
Gravity filters use gravity to move water down from a suspended reservoir, through a water filter, and into a waiting receptacle. Unlike squeeze filters and pump filters that push water through your filter, gravity fed water filters don’t need the use of your hands and effort to produce potable drinking water.
In certain situations, the flexibility that gravity filters provide us (to do other things while gravity takes care of the water filtering) can sometimes be worth the price alone. So we set out to find the finest ones to bring with us whenever and wherever we need clean water.
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Purewell 2.25 Gallon Stainless Steel Gravity Water Filter System... | 95 Reviews | CHECK PRICE |
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Membrane Solutions Gravity Water Filter Pro 6L, 0.1-Micron... | 338 Reviews | CHECK PRICE |
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Platypus GravityWorks Group Camping Water Filter System, 4-Liter | 1,357 Reviews | CHECK PRICE |
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Big Berkey® Gravity-Fed Water Filter with 2 Black Berkey®... | 2,953 Reviews | CHECK PRICE |
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LifeStraw Flex Advanced Water Filter with Gravity Bag - Removes... | 2,242 Reviews | CHECK PRICE |
If you’re looking for a great gravity filtration system, you’re definitely in the RIGHT PLACE. Read on…
In this article you’ll find:
- Our Choice Recommendation – Big Berkey
- Best for Heavy Duty Use – Big Berkey
- Best for Portable Use – MSR
- Discover gravity fed water filter pros & cons
JUMP TO A SECTION:
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Our Favorite Options For Sale Online
What is the best gravity filter brand against toxic heavy metal compounds and pathogenic bacteria: Berkey, Katadyn, MSR or Doulton? Find out how each of these options stacks up against each other.
Option #1 Big Berkey Gravity Water Filter Bundle

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This Big Berkey Water Filter Stainless Steel Bundle is best used when your drinking water is packed with toxic elements like lead, copper, cadmium, arsenic and even uranium—which can be reduced for up to 100%! Independent laboratory testing results of popular filters have also suggested that the Berkey filter is the most reliable filtration unit on the market, when removing toxic agents in your water is concerned. The only flaw it has though is that, for some people, these types of filters are not within most budgets. Other than that, this option is one heck of a filtration unit.
Pros
- Filter lasts a long time.
- Chemicals and bacteria are removed.
- Chambers made of stainless steel
Cons
- Not as affordable as other options.
Option #2 Doulton W9361122 Gravity Water Filter

This Doulton W9361122 is a little more affordable for most budgets and was actually reported to provide much better-tasting water! It can produce two (2) gallons of water and stainless steel components are manufactured in the UK. On the downside, the things that are keeping Doulton’s filter from being one of the best products in the market today is most probably the small faucet. Several customers have reported it being a bit impractical and cheaply made, in comparison to the rest of this offer. Hopefully, this will be improved in future models. At the end of the day this choice is still a great solution from Doulton, and as for the quality of the water, their test results from suggest that this option shows great potential against pathogenic bacteria like E. Coli bacteria and Cryptosporidium Cysts and the like.
Pros
- This water filtration system has excellent speed and flow.
- It eliminates the sulfur odor in the water.
- Simple installation with the instructions.
Cons
- Total dissolved solids will not be filtered.
Option #3 Katadyn Base Camp Pro Gravity Water Filter

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While Doulton and Berkey filters are ideal for indoor use because of its bulky containers, the Katadyn filter on the other hand is great for the outdoors. Just like Doulton, this offer can also filter certain type of bacteria. The design on the other hand is much different compared to the other two as it has two bags instead of two steel containers. The Katadyn filter can deliver 16 oz. per minute of filtered water and can hold up to 2.6 gallons of water in its bag. This option is more affordable for most budgets as well.
Pros
- Perfect for large group expeditions and extended backcountry trips.
- Works well with a shower attachment.
Cons
- Some customers have noticed the filter rate decrease rapidly.
Option #4 MSR AutoFlow Gravity Water Filter

This is another on-the-go water filter unit. The filtration process of MSR water filter is pretty much identical to Katadyn. The benefits are almost the same as the Katadyn unit when it comes to eliminating bacteria and VOCs. They are certainly comparable to each other in the aspects of design and effectiveness, as well as affordability. One of the main differences between them is the how fast they filter the water. The Katadyn can manage to filter 16 oz. of water while the MSR, is reported to be capable of reaching a whopping 1.75 liters per minute! It’s really surprising that a small filter like this choice can do so much in just a matter of minutes.
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Pros
- Large water treatment capacity for super fast potable water
- Simple to use
- Extremely lightweight
Cons
- The bottle adapter seems a bit unsanitary.
Which gravity water filtration solution is truly the best?
So in conclusion and for the sake of comparison, when indoors, it’s best to use the Berkey water filter (that is if you have the extra budget) and for outdoors, MSR filter is the ideal candidate since it can filter water faster than Katadyn and the price is more enticing. To summarize, the offers we like the most are Berkey and MSR.
For Heavy Duty Use:
- Indoors
- Disaster aid operations
- fixed locations
- WINNER: Big Berkey
For Portable Use:
- Outdoor activities
- Hiking and camping
- travel and adventure
- WINNER: MSR
Gravity Fed Water Filter Pros & Cons
Now, why would anyone want a gravity fed water filter? What should you be consider about this type of water filtration for your needs? Let’s take a look at the PROS & CONS:
PROS
- Gravity filtration systems are actually quite simple and efficient compared to other filtration types.
- There are a whole variety of sizes to choose from.
- They are pretty handy in that you can place one practically anywhere in your home from your counter-top to another table in your living room corner.
- They require almost zero maintenance. You only have to replace the filter once or twice per year, or as suggested by the manufacturer of course.
- No electricity needed. Awesome!
- It’s possible to build one yourself (DIY) if you don’t want to buy commercially-made units.
CONS
- Some parts of gravity filter units may be expensive so be careful when handling them. Replacement costs for the parts of the unit can range from around $25 to possibly more. The price cost will still depend on the type or brand of water filter. Hey, at least you get the gravity for FREE!
- You will have to take into consideration the amount of water you’ll need per day. A small one might not produce enough for you or your family, especially on a hot summer day, and larger offers can be pretty pricey.
- One thing you should also check out is how fast the unit can filter your water. Some options provide a quicker filtration process than others.
- Lastly, these options can be more expensive than other water filtration options. A free standing unit can cost up to a couple of hundreds of dollars. Of course there are plenty of reasons that make this a worthwhile investment.
Conclusion
So there you have it! All the options worth considering are right above. We hope you had fun learning and reading about our favorite offers. Happy filtering!
Last update on 2022-02-25 at 20:11 Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. CERTAIN CONTENT THAT APPEARS ON THIS SITE, COMES FROM AMAZON. THIS CONTENT IS PROVIDED ‘AS IS’ AND IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE OR REMOVAL AT ANY TIME.