by Christopher Jones
You are probably very familiar with a fluoride water filter, but are you familiar with a gravity water filter?
If not, that is perfectly fine.
However, it would behoove you to familiarize yourself with gravity water filters because in many ways, they are just as important as fluoride water filters.
Think of a gravity water filter as a water filter that is in many ways portable.
If you are not comfortable with the water that you encounter when you are outside, you should definitely consider a gravity water filter.
However, it can also be ideal to keep a gravity water filter in the home as well and there are a few reasons for this as well.
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Because you might be unfamiliar with gravity water filters, you will need to consider a few things before buying one.
Making the mistake of buying the most popular gravity water filter or one that just looks appealing can be a bad investment.
Avoid that mistake by considering the following.
While some gravity water filters are designed to be used outdoors, some of them are ideal for being indoors.
It is up to you to see if you will be using your water filter outdoors, because there are some gravity water filters that are designed for outdoor use.
Just like some gravity water filters are designed for outdoor use, the opposite is also true: There are some gravity water filters that are designed for the home or office.
This is something else that you need to consider as well.
Take the time to determine whether you are going to use the gravity water filter indoors or outdoors for the majority of the time. It will help you arrive at a decision.
Just like with standard fluoride water filters, there are also differences in how many toxins that gravity water filters can remove.
You need to understand that some gravity water filters can remove a lot of toxins from their water, and some can only remove the standard amount of toxins.
You will need to weigh these differences.
Another thing that makes gravity water filters similar to standard water filters is that they also have capacities.
Just like with those filters, you will need to determine what kinds of capacities you prefer and measure that against other metrics.
You will want to pay attention to what the Gravityworks by Platypus has to offer if you are looking for a water filter that you can take anywhere. In a world where many water filters are not portable at all or not as portable as they need to be, the Gravityworks water filter will amaze you with how portable it is.
Coming in two reservoir bags connected to two tubes that filter the water in the bags, you will have no problem carrying the Gravityworks water filter around. With each bag being 4 liters each, you'll be able to carry the bags yourself or hang them from somewhere, giving you access to water that is just as filtered as water that gets put through a kitchen or basement filter.
The only thing that you might need to watch for when it comes to the Gravityworks filter is that it is essentially bagged water. Unlike plastic or metal, bags are obviously a little more fragile. It is a good chance that they will tear, especially if you take them camping or put them in an environment where the bags are around things that can tear them.
One of the best things about berkeys that are designed for the home is that you can separate them from your water supply almost completely. This is a really good thing if you do not want to crowd the piping around your water supply.
Take this concept, remove the grounding devices that comprise their home devices, and you have the Travel Berkey. Think of the Travel Berkey as a water cooler that contains perfectly filtered water. If you are a sports coach and you want your team to be perfectly hydrated, you will want the Travel Berkey in your possession.
Just like with any berkey that you can use at home, you will not need to worry about refilling it or replacing the filter for a very long time. The elements that come with it last 6000 gallons before they need to be replaced, and the berkey itself has a capacity of 1.5 gallons. These qualities are what make the Travel Berkey perfect for working outdoors or for sporting events.
Unfortunately, the Travel Berkey is just as heavy as any other berkey that is available for the home. It weighs significantly more than any given water cooler, and it is also a lot more fragile than the average water cooler in that the filter elements are inside of it, among other things. Keep these in mind if you decide on acquiring one.
Water coolers are slowly becoming a thing of the past thanks to the incredible technologies provided by the berkey. Think of a berkey as a combination of a water cooler and a water filtration device. This allows you to take filtered water with you anywhere.
The Big Berkey is something that you are going to want in your possession if you are hosting any given outdoors event. The filters remove all the most important toxins from water. The elements that filter the water last 6000 gallons before they need to be replaced. The berkey itself holds over two gallons before it needs to be refilled. These are what makes the Big Berkey something that you will want for any given outdoor event.
If you are used to hoisting around water coolers without a care, you will not be able to do this with the Big Berkey. First, it is made of stainless steel, making it extremely heavy. You also have filtering elements inside of it that will get damaged if you are too reckless with it when storing or transporting it. Keep all of this in mind before deciding to acquire the Big Berkey.
Gravity water filters and common water filters are a lot alike. They are both portable and are both easy to carry around wherever you need to go. Some gravity water systems that are portable are known as berkeys, which do a very good job of filtering water and last a very long time, but are often extremely uncomfortable to carry around, practically defeating the purpose of a gravity water filter.
This problem is solved with Santevia's water filter. Unlike massive berkeys that are made of steel and weigh a lot, Santevia's water filter is made of similar material as the common water cooler is made of, making it much easier to carry. It also filters out a lot of the same toxins that berkey's filter out, making it just as effective.
