Introduction

Everyone needs access to a source of clean, safe drinking water. However, most water sources, including water that comes out of the taps in your home, contains contaminants in some form or another. Some of these contaminants are simply a nuisance as they give water an unpleasant taste or odor, but many can be extremely harmful to our health. A home water purification system that is capable of removing the most common drinking water contaminants is therefore a necessity, but which one is best for you? In this water filter comparison, we compare Berkey vs Multipure water filters, looking more specifically at how the ever-popular Big Berkey stacks up against the Multipure Aqualuxe — the only countertop water filter in the Multipure lineup.

At a glance

The Big Berkey and Multipure Aqualuxe are both durable stainless steel countertop water filters that are extremely capable of filtering out a wide range of common drinking water contaminants. The Multipure introduces some innovative modern technological features, such as leak detection sensors and WiFi capability for monitoring your Aqualuxe water filter. But while these are nice features, sometimes simple is best. If one looks a little closer at the overall filtration performance of the Berkey vs Multipure filters, the Berkey has the edge as it is capable of removing 99.9999% of bacteria and 99.9% of lead — among the most common contaminants found in drinking water — compared to the Multipure which only removes 99.99% of bacteria and viruses, and 99.3% of lead.

The Big Berkey is also significantly cheaper — not only in terms of upfront purchasing costs, but also longterm running costs, which is another important plus point. However, if water filtration speed is an issue for you, or if you are wanting the convenience of a steady flow of purified water on-tap 24/7, the Multipure may be a better bet.

Big Berkey vs Multipure Aqualuxe Comparison

Filtration quality

The Berkey is a manually filled, gravity fed filter, while the Multipure is an inline countertop filter that connects to your kitchen faucet with a double hose system and relies on water pressure to operate. Both filters work by using carbon-based filter media technologies that remove contaminants using microfiltration, absorption, and adsorption.

When comparing the contaminants removed by the Berkey vs Multipure filters, there is not much difference as they both are capable of removing the same contaminants.

• A full list of contaminants the Berkey is certified to remove can be found here.
• A full list of contaminants the Multipure is certified to remove can be found here.

However, because the water spends a longer time in contact with the filter media in the Berkey, the Berkey fitted with Black Berkey elements does a better job of filtering certain pollutants, for example bacteria and lead, than the Multipure does. Berkey filters are capable of removing over 200 common drinking water contaminants, including bacteria and cysts; chlorine and chloramine; heavy metals, including lead (99.9% compared to 99.3% by the Multipure); pharmaceuticals; BPA; trihalomethanes; and a wide range of pesticides and industrial chemicals.

Advantage: Berkey

Performance comparison

When comparing performance in terms of filtration rate between the Berkey vs Multipure water filters, the Berkey fitted with 2 Black Berkey filter elements is capable of filtering 3.5 gallons of water per hour. However, this flow rate can be increased to 7 gallons per hour by purchasing and fitting an additional 2 filter elements into the upper filter chamber (total of 4 filter elements fitted). The Berkey can therefore filter 84 gallons per day with 2 filter elements fitted, and 168 gallons per day with 4 filter elements fitted. If one purchases the largest system in the Berkey range, the Crown Berkey, fitted with the maximum of 8 Black Berkey filter elements, the max output will be 336 gallons a day.

The Multipure, on the other hand, is capable of purifying 0.75 gallons per minute (at a water pressure of 60 psi), which equates to a whopping 45 gallons per hour or 1,080 gallons per day. While the flow rate of the Berkey is impressive as gravity-fed filters go, even with 2 optional extra filters installed the Big Berkey (or even the Crown Berkey with 8 filters fitted) is still nowhere near that of the Multipure.

Advantage: Multipure

Models & upfront cost

In this section we compare the different model water filter options offered by Berkey vs Multipure water filters, together with their upfront purchase costs.

Berkey models

Berkey offers a wide range of countertop filters to choose from, starting from the small, compact 1.5 gallon Travel Berkey, right up to the big boy in the range, the 6 gallon Crown Berkey. Berkey also has a cheaper, light-weight BPA-free plastic version (the Berkey Light) available in their range — perfect for those on a tight budget who don't want to compromise on performance while saving a buck.

• Travel Berkey water filter (1.5 gallons) - $285
• Big Berkey water filter (2.25 gallons) - $317
• Royal Berkey water filter(3.25 gallons) - $350
• Imperial Berkey water filter (4.5 gallons) - $385
• Crown Berkey water filter (6 gallons) - $407
• Berkey Light water filter (2.75 gallons) - $261

The initial upfront purchase costs of the Berkey filters range between $261 and $407, depending on the model. All the Berkey water filter systems include two Black Berkey filter elements in the purchase price, with the option to purchase an additional two Black Berkey elements ($148 per set of 2) to double the lifespan of the four filter elements fitted in the system. The Crown Berkey can be upgraded by fitting additional filter elements, bringing the total number of elements to 4, 6, or 8. Users can also add a set of arsenic and fluoride filters (at a cost of $70 per pair) which are fitted to the lower chamber of the Berkey water filters to remove arsenic and fluoride if these contaminants pose a problem in your drinking water.

Multipure models

Multipure does offer several different water filter models to choose from, including several undersink filters, a whole house filter, shower and bath filters and a garden filter, but none of these are countertop systems. The Aqualuxe is the only countertop model in Multipure range, and comes in at a cost of around $1250.

When comparing the upfront purchase costs of the Berkey vs Multipure water filters, no matter how you look at it, Berkey is a clear winner. Not only does it offer a wider range of countertop filters to choose from, but the upfront purchase costs of Berkey is 3-5 times cheaper, depending the model you opt for.

Advantage: Berkey

Filter lifespan & replacement costs

When comparing the filter element lifespan of the Berkey vs Multipure, the Black Berkey elements will filter out 6000 gallons before needing to be replaced, compared to 500 gallons by the Multipure. The replacement cost of the filter elements are $148 per set for the Black Berkey filter elements and $175 for the Multipure's carbon block filter element. The Black Berkey filter elements last more than ten times longer than the Multipure's carbon block filter cartridges, and are cheaper to replace. Lower filter replacement costs keep running costs down, which equates to a lower cost per gallon of water delivered.

The cost of clean water delivered by the Berkey vs Multipure water filters is compared below:

Costs Breakdown	Multipure Aqualuxe	Big  Berkey Standard	Big  Berkey Upgrade
Initial Cost including Filters	$1250	$317	$442
Filters incl in purchase price	1	2	4
Lifespan per filter	500 gallons	3,000 gallons	3,000 gallons
Water filtered per initial cost	500 gallons	6,000 gallons	12,000 gallons
Cost per gallon	$0,30	$0.025	$0.025
Cost of replacement filters	$175 each	$148 per set of 2	$296 per set of 4
Total cost per 6,000 gallons	$3,175	$317	$442
Total cost per 10,000 gallons	$4,575	$465	$442
Total cost per 12,000 gallons	$5,275	$465	$442

* