will be hanging in the lower bucket. Then use only clean water to fill it this time. Beacause its going directly into the clean inside of the filter. Don't want to contaminate that area. It sounds Like it worked for him. I like to soak them in a pan of water with a weight to hold them down. I don't let water inside through the outlet though unless its berkey water. That primes them well. Takes over night. @@kish9503
@@kish9503I'm actually going to get new filters for my mom, and have been researching. We've had the Berkey Black filters for 3 years now (2 each in 2 different Light models - 2.75gal). Her water is horrible and it takes her over 2 days for a full upper tank. Mine is done in about 24 hours. As far as 'priming' if you do it with the washer/faucet it's only a minute or two. I'm going to try the upside down method for initial priming, and just let it go over night. Either way, BB's need to be soaked from inside out, then they last for years. I'm still not convinced about the ProOne, or their testing, and the price is only $10 less than BB, but need replaced every year.
We love our Berkey! We spend the winters at our off grid cabin in the Yukon where every drop of water we use comes from our lake. Beaver, muskrat, otter, moose, caribou, ducks, geese and swans all use our lake, not to mention the fish! The Berkey filters out everything that could make us sick. We've been using the original filters for several years. When the production slows down, I simply take the filters out and scrub them with a scrubby. I do not reprime them after. I do not prime them when we have let them dry out when we are away from the cabin. I simply pop them back in, fill the reservoir with lake water and away it goes. I use red food dye to test the first batch and it has never failed. We'll keep using the Berkey.
When I bought my water filter, I did research and bought the pro one to begin with. The Berkey controversy had not occurred to that point. I am glad to hear now that people are agreeing with my research.
Totally glad I found your video, I was researching and currently have a brita with was a good start but then learned it still leached. Thank you for doing the homework for the rest of us and I have complete faith in the information you have provided. Thank you for the additional education on care.
Been using our Berkeys close to a decade. Use it for our pretty good city water. I wash the black candles once in a while. Still on original filter. Fills Royal in maybe 1.25 hours. Very happy with my Berkey. I have 2 black filters in my Royal. Did you check total dissolved solids in each?
Purchased my New Berkeley Royal on EBay for $109, (without Filters) and the ProOne Filters on EBay $154. All this was done after watching your video. Thanks so much for your information.
Hey friends! I got a Berkey a few years ago as a prepping tool. However I have never used it for daily use due to the hassle of the filters, the recharging necessary, and the requirement to run it out before refilling it. But it doesn't use any electricity. So it's the best thing I knew of so far to keep for emergencies with grid down. For the last five years or so I've been drinking distilled water that I make with an H2O Labs countertop distiller. Very simple efficient reliable and tasty and safe, but it does use electricity. I suspect it's still cheaper to distill than buy the Berkey filters, but I never compared. Recently, after five years, I want to clear up my tiny kitchen space and the almost every day routine of running the distiller overnight for the next day's water SO I put in an Reverse Osmosis undersink water filter system. I installed the tank and filters in the basement just under the kitchen so it doesn't take any precious space under the sink in the cabinet, and it has a countertop spigot that fits nicely in the second soap dispenser hole. My unit does not take any power and will work as long as I have water pressure to my house - it is not gravity fed. I will be ordering some of the ProOne filters because in an actual disaster it is less likely I can accomplish the priming and the other hassles for the Berkey. And fluoride filtration is important tome.
Great video, this is the first video I am seeing of yours and I loved it enough to subscribe! Props to your others subs who got this pushed out to get you more subs, have an amazing n blessed day yall!
I was excited when you said Pro-one is NSF Certified because when I last checked a few years ago no gravity filters were fully nsf certified. I just checked out their website and they definitely highlight there NSF certification but they are only certified for NSF/ANSI 42. Especially in an emergency, I am most concerned for contaminants that would fall under NSF 53 & 401. NSF/ANSI has 3 certifications that apply to water filters. NSF 42 is for “aesthetic” impurities which includes chlorine, total dissolved solids and things that impact taste and odor. NSF 53 is for impurities that have demonstrated health impacts. NSF 401 is for “emerging compounds” like medications, pesticides and herbicides. Thanks for all the detailed information you provided in how to use the new filters and the pros and cons. But I think it’s important to clarify that Pro-One is NOT certified for anything but chlorine, taste and odor. Having said that, I do own a small pro-one scout and 2 filters that I keep as part of my emergency supplies.
We’ve had a Berkey for years and needed to purchase new filters. Since we saw this video we just purchased and installed the pro one filters. Thank you so much for showing us how to install these. My husband works out of town and the filters arrived while he was at work. With your step by step it was easy peasy 😊
I have been using the Pro One for at least 5 years and love it. I went on a quest over five years ago to get a filter for better drinking water and almost bought a Berkey, I did some research and came across the pro one. I got the little blue picture to test and loved the results and from there I have bought another system that I put the pro one filters in like you're doing for the berkey. Whenever I meet somebody and they say they have a Berkey or other systems I tell them about the Pro One, I think they are the best for this type of system. Thanks for sharing 🙏✌️💜
@@catherineshoemaker9106 so far the zero water is a lot better than my previous Alexapure system. The thing about Alexapure is 10 years ago when I first bought it the filters were excellent, the water was excellent. But the replacement filter I bought a few years ago was crap in comparison and went bad a lot sooner. So I was on the hunt for alternatives and tried the zero water pitcher. Once again I've got perfectly filtered water! Only downside is the zero water filters clog faster...but honestly? Even with the faster replacement rate for the filters they are a lot cheaper than $100+ for the stuff like Alexapure and Berkey.
I've been using a Pro One for almost a year now. I'm happy with it. I notice that the bottom water collection portion doesn't get a slime when I clean it like my berkey filter did. I love that I don't have to prime it. You do have to let water got through 2x with a new filter so it doesn't have a taste to the water. The water is safe to drink, even with the taste. It's mentioned on the website.
I put a real silver quarter in the bottom of my Berkey=no slime but real pure silver quarters are rare these days-they can't have any copper like todays quarters.
@@hazelnut0127 I explained because a pure silver coin prevents slime in the water reservoir. Todays quarters don't work because they are not 100% silver.
I had a Berkey but went with the Doulton as it uses the ceramic filters. I'm glad to hear that the ProOne filters are also ceramic and certified. Thanks so much for your diligence!
Another saving hack is ….I’ve seen a lot of Berkey Units ,for these reasons being sold on marketplace too but having said that people can score some really nice units way cheaper now because so many were and are unhappy w the *filters or shocked by the replacement filters price that you can get some really nice units and then order the ProOne filters ! Save a ton ! A lady sold us 2 extra Units..still in the box brand new simply because she hates the lengthly prep steps! So .. we scored the new ones and now have some for the work place as well ! Living in hurricane alley we definitely need them especially when base stores close and Camp Lejeune water itself and the high water issues along the coast here… We had planned to get the similar one from ProOne but saved so much w the deal but I am grateful that the filters are compatible so we will continue to save!! So just food for thought.. for those who use local markets check there.. then order ProOne filters if your needing several units like we did. Thanks for another great vlog. Will definitely use your link when you partner up w ProOne. ❤
I bought the little bulb primer gizmo fr $5 and literally takes me seconds to prime mine. I can't believe people are that lazy. Nobody likes to do any thinking for themselves anymore
20 years ago, my wife and I chose to get a whole house water filter. It is connected to the main water supply and from there the water is dispersed all over the house. The unit we purchased was by Puronics. It comprises of a large stainless steel unit (about 4 feet tall and 15" in diameter). Then there is a shorter unit (about 3 feet tall and 30: around), The shorter unit is for salt, but the salt is not added to the water. Once a week in the middle of the night, the tall unit is flushed with water that is run through the salt. The salt is used to clean the system, and the water is emptied down the drain. We have loved our unit. It removes all the chemicals, including chlorine from the water. My wife is very particular about water. This water is better than any bottled water. We also use less laundry detergent and dish washing detergent. The unit cost us about $5,000, but we paid for it over time. Once a year a service man will come out and make certain it is operating fine. We don't have to worry about filter, priming them, or cleaning them. The salt we can purchase at a box store for about $3.50 for 40 lbs. I usually keep about 4 bags in the salt unit, and may have to add more salt after about 5 or 6 months. It's another way to filter the water. Whenever we move, they can come and disconnect the filter and we can take it wherever we go. We're so pleased with it.
I have two Berkey systems and have been less than happy. I also have Zero water which has NSF certification. I’m going to check out these filters because I want to be able to use my Berkey. Watched someone test using a highly toxic heavy metal and the Zero water did the best.
Update - never mind - Hello! Did you find out if the zero filters fit the berkeys? Please and Thank you................. Never mind - seens zero is a dfferent style entirely.
I love my Berkey!! I have had it since 2019. I have only purchased a set of new filters one time. I drink over 60 ounces of water a day. I use this Berkey water for everything! It works! It is easy to use and clean.
Thank you, Joe and Rachel. We have a Berkey we’ve been having a lot of problems with and your video was very helpful and us to make decisions on how to make the Berkey system work better please keep making these videos. John Banks
Made my own with two 8 dollar stock pots and a drill. I've been using ceramic filters since I made it. Works great. You don't have to wait until all the water is filtered to open the tap.
@@alisonarcher2879 the filters I purchased on Amazon are Huining they do a nice job filtering lake water when camping, My friend who copied my filter preferred a charcoal filter for taste but I think the ceramic works great on the local well water the city supplies. P.S. the stock pots from Walmart have gone up in price.
An easy way to prime a Berkey filter, is to use a squeeze bottle similar to the ones used for condiments (ketchup/mustard). The squeeze bottle tips are small enough to fit into the filter opening. You can often find them at dollar stores.
My son's family uses the Berkey, but I have an Alexapure. The Alexapure is cheaper, in a direct comparison between the two not considering price, I still feel that the Alexapure is the clear winner.
I switched to proone filters but recently they are always out of stock. Considering the British Berkfeld. Just started to study the berkfeld. A little concerned that on their website berkfeld says they don't remove nitrates. It is a pain all the research that you have to do.
I have a Big Berkey and I've been needing black filters for a while and of late they are always out of stock. Now thanks to you guys I have an alternative and I don't need the separate Fluoride filters and no more charging, yahoo! Thank you and keep the info coming.