There is one drawback to Santevia's gravity water system, and that has to do with replacing the filters. The filters need to be replaced every six months, where the filtering instruments of most berkeys can take upwards of two years to replace. It also does not eliminate as many toxins as it claims. Berkeys will remove many more toxins.
One of the biggest issues with gravity water filters that resemble water coolers is that it is practically impossible for you to carry them around if you are camping or on a hike or doing some kind of excursion outdoors. This is especially true when it comes to berkeys, which take more than one person to carry in their own right.
The Mission, from LifeStraw, solves this problem in a couple of ways. First, it resembles a reservoir bag that holds either five liters or 12 liters depending on which of these bags you order with the system. This makes it much, much easier to carry than any given gravity filter that resembles a water cooler.
Different than other gravity water filters of its kind, the Mission has a capacity of a little under 5000 gallons. This allows you to enjoy it for a very, very long time and it can prove quite useful.
The only major issue about the Mission is that the water is bagged. This means that not only will you probably need to clean the bag itself at times, but whenever water is in a bag, it risks a very good chance to be punctured in some way. You need to be much more careful with the Mission than you would with other gravity water filters.
As advanced as the common berkey is in their portable filtration technology, they do not offer much when it comes to being easy to carry. Most of them are made of steel, are extremely heavy, and this is what makes them inconvenient in a few outdoor situations.
Fortunately, the Light Berkey solves most of these issues. Containing a similar design as the steel berkeys are, you will still reap all the benefits of any given berkey, only the Light Berkey comes in plastic. It is literally a combination of a water filter and a water cooler. If you always wanted to take a berkey on an outdoor excursion but was never comfortable with doing so, the Light Berkey will make you a little more comfortable.
Despite how convenient the Light Berkey is compared to the common stainless steel berkeys, they are only a little more convenient. They still contain two massive containers, and they still contain the filter elements that other berkeys contain. There is no comparison between the Light Berkey and gravity water filters that come in a bag: The bagged gravity filters are still much easier to carry.
The containers of most gravity water filters take the form of either a bag, plastic, or stainless steel. While these containers seem negligible to some, they do reduce the overall quality of water, even filtered water. This can be a disappointment.
ZeroWater's gravity water filter solves this problem in a big way: It comes in a glass container. When water is kept in glass, it repels BPAs that can arrive in the water from the aforementioned material. This keeps water crisp, fresh, and even more free of toxins after it is filtered. Very few gravity filters can achieve this.
Taking the form of a small water cooler, ZeroWater's filter is perfect for gatherings of all kinds, whether they take place inside or outside. The container yields 40 cups of water, which will prevent you from refilling it over and over. The filtration process of it is second to none as well, utilizing a five stage process that few other gravity water filters possess.
The only glaring drawback of ZeroWater's gravity filter is that it is made of glass. This makes it not only difficult to carry, but downright impossible to use on the move at all. You might be able to take a steel or plastic berkey with you on an outdoor excursion, you'll definitely be able to take a bagged gravity filter with you on an outdoor excursion, but you will not be able to take ZeroWater's filter with you on an outdoor excursion.
Very few gravity water filters outperform in terms of effectiveness, convenience, or quality than the berkey. It is shaped like a water cooler making it convenient in most cases, it eliminates just as many toxins as most of the home-based water filters, and the quality of the water is just as good as any filtered water.
The Royal Berkey is what you need for any given gathering or the home. The container itself has a capacity of 3.25 gallons. Like any other berkey, the purification elements last 6000 gallons before needing to be replaced. It also removes nearly all toxins just like any other filter does. You will not go wrong with the Royal Berkey when it comes to the home or massive social gatherings.
Just like any berkey, the Royal Berkey is very, very difficult to carry around. And this is even more so with the Royal Berkey because of the container's larger capacity compared to other berkeys. You will struggle to transport it. Although some of the smaller berkeys can be taken on excursions, it is impossible to take the Royal Berkey on an excursion.
Most gravity filters are designed for outdoor use, whether it is for gatherings or excursions. While they can be used for the home, you would be much more better off if you just acquired a water filter that is designed for the home.
The Imperial Berkey changes all of this. It takes all of the qualities of berkeys that can be used outside, enhances them, and makes them suitable for the home. The containers have a capacity of an impressive 4.5 gallons. It contains the same classic filtering elements that you have come to know in any given Berkey product.
Best of all, it comes with a fluoride filter that attaches to the elements. This is what makes it suitable for most homes. The fluoride filter can filter up to 1000 gallons of water as well, which makes the Imperial Berkey more than comparable to any given water filter that is designed for the home.
