I'm embarrassed to admit we had previously fallen for the Berkey hype and used one in our home for years. It wasn't until I saw a couple YouTube videos discussing how little Berkey actually tests their filters' lifespans, that I decided to get a TDS meter (total dissolved solids). Our water tested in the high 300s, to low 400s depending on the day. This was a mind-blowing realization, we were distraught. And this was testing water post "filtration." Another YouTube video led us to AquaTru, that person also used a TDS meter and found that aside from ZeroWater, AquaTru brought that number of total dissolved solids down the lowest. (For the record, we also tried Zero Water, because gosh that sounds good, right? Zero mysterious dissolved solids in your water! Well, our tap water killed a ZeroWater filter in less than 48 hours - to maintain use of that system, we would have had to spend a lot of money on filters and add a lot of plastic to landfills.) AquaTru is economical given the lifespan of the filters, less plastic in the landfills, and we test our water pretty regularly with our TDS meter and continue to be so grateful, so relieved, and so impressed that on average, our TDS is about 20-25 now. Much improved and something I feel so much safer giving my children given the news of microplastics, PFAS, lead, pharmaceuticals, etc. in the water supply. Highly recommend!
I'm embarrassed to admit we had previously fallen for the Berkey hype and used one in our home for years. It wasn't until I saw a couple YouTube videos discussing how little Berkey actually tests their filters' lifespans, that I decided to get a TDS meter (total dissolved solids). Our water tested in the high 300s, to low 400s depending on the day. This was a mind-blowing realization, we were distraught. And this was testing water post "filtration. " Another YouTube video led us to AquaTru, that person also used a TDS meter and found that aside from ZeroWater, AquaTru brought that number of total dissolved solids down the lowest. (For the record, we also tried Zero Water, because gosh that sounds good, right? Zero mysterious dissolved solids in your water! Well, our tap water killed a ZeroWater filter in less than 48 hours - to maintain use of that system, we would have had to spend a lot of money on filters and add a lot of plastic to landfills. ) AquaTru is economical given the lifespan of the filters, less plastic in the landfills, and we test our water pretty regularly with our TDS meter and continue to be so grateful, so relieved, and so impressed that on average, our TDS is about 20-25 now. Much improved and something I feel so much safer giving my children given the news of microplastics, PFAS, lead, pharmaceuticals, etc. in the water supply. Highly recommend!