Enjoyed watching your video. Our city water is terrible, so we buy our water from a Primo water dispenser at Walmart and fill-up several 3-gallon jugs. Primo uses a multi-layer filter process, which one part is reverse osmosis. I've researched reverse osmosis, and it isn't healthy to drink the water. Most of the minerals are removed and it is "dead" water. Our bodies need minerals from the water. After watching your video, your information and tips convinced me to purchase the ProOne 3-gallon water system. I just received it today. I am looking forward to drinking clean, great tasting water directly from the faucet instead of having to load up the empty water jugs in the car and make a trip to the store. Now I will be able to fill-up the water jugs at home. So glad I ran across your video.
I want to thank you, for your time researching this, and sharing. I bought an Alexapure at an auction for $1, it was missing the lid and I believe people thought it was a coffee maker. I reached out to them regarding a new lid and got no response. I ended up buying a lid for a pan that fits perfectly for another $1 at a resale store. I will be buying these filters from here on out. Thank you.
Purchased a British made Doulton system with similar ceramic candles. It's tested and proven to regulation standards and as you say hassle free to use. We looked into Berkey but glad we didn't go that way for the reasons you state. We hold transparency in a company in high regard, Doulton provided that. Its worth mentioning that on investigation there are components in Berkey filters that are not biodegradable so recycling is a challenge. The ceramic ones are better in this area and overall better for the enviroment. Thanks for the info, I think this switch is a good choice.
Get the original Berkefeld filters from Doulton USA branch: Each filter NOW also removes Fluoride. And no, I'm not an affiliate. The price is 1/2 was Berkey was charging.
We purchased our Berkey in 2018. Love ut. Two filters replaced approximately every two years. Last replacement was January 2024. The new filters are NOT the original black filters - which, for whatever reason, are not currently available - but Boroux filters. These were purchased from Berkey as the current replacement filter. HATE them. We primed several times. Took 36 hours to filter 2.5 gallons of water! Happy to have found this video. I didn't want to wait any longer for the original black filter (Berkey's response was to get on the waiting list to purchase old type when/if they ever return). Glad to know there is another option to keep our cannister.
Yes, pro one filters are used by others in the Berkey water units. The Berkey filters not being certified and having issues of failure in the dye test when new as of late makes it seem as if they have them made in a low grade factory in a third world country or from China. I would not even waste the money on buying a Berkey unit and make my own out of 2 heavy duty Stainless Steel Stockpots and fittings. Would come out way cheaper and then buy the Pro One filters.
I've had my Berkey for over 10 years and absolutely have loved it. Great tasting, clean water. Only need to prime the filters every couple months, and it really doesn't take too long. However, the last filter I bought in 2021 was a huge headache. It had to be primed every week. After priming it would filter and drain very well into the tank below, but within a couple days it would slow down and by a week or so it would barely drip at all, so I had to reprime. I eventually completely removed the flouride filters because those made it even slower. After a year and a half of this, I couldn't stand it any more and got new filters. I generally replace filters every 2 years, but was done with all the messing around and just wanted to start fresh. I have no idea why, but I'm having worse trouble with these new ones. I only get good flow for one day, maybe 2, then it slows down considerably. I have to reprime twice a week, and in the meantime my family is drinking from plastic water bottles because the Berkey will not produce anymore. This is VERY frustrating and I can't figure out why this is happening. Like I said, they worked great for the first 10 years, now it's a struggle. The only answer I get is prime for longer and scrub the filters for longer. Done this, it doesn't help with anything. Does anyone have any suggestions???
I have used the Berkey-Style gravity-fed filters since the Milwaukee Cryptosporidium Municipal Water supply contamination disaster of the early 1990s, buying one for my disabled brother to use. There are a number of competing similar brands. The Berkey filter has been carried into the wild for more than a CENTURY by missionaries, explorers, and it has been distributed thru all that period in disaster areas. So it has saved many tens of thousands of lives by filtering critters and chemicals from contaminated water around the world for a CENTURy and more I am NOT a Paid representative for ANY Water filter system, by the way. _*You can make your own filter system with 2-or-3-inch thick layers from top to bottom: pebbles, washed sand, diatomaceous earth, and activated charcoal, and finally place a real silver coin or a silver plated fork or spoon from a second-hand store in the BOTTOM Receptacle. British Sailors had discovered by the 17th century that placing a silver coin in their communal water barrel kept the water FRESH as long as the coin was left there. Turns out the Silver acts as an anti-viral and antimicrobial, killing critters that got thru the filtering media.*_ It helps to keep the filtering layers intact by separating them with a fine screen or cloth. The Berkey-style filter allows you to filter water drawn from creeks, swamps, and other like sources that you would not want to drink from directly. LET the water sit for an hour to allow sediments to settle to the bottom, or you'll clog your system very quickly. ACTIVATED CHARCOAL, adsorbs a very long list of undesirable chemicals, I would be profoundly surprised if that does not include flouridated compounds in public water supplies. Look, all you need to do to "Charge" your filter is just pour a gallon into the top, let it run thru, and discard the first batch of water that passes thru the dry filters. If you are really fastidious (not a bad thing) you can CLEAN the lower receptacle before you start using the system for drinking water. Sorry you find it such a bother to charge the dried filters.
Love My Big Berkey been running it with two Berkey Ceramic granulated charcoal filled filters for years, never primed them not once. Water is obtained from my Water Well where the well water is pre-filltered and softened in my home before it gets to the plumbing faucets. I've found that the Berkey Ceramic filters last for years when you clean them from time to time and go with a disinfection process using Hydrogen Peroxide as a soak and flush ...it doesn't take much time and it refreshes the filters = AWESOME.
The Proone now purifies 3,000 gallons, It removes Arsnic.. I've used it for decades & they are great!!! I did a lot of research on water filters, Becky & Alexa. Alexa was the best & uses the Proone filter.
In my municipality they have been using , not chlorine, but chloramines for over 20 years. When they first began using them they had a warning on the city's website not to use city water in your aquarium and as I studied chloramines around the country I found a water main break that caused a fish kill off in the stream into which it leaked. These pour through systems were not capable of removing them so I have a countertop reverse osmosis machine, Distillation and reverse osmosis are better and the countertop RO machine does not cost much more than these pour through systems
So the burki is faster and last longer but they refuse to test them. I was going to get one but didn’t like the price so I got a ceramic water cooler then later I got I think a 2 gallon stock pot at Walmart drilled a hole in the bottom and installed a zero water filter I only used one filter but it will filter 2 gallons in around 20 minutes and the ceramic water cooler keeps the water cool even on hot days. And after seeing your test I’m glad I went that way👍👍👍❤️❤️❤️❤️😊
I have been using a Berkey for 6 years. I replace the chlorine filters twice a year and at that time the drip is usually slower.I also clean off the black filters and Prime them and do the red dye test. After this the drip is much better but will slow down after a couple months. The Berkey water looks clearer than the other filtered water in your video that causes me to wonder if there is sodium in the Pro One water which may also give it the softer texture you described.
Than you,thank you! I have been trying to find filters, the Berky company says they don’t have any to sell. I haven’t been happy with the extra steps. Glad to hear about another option!
Hey just so you know, ProOne filters are not NSF certified like you may think. They are only certified under "material requirements" which basically means the "parts are made from the right materials" whether it be gaskets, filter cartridges, stainless steel container, ect. None of the certfications have anything to do with the claims from ProOne in the effectiveness of it's product. They are one in same with all of these companies. All we want is the NSF to certifiy the filtration standards they claim and the companies dont do it. "It costs too much" is the excuse.. Im pretty sure if some of these companies havent sold in he millions already... theyre in the 100 thousands... Youd think theyd have enough to spend on this specidic cert considering alot of the products are $400 a pop. Imagine your product DOES filter everything BUT filter are only 99.9% effective before 100 gallons and then you need to replace filters. Naaat good
@@lovegunn22 If you're still looking for a filter get the ZeroWater one. It's the best and has all the NSF certs. It'll filter any water supply to 0 TDS. In BC Canada the filters last a LONG TIME since our sources up here are already very clean 20 - 35 TDS
@@brandonc79I disagree with the zero water recommendation and here’s why: 1. Filter life. My family of 4 was only getting around 4-6 weeks at best with each filter, and zero waters have an issue when the filters goes bad they make the water taste like fish smell. Not to mention the price of these filters! 2. A zero TDS does not mean purified. Bacteria will not show on a tds meter. 3. ZW removes all good minerals from your drinking water. This annoys me most of all, as any good parent you want healthy foods and water for your family, but our water filter was actually taking away good minerals. You need those minerals as completely mineral free water is not completely ingested by your body, actually leaving you less hydrated. You also just need those minerals for a healthy lifestyle. We were adding those minerals to the filtered ZW tank, using a dropper. That got old. Ended up putting our ZW away and went back with an Alexpure. Those filters last longer, are cleanable, filter out bacteria (river water) lab tested to remove heavy metals (lead, ect) and leave in those important minerals. ✌🏼
I have one also and love it. Bought it in 2017 and have replaced the filters only once, I use about 1 to 2 gallons a day for drinking, cooking and for my pets. I clean them about every 6 months. And they remove Vinyl Chloride (I live in Ohio) which alot of other filters do not.
We went keto/clean eating a year ago and went with the Zero water filter pitcher. They are NSF tested and it does give a very nice clean water taste. Sadly I don't think it filters out fluoride but for the money I am ok. Edited to say I did check and Zero does filter out fluoride.
I used the Propur system (now ProOne) and gave my kids them, too. I don't use anything where I live now because my well water is fine. My sister told me about the Zero water pitcher and one day I found it in my local discount store for about $15., then shortly after I also found a box of filters for about the same $. I ended up giving them to one of my daughters who was happy to receive it.
Have a Big Berkey for 18 months now. Have 2 black filters and the fluoride filter. What a nightmare the first month setting up! I am a widow and live alone so red water testing, cleaning filters and single handedly installing each time the red water test failed was insanity. I must say Customer Service was excellent and returned calls and shipped immediately all those replacements each and every time. When I purchased did not realize it wasn’t NSF certified and decided to get the fluoride to be safe. My water too is amazing and will definitely get 3 pro ones upon replacement. The cleaning is such a hassle! Thank you for your video👌🏻
I wanted a Berkey but didn’t like the price so I went with 4 Patriots, exact same system at a much cheaper price. I will have to check out this company for the filters. Thanks guys!!