Is the Imperial Berkey able to be used for a gathering outside? Possibly, but it is extremely difficult to carry. Will you be able to use it for outdoor excursions? Absolutely not. It is far, far too heavy and contains a lot more materials than other gravity water filters.
Ans: Most water filters are bound to the wiring of your home's piping system. Whether they are connected to the piping of your basement or your kitchen sink, there is no way you can take this "filter system" with you. Gravity water filters are simply containers that have filters built in, making them portable. They usually come in bags that are connected to the filter or containers that resemble water coolers. These are called "berkeys."
Ans: Depending on the size of the filter or the form of the filter, gravity filters can be as cheap as $200 or as costly as $500. However, this in no way determines the overall quality of the filter. The quality of any given filter is something that you should determine for yourself. Just because a filter costs a lot of money does not mean that it is the best one to buy.
Ans: The answer to this question depends on what you need them for. If you are looking for a filter for the home, you would probably benefit the most from filters that are designed for the home. But if you are looking for something beyond just a water cooler for outdoors events or gatherings, gravity-based purifiers are fantastic.
Ans: Reverse-osmosis is not better or worse than filtered water, but rather a different way to filter water at large. Although filtered water does mean that most toxins are removed from the water, reverse-osmosis targets different toxins that filtering do not target. But filtering targets different toxins than reverse-osmosis does.
Ans: While water pressure is slightly affected by water filters because of the processes that take place during the filtration process, you will not notice this difference. If there is a major difference, it probably means that your water filter needs to be changed. Also, water pressure is determined by the piping in both your water supply as well as your filter, so this is something else to think about.
Big Berkey Gravity-Fed Water Filter with 2 Black Berkey Purification Elements - Walmart Link
Alexapure Pro Stainless Steel Water Filtration System - 5,000 Gallon Throughput Capacity - Walmart Link
Zen Water Filter System, Portable Water Purification System, Water Cooler Bottle 6-Gallon - Walmart Link
Sawyer Products SP160 One Gallon Gravity Water Filtration System w/Dual-Threaded Mini - Walmart Link
Platypus GravityWorks High-Capacity Water Filter System for Group Camping and Emergency - Walmart Link
LifeStraw Flex Advanced Water Filter with Gravity Bag - Removes Lead, Bacteria, Parasites - Walmart Link
miniwell Gravity Water Filter Straw Ultralight Versatile Hiker Water Filter Optional - Walmart Link
Katadyn Gravity BeFree 3.0L Water Filter, Fast Flow, 0.1 Micron EZ Clean Membrane - Walmart Link
Propur Big Countertop Gravity Water Filter System - Removes Fluoride, Lead, Chlorine, - Walmart Link
Big Berkey Gravity-Fed Water Filter with 2 Black Berkey Purification Elements - eBay Link
Alexapure Pro Stainless Steel Water Filtration System - 5,000 Gallon Throughput Capacity - eBay Link
Zen Water Filter System, Portable Water Purification System, Water Cooler Bottle 6-Gallon - eBay Link
Sawyer Products SP160 One Gallon Gravity Water Filtration System w/Dual-Threaded Mini - eBay Link
Platypus GravityWorks High-Capacity Water Filter System for Group Camping and Emergency - eBay Link
LifeStraw Flex Advanced Water Filter with Gravity Bag - Removes Lead, Bacteria, Parasites - eBay Link
miniwell Gravity Water Filter Straw Ultralight Versatile Hiker Water Filter Optional - eBay Link
Katadyn Gravity BeFree 3.0L Water Filter, Fast Flow, 0.1 Micron EZ Clean Membrane - eBay Link
Propur Big Countertop Gravity Water Filter System - Removes Fluoride, Lead, Chlorine, - eBay Link
Gravity water filters represent the future of portable water consumption.
For decades, we had to carry jugs of water for our outdoor excursions.
Now we can carry our own portable water in bags that are connected to the filters.
Water coolers used to be the de-facto instrument for transporting water to an outdoor event or your office for the public to drink.
Those can be replaced with berkeys, which are practically the same as a water cooler, only it has a filter built in.
Each of these filters will decisively solve a problem that you may have when taking filtered water with you.
Explore which of these filters will help you the most, and see which one is best for you.
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About Christopher Jones
Chris is a true globetrotter. He has been to many destinations and tried different types of food from all over the world, yet he still loves finding new places and tasting their specialties. Chris has always had an entrepreneurial spirit and so he decided to go back to school at age 24 for his MBA at University of San Francisco so that he could have a better understanding of business strategy in order to start his own company. His favorite motto is “how can one live well, travel well, and work well without having good food every time?”
Be with Chris: 
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