What is a Berkey Water Filter System?

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Some women like to receive makeup or handbags for their birthday, but luckily for me, my partner knows me better than that and is very supportive of my blog and my journey. So when I told him I would like a Berkey Water Filter System for my birthday he barely even blinked! This was a man who was an out and out carnivore when I met him and is now almost vegetarian. He hasn’t quite started yoga, but there’s still time!

Watch This Video for My Full Berkey Water Filter Review

Why Do We Need A Berkey Water System?

In the UK we are lucky to have easy access to drinkable water, however, the water still contains things that can be hazardous to our health including; heavy metals, hormones, pesticides, fluoride and chlorine.

Here in the south-east of England the water is very chalky and doesn’t taste great either, which is why many people drink bottled water. However now we know how bad plastic is for our planet we need to find another solution! I think the Berkey is the perfect answer, it’s made of stainless steel so it cuts out all the plastic and the water tastes so smooth too!

The Berkey water filter system is so powerful it is classed as a water purification system. Unbelievably, it doesn’t just filter tap water, it can purify water from lakes, rivers or even pond water, so it is a great addition for travel and camping. Another bonus is, while it removes all the nasties, it leaves in all the goodness eg magnesium in the water.

This system removes everything bad from your water and leaves it tasting smooth and delicious. They were originally designed to be used by the military and relief organisations who lacked access to clean water. Later these systems were developed into the Big Berkey Water Filter Systems used today.

I invested in the Royal Berkey which holds 12 litres of water which sounds a lot.  However, I use filtered water for everything from drinking water, cooking, my pets and for my kettle.

One of the most annoying things, when you live in the South East, is the build-up of scale in your kettle. I can’t tell you the joy of having a spotless kettle – it’s the small wins sometimes!

There are 5 models to choose from;

• TRAVEL BERKEY  5.7 litres. suitable for 1 – 2 people, great for travel as you can filter water from lakes and rivers
• BIG BERKEY  8.5 litres – suitable for a couple or small family
• ROYAL BERKEY 12 litres – suitable for a family of 4
• IMPERIAL BERKEY 17 litres
• Crown Berkey 23 litres

Most families would manage to work with A Big Berkey.  However, the Royal version only works out around £26 more, so I thought it was worth getting the slightly bigger model.

Features and Benefits of Berkey Water Systems

• FILTERS bacteria and viruses to a 99.99999 level
• FILTERS out chlorine to an undetectable level
• REMOVES lead, and other heavy metals up to 95% level
• REMOVES Fluoride
• REMOVES Arsenic
• NO plumbing needed
• LONG lasting filters
• STAINLESS STEEL – no more plastic gallons of water
• ECONOMICAL
• LIFETIME WARRANTY
• GREAT TASTING WATER
• EASY to assemble and use

Filters

The carbon filters last for around 11 years and can be cleaned up to 100 times. Each filter is cleanable and needs to be cleaned every 12 months, which takes around 10 minutes.

This then gives The Berkey the ability to take water from almost any source, and produce fresh, pure drinking water. Even lakes, river or ponds!

Cost-Effective

Importantly, the initial outlay is fairly steep but it is an investment. My Royal Berkey cost £279, which may seem like a lot of money, but I only need to replace my filters every 11 years.  EVERY 11 YEARS!  Amazing so it actually works out to be very economical.

The total cost of a Brita water filter over 11 years would be over £1000 in replacement filters, not to mention all the plastic waste. Similarly, if I drank the same amount in bottled water it would amount to over £10.000! Wow!

Do They Work?

So the big question is – Do they work?  Yes – and they are definitely worth the investment. Not to mention the taste, I am drinking a lot more water simply because it tastes so good! Even my herbal teas taste better because the water is crystal clear and smoother to drink.

I absolutely love the Berkey Water System and can’t fault it at all! It is definitely an asset in my kitchen and I would highly recommend this to everyone!

If you would like to invest in a Berkey water system you can see their full range here.

Have you checked out my post on Superfood Powders yet?

Natalie x