Using gravity to filter water is as old as water filtration itself, but in recent years this fundamental system has become more and more popular. There is a flood of filters on the market, and finding the best gravity water filter can be a difficult process. 

Gravity water filters have gotten popular for quite some time now. Mostly because it’s affordable and provides great service. But with popularity comes counterfeit products. So it’s not as easy as you think it is to get a gravity filter.

So, before going for a gravity filter, you need to know what it is and how does it work. We’ll also be discussing what you need to consider before buying a gravity filter.

What Is A Gravity Filter?

Now We all know what gravity is? Like, come on Isaac Newton told us that hundreds of years ago. And the filtration system that uses this method is known as a gravity filter. Sounds easy, right?

Well, the main thing is a bit complicated so hold on tight. A gravity water filter consists of two chambers. These are the upper and lower chambers. In the upper chamber, you put in your contaminated water and the lower chamber purifies that water to make it usable. 

How Does A Gravity filter Work?

A gravity filter as we’ve mentioned, has two main components, the upper chamber, and the lower chamber. The upper chamber is used for purifying the water and the bottom chamber cleans that water even further.

The upper chamber has microscopic pores. And these pores drain out harmful biological and chemical components such as Chlorine, Microplastics, Bacteria, and Parasites. The bottom chamber further purifies this water by enhancing it with nutrition and balancing the pH level to make it Alkaline (If the filter supports this).

What’s the difference between a “Gravity Fed” system and a Water Pitcher filter like Brita or Pur?

Both use gravity, for sure, but these higher-end water purification systems by the likes of Berkey have very advanced carbon filters that eliminate all sorts of impurities, including bacteria, heavy metals, unwanted minerals, even pharmaceuticals. Water pitchers are generally not as thorough with their filtration.

Other types of gravity-fed filters are used for travel/hiking/backpacking. These systems generally have pouches that hang to allow water to fall through the filter (hence powered by gravity). These differ from other travel filters that require pumping or squeezing to get water through the filter.

Furthermore, these above-mentioned filter systems tend to last a whole lot longer than Pitcher filters. Brita filters should be replaced after 40 gallons of water, while the Birkey and Propur last at least 2400 gallons!

Things To Consider While Buying A Gravity Filter

You might wonder what’s there o know, it’s just a filter, right? Well, you’re right to a certain extent. You see, you’ll be spending your hard-earned money here, and we want the best for you. For that, it might be better to have a peek in this small section. Trust us, we won’t hold up much.

Space for the filter: The first thing to consider while buying a gravity filter is its size. As these filters have different sizes and shapes, you’ll need to figure out a spot in your house or office before buying one. And based on that spot, you can look for a gravity filter. 

How much water can it purify: The second point to go over is how much water do you need? Can it filter enough water for you every day, So look for the amount it purifies before buying.

Reason Behind getting a gravity filter: This is another main point behind buying a gravity filter. Why do you want a gravity filter? Is it because of the biological or chemical components? Or is it because of aesthetical things such as taste or odor? No matter what your reason might be, you’ll find a suitable filter in each case.

Health Issues: Doctors recommend drinking Alkaline water as it has some health benefits. And as most of the gravity filters offer Alkaline waters, this might be one of the driving reasons for you to get a Gravity filter.

Type Of the gravity filter:  Depending on your needs, you’ll find up to 3 types of gravity filters on the market. The ceramic ones, the steel ones, and the gravity bag filters. Gravity bag filters are aimed at travelers. Ceramic filters are great for those who have allergic reactions to chemicals. And the steel one is durable and universal standard.

Now that we’ve taken a deep dive into the basics of the gravity filter system, let’s take a look at the best gravity filter systems at the moment!

Nikken 1 Waterfall Gravity Water Filter Purifier System

In our eyes, the most complete gravity water filter has to be the Nikken 1 gravity filter. As this filter has a good filtration system and is portable, this is one of the topmost picks for consumers. And the fact that this filter also comes at a good price is another attractive point of this filter.

The Nikken 1 filter comes with an advanced filtration system. The system includes a natural carbon and charcoal carbon filter. The natural carbon filter captures microscopic particles while the charcoal carbon filter provides a large area for any particle or bacteria to get absorbed.

Another good thing about this filter is that it can produce alkaline water without creating a fuss. The water technology included with the filter adjusts the pH value between 8.5 and 9.5 to keep the water alkaline. This filter also adds minerals to keep the water full of nutrition.

This filter is also portable as it doesn’t need a plumbing source or electricity to work. It’s easy-to-use and can be used straight out of the box. This filter also comes with the coveted gold seal certification. What’s this certification you ask? This certification is only given to the topmost water treatment systems.

