# berkey



## timmie (Jan 14, 2012)

we want to buy a berkey. but which one? we have a large family. any suggestions?


----------



## jnrdesertrats (Jul 3, 2010)

I have a Berkey light and I like it. I have been using it every day for about 6 months. It does fine for 2 adults and a couple small children. To answer your question the biggest one you can afford and still buy extra filters and spare parts. There used to be someone here that was a distributor. It may have been Berkey guy.


----------



## Caribou (Aug 18, 2012)

I would look at the number of people that you have, figure a gallon per person per day, then double that, and select one that will accomplish at least that. My reasoning is that you may wind up with more people and the filters will slow down as you use them. 

I have a Katadyn designed for three filters. I only put one filter in for the wife and I. That one filter provided clean water for the two of us for a year before I needed to scrub the outside off. I figure my unit will provide water for about a dozen people. I hope I never have to put it to the test.


----------



## CrackbottomLouis (May 20, 2012)

I bought the crown (5 gallon) because I fill 5 gallon water bottles for my water dispenser. That's my system for keeping and rotating through a stock of water. It has the benefit of the hot water tap for my hot beverage convenience. I have 7 of the bottles total so I always have 30 gallons plus what's in the dispenser which is 2 weeks for me and wife. It's a good component of my water prepping solutions. Keep in mind it takes forever to filter water through the elements. I fill up the reservoir and fill up the bottle the next day.


----------



## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

timmie said:


> we want to buy a berkey. any suggestions?


I honestly suggest you just build one. There are pictorial tutorials and videos everywhere, and all you need is basic tools. You can see a lot of savings doing it yourself.


----------



## AmishHeart (Jun 10, 2016)

We have the Big Berkey. It's good. Husband drinks a lot of water, I do a lot of cooking. Our two grandkids live with us, and there's always more coming over, so I wanted one a good size.


----------



## Caribou (Aug 18, 2012)

If money is no object get the largest one you can. Put as many filters in as you need and plug the extra holes until such time as your need changes.

If cash is tight follow the advice of LincTex. The only disadvantage to this is appearance. Two plastic five (or six) gallon buckets are not as pretty as a stainless steel Berkey. In either case get a few spare filters. 

There is also a hybrid option. Get a Berkey that will meet your current needs and several spare filters so you can build additional filters, with plastic buckets, as the need arrises. Don't forget a few spigots also.


----------



## lilmissy0740 (Mar 7, 2011)

I agree with Caibou, buy the biggest you can afford. I use mine for cooking, canning, and drinking.


----------



## readytogo (Apr 6, 2013)

Water filters are great but how great is your water filter? Cryptosporidium can kill you and not all water filters will filter it.From the CDC. *Filters designed to remove Crypto (any of the four messages below on a package label indicate that the filter should be able to remove Crypto)
•Reverse osmosis (with or without NSF 53 or NSF 58 labeling)
•Absolute pore size of 1 micron or smaller (with or without NSF 53 or NSF 58 labeling)
•Tested and certified to NSF/ANSI Standard 53 or NSF/ANSI Standard 58 for cyst removal
•Tested and certified to NSF/ANSI Standard 53 or NSF/ANSI Standard 58 for cyst reduction*

So in order to be safe ; drinking water believed to be contaminated by Cryptosporidium, the safest option is to boil all water used for drinking period .


----------



## forluvofsmoke (Jan 27, 2012)

readytogo said:


> Water filters are great but how great is your water filter? Cryptosporidium can kill you and not all water filters will filter it.From the CDC. *Filters designed to remove Crypto (any of the four messages below on a package label indicate that the filter should be able to remove Crypto)
> •Reverse osmosis (with or without NSF 53 or NSF 58 labeling)
> •Absolute pore size of 1 micron or smaller (with or without NSF 53 or NSF 58 labeling)
> •Tested and certified to NSF/ANSI Standard 53 or NSF/ANSI Standard 58 for cyst removal
> ...


...or, just get a Sawyer Point Zero Two (0.02 microns absolute). The filters have infinite life and only need a back-flush with purified water when clogged (with the supplied syringe). They are classified as water purifiers, not water filters, and remove all microbiological contaminants. Check out the bucket system for larger volumes. Sawyers can handle filthy, disgusting water, and dispense clean, clear water. I carry a point one mini in my GHB.


----------



## Resto (Sep 7, 2012)

I bought the Imperial, with extra filters and the extra stainless steel spout. Plastic breaks. How many people will show up Post SHTF?


----------



## JayJay (Nov 23, 2010)

lilmissy0740 said:


> I agree with Caibou, buy the biggest you can afford. I use mine for cooking, canning, and drinking.