Hi Joe and Rachel. Boy, am I happy I saw your heading as I was cruising through. I bought a Berkey about 3 yrs ago; I've never used it because of the huge production with those filters. I am beyond excited to try these ProOne filters. How generous of you guys to go to all the trouble of demonstrating the cleaning and time frames; thank you, thank you! As a senior on a set income, I totally appreciate the value of finding satisfactory products that actually do what they claim to do. Again, thank you so much, stay well.
Haha, so you just pissed away all that money because "never used it because of the huge production with those filters". That is just beyond sad. Maybe if you have that much extra $$, you could've just paid a 10-year old to do it for you LOL.
I got mine from pariots came with ceramic filters ..I can have 4 filters I use 2.. easy to clean .just me and my dog..I fill j7gs and ..one for fridge.
Berkey's whole shtick is their filters. If you're not using their filters, it's just a shiny husk. That said, I own the crown and use their black filters to improve the taste of well water, but they're fat from the best thing out there
I’m so glad I bought mine in 2014 for my first one. I got it because of the flint water crisis. Our water stunk and was yellow. I took part in the testing program where they was testing for lead and copper. I asked to send in a sample from my Berkeley because the manufacture said it doesn’t remove lead. The test results was 0 lead and copper from the Berkeley with the British Daulton ceramic candle. I purchased this unit because it is used in the field by missionaries in 3rd world conditions which living in flint during the crisis felt like. I’ve moved and have well water so I purchased a 2nd unit. I agree the black candles aren’t as good as the original ceramic ones.
Perfect ! Glad I didn't throw out my 2 Berkeys--I am ordering Pro One filters today---and hopefully able to sell all my new -never used Berkey filter stash. TY for the video!
Thanks for this. I've been looking for an alternative myself. But unlike you, I made my own buckets. Currently I made a new one using two 7 gallon black food grade buckets. Works like a charm. I am single and I've had my Berkey for 5 years and I've only just reached 500 gallons. Means I don't drink that much water? Anyway, I've never had to clean mine. I just looked at them and they are still clean so, I never heard of that. I use two black filters and two Fluoride filters but my city currently said they are no longer putting fluoride in our waters so I won't be getting another one for the future. My filters still filter pretty fast. They still seem to work. I also have a Sight Glass Spigot on my home made buckets so I know to fill it up with water before I run out. Very helpful.
EXCELLENT video! I do have the berkey and worried about the filtration (or lack there of) and wondered about different filters that might fit it. This provided answers to most all my questions! Thank you!
Several years ago, we had a Berkey we loved. But the filters were definitely not black and did not need to be primed. They were white like the new replacement filter you bought. The cool thing is you could see when it was time to clean the filter…it would be rusty brown on the outside, but a good scrub would restore it back to white. I am sad to here their quality has gone down. Thanks for sharing the info!
But what about the inside? Do you think the brown, rusty colour is only on the outside? I think it looks just as brown on the inside. You should open the thing and clean the inside too, shouldn't you?
I've only been using a Big Berkey for the past 3+ years. In that time I've had to replace the filters twice, so I'm definitely not getting out of them what they claim. Which led me to researching alternatives. After your video I looked more into ProOne and it seems like they are worth a try. Unfortunately, they are out of stock with no indication to when they will have more. So, I'll continue with my current Berkey filters. I do have to question... how do you know how well the ProOne filters are actually working? While the red dye test on the Berkey was a tedious task, at least you knew whether or not they were defective.
I switched back to the Doulton ceramic candles from the black filters in my Berkey. I’m on water catchment and do not have fluoride issues. Love my Berkey - she’s pretty old at this point. I would consider the ProOne filters if I were on city water. Not possible here off-grid in the desert.
Thanks for your tip. Hubs & I are setting up a rain catchment system (we have a Berkey filter almost 3 years old)...we are planning to filter with sand, rock & charcoal for showering, washing dishes, etc. & for our drinking water filter through the Berkey & was looking into buying new filters soon....glad I saw the video & read through the comments. 😊
I don't understand why not just do reverse osmosis???? I bought one on Amazon and plumbed it in myself was about 80 dollars with replacement filters 120 that should last 3 years
My first Berkey I purchased with ceramic silver impregnated Berkefield filters. They too needed extra fluoride fiters. While seaching for better deals I discovered the All In One ceramic filters by Propur. They now call them Pro One. All in one is what sold me - no fluoride filters needed. Glad you discovered them too. Get you one of those spouts with the glass tube that shows the water level. That way you know when it is good to add water.
Ty so very much. I was about to buy a Burkey system. But with priming and without the certification, no way. I like this much better. As a disability needs family it makes it easier for us. The other system would be way too much trouble for us. Thanks again 😊
Our family uses a Nikken PiMag filtration system and it uses a ceramic filter as well but I'm unsure if it blocks any flouride or the 200+ contaminants that the ProOne does. I also recently purchased a 4 pack of AquaCrest black filters that are compatible with Berkey, but they have NSF certification and have excellent reviews for their OS Systems so I figured they knew what they are doing as far as making good water filtration units. I purchased those to make my own DIY "Berkey" System Build which I will upload to my channel soon.
I would put a container under the Spicket. Open the Spicket. Start pouring water in the top till it’s full. Time 1 cup of water being filled. Then you’ll have a fill rate of gallons per hour or whatever.
I had a Berkey and the problem I had was you never knew when the filters failed. You only knew after cleaning them and doing the red dye test again to find out it failed. and I always asked myself, when did it fail and how long have i been drinking not properly filtered water? Is there a test with the pro one you can do? How do you know when its time to change them? I still have my Berkey unit and am very interested in these filters. Currently i get my water from a natural spring. But for the times I run out this seems like a great option.
This is the same concern I have about these kinds of systems. They can silently fail and you may not know until you do a test. Given that the ProOne uses the same kind of cartridge installation system, I wonder if they are susceptible to the same kind of silent failure rates as the Berkey. In any case, I like to use glass jugs to store some filtered water in the fridge and as a backup in case the filter fails.
Hello from Ouray, Colorado! Thank you so much for this video! It is very informative! QUESTION: Can you use these devices for a survival situation when our house water is no longer available and we need to procure it from natural sources such as rivers, lakes, streams, puddles, etc? If so, I would guess it would be better if you could pre-filter the water, somehow, to get a lot of the grit and debris out?
There’s a very good reason that Berkey hasn’t sought in S if certification for their filters. You have to get certification for each test cost thousands of dollars with 230+ contaminants that’s a lot of money. All the research I have seen people sending their water off for testing. I’ve been using him for over 10 years I’ve had no problems. Let me offer another tip about the Berkey carbon black filters, you can shave them with a vegetable peeler up to three times and still not lose effectiveness I’ve done that with mine once most of the time I just use a scotch bright pad on returns the flow right back to where it was. One question, does it filter out arsenic?
Thanks for this precious informations. I’ve been having my travel Berkey for maybe 7-8 years and as you mentioned the priming always was a pain plus recently was having problems finding fluoride filters. I was getting really tired of the whole situation. I stocked up to have just in case but I will look into this new filters.
Glad i watched this. Ive used mostly doulton filters for well over a decade. Did some research last time i bought filters and ordered pro one. Ive been worried because i could hear it dripping so much faster. I was skeptical how it could filter so fast. But the water taste great so i felt it must be working fine. The minute you said you could hear it filtering faster I felt relief from my nagging fear something was wrong. The faster fill time is so awesome and i really wish i hadnt been needlessly worried the last 6 months. This alone would be a reason to switch filters if you fill a lot of bottles every day like we do. Thank you for comparing the filter speed. I will be sticking with these great filters for the future.
Bro, you're probably better off with the doulton, ProOne are not NSF certified, they're actually quite sketchy, on their site they claim they're NSF 42 and 53 certified but the only official NSF certification they have is 42 for their materials, NOT for their filters, at least doulton is NSF 42 for their filters and not just materials, but in the first place NSF 42 is a certification for treating odors and taste, not bacteria, heavy metals, viruses and so on, for that you want NSF 53, which they simply dont have, Pro One claim their filters are 3rd party tested to or above NSF 53 level but when you go to look at those 3rd party tests guess what? its from the same exact lab that runs tests for berkey for their black filters, a shady business called envirotek lab. Doulton is only NSF 42 so its not exactly endgame filters but its probably better then ProOne/Berkey black
I have the plastic clear one and used it for about 5 years. I bought it specifically to remove fluoride in the city water and after more research have seen studies that the system doesn't remove fluoride and even adds harmful things to the water! I have a new home filtration system with that blue light that kills any organisms in the water, removes chemicals and smells. On a well now so no worries about fluoride!🎉
The pro one filters have a larger diameter which means more surface area. So physics say it will drain faster than the Berkey filters which have less surface area.
Thanks for this video. I have had a Berkey for years. I have been mostly happy with it. My filters only last about 2 years before they fail the red dye test. Their filters are frequently out of stock, making getting replacements difficult. I need new filters and just went to the Berkey website and they have a notice on there that the black filters will be unavailable while the lawsuit goes through the appeals process. So, time to try a new filter!
There are other places on line to buy filters and units. Amazon. Took me a year looking for it before I checked other sites. Best to you. GOD BLESS YOU. Hope this helps you.
Sadly, ProOne filters failed after 3 days! I appreciate your video as I was really frustrated with the drain times for my Berkey. I ordered and installed 7-inch ProOne filters immediately and was thrilled with the fast drain time and the taste of the water. On the 4th day (and I refill with fresh tap water daily) the water had a nasty chemical flavor. I’ve washed my filters and begun again, twice. The bad taste persists. Currently waiting for support to answer my emails. Have you heard of anyone experiencing similar issue? 😢
Thats because Pro One isnt really NSF certified like this video claims, they claim their filters are NSF 42 and 53 but when you dig a little you realize that simply not true, in fact they use the same 3rd party lab as berkey does to make that claim, quite shady.