Though some of the newer units may not contain LEDs, this isn’t any point of objection as a light only serves aesthetics. Other than that small bit, I think this is the best gravity filter at the moment.

Pros

• An advanced filtration system that includes a natural carbon and charcoal carbon filter.
• The natural carbon filter captures microscopic particles while the charcoal carbon filter provides a large area for any particle or bacteria to get absorbed.
• The filter adjusts the pH value between 8.5 and 9.5 to keep the water alkaline
• The filter adds minerals to keep the water full of nutrition.
• It doesn’t need a plumbing source or electricity to work.
• Easy-to-use and can be used straight out of the box.
• It comes with the coveted gold seal certification.

Cons

• Some of the newer units may not contain LEDs

Santevia Gravity Water System 

Now if you want a filter that can give the Nikken gravity waterfall a run for its money then have a look at the Santevia Gravity Water system. This simplistic gravity water system is both affordable and does its job perfectly.

This gravity filter by Santevia is their most advanced one yet. And it has a few features that will be very helpful for people living in both sub-urban and City areas. The Santevia gravity water filter has a fluoride filtration system. And on top of that, this filter also features a microplastic filtration system. Because of this the 0.3-micron filtration media eliminate microplastics and keeps the water as organic as possible.

Most filters only filter out the bad things in your water. But the good thing about the Santevia filter is that it adds nutrition to your water. So aside from removing Chlorine, Microplastics, Bacteria, and Parasites this filter also keeps the water alkaline and adds good minerals to the water. This filter also doesn’t require any kind of plumbing or electricity to run.

One unique feature of this gravity water filter is its Aligned magnets. These magnets activate, realign, and energize water molecules to provide much superior absorption. And finally, this filter also comes with a decent warranty, contact the manufacturer if you need one.

Although we weren’t quite happy with the build quality of this filter, the features provided by the filter is worth it. Trust me, you won’t regret it.

Pros

• Great for sub-urban and City areas.
• It has a fluoride filtration system that helps the water to get rid of fluorides.
• The 0.3-micron filtration media eliminate microplastics and keeps the water as organic as possible.
• Removes Chlorine, Microplastics, Bacteria, and Parasites.
• It keeps the water alkaline and adds good minerals to the water.
• Decent warranty provided by the manufacturer.
• The aligned magnets are great for absorbing nutrients.
• This filter doesn’t require any kind of plumbing or electricity to run.

Cons

• The build quality isn’t great.

Berkey Light gravity filter

Now for those that like the premium quality of Berkey filters but think it’s a bit overpriced, they can pick up the Berkey Light gravity filter. This gravity filter system does exactly as mentioned in the name. A lightweight version of the original Berkey gravity filter.

Let’s talk about performance first. And it’s pretty much the same as the Berkey original gravity filter. This filter can purify up to 4 gallons of water every hour. It’s holding capacity is good too at 2.75Gallons. And it can easily provide enough water for up to 20 people at once.

The Berkey Light gravity filter is very durable too. The black filter elements have a life span of 6,00 gallons and the fluoride filter has a life span of just above 1,000 gallons. Another positive thing about this filter is as it doesn’t use any sort of electricity or plumbing, the external costs are low.

The body of the filter is very light. And as it’s a see-through filter you can see the water fill up However, you might face occasional leaks as per some users. Other than that small bit I believe this is an excellent lightweight gravity filter. It would be a great fit for both your home and office.

Pros

• A lightweight version of the original Berkey gravity filter.
• It can purify up to 4 gallons of water every hour.
• The black filter elements have a life span of 6,00 gallons.
• The fluoride filter has a life span of just above 1,000 gallons.
• Holds up to 2.75Gallons at once.
• It doesn’t use any sort of electricity or plumbing.
• The external costs are low.

Cons

• It can suffer from occasional leaks.

Big Berkey Gravity-Fed Water Filter

Big Berkey is the OG in the gravity water filter market. They are the gold standard, having been around for years, and they have a loyal customer base. And because of their product quality and overall service, they should be one of the better choices for gravity filters.

Let’s start with capacity. The Big Berkey gravity filter can purify water for up to 4 people every day. It has a 2.25-gallon capacity that should last throughout the day. This filter also comes with two Black Berkey Purification Elements that you can use to increase water flow.

As we’ve mentioned already, it comes with Black Berkey Purification Elements. So what does this element do you ask? It doesn’t just filter your water but it also removes up to 99.99% viruses and pathogenic bacteria. This filter is great for leaving out chemical components too as it’ll leave out heavy metals such as arsenic and mercury.

