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Our top pick for the best gravity water filter in 2023 is the Big Berkey. It offers advanced filtration capabilities and a large holding capacity, making it perfect for families or emergency preparedness. Other top picks include the Epic Pure Water Filter Dispenser and the Waterdrop King Tank, both of which offer impressive filtration.
When it comes to finding the best gravity water filters, it can be overwhelming with so many options on the market.
That’s why we’ve done the research for you and tested all the top filters to bring you the most comprehensive guide to the best gravity water filters available.
Our testing criteria included factors such as contaminants removed, filter life, filtration rate, capacity and size, certifications, and price. We also took into consideration other important aspects like ease of use, portability, durability, and customer feedback to make sure we created a well-rounded and accurate review.
After carefully considering all of these criteria, we narrowed down our picks to the best countertop gravity systems for home use, as well as the best gravity filters for outdoor use and camping.
Whether you’re looking for a filter for your kitchen counter or for your next camping trip, our guide has the perfect filter for you.
| Big Berkey | Waterdrop King Tank | Alexapure Pro | Epic Pure Dispenser | Propur Pro One Big+ | Santevia | Zen Water | Sawyer Gravity | Waterdrop Gravity Straw | Platypus Gravity Works | Katadyn Camping | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Type | Countertop | Countertop | Countertop | Countertop | Countertop | Countertop | Countertop | Outdoors | Outdoors | Outdoors | Outdoors |
| Filter Type | coconut shell carbon + 5 other media | carbon + resin | Carbon + Ceramic | Solid carbon block | Carbon + Ceramic | Carbon + Ceramic | Ceramic + Remineralization | Hollow fiber membrane | Carbon + membrane | Hollow fiber microfilter | Hollow fiber microfilter |
| Contaminants Removed | 232+ | chlorine, fluoride, sediment, spores, heavy metals | 200+ | 200+ | 200+ | Unknown | Chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, toxins | 99% of all bacteria and viruses | 99% of all bacteria and viruses | 99% of all bacteria and viruses | 99% of all bacteria and viruses |
| Filter Lifespan | 6000 gallons | 6000 gallons | 5000 gallons | 150 Gallons | 1000 gallons | 4 months | 1000 gallons | 100,000 gallons | 100,000 gallons | 400 gallons | 400 gallons |
| Capacity | 2.25 gallons | 2.25 gallons | 2.25 gallons | 1.5 gallons | 2.75 gallons | 2.6 gallons | 1.5 gallons | 1 gallon | 3 liters | 8 liters | 3 liters |
| Certifications | EPA and ANSI/NSF 53 | NA | NA | NSF 42, 53, 401 | NSF 42, 53 | NSF 42, 53 | NA | USEPA | NA | NSF P231 | NA |
| Warranty | Lifetime | NA | NA | Lifetime | 1 year | NA | 30 days | Lifetime | NA | Lifetime | 2 years |
| Upfront Cost | $367-will last 8 years before filter replacement at 2 gallons per day | $230- will last 8 years before replacement | $280- will last 3-4 years | $75 | $230- will last for 1 year | $200 | $150 | $40 | $37 | $120 | $52 |
| Annual Filter Cost | Black Berkey $40 per year, Fluoride $80 per year | $20 | $40 | $140 | $100 | $50 | $60 | $0 | $0 | $70 | $30 |
The Big Berkey is our top pick because of the excellent filtration capability, long filter lifespan, durability, and lifetime warranty. You’ll notice it’s around $50-$100 more expensive than competing filters but we think it’s worth it as you are paying for the best brand around that delivers on excellent quality countertop filters.
Berkey has been a titan in the water filter industry for a long time, and with good reason.
It uses a combination of activated carbon, microfiltration, and ion exchange filter media to achieve fantastic filtration results for clean drinking water, including the capability to remove 232+ contaminants such as chlorine, pesticides, VOCs, herbicides, bacteria, viruses, and much more to get alkaline water.