It may be me, but I don’t find their website friendly trying to find pictures and definitions of the sizes of their filtering systems. I’m definitely interested been thinking about getting a Berkey but after watching this, I believe I’d like to go with a pro one, if I can figure out what they have to offer
This is a great video! We have filtered our water for over 12 years. We also started with Berkey filters but switched to ProOne 5 years. no comparison to performance or ease of use. We only have the 9 inch filters and keep 4 extra filters at all times. We use 2 at a time and has filtered fast enough for our use. We couple using the gravity filtered system with a 5 gallon water cooler that we refill ounce a week. This allows us plenty of water at all times. I believe there are 5 states now that prohibit the sale of Berkey filters. ProOne is a far better choice, and we have used them with great results for over 5 years. We change our filters about every 16 months. Everyone should be filtering their water! Clean, healthy water is the key to good health
Add a whole home sediment filter and it will get rid of the brown color from your water, which is likely iron. It will also make your filters last far longer. Given the volume of usage, an under-sink on-demand RO filter would be a worthwhile investment. Cheaper in the long run. We just put one in that replaces a countertop Alexa Pure we had. The under-sink RO is definitely the way to go.
About 4 years ago when watching a lot of homesteading videos, everyone praised their Berkey. I looked into them and found you cannot purchase one in Iowa because of the reasons you stated. I decided then and there, if they weren't willing to pay for the certification testing, something was off. Glad to see you found an alternative.
I'm retired with fixed income. Do you anticipate having a discount code in the near future? I was going to sell my Berkey. Thanks to this video, I'll get these filters instead. You two rock!
Thank you for the great video. I wash my Berkey filters all the time. They tend to be clogging up after only a few weeks, so I just scrub them with cool water and a natural scouring sponge. Still, based on what you’ve shown here I may switch to the Pro 1s when it’s time for new filters. We also keep several glass gallon milk jugs filled with filtered water in our refrigerators, so we are never without filtered water.
That stuff you’re cleaning is junk in your water that is being stopped by the filter. The old ceramics were the same(only they broke down with cleaning unlike the newer carbon ones). I hope whatever filter you use will show signs of needing cleaning after some use - it shows it’s working. No cleaning? That stuff is getting through your filter.
Thank you SO much!! Also a senior with a travel Berkey. I was just debating today what to do with it! You gave the answer and I just finished ordering my high quality low maintenance filters. Absolutely delighted! Agreeing with other comments that you covered this topic thoroughly! Here's to soft, happy water consumption!!😅
Love, love, love this! We own the travel Berkey for the RV and have similar complaints with priming. This video was very informative and I love that you made specific recommendations for the correct replacement size. Ordering new filters today. Thanks.
Do you have any lab certified results to post for your new filter? Like how much is it certified to remove pharmaceuticals and other forever chemicals? Have you taken your own water out of it since it out to a lab and requested the test for all of the things not just quoting a number of #200 contaminates which doesn't really mean much if you don't tell us what it is.
soaking the filters in a weak vinegar solution will dissolve the hard water deposits and will restore the filter speed (just make sure when clean and reinstalled you fill to cover the filter to remove all the vinegar)... if you get a lot of organic matter (from filtering really dirty water without prefiltering) you can blow that out with compressed air...
I bought my Crown Berkey in 2016. It came with two black filters. Priming the black filters is just running them under water, nothing complicated and no hoses required. It’s 2023 and I just now had to purchase replacement filters. I’m single and all I drink is water and I always take two bottles of water to work, make coffee with my Berkey water every morning and cook with it. I’m beyond pleased with how well my Berkey has held up. I’ve washed the filters every year and the last time I washed them I had to use plumbers tape to hold one in place, probably because I over-tightened and stripped the threads. I suspect that my Berkey filters lasted well beyond 6,000 gallons.
I never had to wait 2 hours to get water, after ten minutes I could fill up a glass, because it filters continually and I don’t need all of the water at once. Plus I never had to keep my black filters completely submerged in water…ever. It’s best to drain the Berkey and then fill it all the way up each time, I just tip it forward to drain out the last drops into my water bottle or coffee carafe! Then I refill it to the brim again. Mine works great and 2 filters for one person lasted 7 years. I have to refill about every 5-6 days. That’s a lot of $$ saved by not buying bottled water.
I just replaced the two filters directly from the Berkey company for $166. I’m super pleased with my Berkey but caution people to be careful of knock-off filters because I’ve heard those can be problematic. When your Berkey filters are spent, you’ll immediately notice a change in the water quality because it will have a bad taste. It’s the same with all water filters I’ve ever used but especially noticeable with the Berkey.
Seriously, this video reminds me of the late night infomercials where they exaggerate every “problem” with their competitor and minimize the exact same processes required with their product. I honestly don’t think their product would save much, if any, money for me personally. But I think everyone should experiment and find what works best for them. This might be a good option for anyone who has had a bad experience with Berkey and wants an alternative. That’s not me, but I still found it useful to know that this option exists and would work with my existing Berkey. Water is crucial for survival and everyone should invest in a gravity water filtration system because it doesn’t require any electricity. It’s always good to have extra filters for any extended water emergencies. Buy this, buy a Berkey, buy a Sawyer life straw, buy SOMETHING so you are prepared! (Edited for typos)
I’m
I've had my Royal Berkey since 2018 and mine never took 2 hours to fill. The max time was roughly 50 min. I also could fill a glass after about 10 min. I've never used more than 2 black filters and 2 fluoride filters and I cleaned my filters once a year. I moved about 1 year ago and kept my clean filters in the fridge in a zip loc bag. I finally pulled them out after about 6 months and had to clean off serious mold on the black filters. My fault, I did not store them as directed since I thought I'd have my Berkey up and running within 2 weeks. I've not had any other problems with Berkey but was very concerned when I read about the lawsuit. I did some research and was even more concerned. Due to the lack of NSF certification I will most likely purchase non Bereky filters when mine need to be replaced.
It's interesting that the channel only ❤'s Anti-Berkey comments.
Excellent comment and advice. I came here looking for a cheaper option on filters. Still haven't found one. 1200 gallons vs 6000, doesn't give me any savings.
Agree with you all...I've had my Berkey since 2018, only had to prime it initially. I've had the same filters, will probably switch them at the end of this year.
I did so much research and bought the Alexapure system, and we are so happy. You are working too hard. The Alexapure has one filter, certified, filters fluoride, and one filter lasted us 3 years, they cost 100.00 to replace, AND they come in sealed bags fully cleaned and wet, ready to go, no priming ever!!
Now that is my kind of filter.
I have an AlexaPure also and I love it. Yes, the filters are pricey, but they last for a long time.
I'm in month 4 with my Alexapure - after a month long case of Covid...I'm very satisfied with my 2+ gallons of fluoride free (and other tap water chemicals) daily water supply!
I love my AlexaPure! Have had it 7 months . Very Satisfied!
Agreed
Had our water tested. It’s full of arsenic and other bad stuff except what was filtered with our Berkey. It was CLEAR and CLEAN.❤
And full of ALUMINUM from the berky filter!!! Enjoy!
I have owned and used a British Berkefeld Big Berkey made in England since 1999 and don’t use the black filters at all. My Berkey came with the ceramic Doulton style filters and they are the only ones I will use. They are easy to clean and the water tastes great. Not only for drinking but cooking like making soups and such. Even my cats drink Berkey water and love it. I always buy 4 backup Doulton type ceramic filters and I am totally satisfied with them.
I have used the Berky ceramic filters for probably more than 20 years. I now have well water, high in minerals and only RO will remove the magnesium.
I love to know too how would you get these ceramic filters??
@@kimbuck-2I was wondering same 🤔
Very wise. That is the original sterisil filter.
@@colleenj225Why do you want the magnesium removed?
In order to make a case for or against a filter, the real question is not which comes out faster or is easier to use but actual water analysis. I would be interested in a video showing lab results when comparing these two filters.
Exactly! Knowing the quality of the water is what matters. I currently have a ZERO gravity water system with a 40 cup glass dispenser. Their filters are NSF Certified to Reduce Lead, Chromium, and PFOA/PFOS. It comes with a water tester which is great! The water tastes great, but the filters are expensive and I have to replace every few weeks to keep getting quality water. I would love to invest in a system that has filters that last for a longer period of time and truly filters out all the bad stuff. Can you please test the water from your new filters and let us know the results?
Yep and the only company the EPA is trying to reclassify is berkey. My guess is that's the only company actually doing what they say they do.
@@tdmccoy1211No the lab results are saying Berkey filters don't filter nearly as well as they claim. And the fluroride filter leaches aluminum into the water. There is also 2 lawsuits that are on going and the stuff coming out is making the company look shady af.
@@shamrock73 Could you please post where we could find these test results and their findings.
Water filter guru did an analysis on his channel.
Mike Adams (Health Ranger) did his own independent testing on Berkey filters and said they tested were good. So I for one am not ditching my filters.
I don’t think he tested for fluoride though
They only test it for the first 20 gallons, not after 1000 gallons.
I use zero water, I love mike adams
❤
Been using BERKEY for years and I will be installing an RO system for under the sink. Your Pro One filters look good. When I run out of my backup BERKEY filters I’ll order those.
Here’s a handy trick for managing your water filters. You have two systems: a large one for home and a smaller one for your RV. The large filter has four slots, while the RV filter has two. Use three filter elements in the large system and one in the RV filter.
When you finish traveling, transfer the used RV filter element to the large filter. When you’re prepping to travel, move one of the four elements from the home system to the RV filter. This rotation eliminates the need for priming and keeps your filters working efficiently.
Let me begin by saying how much I appreciate this video and all of the effort involved in its production.
This has been very timely for me because I've been budgeting for a gravity water filter.
It was the added expense of the fluoride filter that put me off of the Berkey. Fluoride filtration is a must for me.
As a senior citizen on SS, getting the most for every dollar is vital, so your research and demonstration provided here is greatly appreciated. I had no idea just how labor intense the process was. After watching, I now feel that my decision will be the most informed possible by this research freak.
If I may share two caveats:
1. Handle the porcelain filters carefully. Broken porcelain is extremely sharp and will cut quick and deep in a nanosecond. It'll be a trip to the ER. Don't ask me how I know.
2. In the video, during the pre-wash, it shows the filter lying down in the bottom of the sink. Please! Do not do that. There are research studies out there that prove the kitchen sink has more bacteria than your toilet.