One of the good things about this filter is its ease of usage. As it doesn’t need electricity to run it’s great for saving up cost. This filter also doesn’t need any kind of tool or plumbing to be set up. These filters are very long-lasting too as a pair of the purification elements can purify up to 6,000 gallons of water before being replaced. And an average 4 member family drinks up to 3 gallons of water a day. Do the math on how long it’ll last! And the average cost for purifying each gallon of water is just 2 cents.

Though this filter doesn’t handle fluoride, we can’t complain about that as it brings such value at so little price. If I were you, I’d pick it up right away.

Pros

• It can purify water for up to 4 people every day
• It removes up to 99.99% viruses and pathogenic bacteria.
• Great for filtering out chemical components such as arsenic and mercury.
• Large capacity of 2.25 gallons.
• Comes with two Black Berkey Purification Elements that increase water flow.
• It doesn’t need electricity to run.
• Each filter can purify up to 6,000 gallons of water before being replaced.
• Very low purifying cost of just 2 cents.

Cons

• Doesn’t handle fluoride.

Sawyer Products Gravity Water Filtration System

There is a fair amount of ambiguity when talking about “gravity water filters”. They can mean large counter-top systems (as seen above) or smaller travel-sized pouch systems. Well if you are looking for a travel filter system for hiking and backpacking, this is the best option for you.

As you may notice from the picture, it’s perfect for travelers. This portable gravity filter is very easy to use and can be used by practically everyone. It comes with a 0.1 micron absolute dual-threaded Sawyer MINI water filter. The filter can hold up to 1-gallon of water and weighs just about 2 ounces (Without water).

This gravity filter has 2 variations. If you’re traveling alone then you can opt for the single bladder version. But if you’re traveling in a pack then we’d recommend going for the dual bladder version. And you won’t have to worry about the durability of this filter as it’s pre-tested up to 3 times by the manufacturers.

The biggest plus point added by this filter is functionality and ease-of-use. It has a dual-threaded mini that lets the users flip the top of the pouch for drinking water. It also has a carry handle. A small piece of advice, You’ll need to place the tubing into a receptacle like a large water bottle or pot to collect water.

Pros

• o.1 Absolute Micron Filtering
• Filters out Microplastics, Bacteria, and Protozoa
• No exposed filters like the competition.
• Extremely quick filtering.
• It can hold up to 1-gallon of water.
• Very lightweight at just 2 ounces of weight.
• Available in 2 versions (Single or Dual bladder).
• No pumping! Just fill, hang, and walk away!
• Perfect for travelers.

Cons

• Doesn’t filter out viruses, pesticides, or chemicals. Pair with the Sawyer S1 Pump Filter if you want that granularity.

Platypus GravityWorks High-Capacity Water Filter System

Many backpackers and outdoors folk choose the Platypus as their favorite gravity-fed system. Though it has pretty much the same functionality as the sawyer products gravity filter, this filter by platypus has better storage capacity than the one from sawyer products.

The platypus filter is checked thoroughly by the experts thus it has the EPA/NSF certifications with it. Your water will be kept safe with this filter as it removes up to 99 percent of all bacteria including cholera and salmonella. This makes it ideal for family or group camping as well as emergencies.

And unlike some other portable gravity filter systems, the one from platypus is very easy to use. You don’t need any kind of pumping. All you need to do is hang it up from a tree and it’ll do its work conveniently. The water flow is great too as it can fill up to 4 liters of water in about 2.5 minutes.

You can either pick up the 4 liters or 6-liter version. But it depends on your usage level. However, you’d love to know that each of the filters has very high durability and can fill up to 1,500 gallons before needing replacement.

Though this gravity filter offers more storage, keep in mind that it’ll also get heavy to carry around. Other than that, there aren’t any major points to nitpick of.

Pros

• Comes with EPA/NSF certifications.
• It removes up to 99 percent of all bacteria including cholera and salmonella.
• Ideal for family or group camping as well as emergencies.
• It’s a much more rugged pouch that lasts longer
• Very easy to use.
• Fills up to 4 liters of water in about 2.5 minutes.
• Very durable as it has 1,500 gallons purifying time before needing replacement.

Cons

• Heavier than other portable gravity filters when filled up.

Wrapping Up

There you have it, folks. These are the best gravity water purifiers in front of you. In this article, we’ve discussed everything you need to know about gravity filters.

And in this article, we’ve also discussed some of the best possible gravity filter options for you. We haven’t left anything out so if you like a gravity filter from this list then go for it!