The best Berkey water filter alternatives have similar designs to the Big Berkey system but have better performance scores overall. These filters made our list for several reasons: many achieved better contaminant reduction scores than Berkey, most had better scores for design, and the majority had better scores for setup and maintenance.
We’re able to evaluate all the water filters we review honestly because we conduct our own hands-on testing, using objective performance data to obtain our results. The testing for this guide was conducted by Brian Campbell, a WQA Certified Water Specialist (CWS) and Certified Water Treatment Representative (CWR), who has reviewed dozens of water filtration systems as Water Filter Guru’s CEO.
AquaTru
Waterdrop King Tank
Epic Pure
Table of Contents
Our Testing & Selection Process
The Best Berkey Water Filter Alternatives
| Product | AquaTru | Waterdrop King Tank | Epic Pure |  Alexapure Pro | RKIN U1 | ZeroWater | ProOne Big+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Score | 9.54 | 9.10 | 9.05 | 8.93 | 8.83 | 8.74 | 8.56 |
| Price | $449.00+ | $229.00+ | $75.00 | $279.95 | 749.95 | $74.99 | 229.95+ |
| Certifications | NSF 42, 53, 58, 401, and P473 | NSF/ANSI 372 | Not certified | Not Certified | NSF 58 (in progress) | NSF 42, 53 | NSF 42 (materials safety only) |
| Filter Capacity | 600 – 1,200 gallons | 3,000 gallons | 150 gallons | 200 gallons | 6, 12, 24 months | 25 gallons | Ceramic + Carbon |
| Cost per Gallon | $0.11 | $0.06 | $0.31 | $0.59 | $0.08 | $0.70 | $0.41 |
| Warranty | 1 year | 1 year | Lifetime | Lifetime + 30-day return | 1 year | 90 days (vessels & TDS meters), 30 days (filters) | 1 year |
| Read Review | Aquatru review | Waterdrop King Tank review | Epic Pure review | Alexapure Pro review | RKIN U1 review | ZeroWater review | ProOne Big+ review |
AquaTru
The AquaTru is the best-performing alternative to the Big Berkey that we’ve tested so far. It’s a countertop reverse osmosis system that purifies water by targeting a broad range of dissolved solids. In our testing, it got the best overall score, as well as the best score for contaminant reduction, of all the Berkey alternatives.
Best For
Product Specs
| Price | $449.00+ |
| Contaminants Reduced | 83+ |
| Certifications | NSF 42, 53, 58, 401, and P473 |
| Process | Mechanical + RO + Carbon |
| Filter Capacity | 600 – 1,200 gallons |
| Annual Cost | ~$100 |
| Warranty | Lifetime |
Why It’s Number 1
The AquaTru is the best overall countertop water filter because it reduced more contaminants than any other Berkey alternative in our testing. It also got better scores than Berkey for its design, setup, and maintenance.
A big benefit of the AquaTru is that it’s performance-certified for all contaminants it’s claimed to reduce. And, unlike Berkey, it didn’t add unwanted contaminants into our filtered water.
It’s also much quicker and easier to set up than the Berkey system, requiring no time-consuming filter priming.
AquaTru Performance
The AquaTru reduced 100% of all the trace contaminants in our water, so it got the highest score we’ve ever awarded for a countertop water filter: 9.90. Lead, fluoride, strontium, uranium, molybdenum, and barium were all eliminated from our water.
The system also scored a 9.90 for reducing aesthetic contaminants because it reduced 100% chlorine in our water, which effectively addressed poor tastes and odors associated with this chemical.
One of the biggest draws of the AquaTru for us was that it’s IAPMO certified to NSF/ANSI Standards 42, 53, 58, 401, and P473 for the reduction of all 83 contaminants that AquaTru claims it can reduce. The Big Berkey only has third-party testing, so AquaTru is the better option if you see performance certifications as non-negotiable.
This countertop RO system also received a better design score than Berkey (9.70 versus Berkey’s 7.80). We were pleased with its design quality, and it has a materials safety certification (as a component of its performance certifications) and an NSF 372 certification for lead-free design.
The AquTru’s setup and maintenance scores of 10.00 and 9.75 were also better than Berkey’s (6.50 and 8.50). It’s a plug-and-play system that required minimal assembly, and we could flush the filters while they were in the unit, so we didn’t have the difficult filter priming experience that we had with Berkey.