Don't need the filtered water?? I keep extra filtered water in the fridge--you never know when you might need it.


----------



## timmie (Jan 14, 2012)

Resto said:


> I bought the Imperial, with extra filters and the extra stainless steel spout. Plastic breaks. How many people will show up Post SHTF?


at least 10 ,maybe 14. plus the 4 that already reside here.


----------



## LastOutlaw (Jun 1, 2013)

forluvofsmoke said:


> ...or, just get a Sawyer Point Zero Two (0.02 microns absolute). The filters have infinite life and only need a back-flush with purified water when clogged (with the supplied syringe). They are classified as water purifiers, not water filters, and remove all microbiological contaminants. Check out the bucket system for larger volumes. Sawyers can handle filthy, disgusting water, and dispense clean, clear water. I carry a point one mini in my GHB.


I have a few but the one I like best is my sawyer bucket systems setup. Supposed to be good for over a million gallons.

I also have a sawyer bag to bag system. I like that I can purify while i"m still moving. Fill a bag and hang it on the outside of my backpack and keep hiking. Filters as I hike.


----------



## Country Living (Dec 15, 2009)

We have the Royal Berkey and we buy black filters from whomever has them on sale. We bought the glass spigot so we would know, without lifting the lid, how much water was in the Berkey. Last year (or was it the year before?) we bought a flush kit for the filters since our water well pressure is a bit low to give the filters a good flush.

FYI - keep a decent amount of coffee filters on hand for filtering. Not that it's happened yet; but, we'll use a sheet or t-shirt for the initial filtering of lake water, then strain that water through a coffee filter, and then put that water in the top chamber of the Berkey.


----------



## kd4ulw (Feb 11, 2015)

LincTex said:


> I honestly suggest you just build one. There are pictorial tutorials and videos everywhere, and all you need is basic tools. You can see a lot of savings doing it yourself.


I agree, cheaper and you can get the filters that suit your taste (pun intended ).


----------



## 101airborne (Jan 29, 2010)

CrackbottomLouis said:


> I bought the crown (5 gallon) because I fill 5 gallon water bottles for my water dispenser. That's my system for keeping and rotating through a stock of water. It has the benefit of the hot water tap for my hot beverage convenience. I have 7 of the bottles total so I always have 30 gallons plus what's in the dispenser which is 2 weeks for me and wife. It's a good component of my water prepping solutions. Keep in mind it takes forever to filter water through the elements. I fill up the reservoir and fill up the bottle the next day.


Louis I've been looking at the crown as my next mid range investment with my taxes. Thing is at close to $300 for the filter and another $300 for a set of replacement filters is it worth it? How well does it work? How long do filters last?


----------



## CrackbottomLouis (May 20, 2012)

101airborne said:


> Louis I've been looking at the crown as my next mid range investment with my taxes. Thing is at close to $300 for the filter and another $300 for a set of replacement filters is it worth it? How well does it work? How long do filters last?


I think they are worth it but there are certainly cheaper options. I needed something that looked nice enough to keep in our kitchen with wife approval. The filters last an insane amount of gallons and can be cleaned to extend life. I haven't bought replacement filters yet but will.

http://www.berkeyfilters.com/berkey-answers/berkey-water-filter-faq/

The link states that you take the number of filters and multiply by 3000. That is the number of gallons you can filter with your system. I have 2 filters in mine. That 6000 gallons. My current use is about 10 gallons a month as I just use the water I filter in my dispenser for hot beverages as a way to rotate though my water stockpile regularly. Even if I was using it for all my water needs for 10 people (which is 10 gallons a day) that is almost 2 years of use out of the 2 filters it came with as long as I clean them if filtering filthy water. Cut that in half to include occassional bathing and other unbudgeted use of water and thats a year. That's pretty good. And thats not counting my more portable water filters I have like my sawyers and my first need xle I use for on the move needs.


----------



## 101airborne (Jan 29, 2010)

Thanks Louis! I've actually thought of one for everyday use. Since we are on well water and it is pretty "hard" we use gallon bottled water in the gallon jug from Walmart for coffee and such. We use a gallon every 2-3 days. Guess in the long run it would pay off to make the investment.


----------



## Caribou (Aug 18, 2012)

We rented for a bit and went through two coffee pots in about three or four months before I dug out the Katadyn.


----------



## JJWalker85 (Feb 23, 2017)

LincTex said:


> I honestly suggest you just build one. There are pictorial tutorials and videos everywhere, and all you need is basic tools. You can see a lot of savings doing it yourself.


Holy crap... you just blew my mind LincTex! I like making as much stuff as possible to save, but I never thought about building a Berkey! Those things cost a pretty penny. Freakin' brilliant! :beercheer:


----------

