Berkey Gravity Water Filters: The Highest-Claimed Contaminant Removal in the Countertop Category
Berkey Water Filters (New Millennium Concepts, Arlington, Texas) manufactures gravity-fed stainless steel filtration systems that claim removal of bacteria (99.9999%), viruses (99.999%), heavy metals (99%+), and over 200 contaminants without electricity, plumbing, or installation. The Black Berkey filter element -- the core of all Berkey systems -- is a proprietary composite of six filtration media layers including activated carbon, silver impregnated carbon, and microporous media. Berkey is the dominant brand in the off-grid and preparedness filtration market.
Berkey System Lineup by Capacity
| System | Capacity | Elements | Daily Output | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travel Berkey | 1.5 gal | 2 | 2.75 gal/hr | $200--$250 |
| Big Berkey | 2.25 gal | 2 | 3.5 gal/hr | $280--$350 |
| Royal Berkey | 3.25 gal | 2--4 | 4 gal/hr | $340--$430 |
| Imperial Berkey | 4.5 gal | 2--6 | 5.5 gal/hr | $380--$480 |
| Crown Berkey | 6 gal | 2--8 | 6.5 gal/hr | $400--$500 |
The Certification Controversy
Berkey's performance claims are based on independent laboratory tests commissioned by Berkey, not NSF/ANSI certification by an accredited third-party lab. This distinguishes Berkey from Brita, PUR, and Clearly Filtered, which hold NSF certification for specific contaminant claims. California's Department of Public Health has not approved Berkey for sale in California due to the absence of state-required certification. Households requiring NSF-certified contaminant reduction should verify whether Berkey's specific performance claims are certified before relying on them for serious health concerns (well water bacteria, lead in city water).