We replaced the filters according to the display screen reminders, and our anticipated ongoing spend was lower than for the Big Berkey ($0.11/ gallon versus Berkey’s $0.13 / gallon).
In our opinion, the AquaTru is the best Berkey alternative for folks who want to reduce as many tap water contaminants as possible with a performance-certified purification system. The only setback of AquaTru compared to Berkey is that, like all RO systems, it wastes water. But it’s more efficient than any other countertop RO unit we’ve tested – it only wastes 1 gallon per 4 gallons purified.
| Criteria | Results |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 9.54 |
| Health Related Contaminants | 9.90 |
| Aesthetic Related Contaminants | 9.90 |
| Performance Certification | Certified for 100% of reduction claims |
| Filtration Rate | 0.04 GPM |
| Component Quality | Outstanding |
| Component Certification | Certified |
| Setup | Exceptional |
| Servicing Requirements | Outstanding |
| Costs | $0.11/gallon |
| Warranty Length | 1 year |
| Shipping | Free shipping |
| Returns | 30 days |
Waterdrop King Tank
The Waterdrop King Tank got the best contaminant reduction score of all the stainless steel gravity fed Berkey-ish systems that we tested, and the second-best contaminant reduction score overall, making it our runner-up recommendation on this list. The unit is closer to Berkey in design and uses a more similar water treatment method compared to AquaTru, so it’s best for folks who like the Berkey concept but not the product.
Best For
Product Specs
| Price | $229.00+ |
| Contaminants Reduced | 10+ |
| Certifications | NSF/ANSI 372 |
| Process | Carbon + Ion Exchange |
| Filter Capacity | 3,000 gallons |
| Annual Cost | ~$60 |
| Warranty | 1 year |
Our Verdict
The Waterdrop King Tank is the best alternative to Berkey for anyone who wants a system with a stainless steel cylindrical design, and is keen to reduce contaminants more effectively, without leaching any harmful impurities.
The system reduced or removed most of the contaminants present in our water, and it received better scores for filtration rate, design, and company, compared to Berkey.
The unit also has a lead-free design certification, and it uses fewer plastic components in its design than the Big Berkey.
Waterdrop King Tank Performance
We awarded the Waterdrop King Tank a 9.51 score for contaminant reduction. It eliminated the majority of contaminants with health effects in our water, including aluminum, chloroform, manganese, total THMs, and lead. It also reduced 100% chlorine, 93% copper, 40% barium, and 28% sulfate.
Like Berkey, the King Tank only reduces fluoride with its dedicated fluoride filters (these were included with our purchase, whereas Berkey sells them at an extra cost). The system reduced 100% fluoride in our testing, and there was no aluminum leaching – something we experienced with the Big Berkey.
The King Tank’s 4 GPH filtration rate awarded it a 10.00 score in this category. It’s much faster than Berkey’s filtration rate, which we measured as 2.6 GPH, so it’s a good choice if you want faster access to filtered water.
We also preferred the King Tank’s design to Berkey’s, awarding it a 9.40 score. It uses a steel/glass sight spigot (Berkey’s spigot is plastic), although there’s still some plastic in the dispenser nozzle. The unit is also IAPMO certified to NSF 372 for lead-free design – something Berkey doesn’t have. Plus, it has one of the lowest ongoing costs of all the Berkey alternatives we tested: just $0.06/ gallon.
We just had a couple of disappointments with this system: we had to prime the filters with the same tricky, time-consuming process that Berkey requires, and the unit isn’t performance certified.
We recommend the Waterdrop King Tank to anyone looking for the best Berkey alternative with the most similar durable steel design, which doesn’t waste water, reduce healthy minerals, or use electricity.
| Criteria | Results |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 9.10 |
| Health Related Contaminants | 9.90 |
| Aesthetic Related Contaminants | 9.90 |
| Performance Certification | Not certified |
| Filtration Rate | 4 GPH |
| Component Quality | Excellent |
| Component Certification | NSF/ANSI 372 |
| Setup | Failing |
| Servicing Requirements | Weak |
| Costs | $0.06/gallon |
| Warranty Length | 1 year |
| Shipping | Free shipping to lower 48 |
| Returns | 30 days |
Epic Pure Water Filter Dispenser
The Epic Pure Water Filter Dispenser is the most affordable Berkey water filter alternative with a large water-holding capacity. It got the fourth-highest score after the Alexapure Pro for reducing contaminants in our water, and the third-best overall performance score.