The best thing about the Big Berkey gravity water filter is it requires no installation or electricity, and it’s super easy to maintain.
All you have to do is place the countertop water filter on your countertop, add filter elements, and add water to the device.
Overall, the Big Berkey is a more expensive gravity water filter compared to other models, but it’s totally worth the additional price for the advanced water filter and quality drinking water it produces.
If you want the best gravity water filter for your kitchen counter, backyard, or for survival preparedness purposes that works on most contaminants, is backed by a lifetime warranty, and requires very little maintenance, then this is an excellent choice to consider.
You can see our full Berkey Filters Review here.
The Epic Pure Gravity Water Dispenser is a great budget option for people who are looking for a filter for shorter term use that fits in the fridge or on the countertop. It removes 200+ contaminants, has a 1.5 gallon water holding capacity, and a built in filter change light.
Our best budget option for a countertop or refrigerator gravity water filter is the Epic Pure Water Dispenser.
It uses a solid carbon block filter which removes 200+ city water contaminants including lead, chloramines, fluoride, pesticides, herbicides, chromium 6, and PFAS.
The cost of this filter is much cheaper than a Berkey or Alexapure Pro stainless steel filter but the downside is you will have to replace the filter cartridges every 3-4 months or after 150 gallons of water filtered.
It does include a filter change indicator that alerts you when you need to replace the filter and Epic Water offers an easy subscription filter replacement so you never forget.
Overall, we think this is a solid budget gravity filter for your refrigerator or countertop in an apartment or home.
The Epic Pure dispenser is best for someone in an apartment or small home that wants a high quality gravity water dispenser at a lower upfront cost than buying a Berkey or alternate stainless steel filter.
The Waterdrop King Tank Gravity filter is our runner up pick for the best gravity water filter for an indoor or outdoor countertop. It contains 4 stage efficient filtration using carbon and resin to reduce most contaminants, has a 6000 gallon filter lifespan, and 2.25 gallon tank at a very affordable price.
The Waterdrop Gravity King Tank Water Filter is an excellent countertop water filtration system that is designed to remove a wide range of contaminants from your water supply.
This powerful filter uses a combination of activated carbon and resin to remove chlorine, fluoride, sediment, spores, and heavy metals from your water.
With a filter lifespan of 6000 gallons, this filter is designed to last for 8 years before needing replacement.
The Waterdrop Gravity King Tank Water Filter has a 2.25-gallon holding tank capacity, making it perfect for families or small groups. The filter is easy to use and maintain, and it doesn’t require any electricity or installation. Simply fill the tank with water, and the filter will work its magic to purify it.
The filter is made of high-quality stainless steel materials and has a sleek design that will look great in any kitchen.
It’s an excellent choice for anyone looking for a reliable, easy-to-use water filtration system that can remove a wide range of contaminants from their water supply at a very affordable cost compared to Berkey and Alexapure Pro.
With an upfront cost of $230 and an annual filter cost of $20, it is a good investment for clean water.
The Alexapure Pro is a countertop gravity water filter that effectively removes over 200 contaminants with its carbon and ceramic filter. With a filter lifespan of 5000 gallons, it provides clean and safe drinking water for a long time. It has a 2.25-gallon holding tank and has an upfront cost of $280 and an annual filter cost of $40. Similar to Berkey it’s a bit more expensive than other filters on the market but can be a reliable and efficient option for clean drinking water.
Another awesome gravity water filter is this system from Alexapure, which is a relatively new name in water filtration.
This stainless steel gravity water filter uses both carbon filter and hybrid ceramic filter media to filter 200+ contaminants, including bacteria, lead, viruses, radioactive particles, fluoride, and much more.
It also has some of the longest-lasting water filters on the market, with 5,000-gallons of water capacity, which means it should last for around 7+ years.
It also has a filtration rate is 4.5 gallons of water per hour, which means the filtration process would take about 30 minutes to fill the storage tank.
