This Berkey Light water filter dispenser is way more affordable, lightweight, and portable compared to the Big Berkey dispenser. However, we were pleased with its overall filtration performance, besides it uses a set of Black Berkey purification elements found in the Big Berkey model.
Filtration System
The Berkey Light filtration system entails Black Berkey filters, which contain pores that are less than 2mm in diameter. Its composition purifies water through the microfiltration process whereby anything larger than the allowed size of particles gets trapped and would not pass through it.
When the contaminated water passes through the filters, adsorption and absorption are also at play to achieve ultimate filtration. It removes 99.9999% of pathogenic bacteria and viruses, cysts, protozoa, trihalomethanes, inorganic minerals, pharmaceutical drugs, and heavy metals, including mercury, chromium, arsenic, and lead.
This impressive Black Berkey filter removes chlorine and other volatile organic compounds found in your untreated water. In short, it’ll eliminate foul taste and odor, without removing the healthy and nutritional minerals your body needs.
Most Berkey Light water filter dispenser comes with 2 Black Berkey filters, and 2 blocking plugs and can accommodate four filters. With a set of 4 filter elements, its flow rate is higher than the Big Berkey as it can filter 7.5 gallons of water in an hour.
Capacity
The holding capacity of the Berkey Light is not the largest out there, but it’s pretty decent. It holds about 2.25 gallons of filtered water, which provides fresh drinking water for 1-5 people in a day.
Dispensing Mechanism
You can easily dispense filtered water using the plastic spout near the bottom of the lower chamber. The included base grants some space between the countertop and the spout to place a cup to drain water.
However, the base isn’t high enough for taller glasses and water bottles. It would be a breeze to dispense water to a taller container when placed at the countertop edge.
Filter Life, Replacement and Refilling
Since the Black Berkey filter is re-cleanable, it doesn’t require frequent replacement; it can last longer than any of its competitors. Each Black Berkey purification element can purify up to 3,000 gallons of water before needing replacement.
One of the main user complaints is frequent cleaning of the Black Berkey filters. This usually happens when the rate of filtration slows down. How often to clean depends on the quality of water you put through the filters.
The Berkey Light dispenser design uses eco-friendly, renewable, BPA-free plastic that is tremendously tough and fragment proof. It’s a see-through plastic, making it easier to determine the quantity of water available in the upper chamber.
While the refilling process is quite easy, the sewn fabric lid does not offer tight fitting. The upper and lower chamber can easily detach for a proper wash. Therefore, once in a while, it’s essential to clean the entire unit.
Berkey Light is perfectly ideal for outdoor activities, traveling, and emergencies because it’s lightweight and doesn’t require electricity, plumbing, or water pressure. This powerful system purifies both treated water and untreated raw water from such sources as remote lakes, streams, stagnant ponds, and water supplies.
Verdict
With that said, Berkey Light is one of the best gravity-fed water filtration dispensers in the market. It’s the cheapest compared to the stainless steel Berkey filters alternatives. Still, it can remove several contaminants hence producing clean and better-tasting water.
Pros
- Eliminates pathogenic bacteria and viruses effectively
- Made from BPA free copolyester that’ll not leak lousy odor and taste
- Minimal maintenance required
- Easy to install and replace filters
- The filters are long-lasting
- Highly portable
- Retains healthy minerals in the water
Cons
- The filters require regular cleaning to increase the filtration rate
- No filter replacement indicator
- The plastic construction isn’t that durable
- The sewn lid is not tight enough.
Up next, we have the Vitapur GWF8 water filtration system from GreenWay. This is a simple filtration system unit for top-load water dispensers. It provides a much easier way to get purified water other than purchasing 4-5 gallons of water bottles, lugging them into the house, and heavy loading a new one every other day.
Filtration System
The filtration system of Vitapur GWF8 includes a multi-stage filter. The first stage of filtration consists of a prefilter cap which clears out large suspended particles from water.
The water then passes through the second stage, where fine poly-fiber pad strains large sediment that might have passed the 1st stage. The filter screen on the third stage further helps clear out medium to small particles.
In the fourth stage, exclusive ion exchange resin effectively improves water quality parameters by eliminating poisonous and hazardous metals such as lead and replacing them with more harmless ions, including sodium and potassium.
The granular activated carbon in the fifth stage is highly efficient in reducing chlorine, bad taste, and odor. It’s also treated to prevent microbial growth in the filter. At the final stage is the superior micron polishing filter, which removes anything that remained, thereby producing cleaner water with a fresh, natural taste.
The filtration rate is quite slow, which can be frustrating for a larger household. Besides, the good outweighs the bad because the water tastes fresh and odorless.
Capacity
This container holds about 2.5 gallons of purified water, making it the perfect unit for a small to medium family. The only flaw is that you have to refill it frequently to have an adequate filtered water supply.
Dispensing Mechanism
Water is dispensed through your attached water dispenser faucet. Consequently, the good news is that Vitapur filters will not slow down your water flow via your water cooler.
Filter Life, Replacement and Refilling
The GWF3 filter can filter up to 42 five-gallons of water (800L) before it’s replaced. This counts for approximately six months of usage. It’s not the longest lifespan, but the good thing is that replacing the filters is cost-effective than buying purified bottles of water.
Fortunately, this unit has an indicator for filter replacement. There’s a little feature on the top lid, where you can indicate the month you installed the filter in green, then it will show the month you should change the filter, in red.
Refilling is easy because you just have to lift the hinged lid and pour in your impure water. Note that the instructions warn about overfilling, so you can only fill the base of the reservoir; otherwise, the floater might pop off, and there will be water flood everywhere.
The product is well-designed and made from high-density environment friendly BPA free plastic. It’s durable and looks attractive on the cooler than the delivery bottles would. Maintaining this system is easy too. You just have to clean the entire unit to keep the water fresh constantly.
The amazing thing about the Vitapur GWF8 filtration system is that it’s compatible with top-load water dispensers’ brand. The only downside is that you have to be creative with your water dispenser if they are not designed to fit this unit.
Many customers are having a problem with the shutoff valve, which ends up flooding the water cooler. Vitapur float design has a mechanism that stops the water flow when the chamber is full to avoid the flooding issue. However, it can only be effective if the water cooler’s collar and bottle spike are removed.
According to most reviewers, the frustrating packaging makes separating the top and bottom chamber difficult. It requires two active personnel to get them apart.
Verdict
To sum it all, Vitapur GWF8 is a great water filtration system designed to achieve pure, clean-tasting filtered water. It’s a worthy purchase for those looking for reliable filters to save money on buying water bottles.
Pros
- It comes with a multi-stage filter
- Effectively reduce chlorine and most common water contaminants
- Improves water taste and odor
- The clear container is easy to refill
- Changing the filter is a breeze
- There is a manual filter replacement date indicator
- Environmentally friendly
Cons
- Filters water slowly
- It does not fit some top-load water dispenser
- Tends to leak over time
- Installation isn’t easy or straightforward.