Can You Tell the Difference Between These Water Filters?

Take a close look at the water filters below. Can you tell which one is an authentic black Berkey purification filter and which one is the knock-off?

Here’s a closer look at the ends where the water comes out. Aside from some discoloration, they’re still pretty similar…

Let me flip them around. Perhaps you’ve noticed the one on the left has a shiny black end cap whereas the one on the right does not…

Give up yet? Be honest, which is the real black Berkey filter?

It’s the one on the right.

Truth be told, I couldn’t have told you which one was which if I weren’t writing this post. You might think that’s a good thing since the knock-off Aqua Crest are less than $60 for a pair as compared to a whopping $150+ for a pair of authentic black Berkey elements.

Yeah, that’s a significant difference. And since the Aqua Crest has quite a few decent reviews, I’d decided to take the chance and purchase a few pair over the past year or two.

Boy, does that appear to be a mistake!

Why?

Because the real difference emerges when you use them. Long story short, even after properly priming the elements (with a fancy new Berkey primer) and trying an entirely new set of Aqua Crest filters, they clearly DO NOT work as expected.

For anyone who has ever used Berkey filters before, you might be forgiven if you’ve ever complained about them filtering water a bit too slowly because, at best, the authentic Berkey elements merely drip, drip, drip water slow and steady into the collection chamber. The Aqua Crest, on the other hand, pretty much let the water flow through continuously. I’d say the entire collection chamber is filled within five minutes, lol. That is NOT what I want from a water purification element.

In fairness, and given my concern, I searched the Aqua Crest product Q&A section and one or two others have had similar concerns. Their response was that the dripping will slow down over time, which appears to be generally true, but it’s still nowhere near what I expect. Even after about two weeks of trying and waiting for better results, I’d say the Aqua Crest elements still filter three or four times faster than the Berkey elements.

At the very least, this one brand of knock-off filters do not live up to my expectations, especially since I expect them to filter dirty/non-potable water if/when SHTF. Even if they do work properly at some point in the future, I clearly can’t wait for that to happen in a survival situation.

As such, I’m back to spending the money and buying the real deal black Berkey elements.

I’m sorry I ever doubted you, Berkey.

Please accept my apology.