One of the best features of this water purification filter is the ability to work without electricity in any situation. All you need to do is fill the tank with water and wait for it to complete the filtration process, where you can then fill up your glass or stainless steel bottle (not plastic bottles), which is as good or better than bottled water.
Since the Alexapure Pro gravity water filter requires no electricity, it also serves a great need for emergency situations.
Overall, this is one of our top recommended gravity water filters due to the stainless steel construction, large filter life, and excellent filtration capability.
It’s up there with Berkey as a more expensive gravity filter but we still think it’s worth the price for the value you get.
If you have a household with very high water usage, then this is a great water purification option due to the ability to stack filters. It’s also good for those who want a low-maintenance system.
You can see our in-depth review of the Alexapure Pro Gravity Water Filter here.
The Propur BIG+ is a solid countertop gravity water filter that effectively removes over 200 contaminants. It uses a combination of carbon and ceramic filter media and has a filter lifespan of 1000 gallons plus a holding tank capacity of 2.75 gallons. It’s a great balance of reasonable cost and quality that holds it’s own against our top picks.
Propur is another big name in drinking water filtration, and they just got a facelift.
Propur is now ProOne, though they still produce the same quality products the brand is known for.
The Big+ gravity-fed water filter system is made of stainless steel and uses ceramic filter media impregnated with silver and AquaMetix, which combines an activated carbon filter and ion exchange filtration.
The filter element removes over 200 contaminants, including chlorine, bacteria, herbicides, pesticides, and more, for pure, alkaline water.
The filters it comes with have a 1,000-gallon lifespan which means they will last around 1-2 years, and the replacement filter can be easily installed.
The capacity of the holding tank is 2.75 gallons, and the model itself is 9.25 inches in diameter by 22.75 inches tall.
Propur has also gone through the rigorous testing process as this product has been NSF certified for standards 42, 53, and P231.
Similar to other gravity water filters, this model does not require electricity, so it can also be used in emergency situations to filter water.
Overall, this is a solid gravity water filtration system that is portable, easy to use, and lasts a long time.
If you have a household with very high water usage, then this is a great water purification option due to the ability to stack filters. It’s also good for those who want a low-maintenance system.
The Santevia gravity water filter is a decent pick for someone looking for alkaline water. Although compared to our other top picks it doesn’t stack up in terms of filter lifespan at 4 months compared to 1-6 years, and disclosing the contaminants it removes. Overall, we think it would be better to consider Berkey, Watedrop, or Alexapure Pro.
This is one of the few alkalizing gravity water purifiers on the market that raises the pH of your tap water by adding back healthy minerals.
It uses a combination of microfiltration, ceramic, and fluoride filtration media to filter water. The Gravity Water System creates naturally clean, mineralized, and alkaline water to revitalize your body with multi-stage long contact filtration.
It has been shown to reduce heavy metals, agricultural contaminants, rust, pathogenic bacteria, parasites, fluoride, chlorine, and lead.
Compared to our top countertop picks, this model takes a long time to filter water, and the filter does not last quite as long at around 4 months compared to 1-6 years.
We think this is a decent option for the price, but we wouldn’t recommend it over Berkey, Waterdrop, or Alexapure gravity filters.
If you’re looking for a gravity filter that works on many different contaminants and alkalizes your water, then this is definitely a top choice. Take away the alkalizing feature, however, and there are better options.
The Zen water systems filter is a reasonable countertop gravity filter for people on a budget looking for remineralization added to standard water filtration. It does a decent job, although it doesn’t stack up in terms of filter lifespan or contaminant removal besides Berkey or our other top picks.
Rounding out our top countertop systems is this alkaline gravity water filter by Zen Water Systems. It uses a combination of ceramic and 5-stage mineral media to filter water and also features alkalization to raise the pH of your water.
This filter removes particles down to 0.2 microns, suspended particles, colloids, chlorine, chloramine, organic chemicals, heavy metals, free radicals, viral particles, and microorganisms. While these are the manufacturer’s claims, there is not a performance sheet to back them up.