Best For
Product Specs
| Price | $75.00 |
| Contaminants Reduced | 200+ |
| Certifications | Not certified |
| Process | Solid Activated Carbon Block |
| Filter Capacity | 150 gallons |
| Annual Cost | ~$150 |
| Warranty | Lifetime |
What We Thought
The Epic Pure Dispenser got the best overall performance score of all the budget-friendly Berkey water filter alternatives we tested.
It also has a design advantage that none of the top three filters have: it’s made of clear plastic, which means we were able to check the water levels at a glance, without having to remove the lid or the top chamber.
The unit cost just $75 at the time when we got it to review, making it up to 5 times cheaper than the Big Berkey unit.
Epic Pure Performance
The Epic Pure received a 9.00 for contaminant reduction. It performed similarly to the Waterdrop and Alexapure systems, reducing 100% uranium, copper, chlorine, and phosphorous, as well as 57% molybdenum, 41% barium, 27% fluoride, and 20% nitrate.
Again, the Epic dispenser isn’t certified for contaminant reduction, which we were disappointed to see.
But the system excelled in other areas. Its filtration rate of 2.23 GPH is pretty quick for a gravity-fed system, especially given that it uses just one small filter. Even Berkey’s filtration rate measured at 2.6 GPH in comparison, and that’s with two large Black Berkey elements.
The Epic Pure dispenser also got better scores than Berkey in the setup and maintenance categories: 9.50 in both. Assembling the dispenser takes less than five minutes and requires no filter priming – we just filtered and discarded the first two batches of water (you only need to discard one batch from the dispenser). It’s easy to maintain, too: replacement filters also don’t need priming. The unit’s cost per gallon of $0.31 is pretty low, although it’s over twice the price of Berkey’s, and the 90-day filter lifespan is much shorter.
Epic is also the only water filter company we reviewed that offers the same lifetime warranty as Berkey, and the only manufacturer to offer a lifetime returns policy (although some stipulations must be met).
We think the Epic Pure dispenser is ideally suited to folks who want a Berkey filter alternative that also uses gravity-fed filtration and rivals Berkey’s performance, but at a much lower cost.
| Criteria | Results |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 9.05 |
| Health Related Contaminants | 9.30 |
| Aesthetic Related Contaminants | 9.90 |
| Performance Certification | Not certified for any reduction claims |
| Filtration Rate | 2.23 GPH |
| Component Quality | Good |
| Component Certification | Not certified |
| Setup | Outstanding |
| Servicing Requirements | Outstanding |
| Costs | $0.31/gallon |
| Warranty Length | Lifetime |
| Shipping | Free shipping for the Clean Water Club only |
| Returns | Lifetime |
Alexapure Pro
The Alexapure Pro is another Berkey alternative that has the same design concept. It got the fourth-highest overall score of all the Berkey alternatives we tested, as well as the third-highest score for contaminant reduction.
Best For
Product Specs
| Price | $279.95 |
| Contaminants Reduced | 200+ |
| Certifications | Not Certified |
| Process | Activated Carbon + Ceramic |
| Filter Capacity | 200 gallons |
| Annual Cost | ~$120 |
| Warranty | Lifetime + 30-day return |
Why It Made This List
The Alexapure Pro is the most suitable alternative to Berkey for folks who like Berkey’s design but want a system that’s easier to install and maintain, has a better design quality, and reduces contaminants more effectively without introducing harmful impurities into water.
Unlike the Big Berkey and Waterdrop systems, its filters don’t need to be primed before use, and it’s made from high-quality stainless steel components, including the spigot.
It also has a few unique performance benefits compared to Berkey: it addresses pathogens (Berkey has recently revoked its microbiological reduction claims). It should also reduce fluoride with its main filters, although we had a different experience in our testing – see below.
Alexapure Pro Performance
The Alexapure Pro secured a score of 9.34 – the third-highest of all the Berkey alternatives we tested – for contaminant reduction. In our testing, it reduced 100% lead, chloroform, THMs, aluminum, copper, and manganese, as well as 43% barium and 16% sulfate.
However, the concentrations of fluoride, magnesium, calcium, and strontium actually increased, and silver and potassium appeared when they weren’t present before. We think this was because we filtered 100 gallons of a different water source through the filters before conducting our test, but this still shows us that the Alexapure Pro didn’t effectively reduce fluoride – disappointing given that Alexapure claims it can do so.
The Alexapure Pro also doesn’t have any performance certifications, which also affected its contaminant reduction category wasn’t any higher.
However, minor setbacks aside, one standout feature of this system was its ease of setup and maintenance. We found it easier to assemble than Berkey or Waterdrop because its filters arrive pre-primed, saving us a lengthy job at home.
Replacement filters had also been primed before being shipped to us, so maintenance was just as simple. The Alexapure Pro got a 9.00 score for setup and an 8.25 score for maintenance (this score was slightly lower because its ongoing cost of $0.59/ gallon was higher than its top competitors).
We think the Alexapure Pro is a great choice for folks who want to thoroughly filter their water (but aren’t bothered about fluoride reduction) with a stainless steel countertop filtration system that has a better design quality and is easier to assemble and maintain than the Big Berkey.
| Criteria | Results |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 8.93 |
| Health Related Contaminants | 9.70 |
| Aesthetic Related Contaminants | 9.90 |
| Performance Certification | Not certified for any reduction claims |
| Filtration Rate | 1 GPH |
| Component Quality | Exceptional |
| Component Certification | Not Certified |
| Setup | Excellent |
| Servicing Requirements | Good |
| Costs | $0.59/gallon |
| Warranty Length | 1 year |
| Shipping | Free shipping to lower 48 |
| Returns | 30 days |
RKIN U1
The RKIN U1 is the most advanced, innovative system that we’ve tested. It’s a countertop reverse osmosis system that purifies water, remineralizes it, infuses it with hydrogen (an optional feature), and dispenses it at any temperature. It drew with the Epic Pure filter in our contaminant reduction testing and got the fifth-highest performance score overall.
Best For
Product Specs
| Price | $749.95 |
| Contaminants Reduced | 99% of most contaminants |
| Certifications | NSF 58 (in progress) |
| Process | Mechanical + Carbon + RO + Alkaline + Hydrogen infusion |
| Filter Capacity | 6, 12, 24 months |
| Annual Cost | ~$180 |
| Warranty | 1-year warranty & 1 year money-back guarantee |
Our Verdict
The RKIN U1 is a premium product with a premium price tag. Of all the Berkey alternatives we tested, it impressed us most with its range of unique features and sophisticated tech-forward design.
The unit purified our water similarly to the AquaTru, eliminating most contaminants, and it also got high scores for setup and maintenance.
RKIN U1 Performance
We awarded the RKIN U1 a 9.00 for contaminant reduction. It did better at reducing contaminants than most of the other Berkey substitutes, eliminating 100% fluoride, lead, uranium, chlorine, copper, zinc, and molybdenum, and greatly reducing barium, nitrate, and sulfate.
It would have obtained a higher score in this category if it wasn’t for the increase in strontium from 0.108 PPM to 2.42 PPM in our filtered water (most likely from the remineralization filter). It also lacks a performance certification.
The system received 10.00 and 9.75 scores in the setup and maintenance categories. It’s another plug-and-play system, like the AquaTru, and we could simply press a button to flush the filters rather than having to do it manually.
The unit’s estimated ongoing cost is just $0.0809/gallon, making it cheaper to maintain than the Big Berkey, despite its higher upfront price tag.
Its 0.07 GPM filtration rate was less impressive compared to similar systems (we couldn’t compare this to it got the poorest score of 7.50 in this category.
As for design, we thought that the U1’s component quality was generally good, but it also got a slightly lower score of 7.50 here because it lacks a materials safety certification and is made predominantly from plastic.
For us, the big selling point of the U1 was the fact that we could use it to dispense hot or cold water and deliver water exactly to our preferences with the different presets on the touchscreen control panel. We think the system is the most suitable Berkey substitute for folks who enjoy the latest gadgets and want the most feature-rich countertop water purification system.
| Criteria | Results |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 8.83 |
| Health Related Contaminants | 9.30 |
| Aesthetic Related Contaminants | 9.90 |
| Performance Certification | Not certified for any reduction claims |
| Filtration Rate | 0.07 GPM |
| Component Quality | Good |
| Component Certification | Not certified |
| Setup | Exceptional |
| Servicing Requirements | Outstanding |
| Costs | $0.08/gallon |
| Warranty Length | 1 year |
| Shipping | Free shipping on orders over $175 to lower 48 states |
| Returns | 30 days |
ZeroWater Glass Dispenser
The ZeroWater Glass Dispenser is a glass gravity-fed water filtration system that uses a 6-stage filter to reduce TDS down to 0. It’s the best glass dispenser we’ve reviewed, and we think it’s a great option for folks who appreciate Berkey’s low-plastic design but don’t enjoy the industrial stainless steel look.
Best For
Product Specs
| Price | $74.99 |
| Contaminants Reduced | 24 |
| Certifications | NSF 42, 53 |
| Process | Ion Exchange |
| Filter Capacity | 25 gallons |
| Annual Cost | ~$110 |
| Warranty | 90 days for vessels and TDS meters, 30 days for filters |
Why We Like It
We love the fact that the ZeroWater Glass Dispenser is made of glass – it has a more expensive, attractive look than plastic dispensers (like the Epic Pure dispenser), and it has a few advantages over stainless steel units like the Big Berkey: it allows for easy viewing of the water inside, and it’s less of an eyesore in a modern kitchen.
It’s another system that got great scores for contaminant reduction, and it matched or exceeded Berkey’s scores in the filtration rate, design, and setup categories.
Plus, the filter is certified to reduce 6 contaminants, and it has a materials safety certification.
ZeroWater Performance
We awarded the ZeroWater Glass Dispenser an 8.34 score for contaminant reduction. According to our test data, it eliminated 100% fluoride, chlorine, uranium, barium, strontium, molybdenum, nitrate, and sulfate, as well as reducing 97% copper.
The filter did better at reducing contaminants than many of its competitors, but its score was affected by one outcome: 3.4 PPB of chloroform was detected in our filtered water. This showed us that ZeroWater doesn’t effectively address disinfection byproducts.
We were impressed with the dispenser’s NSF Standard 42 and Standard 53 certifications for reducing chlorine taste and odors, mercury, lead, PFOA, PFOS, and hexavalent chromium. Many of the Berkey alternatives we tested aren’t certified at all.
The 40-cup dispenser comes with a TDS meter, which we could use to check that the filter was performing properly (ZeroWater says it should reduce TDS down to 0). The user manual instructed us to replace the filter when the TDS meter reads 006, so it was easy to know when we needed to perform maintenance.
The only letdown was that the filter life was significantly shorter than any other Berkey alternative we tested – it has a capacity of just 40 gallons – and its ongoing cost of $0.70/ gallon was over 5 times Berkey’s cost per gallon.
We had a better experience with ZeroWater when it came to filtration rate: the filter treated 0.391 gallons of water in just under 9 minutes, giving it a filtration speed of 2.62 GPH (not far off Berkey’s). It also got a high setup score (9.50) because it took less than 5 minutes to assemble, and was the only system we tested that required no filter priming, soaking, or flushing.
We think the ZeroWater Glass Dispenser is ideal for folks who want a more attractive alternative to the Big Berkey, which is made from glass rather than stainless steel, and addresses many common contaminants with a performance-certified filter.
| Criteria | Results |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 8.74 |
| Health Related Contaminants | 8.30 |
| Aesthetic Related Contaminants | 9.90 |
| Performance Certification | Certified for 25% of reduction claims |
| Filtration Rate | 2.62 GPH |
| Component Quality | Exceptional |
| Component Certification | Fair |
| Setup | Outstanding |
| Servicing Requirements | Outstanding |
| Costs | $0.70/gallon |
| Warranty Length | 90 days for vessels & TDS meters, 30 days for filters |
| Shipping | Free shipping on orders above $60 to continental US |
| Returns | No returns |
ProOne Big+
The ProOne Big+ is another stainless steel Berkey dupe, like the Waterdrop King Tank and Alexapure Pro. The system got a slightly poorer contaminant reduction score than its competitors, but it had the highest-quality design of all the stainless steel systems we tested, including Berkey – and it’s more affordable than any of these units by at least $50.
Best For
Product Specs
| Price | 229.95+ |
| Contaminants Reduced | 200+ |
| Certifications | NSF 42 (materials safety only) |
| Process | Ceramic + Carbon |
| Filter Capacity | 1,000 – 1,200 gallons |
| Annual Cost | ~$100 |
| Warranty | 1 year |
Our Take
The ProOne Big+ might not have obtained the best score for contaminant reduction, but it has a key performance benefit: like the Alexapure Pro, it can be used to filter untreated water. It also got the best score for design, and beat Berkey, Waterdrop, and Alexapure in the maintenance category.
The unit uses just one filter, so, unlike the Big Berkey and Waterdrop King Tank, it reduces fluoride without separate fluoride filters. And, unlike the Alexapure Pro, it actually did reduce 100% fluoride in our water as promised.
ProOne Big+ Performance
The Big+ got a score of 8.44 for contaminant reduction. It did a great job eliminating 100% lead, copper, fluoride, aluminum, and manganese in our testing. But it reduced just 47% of total THMs and 56% chloroform, which impacted the quality of our filtered water.
This ProOne unit should appeal to you if one of the reasons you were interested in the Berkey system was because of its ability to filter untreated water (Berkey’s microorganism reduction claims have recently been revoked). The Big+ can filter untreated surface water, and in our own testing, it eliminated all three bacteria types present in the river water we tested.
Again, though, the letdown for us was that the filter lacked a performance certification – this seems to be a common setback of stainless steel Berkey filter alternatives.
Related: BOROUX legacy water filter review
The good news is that the ProOne Big+ got a better score than any stainless steel unit in the design category, with two scores of 10.00. We noted that it had the sturdiest design with the least amount of plastic – only the filter cartridges use plastic components. Plus, the filter has an NSF 42 certification for materials safety.
We found the unit easier to set up than Berkey or Waterdrop, although not quite as easy as Alexapure. We didn’t have to prime the filters, which saved us a lot of time, but there was still a bit of work involved in scrubbing them under cold water with a scouring pad. The Big+ got a better maintenance score than any system, again because of the lack of filter priming, although its ongoing servicing cost of $0.41/ gallon wasn’t the lowest we’ve seen from the stainless steel systems.
The ProOne Big+ is our top recommended alternative to Berkey for filtering untreated water. It’s also ideal for anyone who wants the closest Berkey dupe without the expense of extra fluoride elements or the hassle of priming filters, and folks who value materials safety certifications and high-quality design materials.
| Criteria | Results |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 8.56 |
| Health Related Contaminants | 8.65 |
| Aesthetic Related Contaminants | 9.90 |
| Performance Certification | Not certified |
| Filtration Rate | 0.77 GPH |
| Component Quality | Exceptional |
| Component Certification | Certified |
| Setup | Good |
| Servicing Requirements | Good |
| Costs | $0.41/gallon |
| Warranty Length | 5 years |
| Shipping | Free shipping on orders over $69.95 to the lower 48 states |
| Returns | 30 days |
Do you know of a suitable substitute for the Berkey black filters? For some reason you can’t find them online from any reputable dealers.
You could check out the Waterdrop King Tank filters
I have been using the Big Berkey for the past 4 years and have been very happy with the system although I after reading your article I am worried about the aluminum leaching from the filters. How can I test my filtered water for aluminum? Also, I am wanting to buy a very good system for my daughter who has moved into an older apartment complex in Orlando. It is city water but I am concerned about the older pipes. The problem is, she has very little counter space. Which would you recommend in this situation?
The best way to test for aluminum is with a lab test – check out the Tap Score city water test
The best countertop water filter I’d recommend hands down is the Aquatru. It performed best in our testing and holds the most certifications. You can read our full Aquatru review here.
Are the Alexapure Pro replacement filters compatible with Big Berkey system? Will the Alexapure filters fit? Should one of two Alexapure Pro filters in Big Berkey?
We’ve not tested this to verify compatibility