Never lay anything you plan to use in preparation for ingesting food or drinks, in the bottom of your kitchen sink.
I don't care how much of a clean freak you think you are, you will be exposing yourself and others to potentially severe illness. In a water filter, this can be deadly, not to mention the expense to replace your filters and the labor of sanitizing the base unit.
From another, I learned how to prime Berkey filters the smart way, by using gravity. Install them "upside down" so they hang down in the lower portion, then pour water into the top part: Gravity will "force feed" the water through the filters, soaking them thoroughly; you can't fight gravity! Once soaked, reinstall the filters the normal way in the top portion. Works like a charm! I wanted "off grid" filter, and so I got Big Berkey; frankly, I don't think the water tastes any differently than from the Brita faucet filter I've got installed on my kitchen sink, but at least the Berkey would still work in the event of a natural disaster, and so it's a good contingency. I'll consider NSF certified filters going forward, however.
I am trying this. I understand that I place the filters in the bottom chamber and pour water thru the top. How long should this take and is water going into the cartridges although they are plugged and screwed on? I don't have the proper faucet to prime and am trying to figure this out. Thank you.
Not long at all, may 30 minutes at most? Filters' "udders" facing up in the upper chamber, filters themselves in the lower chambers. Gravity will cause water you place in upper chamber to perfuse filters in lower chamber, thoroughly soaking them. Once accomplished, you can subsequently install them the correct way. Would love to hear how it worked for you; good luck!@@kish9503
He did say Install them upside down. They will be hanging in the lower bucket. Then use only clean water to fill it this time. Beacause its going directly into the clean inside of the filter. Don't want to contaminate that area. It sounds Like it worked for him. I like to soak them in a pan of water with a weight to hold them down. I don't let water inside through the outlet though unless its berkey water. That primes them well. Takes over night.
@@kish9503
@@kish9503I'm actually going to get new filters for my mom, and have been researching. We've had the Berkey Black filters for 3 years now (2 each in 2 different Light models - 2.75gal). Her water is horrible and it takes her over 2 days for a full upper tank. Mine is done in about 24 hours. As far as 'priming' if you do it with the washer/faucet it's only a minute or two. I'm going to try the upside down method for initial priming, and just let it go over night. Either way, BB's need to be soaked from inside out, then they last for years. I'm still not convinced about the ProOne, or their testing, and the price is only $10 less than BB, but need replaced every year.
We used a squeezy sport water bottle and priming button on the filter stem to very easily and quickly prime! Forced the water right through!
We love our Berkey! We spend the winters at our off grid cabin in the Yukon where every drop of water we use comes from our lake. Beaver, muskrat, otter, moose, caribou, ducks, geese and swans all use our lake, not to mention the fish! The Berkey filters out everything that could make us sick. We've been using the original filters for several years. When the production slows down, I simply take the filters out and scrub them with a scrubby. I do not reprime them after. I do not prime them when we have let them dry out when we are away from the cabin. I simply pop them back in, fill the reservoir with lake water and away it goes. I use red food dye to test the first batch and it has never failed. We'll keep using the Berkey.
When I bought my water filter, I did research and bought the pro one to begin with. The Berkey controversy had not occurred to that point. I am glad to hear now that people are agreeing with my research.
Coming to the game late...
Would you be so kind to tell me what the controversy was?
I did the same, 6 years ago. I had been using 10 stage filters, hooked up to the faucet, and they were good, but didn't filter fluoride.
Totally glad I found your video, I was researching and currently have a brita with was a good start but then learned it still leached. Thank you for doing the homework for the rest of us and I have complete faith in the information you have provided. Thank you for the additional education on care.
Been using our Berkeys close to a decade. Use it for our pretty good city water. I wash the black candles once in a while. Still on original filter. Fills Royal in maybe 1.25 hours. Very happy with my Berkey. I have 2 black filters in my Royal. Did you check total dissolved solids in each?
Purchased my New Berkeley Royal on EBay for $109, (without Filters) and the ProOne Filters on EBay $154. All this was done after watching your video. Thanks so much for your information.
Hey friends! I got a Berkey a few years ago as a prepping tool. However I have never used it for daily use due to the hassle of the filters, the recharging necessary, and the requirement to run it out before refilling it. But it doesn't use any electricity. So it's the best thing I knew of so far to keep for emergencies with grid down.
For the last five years or so I've been drinking distilled water that I make with an H2O Labs countertop distiller. Very simple efficient reliable and tasty and safe, but it does use electricity. I suspect it's still cheaper to distill than buy the Berkey filters, but I never compared.
Recently, after five years, I want to clear up my tiny kitchen space and the almost every day routine of running the distiller overnight for the next day's water SO I put in an Reverse Osmosis undersink water filter system. I installed the tank and filters in the basement just under the kitchen so it doesn't take any precious space under the sink in the cabinet, and it has a countertop spigot that fits nicely in the second soap dispenser hole. My unit does not take any power and will work as long as I have water pressure to my house - it is not gravity fed.
I will be ordering some of the ProOne filters because in an actual disaster it is less likely I can accomplish the priming and the other hassles for the Berkey. And fluoride filtration is important tome.
We used to own an RO, but the water wasted by them was prohibitive for a desert environment. Pay attention to future water usage just in case.
I did the same thing and haven't used it yet due to the filter hassles and aluminum issue with fluoride filters but will order these ProOne filters.
Great video, this is the first video I am seeing of yours and I loved it enough to subscribe! Props to your others subs who got this pushed out to get you more subs, have an amazing n blessed day yall!
I was excited when you said Pro-one is NSF Certified because when I last checked a few years ago no gravity filters were fully nsf certified. I just checked out their website and they definitely highlight there NSF certification but they are only certified for NSF/ANSI 42. Especially in an emergency, I am most concerned for contaminants that would fall under NSF 53 & 401.
NSF/ANSI has 3 certifications that apply to water filters. NSF 42 is for “aesthetic” impurities which includes chlorine, total dissolved solids and things that impact taste and odor. NSF 53 is for impurities that have demonstrated health impacts. NSF 401 is for “emerging compounds” like medications, pesticides and herbicides.
Thanks for all the detailed information you provided in how to use the new filters and the pros and cons. But I think it’s important to clarify that Pro-One is NOT certified for anything but chlorine, taste and odor. Having said that, I do own a small pro-one scout and 2 filters that I keep as part of my emergency supplies.
We’ve had a Berkey for years and needed to purchase new filters. Since we saw this video we just purchased and installed the pro one filters. Thank you so much for showing us how to install these. My husband works out of town and the filters arrived while he was at work. With your step by step it was easy peasy 😊
I have been using the Pro One for at least 5 years and love it. I went on a quest over five years ago to get a filter for better drinking water and almost bought a Berkey, I did some research and came across the pro one. I got the little blue picture to test and loved the results and from there I have bought another system that I put the pro one filters in like you're doing for the berkey. Whenever I meet somebody and they say they have a Berkey or other systems I tell them about the Pro One, I think they are the best for this type of system. Thanks for sharing 🙏✌️💜
Zero water anyone?
Does Pro One filter out pfas?
@@catherineshoemaker9106 so far the zero water is a lot better than my previous Alexapure system. The thing about Alexapure is 10 years ago when I first bought it the filters were excellent, the water was excellent. But the replacement filter I bought a few years ago was crap in comparison and went bad a lot sooner. So I was on the hunt for alternatives and tried the zero water pitcher. Once again I've got perfectly filtered water! Only downside is the zero water filters clog faster...but honestly? Even with the faster replacement rate for the filters they are a lot cheaper than $100+ for the stuff like Alexapure and Berkey.
I've been using a Pro One for almost a year now. I'm happy with it. I notice that the bottom water collection portion doesn't get a slime when I clean it like my berkey filter did. I love that I don't have to prime it. You do have to let water got through 2x with a new filter so it doesn't have a taste to the water. The water is safe to drink, even with the taste. It's mentioned on the website.
I put a real silver quarter in the bottom of my Berkey=no slime but real pure silver quarters are rare these days-they can't have any copper like todays quarters.
@@sandy-mr5gjWhy put a silver quarter?
@@hazelnut0127 I explained because a pure silver coin prevents slime in the water reservoir. Todays quarters don't work because they are not 100% silver.
Good idea.@@sandy-mr5gj
@@hazelnut0127... pure silver is antimicrobial.
Any pure silver will do the same.
I had a Berkey but went with the Doulton as it uses the ceramic filters. I'm glad to hear that the ProOne filters are also ceramic and certified. Thanks so much for your diligence!
Another saving hack is ….I’ve seen a lot of Berkey Units ,for these reasons being sold on marketplace too but having said that people can score some really nice units way cheaper now because so many were and are unhappy w the *filters or shocked by the replacement filters price that you can get some really nice units and then order the ProOne filters ! Save a ton ! A lady sold us 2 extra Units..still in the box brand new simply because she hates the lengthly prep steps! So .. we scored the new ones and now have some for the work place as well ! Living in hurricane alley we definitely need them especially when base stores close and Camp Lejeune water itself and the high water issues along the coast here… We had planned to get the similar one from ProOne but saved so much w the deal but I am grateful that the filters are compatible so we will continue to save!! So just food for thought.. for those who use local markets check there.. then order ProOne filters if your needing several units like we did. Thanks for another great vlog. Will definitely use your link when you partner up w ProOne. ❤
I bought the little bulb primer gizmo fr $5 and literally takes me seconds to prime mine. I can't believe people are that lazy. Nobody likes to do any thinking for themselves anymore
Where did you get your bulb primer? Direct from Berkey?
Lady, I knowwwwwwww why you smile sooooooo much……………… you are now getting FREEEEE PRO-ONE FILTERS for life.🤣😂😆
20 years ago, my wife and I chose to get a whole house water filter. It is connected to the main water supply and from there the water is dispersed all over the house. The unit we purchased was by Puronics. It comprises of a large stainless steel unit (about 4 feet tall and 15" in diameter). Then there is a shorter unit (about 3 feet tall and 30: around), The shorter unit is for salt, but the salt is not added to the water. Once a week in the middle of the night, the tall unit is flushed with water that is run through the salt. The salt is used to clean the system, and the water is emptied down the drain. We have loved our unit. It removes all the chemicals, including chlorine from the water. My wife is very particular about water. This water is better than any bottled water. We also use less laundry detergent and dish washing detergent. The unit cost us about $5,000, but we paid for it over time. Once a year a service man will come out and make certain it is operating fine. We don't have to worry about filter, priming them, or cleaning them. The salt we can purchase at a box store for about $3.50 for 40 lbs. I usually keep about 4 bags in the salt unit, and may have to add more salt after about 5 or 6 months. It's another way to filter the water. Whenever we move, they can come and disconnect the filter and we can take it wherever we go. We're so pleased with it.