The filter lasts for around 1000 gallons which would be about 6-12 months before needing replacement and it has a holding tank of about 2.5 gallons.
The benefit of this countertop gravity water filter is that it has the ability to filter, purify, alkalize, and mineralize water instead of just acting as a standalone water filter.
Overall, the Zen Water System gravity countertop filter is a good option for the budget conscious consumer looking for standard filtration.
If you want an alternative to the Santevia system for alkalinization, this is the other top recommendation. Both have similar drawbacks and strengths, so picking the best one may come down to personal choice.
The Sawyer hanging gravity water filter is our top pick for outdoor activities such as camping, hiking, and survival preparedness. It removes 99% of bacteria and protozoa, has a 100,000-gallon filter lifespan and a 1-gallon holding capacity. It’s a cost-effective and reliable option for obtaining clean drinking water outdoors.
Sawyer is our top pick for hanging gravity filters that can be used outdoors for camping, hiking, and survival preparedness.
It uses hollow fibers and absolute microfiltration down to 0.1 microns to achieve excellent microbial filtration, and it’s designed with versatility in mind.
It’s been tested to eliminate 99% of bacteria and protozoa making it one of the top filters around for the outdoors.
The strongest selling point is the 100,000 gallon filter lifespan which means you won’t need to replace the filters anytime soon and the solid 1 gallon holding capacity of the bag.
The system works by using two bladders: a “dirty water” bladder and a “clean water” bladder. You add dirty water to the top bladder, and it trickles down the tube separating the two bags, where it is filtered, before dripping into the “clean water” bladder.
Overall, because of the low cost, long filter lifespan, and effective contaminant removal we think the Sawyer hanging bag gravity filter is one of the best options for the outdoors.
If you’re looking for the most cost-effective way to get safe water from nature, then this is the water filter you’ve been looking for. It also requires much less maintenance than similar models.
The Waterdrop Gravity Straw filter is our runner up option for a gravity fed hanging water filter for outdoor use. This is because it has a long filter lifespan of 100,000 gallons where you won’t need to replace it, quality filtration capability, and a budget friendly cost.
The Waterdrop Gravity Water Filter Straw is a highly effective and affordable option for those looking for a portable water filter straw. With its advanced carbon and membrane filtration technology, it is able to eliminate 99% of all bacteria and protozoa, ensuring that you have safe and clean water on the go.
One of the biggest selling points of the Waterdrop filter straw is its incredibly long filter lifespan of 100,000 gallons, which is significantly higher than most other filter straws in the market. It’s easy to use, lightweight and comes with a lanyard for easy carrying.
It’s small and compact design makes it perfect for camping, hiking, traveling, and emergency preparedness, and it’s a great alternative to other popular brands like LifeStraw, Sawyer and Grayl.
The filter is also reusable and easy to clean, saving you money in the long run. With an upfront cost of $37, it is also more affordable than many other water filter straws on the market.
The Platypus Gravity Works hanging bag is a good gravity fed water filter for camping or outdoors use. If you’re looking for the largest water holding capacity at 8 liters this is the bag for you. It removes 99% of bacteria and protozoa and offers a filter life of 400 gallons or 1 year.
The Platypus Gravity filtration system is a great on-the-go, camping, or survival gravity water filter option that comes with one of the largest capacities.
Using hollow fiber filtration technology to make dirty water microbiologically safe to drink, this system ditches the bulky shell for a gravity bag and makes portability its strong selling point.
The gravity water filter system is effective against 99% of bacteria, protozoa, as well as particulate contaminants down to 0.2 microns in size.
The filter cartilage has a lifespan of about 400 gallons, which means it would last you between 9-12 months with daily use and this unit has one of the fastest filtration rates on the market at 28 gallons per hour.
The strongest feature of this filter compared to other similar gravity bags is the large capacity it has at 8 liters. Other similar hanging bags usually come with around 3 liter bags so it’s ideal if you want a larger water reservoir.
