AquaTru Carafe vs Berkey: An Honest Look at the Filter from the TV Commercial
Last updated: September 30, 2026
By
Dan DeBaun
Table of Contents
The Quick Verdict
The AquaTru Carafe is a compact reverse osmosis filter that plugs into the wall, filters water quickly, and is certified to reduce a long list of contaminants. The tradeoffs are real though. It holds only half a gallon of filtered water at a time, sends part of your tap water down the drain, and uses three separate filters that each need replacing on their own schedule.
A Berkey takes a different approach. It is a stainless steel gravity filter that needs no electricity, wastes no water, and holds 1.5 gallons (or more) of filtered water, with filters that cost far less per gallon. Its filter elements have also been tested to NSF/ANSI standards by independent, certified labs against more than 200 contaminants, well over twice the number on AquaTru's certified list.
If a long certification list in a small plug-in unit is what you want, the Carafe is a strong pick. If you would rather have broader testing to NSF/ANSI standards, more water on hand, no power cord, no waste, and lower costs over the years, a Berkey is the better fit.
AquaTru Carafe is best for
- People who want NSF certification across a long contaminant list (AquaTru lists 84)
- Fluoride reduction without buying an add-on filter
- Quick batches for one or two people who do not need much water on hand
- Small counters with an outlet close by
Berkey is best for
- Testing to NSF/ANSI standards by certified labs on more than 200 contaminants
- Households that drink, cook, and make coffee with filtered water every day
- No electricity and no wasted water
- Keeping the natural minerals in your water
- The lowest filter cost per gallon over the years
- A stainless steel build backed by our lifetime hardware warranty
AquaTru Carafe vs Berkey: Side by Side
We compared the Carafe with the two Berkey sizes closest to it in footprint and household size, the Travel Berkey and the Big Berkey.
| Feature | AquaTru Carafe | Travel Berkey | Big Berkey |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $375 (Smart model $425) | $327 | From $367 |
| How it filters | Reverse osmosis through 3 filters | Gravity pulls water through 2 filter elements (Big Berkey holds up to 4) | |
| Power | Needs a 120 volt wall outlet | None | |
| Wasted water | Yes. About 63% of the tap water becomes drinking water, and you pour out the rest. | None. Everything you pour in gets filtered. | |
| Filtered water stored | 0.5 gal (1.9 L), poured into a 64 oz glass carafe | 1.5 gal (5.7 L) | 2.25 gal (8.5 L) |
| Size | 13" tall x 14" deep x 7.5" wide, about 9 lb | 18" tall x 7.5" wide | 19.25" tall x 8.5" wide |
| Material | Plastic housing with a glass carafe | Stainless steel | |
| Certifications | AquaTru says the Carafe is certified by IAPMO to NSF standards for 84 contaminants | Berkey Phoenix Elements: certified to NSF/ANSI 42 and NSF/ANSI/CAN 372 | |
| Tested to NSF/ANSI standards by certified labs | 84 contaminants (the certified list) | 200+ contaminants. Berkey Phoenix Elements were tested to NSF/ANSI standards by three independent, certified labs (each accredited to ISO/IEC 17025). Black Berkey Elements were tested to NSF/ANSI standards by independent EPA-accredited and NSF-accredited labs. | |
| Fluoride | Included. AquaTru's NSF/ANSI 58 data for its Classic model shows 93.5% average reduction. | Add PF-2 filters ($103 per pair). Berkey reports more than 95% reduction under standard test conditions. | |
| Filter life | Pre-filter: 6 months or 300 gal. VOC filter: 1 year or 300 gal. RO filter: 2 years or 600 gal. | Berkey Phoenix Elements: up to 5,500 gal per pair, which most households replace every 3 to 5 years. PF-2: 1,000 gal or 1 year. | |
| Filter cost per gallon | About 33 to 40 cents | About 2 cents over the elements' rated life (about 16 to 30 cents with PF-2) | |
| Warranty | 1 year | 12 months from the manufacturer, plus our lifetime warranty on the stainless chambers and hardware when you buy from us | |
| Returns | 30 days (the TV offer shipping fee is not refunded) | 30 days on unused products | |
What the AquaTru TV Ad Says, and What It Leaves Out
Here is how the ad's main claims hold up, including the ones we think are fair.
ContextThe trial is real, but it is not entirely free. The $19.95 shipping and processing fee is not refunded if you send the filter back. If you keep it, you pay five monthly installments of $75, which adds up to the same $375 as the regular price.
For comparison, we accept returns on unused Berkey products within 30 days.
Fair pointThis is AquaTru's strongest claim. The TV page lists NSF standards 42, 53, 58, and 401, and AquaTru's help center (updated April 2026) says the Carafe is certified by IAPMO, an independent testing and certification group. One older page on their site still describes that certification as "pending," so if certification is your deciding factor, it is worth asking AquaTru for the listing on your exact model.
Berkey takes a different route and goes further on testing. Berkey Phoenix Elements are certified to NSF/ANSI 42 and NSF/ANSI/CAN 372, and they have been tested to NSF/ANSI standards by certified labs against more than 200 contaminants, well over twice AquaTru's certified list, with every report published. See the Phoenix complete contaminant list and our lab test results page.
ContextReverse osmosis is a proven technology, but the ad skips over two tradeoffs. It strips out natural minerals along with contaminants, and it does not turn all of your tap water into drinking water; AquaTru rates the Carafe at about 63%. To its credit, AquaTru does sell an optional filter that adds minerals back, for $20 more.
ContextThat is a fair description of many pitcher and refrigerator filters, which are mostly designed to improve chlorine taste and odor. It does not apply to every filter that skips reverse osmosis, though, since gravity systems with dense carbon elements are a different category altogether. The fairest way to judge any filter, AquaTru and Berkey included, is by its published certifications and lab reports rather than a commercial.
Fair pointThat is true of both systems. The only difference is that the Carafe still needs a wall outlet, while a Berkey needs nothing at all.
Fair pointAquaTru has strong reviews and genuine press recognition, including from Good Housekeeping and Esquire. Berkey has an even larger following, with more than 2 million customers, and plenty of independent recognition of its own. The Environmental Working Group placed Berkey in its "Best Overall" group for PFAS filters, CBS News covered those results, a Food Network reviewer described Berkey water as "liquid gold," and the Los Angeles Times described Berkey as "the Rolls-Royce of water filters." You can see all of it on our media coverage page.
ContextThis is the founder's quote, and the rest of the page goes on to link tap water to serious health problems. Wanting clean water for your family is a perfectly good reason to buy a quality filter, whether that is an AquaTru or a Berkey. We just do not think fear is the right way to sell one. A calmer first step is to read your water utility's annual water quality report, or test your well water, and then choose a filter with published results for what is actually in your water.
How Each One Filters Water
AquaTru Carafe: countertop reverse osmosis
With the Carafe, you fill a small tank with tap water and the machine pushes it through three filters in a row. The first catches sediment and chlorine, the second is a reverse osmosis membrane (an extremely fine barrier that only lets water through), and the third is a carbon filter aimed at chemicals called VOCs. Filtered water collects in a half gallon tank that you pour into the 64 oz glass carafe, while the water that does not pass through the membrane stays behind for you to empty.
In short: it plugs in, works quickly, and filters broadly, but some water goes to waste.
Berkey: stainless steel gravity filtration
With a Berkey, you pour tap water into the upper chamber and gravity pulls it through the filter elements into the lower chamber, where it stays until you use the spigot. There is no pump, no power, and no wasted water. Every new Berkey system ships with Black Berkey Elements while supplies last, but they are not sold as standalone replacements. The authorized replacement is the Berkey Phoenix Element, and you can add PF-2 filters if you also want to reduce fluoride and arsenic.
In short: no power and no waste, with more water ready to go, though each batch takes longer.
What Each One Reduces
AquaTru lists 84 contaminants for the Carafe, including lead, chromium 6, fluoride, arsenic, nitrates, chlorine, chloramines, PFOA and PFOS, pesticides, and herbicides. That list is backed by NSF standard certification, and it is the Carafe's clearest advantage.
Berkey's published testing covers far more ground. Beyond their NSF/ANSI 42 and NSF/ANSI/CAN 372 certifications, Berkey Phoenix Elements have been tested to NSF/ANSI standards against more than 200 contaminants by three independent, certified labs (CVR Labs, RAYNU Analytical Labs, and Atom Testing Laboratory), each accredited to ISO/IEC 17025. That testing covers 25 PFAS "forever chemicals," heavy metals, VOCs, pesticides, herbicides, and pharmaceuticals, and in RAYNU Analytical testing PFOA and PFOS stayed below 0.005 µg/L through 1,500 liters. Every result is posted on the Phoenix complete contaminant list, and Black Berkey results are on the Black Berkey complete contaminant list.
The honest takeaway: if a certification seal matters most to you, AquaTru has the edge. If you want the broadest published testing and lower running costs, Berkey comes out ahead.
How Much Water You Actually Get
The Carafe holds half a gallon of filtered water, about four 16 oz glasses, before you need to refill it and wait for the next batch. That works for one person, but a family that also cooks and makes coffee with filtered water will be refilling it often.
A Travel Berkey holds 1.5 gallons, three times as much, and a Big Berkey holds 2.25 gallons. The Carafe is faster per batch, but a Travel Berkey still filters up to 2.75 gallons per hour and a Big Berkey up to 3.5, so most owners simply top off the upper chamber once or twice a day and always have water ready.
Power, Wasted Water, and Minerals
Power
The Carafe runs on a standard 120 volt wall outlet, whereas a Berkey has no electrical parts at all, so it can sit anywhere on your counter.
Wasted water
AquaTru rates the Carafe at about 63% efficiency, which by our math means you pour out roughly 0.6 gallons for every gallon you drink. At a gallon a day, that adds up to a little over 200 gallons a year. In fairness, the Carafe's design wastes far less than many older under-sink reverse osmosis systems, but a gravity filter wastes none.
Minerals
Reverse osmosis removes minerals like calcium and magnesium along with contaminants, while gravity carbon filtration leaves them in. AquaTru offers an add-on filter for people who want minerals put back. AquaTru also notes that the Carafe is designed for water under 10 grains per gallon of hardness, which is worth checking if you are on hard well water.
Build Quality and Warranty
The Carafe has a plastic housing with a glass carafe and comes with a 1 year warranty. Berkey systems are built from stainless steel and carry a 12 month manufacturer's warranty. When you buy a stainless Berkey from us, you also get our lifetime warranty on the stainless steel chambers and hardware. Filters and other consumable parts are not covered by that warranty.
Cost Over Time
This is where the two systems differ the most. Here is what you would spend on replacement filters each year, using current prices and each manufacturer's rated filter life.
| Daily use | AquaTru Carafe | Berkey (Phoenix Elements) | Berkey + PF-2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 gallon a day | About $145 a year | About $24 to $40 a year | About $127 to $143 a year |
| 2 gallons a day | About $243 a year | About $24 to $40 a year | About $127 to $143 a year |
How we did the math: The AquaTru Carafe costs $375. Its pre-filter is $29.95 (6 months or 300 gallons), its VOC filter is $39.95 (1 year or 300 gallons), and its RO filter is $59.95 (2 years or 600 gallons), with each one replaced at whichever limit comes first. AquaTru's TV page lists 1,200 and 600 gallon filter life, but its individual filter pages list lower numbers, so we used those. The Travel Berkey costs $327. Berkey Phoenix Elements cost $120 per pair and are rated for 5,500 gallons, which works out to about 2 cents per gallon; most households replace them every 3 to 5 years, or about $24 to $40 a year. To stay conservative, the 5 year Berkey totals include one replacement pair. PF-2 filters cost $103 per pair and are replaced every year (1,000 gallons or 1 year, whichever comes first). Tap water and electricity are not included, and prices are as of September 2026.
In short: without fluoride filters, a Berkey costs a small fraction of what the Carafe does to run. Adding PF-2 filters brings yearly filter costs close to even for a one-gallon-a-day household, but a Berkey still comes out ahead over five years, and the gap widens in larger households because AquaTru's filters wear out by the gallon while a Berkey's yearly cost stays flat.
If you are also weighing an under-sink system, our guide to Berkey vs reverse osmosis covers the bigger picture.
Not sure which Berkey size fits your household?
Answer a few quick questions and we will point you to the right system.
Take the Quiz Shop Berkey SystemsFrequently Asked Questions
Is the AquaTru from the TV commercial better than a Berkey?
It depends on what matters most to you. The AquaTru Carafe holds more NSF certifications and filters faster, while Berkey elements have been tested to NSF/ANSI standards by independent, certified labs against more than 200 contaminants, well over twice as many. A Berkey also holds three or more times as much water, needs no electricity, wastes no water, and costs far less per gallon over time. Smaller households focused on certification tend to prefer AquaTru, and larger households focused on capacity and running costs tend to prefer Berkey.
Is the AquaTru TV free trial really free?
Not entirely. You pay $19.95 for shipping and processing, which AquaTru does not refund if you return the filter. If you keep it, you pay five monthly installments of $75, which equals the $375 regular price.
Does AquaTru need electricity or waste water?
Yes to both. The Carafe runs on a standard 120 volt wall outlet, and AquaTru rates it at about 63% efficiency, which by our math means you pour out roughly 0.6 gallons for every gallon you drink. A Berkey has no electrical parts and wastes no water, since everything you pour in gets filtered.
Which one keeps minerals in the water?
A Berkey does. Reverse osmosis, which the AquaTru Carafe uses, removes minerals like calcium and magnesium along with contaminants, although AquaTru sells an add-on filter that puts minerals back. Berkey gravity filtration leaves naturally occurring minerals in the water.
Can a Berkey reduce fluoride like AquaTru?
Yes, with an add-on. The AquaTru Carafe reduces fluoride on its own, and AquaTru's NSF/ANSI 58 data for its Classic model shows a 93.5% average reduction. A Berkey reduces fluoride and arsenic once you add PF-2 filters, which Berkey reports reduce fluoride by more than 95% under standard test conditions. PF-2 filters cost $103 per pair and last 1,000 gallons or 1 year, whichever comes first.
Which costs less to own, AquaTru or Berkey?
A Berkey, by a wide margin. The AquaTru Carafe uses three filters that wear out after 300 to 600 gallons, which comes to about $145 a year at one gallon a day and about $243 a year at two. A pair of Berkey Phoenix Elements costs $120, is rated for 5,500 gallons, and is typically replaced every 3 to 5 years, or about $24 to $40 a year. Over five years at a gallon a day, that works out to about $1,100 for the Carafe versus about $450 for a Travel Berkey, or about $960 with PF-2 fluoride filters added.
Sources
- AquaTru TV offer page, Carafe product page, Carafe filter pages, FAQ, and help center article on Carafe contaminants (aquatru.com), checked September 2026
- AquaTru Model ATU100 (Classic) NSF/ANSI 58 performance data sheet
- Berkey Phoenix Elements product page and complete contaminant list (CVR Labs, RAYNU Analytical Labs, and Atom Testing Laboratory reports), BigBerkeyWaterFilters.com
- PF-2 fluoride and arsenic filter product page, BigBerkeyWaterFilters.com
- Travel Berkey and Big Berkey product pages, BigBerkeyWaterFilters.com
Dan DeBaun
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I had an aquatru before I bought a Berkey. What aquatru doesn’t tell you is that they do not warranty their filter if you have well water. Their filter cannot handle any water besides city water. I found this out when my aquatru stopped working after only a few months. I went round and round with their customer service because there is nowhere on their product description, nor warranty statement that says the filter is not for use with well water. I was angry, but didn’t feel like legal action was worth a $400 filter. So I bought a Berkey filter and never looked back. I love my Berkey and I only wish I had never messed with the aquatru.