Finding the best gravity water filter for your family can be tough when there are so many out there.
From ones that sit on your kitchen counter or table to those able to produce clean drinking water from a river, gravity water filters come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and filtering abilities.
Better Tasting Water
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Unfortunately, water additives can also give tap water a distinct taste and smell. Gravity filters can reduce the smell and taste of chlorine in your water, and some even reduce the fluoride. If your water smells and tastes better, you and your family may be more apt to drink it instead of sugar-sweetened sodas and juices.
Powered by Physics
Gravity is an electricity-free and natural way to filter water. Though they may take a little longer to filter water than a system with an electric pump, filling up the tank before going to bed means you’ll have great-tasting water the next day for your morning coffee or tea.
A gravity water filter won’t add to your power bill, and are functional even during an outage, unlike many of the other gadgets in your kitchen. With a gravity filter, you’ll always have access to clean, great-tasting water, whether you have electricity or not.
Emergency Preparedness
A couple of the gravity filters we reviewed aren’t meant for everyday use in your home. They have filters that not only make water taste better but could also keep you from getting sick. It may not be safe to drink your tap water after a natural disaster, such as a flood, even if it looks clear and clean. Bacteria, protozoa, and other things could be swimming around in that water, and drinking it could make you seriously ill.
Drinking contaminated water could result in the development of gastrointestinal illnesses, and those are never fun. Some gravity filters are designed to filter out almost all bacteria, protozoa, and other things that could make you sick.
These types of filters are beneficial to keep on hand in your family’s emergency kit, or even taking it along on camping trips to collect water from rivers and streams instead of having to bring water with you.
Best Gravity Water Filter Reviews
Countertop Gravity Water System by Santevia
This gravity filter will make your tap water taste great through multiple filtering processes.
Santevia’s filter will not only improve the taste and smell of your tap water by removing compounds like chlorine, but it will also filter out bits of dirt, bacteria, and parasites.
The filter will add minerals into your water and alkalize it too. Keep in mind, however, that there’s little to no evidence that alkalized water is any good you, and that its extreme claims of curing cancer and other diseases are probably not valid. Regardless of whether alkalized water is good for your health or not, you’re sure to be drinking more water with this filter on your kitchen counter!
Pros
- Removes a variety of compounds dissolved in water, including chlorine, heavy metals, and herbicides, all while adding beneficial minerals.
- Designed for domestic use and will fit on your kitchen counter.
Cons
- Despite having a ‘fluoride filter,’ fluoride is not one of the compounds that is filtered out. If you’re looking for a product to remove fluoride in your water, you may want to check out other gravity (or electric) filter systems.
- Despite its price, this filter is mostly made of plastic, not glass, ceramic, or metal.
Big Countertop Gravity Water Filter System by Propur
Propur’s stainless steel gravity filter has a maximum capacity of 2.75 gallons (10.4 Litres), making it a good countertop filter for a household of up to four people.
The ceramic filter (purchase includes 2) reduces the amount of heavy metals, chlorine, fluoride, pesticides, and much more in your tap water for up to 6 months. Minerals dissolved in your water will not be filtered out like the other stuff, so it’ll taste great and be good for you too!
This filter system would not only be useful for everyday use, but also during power outages and emergencies.
Pros
- The ceramic filter removes a variety of compounds found in tap water and will last for up to 6 months. Due to being made of ceramic, they’re easy to clean when you’re cleaning out the cannister itself. Purchase includes 2 filters.
Suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. - Will filter enough water for an average-sized family to use throughout the day. If this is too big or small for you, Propur sells smaller and larger filter systems as well.
Cons
- The filtering system does take some time to work. Fill up the tank before going to bed so you’ll have lots of fresh water to drink the next day.
- A little bit of water may remain in the top tank after filtering. Remember to empty and clean the entire system now and then according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
GravityWorks High-Capacity Water Filter System by Platypus
This filter system isn’t intended for everyday use: it’s meant for use during emergencies, camping, and any other time when there is no potable water available.
Instead of a filtering tank, Platypus’ filter system can be hung from a tree (or something else). The bag for the unfiltered water is hung higher than the bag for cleanwater. Gravity causes the water to move through the filter, removing over 99% of bacteria, protozoa, salmonella, and other nasty stuff that could make you sick.