The only downside compared to other hanging gravity water filters is that the water filter doesn’t remove viruses or harmful chemicals, toxins, or heavy metals, so it lacks in that regard compared to other gravity bag water filters.
A great feature is that this gravity bag is really easy to use. All you do is hook it up to a tree or other object where it can hang, add water to the top filter, and let gravity pass water through the filtration device into the clean bag, then fill up your water bottle.
If you spend a lot of time camping, hiking, etc., and you want to ensure you have safe drinking water on the go with a large reservoir capacity, then this is the gravity water filter system for you. It’s lightweight and easy to use as well.
The Katadyn Gravity Water Filter is a smaller gravity bag that’s ideal for a few people looking to camp, be prepared for survival situations, or use in the outdoors. It removes 99% of bacteria and protozoa, contains a 400 gallon filter lifespan, and a 3 liter bag which is slightly smaller than it’s competitor the Platypus Gravity Works.
As an alternative to the Platypus GravityWorks, this water filter uses microfiltration to make natural water safe to drink on the go.
It likewise features a portable, hanging gravity water filter design.
It’s a 0.1-micron filter that has the ability to remove 99% of bacteria and protozoa.
The filter in this unit has a lifespan of around 400 gallons which means it can last for 9-12 months before needing to be replaced.
Compared to the Gravity Works it has a smaller holding capacity with a 3 liter bag instead of 8 which is better for a smaller number of people.
That being said, it is a bit cheaper and much more affordable so if you are looking to get a gravity bag for a single person or a couple people then this is a good option.
If you’re looking for a cheaper and simpler version of the Platypus, then this is a good option to consider. It’s great for those who spend a lot of time outdoors and want to ensure they can fill up their water bottles and drink the water they come across in nature.
Now that you know our picks for the best gravity water filtration systems, here are the criteria we took into consideration when determining which filters are the best as well as information about gravity filters.
Gravity filters or water purifiers are a blanket name for any filter that works using gravity.
Water is loaded into a top chamber, and then gravity forces it down and through the filter below.
In many gravity filters, there’s a second holding or collecting tank, but as you saw with the Katadyn model, it can dispense right from the water filter as well.
This means that there’s minimal setup, no installation, and no power required for true gravity water filter systems. You can bring the water purifiers anywhere that space allows, and they can be left on the counter or tucked away in a cabinet.
Gravity filter systems use many different kinds of filter media in their filters, including activated carbon, ion exchange resin, KDF media, ceramic, hollow fiber, and others.
The type of filter used will determine the number and kinds of contaminants removed. Both the filter type and the amount of water the top reservoir can hold will often help determine the filtration rate.
There are three main forms of gravity filters, and each has its own unique characteristics: countertop filters, hanging filters, and filter pitchers.
A countertop gravity filter is models like the Berkey, Alexapure Pro, and Aqua rain that were made to sit on your countertop.
While designed to look appealing as part of your home, countertop gravity water filters are usually the least portable by nature of the three. Water is usually dispensed from the bottom of these from a spigot. These filters usually employ combinations of activated carbon, ion exchange, and others.
Hanging filters like the Platypus GravityWorks, on the other hand, are designed to be extremely portable – which makes them a go-to for camping.
Their one or two-bladder design means that they can roll up into a small and generally lightweight bundle. As the name suggests, you do have to hang the reservoir above the gravity-fed water filter or at least elevate it to ensure that gravity is able to push the water through the gravity bag.
These filters tend to use different filtration types than the countertop and pitcher filters. Since they’re designed for use with natural water sources, they focus on removing microorganisms rather than chemical impurities. This makes them filter faster because the filters are less involved as well, but they won’t be as effective for at-home use.
Water filter pitchers also work via gravity filtration, and like the countertop models, they often combine activated carbon with other methods of filtration. Water filter pitchers are designed to be more easily stored than countertop filters, such as in the refrigerator, and offer a great alternative for those with little countertop space.