Exactly who checks it out every year. A plumber?
You have a water softener, it is not a filter. It exchanges calcium and magnesium ions for sodium.
I have two Berkey systems and have been less than happy. I also have Zero water which has NSF certification. I’m going to check out these filters because I want to be able to use my Berkey. Watched someone test using a highly toxic heavy metal and the Zero water did the best.
Was ALEXA PURE included in that
@@kingscairn I would have to double check but I believe it was.
Update - never mind - Hello! Did you find out if the zero filters fit the berkeys? Please and Thank you................. Never mind - seens zero is a dfferent style entirely.
I love my Berkey!! I have had it since 2019. I have only purchased a set of new filters one time. I drink over 60 ounces of water a day. I use this Berkey water for everything! It works! It is easy to use and clean.
Thank you, Joe and Rachel. We have a Berkey we’ve been having a lot of problems with and your video was very helpful and us to make decisions on how to make the Berkey system work better please keep making these videos.
John Banks
Made my own with two 8 dollar stock pots and a drill. I've been using ceramic filters since I made it. Works great. You don't have to wait until all the water is filtered to open the tap.
that’s amazing. wish I had been that resourceful instead of spending all that $$$! i’m going to try it. what ceramic filters do you use? thanks.
@@alisonarcher2879 the filters I purchased on Amazon are Huining they do a nice job filtering lake water when camping, My friend who copied my filter preferred a charcoal filter for taste but I think the ceramic works great on the local well water the city supplies. P.S. the stock pots from Walmart have gone up in price.
I made a home madeworks great
Can you share what you did? Sounds good.
An easy way to prime a Berkey filter, is to use a squeeze bottle similar to the ones used for condiments (ketchup/mustard). The squeeze bottle tips are small enough to fit into the filter opening. You can often find them at dollar stores.
My son's family uses the Berkey, but I have an Alexapure. The Alexapure is cheaper, in a direct comparison between the two not considering price, I still feel that the Alexapure is the clear winner.
I am happy with mine also.
From what I have read, Alexapure filters out more contaminants than other brands. I am very happy with my Alexapure also.
I switched to proone filters but recently they are always out of stock. Considering the British Berkfeld. Just started to study the berkfeld. A little concerned that on their website berkfeld says they don't remove nitrates. It is a pain all the research that you have to do.
I have a Big Berkey and I've been needing black filters for a while and of late they are always out of stock. Now thanks to you guys I have an alternative and I don't need the separate Fluoride filters and no more charging, yahoo! Thank you and keep the info coming.
Enjoyed watching your video. Our city water is terrible, so we buy our water from a Primo water dispenser at Walmart and fill-up several 3-gallon jugs. Primo uses a multi-layer filter process, which one part is reverse osmosis. I've researched reverse osmosis, and it isn't healthy to drink the water. Most of the minerals are removed and it is "dead" water. Our bodies need minerals from the water. After watching your video, your information and tips convinced me to purchase the ProOne 3-gallon water system. I just received it today. I am looking forward to drinking clean, great tasting water directly from the faucet instead of having to load up the empty water jugs in the car and make a trip to the store. Now I will be able to fill-up the water jugs at home. So glad I ran across your video.
I want to thank you, for your time researching this, and sharing. I bought an Alexapure at an auction for $1, it was missing the lid and I believe people thought it was a coffee maker. I reached out to them regarding a new lid and got no response. I ended up buying a lid for a pan that fits perfectly for another $1 at a resale store. I will be buying these filters from here on out. Thank you.
Purchased a British made Doulton system with similar ceramic candles. It's tested and proven to regulation standards and as you say hassle free to use. We looked into Berkey but glad we didn't go that way for the reasons you state. We hold transparency in a company in high regard, Doulton provided that. Its worth mentioning that on investigation there are components in Berkey filters that are not biodegradable so recycling is a challenge. The ceramic ones are better in this area and overall better for the enviroment. Thanks for the info, I think this switch is a good choice.
Get the original Berkefeld filters from Doulton USA branch: Each filter NOW also removes Fluoride. And no, I'm not an affiliate. The price is 1/2 was Berkey was charging.
We purchased our Berkey in 2018. Love ut. Two filters replaced approximately every two years. Last replacement was January 2024. The new filters are NOT the original black filters - which, for whatever reason, are not currently available - but Boroux filters. These were purchased from Berkey as the current replacement filter. HATE them. We primed several times. Took 36 hours to filter 2.5 gallons of water! Happy to have found this video. I didn't want to wait any longer for the original black filter (Berkey's response was to get on the waiting list to purchase old type when/if they ever return). Glad to know there is another option to keep our cannister.
Yes, pro one filters are used by others in the Berkey water units. The Berkey filters not being certified and having issues of failure in the dye test when new as of late makes it seem as if they have them made in a low grade factory in a third world country or from China.
I would not even waste the money on buying a Berkey unit and make my own out of 2 heavy duty Stainless Steel Stockpots and fittings. Would come out way cheaper and then buy the Pro One filters.
I've had my Berkey for over 10 years and absolutely have loved it. Great tasting, clean water. Only need to prime the filters every couple months, and it really doesn't take too long. However, the last filter I bought in 2021 was a huge headache. It had to be primed every week. After priming it would filter and drain very well into the tank below, but within a couple days it would slow down and by a week or so it would barely drip at all, so I had to reprime. I eventually completely removed the flouride filters because those made it even slower. After a year and a half of this, I couldn't stand it any more and got new filters. I generally replace filters every 2 years, but was done with all the messing around and just wanted to start fresh. I have no idea why, but I'm having worse trouble with these new ones. I only get good flow for one day, maybe 2, then it slows down considerably. I have to reprime twice a week, and in the meantime my family is drinking from plastic water bottles because the Berkey will not produce anymore. This is VERY frustrating and I can't figure out why this is happening. Like I said, they worked great for the first 10 years, now it's a struggle. The only answer I get is prime for longer and scrub the filters for longer. Done this, it doesn't help with anything. Does anyone have any suggestions???
I have used the Berkey-Style gravity-fed filters since the Milwaukee Cryptosporidium Municipal Water supply contamination disaster of the early 1990s, buying one for my disabled brother to use.
There are a number of competing similar brands. The Berkey filter has been carried into the wild for more than a CENTURY by missionaries, explorers, and it has been distributed thru all that period in disaster areas. So it has saved many tens of thousands of lives by filtering critters and chemicals from contaminated water around the world for a CENTURy and more
I am NOT a Paid representative for ANY Water filter system, by the way.
_*You can make your own filter system with 2-or-3-inch thick layers from top to bottom: pebbles, washed sand, diatomaceous earth, and activated charcoal, and finally place a real silver coin or a silver plated fork or spoon from a second-hand store in the BOTTOM Receptacle.
British Sailors had discovered by the 17th century that placing a silver coin in their communal water barrel kept the water FRESH as long as the coin was left there. Turns out the Silver acts as an anti-viral and antimicrobial, killing critters that got thru the filtering media.*_
It helps to keep the filtering layers intact by separating them with a fine screen or cloth. The Berkey-style filter allows you to filter water drawn from creeks, swamps, and other like sources that you would not want to drink from directly. LET the water sit for an hour to allow sediments to settle to the bottom, or you'll clog your system very quickly. ACTIVATED CHARCOAL, adsorbs a very long list of undesirable chemicals, I would be profoundly surprised if that does not include flouridated compounds in public water supplies.
Look, all you need to do to "Charge" your filter is just pour a gallon into the top, let it run thru, and discard the first batch of water that passes thru the dry filters. If you are really fastidious (not a bad thing) you can CLEAN the lower receptacle before you start using the system for drinking water.
Sorry you find it such a bother to charge the dried filters.
GREAT COMMENT !!
I would like a reply from the 2krazyketos
Love My Big Berkey been running it with two Berkey Ceramic granulated charcoal filled filters for years, never primed them not once. Water is obtained from my Water Well where the well water is pre-filltered and softened in my home before it gets to the plumbing faucets. I've found that the Berkey Ceramic filters last for years when you clean them from time to time and go with a disinfection process using Hydrogen Peroxide as a soak and flush ...it doesn't take much time and it refreshes the filters = AWESOME.
The Proone now purifies 3,000 gallons, It removes Arsnic.. I've used it for decades & they are great!!! I did a lot of research on water filters, Becky & Alexa. Alexa was the best & uses the Proone filter.
In my municipality they have been using , not chlorine, but chloramines for over 20 years. When they first began using them they had a warning on the city's website not to use city water in your aquarium and as I studied chloramines around the country I found a water main break that caused a fish kill off in the stream into which it leaked. These pour through systems were not capable of removing them so I have a countertop reverse osmosis machine, Distillation and reverse osmosis are better and the countertop RO machine does not cost much more than these pour through systems
What is the brand or model countertop RO you have?
The Enviratek (Pro One) test results provided on their website (PDF download) show 99.9+% chloramines are removed with their G2 gravity filters.
RO removes vital minerals from your water, inherent in its the process.
So the burki is faster and last longer but they refuse to test them. I was going to get one but didn’t like the price so I got a ceramic water cooler then later I got I think a 2 gallon stock pot at Walmart drilled a hole in the bottom and installed a zero water filter I only used one filter but it will filter 2 gallons in around 20 minutes and the ceramic water cooler keeps the water cool even on hot days. And after seeing your test I’m glad I went that way👍👍👍❤️❤️❤️❤️😊
I have been using a Berkey for 6 years. I replace the chlorine filters twice a year and at that time the drip is usually slower.I also clean off the black filters and Prime them and do the red dye test. After this the drip is much better but will slow down after a couple months. The Berkey water looks clearer than the other filtered water in your video that causes me to wonder if there is sodium in the Pro One water which may also give it the softer texture you described.
Than you,thank you! I have been trying to find filters, the Berky company says they don’t have any to sell. I haven’t been happy with the extra steps. Glad to hear about another option!
Hey just so you know, ProOne filters are not NSF certified like you may think. They are only certified under "material requirements" which basically means the "parts are made from the right materials" whether it be gaskets, filter cartridges, stainless steel container, ect. None of the certfications have anything to do with the claims from ProOne in the effectiveness of it's product. They are one in same with all of these companies. All we want is the NSF to certifiy the filtration standards they claim and the companies dont do it. "It costs too much" is the excuse.. Im pretty sure if some of these companies havent sold in he millions already... theyre in the 100 thousands... Youd think theyd have enough to spend on this specidic cert considering alot of the products are $400 a pop. Imagine your product DOES filter everything BUT filter are only 99.9% effective before 100 gallons and then you need to replace filters. Naaat good
Not a very good test of theirs at the end there. If they wanted to make it legit they should have had somebody else give them a blind test.
@@lovegunn22 If you're still looking for a filter get the ZeroWater one. It's the best and has all the NSF certs. It'll filter any water supply to 0 TDS. In BC Canada the filters last a LONG TIME since our sources up here are already very clean 20 - 35 TDS
@@brandonc79 Thanks for the input greatly appreciated.
@@lovegunn22 no problemmmmmmm
@@brandonc79I disagree with the zero water recommendation and here’s why:
1. Filter life. My family of 4 was only getting around 4-6 weeks at best with each filter, and zero waters have an issue when the filters goes bad they make the water taste like fish smell. Not to mention the price of these filters!
2. A zero TDS does not mean purified. Bacteria will not show on a tds meter.
3. ZW removes all good minerals from your drinking water. This annoys me most of all, as any good parent you want healthy foods and water for your family, but our water filter was actually taking away good minerals. You need those minerals as completely mineral free water is not completely ingested by your body, actually leaving you less hydrated. You also just need those minerals for a healthy lifestyle. We were adding those minerals to the filtered ZW tank, using a dropper. That got old.
Ended up putting our ZW away and went back with an Alexpure. Those filters last longer, are cleanable, filter out bacteria (river water) lab tested to remove heavy metals (lead, ect) and leave in those important minerals. ✌🏼
So glad you posted this video! Iwas struggling with whether Ishould invest in a Berky.
I love my Alexapure. It's easy to use as filters do not need priming and they filter fluoride.
I have one also and love it. Bought it in 2017 and have replaced the filters only once, I use about 1 to 2 gallons a day for drinking, cooking and for my pets. I clean them about every 6 months. And they remove Vinyl Chloride (I live in Ohio) which alot of other filters do not.
Have you had drain issues with it ? I have used Alexapure since 2015. Finally figured out the flow issue, and love it.
@@nonamebrand8771 I also dump out the water that is left before refilling my alexapure .. I have found it helps alot ...
@@nonamebrand8771backflush - i have alexa pure too
@@nonamebrand8771 how did you fix it?
you guys are awesome!!!
I do question the speed of the white filter and is it truly removing impurities that fast?
We went keto/clean eating a year ago and went with the Zero water filter pitcher. They are NSF tested and it does give a very nice clean water taste. Sadly I don't think it filters out fluoride but for the money I am ok. Edited to say I did check and Zero does filter out fluoride.
I used the Propur system (now ProOne) and gave my kids them, too. I don't use anything where I live now because my well water is fine. My sister told me about the Zero water pitcher and one day I found it in my local discount store for about $15., then shortly after I also found a box of filters for about the same $. I ended up giving them to one of my daughters who was happy to receive it.
I don't believe Zero fi;ters out fluoride according to tests I've read about.
Have a Big Berkey for 18 months now. Have 2 black filters and the fluoride filter. What a nightmare the first month setting up! I am a widow and live alone so red water testing, cleaning filters and single handedly installing each time the red water test failed was insanity. I must say Customer Service was excellent and returned calls and shipped immediately all those replacements each and every time. When I purchased did not realize it wasn’t NSF certified and decided to get the fluoride to be safe. My water too is amazing and will definitely get 3 pro ones upon replacement. The cleaning is such a hassle! Thank you for your video👌🏻
Link?
I use a Zero system too and I think it's probably the best of the less expensive filters.
I wanted a Berkey but didn’t like the price so I went with 4 Patriots, exact same system at a much cheaper price. I will have to check out this company for the filters. Thanks guys!!
Hi Joe and Rachel. Boy, am I happy I saw your heading as I was cruising through. I bought a Berkey about 3 yrs ago; I've never used it because of the huge production with those filters. I am beyond excited to try these ProOne filters. How generous of you guys to go to all the trouble of demonstrating the cleaning and time frames; thank you, thank you! As a senior on a set income, I totally appreciate the value of finding satisfactory products that actually do what they claim to do. Again, thank you so much, stay well.
The Berkey filters are not hard to prime at all. I was just looking for cheaper options.
Haha, so you just pissed away all that money because "never used it because of the huge production with those filters". That is just beyond sad. Maybe if you have that much extra $$, you could've just paid a 10-year old to do it for you LOL.
Ceramic are best. I add fluoride filters too. They last years. ❤ Don’t degrade Berkey.
I got mine from pariots came with ceramic filters ..I can have 4 filters I use 2.. easy to clean .just me and my dog..I fill j7gs and ..one for fridge.
Berkey's whole shtick is their filters. If you're not using their filters, it's just a shiny husk. That said, I own the crown and use their black filters to improve the taste of well water, but they're fat from the best thing out there
@DrDennis except their flouride filter leeches aluminum into the “filtered” water
@@gigig2492I read somewhere that the fluoride filters 'could' leach aluminum IF the water level sits above the top of the filter. 🤷♀️
I’m so glad I bought mine in 2014 for my first one. I got it because of the flint water crisis. Our water stunk and was yellow. I took part in the testing program where they was testing for lead and copper. I asked to send in a sample from my Berkeley because the manufacture said it doesn’t remove lead. The test results was 0 lead and copper from the Berkeley with the British Daulton ceramic candle. I purchased this unit because it is used in the field by missionaries in 3rd world conditions which living in flint during the crisis felt like. I’ve moved and have well water so I purchased a 2nd unit. I agree the black candles aren’t as good as the original ceramic ones.
Can you share where you purchased your candles from?
Thank you and GOD BLESS YOU. SE MICHIGAN 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏
ALSO INTERESTED IN THE FILTET CANDLES. I
WOULD LOVE TO MOVE TOO
Perfect ! Glad I didn't throw out my 2 Berkeys--I am ordering Pro One filters today---and hopefully able to sell all my new -never used Berkey filter stash. TY for the video!
Thanks for this. I've been looking for an alternative myself. But unlike you, I made my own buckets. Currently I made a new one using two 7 gallon black food grade buckets. Works like a charm. I am single and I've had my Berkey for 5 years and I've only just reached 500 gallons. Means I don't drink that much water? Anyway, I've never had to clean mine. I just looked at them and they are still clean so, I never heard of that. I use two black filters and two Fluoride filters but my city currently said they are no longer putting fluoride in our waters so I won't be getting another one for the future. My filters still filter pretty fast. They still seem to work. I also have a Sight Glass Spigot on my home made buckets so I know to fill it up with water before I run out. Very helpful.
EXCELLENT video! I do have the berkey and worried about the filtration (or lack there of) and wondered about different filters that might fit it. This provided answers to most all my questions! Thank you!
Several years ago, we had a Berkey we loved. But the filters were definitely not black and did not need to be primed. They were white like the new replacement filter you bought. The cool thing is you could see when it was time to clean the filter…it would be rusty brown on the outside, but a good scrub would restore it back to white. I am sad to here their quality has gone down. Thanks for sharing the info!
“Hear” not “here” 😂
@@Michele.Stitches....wow...grammar police😮
But what about the inside? Do you think the brown, rusty colour is only on the outside? I think it looks just as brown on the inside. You should open the thing and clean the inside too, shouldn't you?
@@susanneschauf7417 Oh, we definitely cleaned the entire Berkey on a regular basis!
@@pjj9491 Don’t worry, I only police and correct the grammar and spelling on my own posts. 😁
I've only been using a Big Berkey for the past 3+ years. In that time I've had to replace the filters twice, so I'm definitely not getting out of them what they claim. Which led me to researching alternatives. After your video I looked more into ProOne and it seems like they are worth a try. Unfortunately, they are out of stock with no indication to when they will have more. So, I'll continue with my current Berkey filters. I do have to question... how do you know how well the ProOne filters are actually working? While the red dye test on the Berkey was a tedious task, at least you knew whether or not they were defective.
I switched back to the Doulton ceramic candles from the black filters in my Berkey. I’m on water catchment and do not have fluoride issues. Love my Berkey - she’s pretty old at this point. I would consider the ProOne filters if I were on city water. Not possible here off-grid in the desert.
Thanks for your tip. Hubs & I are setting up a rain catchment system (we have a Berkey filter almost 3 years old)...we are planning to filter with sand, rock & charcoal for showering, washing dishes, etc. & for our drinking water filter through the Berkey & was looking into buying new filters soon....glad I saw the video & read through the comments. 😊
But would they be good for filtering SHTF water from rivers ect.
I don't understand why not just do reverse osmosis???? I bought one on Amazon and plumbed it in myself was about 80 dollars with replacement filters 120 that should last 3 years
I've been researching a new water filter and appreciate you sharing your experiences with this system 13:07 🤩!
My first Berkey I purchased with ceramic silver impregnated Berkefield filters. They too needed extra fluoride fiters. While seaching for better deals I discovered the All In One ceramic filters by Propur. They now call them Pro One. All in one is what sold me - no fluoride filters needed. Glad you discovered them too. Get you one of those spouts with the glass tube that shows the water level. That way you know when it is good to add water.
I have that spout. Purchased @ one month after buying Berkey. Game Changer!
Ty so very much. I was about to buy a Burkey system.
But with priming and without the certification, no way.
I like this much better.
As a disability needs family it makes it easier for us.
The other system would be way too much trouble for us.
Thanks again 😊
Our family uses a Nikken PiMag filtration system and it uses a ceramic filter as well but I'm unsure if it blocks any flouride or the 200+ contaminants that the ProOne does.
I also recently purchased a 4 pack of AquaCrest black filters that are compatible with Berkey, but they have NSF certification and have excellent reviews for their OS Systems so I figured they knew what they are doing as far as making good water filtration units.
I purchased those to make my own DIY "Berkey" System Build which I will upload to my channel soon.
I would put a container under the Spicket.
Open the Spicket.
Start pouring water in the top till it’s full.
Time 1 cup of water being filled. Then you’ll have a fill rate of gallons per hour or whatever.
if you jackhammers are throwing any berkey stuff out, i'll take it.
This issue has been bugging me for a long time. Thank you for doing the research and finding an alternative for us!
I had a Berkey and the problem I had was you never knew when the filters failed. You only knew after cleaning them and doing the red dye test again to find out it failed. and I always asked myself, when did it fail and how long have i been drinking not properly filtered water? Is there a test with the pro one you can do? How do you know when its time to change them? I still have my Berkey unit and am very interested in these filters. Currently i get my water from a natural spring. But for the times I run out this seems like a great option.
This is the same concern I have about these kinds of systems. They can silently fail and you may not know until you do a test. Given that the ProOne uses the same kind of cartridge installation system, I wonder if they are susceptible to the same kind of silent failure rates as the Berkey. In any case, I like to use glass jugs to store some filtered water in the fridge and as a backup in case the filter fails.
The AlexaPure filter is designed to stop filtering water until you replace it.
Hello from Ouray, Colorado! Thank you so much for this video! It is very informative!
QUESTION: Can you use these devices for a survival situation when our house water is no longer available and we need to procure it from natural sources such as rivers, lakes, streams, puddles, etc? If so, I would guess it would be better if you could pre-filter the water, somehow, to get a lot of the grit and debris out?
There’s a very good reason that Berkey hasn’t sought in S if certification for their filters. You have to get certification for each test cost thousands of dollars with 230+ contaminants that’s a lot of money. All the research I have seen people sending their water off for testing. I’ve been using him for over 10 years I’ve had no problems. Let me offer another tip about the Berkey carbon black filters, you can shave them with a vegetable peeler up to three times and still not lose effectiveness I’ve done that with mine once most of the time I just use a scotch bright pad on returns the flow right back to where it was. One question, does it filter out arsenic?
Great video. I have British Berkefeld, by Doulton. Are they similar? Thanks.
Berkey got its start with the help of British Berkefeld. I use them. Awesome filters.
Thanks for this precious informations. I’ve been having my travel Berkey for maybe 7-8 years and as you mentioned the priming always was a pain plus recently was having problems finding fluoride filters. I was getting really tired of the whole situation. I stocked up to have just in case but I will look into this new filters.
Glad i watched this. Ive used mostly doulton filters for well over a decade. Did some research last time i bought filters and ordered pro one. Ive been worried because i could hear it dripping so much faster. I was skeptical how it could filter so fast. But the water taste great so i felt it must be working fine. The minute you said you could hear it filtering faster I felt relief from my nagging fear something was wrong. The faster fill time is so awesome and i really wish i hadnt been needlessly worried the last 6 months. This alone would be a reason to switch filters if you fill a lot of bottles every day like we do. Thank you for comparing the filter speed. I will be sticking with these great filters for the future.
Bro, you're probably better off with the doulton, ProOne are not NSF certified, they're actually quite sketchy, on their site they claim they're NSF 42 and 53 certified but the only official NSF certification they have is 42 for their materials, NOT for their filters, at least doulton is NSF 42 for their filters and not just materials, but in the first place NSF 42 is a certification for treating odors and taste, not bacteria, heavy metals, viruses and so on, for that you want NSF 53, which they simply dont have, Pro One claim their filters are 3rd party tested to or above NSF 53 level but when you go to look at those 3rd party tests guess what? its from the same exact lab that runs tests for berkey for their black filters, a shady business called envirotek lab.
Doulton is only NSF 42 so its not exactly endgame filters but its probably better then ProOne/Berkey black
I have the plastic clear one and used it for about 5 years. I bought it specifically to remove fluoride in the city water and after more research have seen studies that the system doesn't remove fluoride and even adds harmful things to the water! I have a new home filtration system with that blue light that kills any organisms in the water, removes chemicals and smells. On a well now so no worries about fluoride!🎉
Does the pro filter micro and nano plastics? And does it leave the good minerals like calcium magnesium potassium and sodium
Well physics shows that if a media allows a more water to flow faster that is not filtering at the same level as a media that takes longer to flow.
The pro one filters have a larger diameter which means more surface area. So physics say it will drain faster than the Berkey filters which have less surface area.
That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard.
Thanks for this video. I have had a Berkey for years. I have been mostly happy with it. My filters only last about 2 years before they fail the red dye test. Their filters are frequently out of stock, making getting replacements difficult. I need new filters and just went to the Berkey website and they have a notice on there that the black filters will be unavailable while the lawsuit goes through the appeals process. So, time to try a new filter!
There are other places on line to buy filters and units. Amazon. Took me a year looking for it before I checked other sites. Best to you. GOD BLESS YOU.
Hope this helps you.
Sadly, ProOne filters failed after 3 days! I appreciate your video as I was really frustrated with the drain times for my Berkey. I ordered and installed 7-inch ProOne filters immediately and was thrilled with the fast drain time and the taste of the water. On the 4th day (and I refill with fresh tap water daily) the water had a nasty chemical flavor. I’ve washed my filters and begun again, twice. The bad taste persists. Currently waiting for support to answer my emails. Have you heard of anyone experiencing similar issue? 😢
Thats because Pro One isnt really NSF certified like this video claims, they claim their filters are NSF 42 and 53 but when you dig a little you realize that simply not true, in fact they use the same 3rd party lab as berkey does to make that claim, quite shady.
I've had my Berkey for about a year now and will definitely try the ProOne filters after seeing your video.
We have well water. I don't drink our water unless it goes through the refrigerator filter and a brita..
People are still using Brita?
Hello from the rainy Ozarks? Did you Water test from both of the different filters for contaniments? tight lines!
It may be me, but I don’t find their website friendly trying to find pictures and definitions of the sizes of their filtering systems. I’m definitely interested been thinking about getting a Berkey but after watching this, I believe I’d like to go with a pro one, if I can figure out what they have to offer
Can i use these filters if i buy it and leave for 5-10 years on the shelf? Will they work after long time?
This is a great video! We have filtered our water for over 12 years. We also started with Berkey filters but switched to ProOne 5 years.
no comparison to performance or ease of use. We only have the 9 inch filters and keep 4 extra filters at all times. We use 2 at a time and has filtered fast enough for our use. We couple using the gravity filtered system with a 5 gallon water cooler that we refill ounce a week. This allows us plenty of water at all times.
I believe there are 5 states now that prohibit the sale of Berkey filters.
ProOne is a far better choice, and we have used them with great results for over 5 years.
We change our filters about every 16 months.
Everyone should be filtering their water! Clean, healthy water is the key to good health
Add a whole home sediment filter and it will get rid of the brown color from your water, which is likely iron. It will also make your filters last far longer. Given the volume of usage, an under-sink on-demand RO filter would be a worthwhile investment. Cheaper in the long run. We just put one in that replaces a countertop Alexa Pure we had. The under-sink RO is definitely the way to go.
About 4 years ago when watching a lot of homesteading videos, everyone praised their Berkey. I looked into them and found you cannot purchase one in Iowa because of the reasons you stated. I decided then and there, if they weren't willing to pay for the certification testing, something was off. Glad to see you found an alternative.
Berkeley is not supposed to be shipped to California, either.
What did you end up going with? I also just realized I can’t one in Iowa. Is there one we can get?
I haven't gone with anything yet, but Joe's nerdy tech research is pretty convincing. I haven't looked into if they are available in Iowa.
very thorough from beginning to end, thanks so much
I'm retired with fixed income. Do you anticipate having a discount code in the near future? I was going to sell my Berkey. Thanks to this video, I'll get these filters instead. You two rock!
Thank you for the great video. I wash my Berkey filters all the time. They tend to be clogging up after only a few weeks, so I just scrub them with cool water and a natural scouring sponge. Still, based on what you’ve shown here I may switch to the Pro 1s when it’s time for new filters. We also keep several glass gallon milk jugs filled with filtered water in our refrigerators, so we are never without filtered water.
That stuff you’re cleaning is junk in your water that is being stopped by the filter. The old ceramics were the same(only they broke down with cleaning unlike the newer carbon ones). I hope whatever filter you use will show signs of needing cleaning after some use - it shows it’s working. No cleaning? That stuff is getting through your filter.
Sticking with my Elexapure one filter lasts such a long time, and takes out fluoride, no priming.
you can scrub the Berkley filters with 220 grit drywall sanding paper which will renew the flow rate. Good vid. Thanks!
I use brand new green scrubbies
Works great!
Awesome video. I’ve been thinking about replacing my berkey but it’s an investment. It’s nice to know I can use the ProOne will fit in my berkey.
Thank you SO much!! Also a senior with a travel Berkey. I was just debating today what to do with it! You gave the answer and I just finished ordering my high quality low maintenance filters. Absolutely delighted! Agreeing with other comments that you covered this topic thoroughly! Here's to soft, happy water consumption!!😅
Love, love, love this! We own the travel Berkey for the RV and have similar complaints with priming. This video was very informative and I love that you made specific recommendations for the correct replacement size. Ordering new filters today. Thanks.
Do you have any lab certified results to post for your new filter? Like how much is it certified to remove pharmaceuticals and other forever chemicals? Have you taken your own water out of it since it out to a lab and requested the test for all of the things not just quoting a number of #200 contaminates which doesn't really mean much if you don't tell us what it is.
Have you considered a reverse osmosis system that go under your sink? Then there’s nothing setting out on your counter
How much do they cost?
soaking the filters in a weak vinegar solution will dissolve the hard water deposits and will restore the filter speed (just make sure when clean and reinstalled you fill to cover the filter to remove all the vinegar)... if you get a lot of organic matter (from filtering really dirty water without prefiltering) you can blow that out with compressed air...