This filter system will provide you and your family with clean water quickly – it filters a gallon (4 Litres) of water every 2.5 minutes.
This filter would be a smart addition to an emergency preparedness kit, especially if you live in an area prone to flooding or other natural disasters.
Pros
- Can filter water reasonably quickly: a gallon (4 Litres) of water in 2.5 minutes.
- The replaceable cartridge can filter out over 99% of bacteria, protozoa, and other unwanted things swimming around in the water for up to 1,500 gallons (5678 Litres).
- Will keep you and your family safe from a waterborne illness during natural disasters, power outages, and other times when clean drinking water isn’t available.
Cons
- Not intended for everyday use; for emergencies or outdoor recreation only.
- Because this filtering system uses plastic bags, you must be gentle with them to avoid damaging them.
- Freezing temperatures could cause the filter system to stop working and break.
Flex Advanced Water Filter with Gravity Bag by LifeStraw
LifeStraw’s filter system is similar to the Platypus filter, though it uses 1 bag and a spout rather than 2 bags.
You can fill up the LifeStraw bag and filter water manually by hanging the spout directly over your open bottles, cooking pots, or even drink directly from it like a straw.
There are 2 different types of filters in the spout: a microbiological filter that lasts for 528 gallons (2000 Litres) and a carbon capsule that lasts for up to 26.4 gallons (100 Litres). Together, these filters will remove over 99% of bacteria, protozoa, and microplastics, as well as reduce the amount of chlorine, heavy metals, pesticides, and other nasty stuff present in water.
LifeStraw’s filter system would be not only great for an emergency kit, but also outdoor adventuring, hiking, and backpacking.
Pros
- Lightweight and small so that it won’t take up much space in a backpack or emergency kit.
- Removes not only bacteria and protozoa but microplastics too.
- Will keep you safe from waterborne illnesses during an emergency or when hiking.
Cons
- Not intended for everyday use. This filter system is meant to clean water that would otherwise not be safe to drink.
- The carbon filter doesn’t last near as long as the microbiological one. It would be good to buy some extra carbon filters if you decide to buy this filter system.
- Filtering takes longer than others systems.
- The bottleneck effect that occurs at the end of the filter could result in clogging if there are larger particles in the unclean water while you’re filtering it through.
Healthy Pet Gravity Filter Water Station by PetSafe
Let’s not forget our furry friends! This pet watering station uses gravity to fill up a water bowl. The gravity water feeder will keep a steady supply of fresh, clean water for your dog or cat.
The tank is made of a durable, BPA-free (bisphenol A) plastic and will lock in place, so your pet won’t be able to knock it over and cause a small flood in your kitchen.
Available in different sizes to suit the needs of your pets: 64, 128, or 320 ounces (1.9, 3.8, or 9.5 Litres).
When it comes to pets, an essential feature of this gravity feeder is that it’s easy to clean. All the pieces will come apart easily, and you can pop the stainless steel drinking bowl right into the dishwasher.
This gravity filter is especially useful if your pet is alone during the day or at night when they need a drink.
Pros
- Disassembles for easy cleaning.
- Dishwasher safe.
- Suitable for both single and multi-pet households.
Cons
- Tank made of an opaque plastic, so you can’t see how much water is left.
- May leak if not assembled tightly.
Our Choice
If you’re looking for a gravity filter to take along on a backpacking trip or outfit your emergency kit, we recommend Platypus’ GravityWorks High-Capacity Water Filter System. We like this filter system because it has a high flow rate, giving you a gallon of water (4 Litres) in less than 3 minutes.
Platypus’ filter lasts 3 times as Lifestraw’s microbiological filter, too, able to remove over 99% of bacteria, protozoa, and other things lurking in water for up to 1,500 gallons (5678 Litres). Though Platypus’ filtering system costs significantly more than Lifestraw’s, we believe needing to replace the filter less often makes up for the price.
However, Platypus’ filter system isn’t meant for domestic, everyday use.
If you’re looking for a gravity filter to make your tap water taste better, Santevia and Propur’s countertop systems may be of greater interest to you.
Whatever type of gravity filter or feeder you’re looking for, we hope the ones listed above will be of use to you!