As mentioned, the main differences between these two are their portability and the contaminants they target.
Any water coming into your home should theoretically be microbiologically safe, while organisms like crypto and giardia are major concerns when drinking water from lakes and streams. For backpackers especially, the more lightweight the portable water filter system, the better.
We compared and ranked each water filtration system based on its ability to remove contaminants, the filter life, filtration rate, capacity and size, certifications, and price.
These gravity water filter advantages will have the biggest impact on how well a water filtration system performs – and how happy you will be once you find the best gravity water filter to improve your water quality.
All downward pull water filters work by filling up an upper chamber with dirty water and then letting gravity and the weight of the water force it through the filter and into the holding tank below.
The contaminants a specific product can remove is going to depend on the type of filtration system it uses – it can use a carbon filter, ceramic filter, or other filter media to remove harmful contaminants for pure, healthy water.
The chart below shows the different filtration media commonly used in gravity filtration systems and the contaminants they work best on.
| Filter Type | Contaminants Removed |
|---|---|
| Activated Carbon | Organic chemicals, foul tastes and odors |
| KDF | Heavy metals |
| Ion Exchange | Heavy metals, dissolved inorganic particles |
| Ceramic | Microorganisms, particulates |
| Hollow Fiber | Microorganisms, particulates |
The more contaminants a filter removes, the more likely it is to work on the contaminants that are specific to your drinking water.
If you don’t already know the contaminants in your water supply, it may be smart to test your home water with a professional water test kit first so you know what needs to be removed to improve your water quality.
The lifespan of a gravity water filter can often be measured in months or gallons.
The gravity water filter life in months tends to be the more arbitrary measurement since a family of four will use 1,000 gallons of water much faster than a family of two.
The lifespan of the gravity water filters will tell you how much general maintenance you can expect to do down the line, as well as how much cost there will be to replace them.
One of the biggest determinants of customer satisfaction with a filtration system is how long the filtration process takes. The filtration rate is how long it takes the system to filter the water supply to get clean drinking water, and there can be significant variations between products.
The capacity of the water filtration system will tell you how many gallons of filtered water it can hold, which often correlates with its size.
The size will help you decide if you should get a countertop gravity filter or another water filtration system.
Two main independent organizations certify water filter media – the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) and the Water Quality Association (WQA).
They certify products for passing industry quality standards, and it’s a way that you can be sure your gravity filter system lives up to its advertisement.
If you’re going to spend a lot of money on a gravity water purifier, you want to know that you’re getting the best value back out of it. Likewise, you don’t want to save money by sacrificing the quality of gravity-fed drip filters for the price.
These water filters are very effective for home use and for camping use. The top brands can remove over 200 contaminants, including chlorine, fluoride, lead, microorganisms, and much more.
The only downside is they are strictly point-of-use filters and do not work to filter a large amount of water continuously.
In order to use a gravity water filter, you simply fill the gravity bag or upper chamber with water and let gravity feed the water supply through the filter elements and into the dispenser, where you can get fresh drinking water.
Some gravity filters do have fluoride filters, and others do not. It depends on the filter that the gravity system has in it.
In order to clean a gravity water filter, you simply remove the lid, rinse with soap and water, and dry the unit off. Usually, it is recommended to clean your filter every 2-3 months.
They both have their uses. A hanging filter is better for a portable camping option, while a countertop filter is best for a kitchen filtration option.
No, gravity filters usually don’t remove hard water or limescale buildup. You will need a separate water softener for this application.
Gravity filters offer excellent water filtration solutions to both those at home and those out in nature. While they all function via the same process, their performance is largely determined by the filter type they use and their size.
We believe the Big Berkey is the best gravity filter on the market due to its long filter lifespan, lifetime warranty, and high number of contaminants removed.
You can also see our head-to-head comparisons of Berkey vs. Alexpure and Berkey vs. Propur if you’re still on the fence between these top gravity water filters.
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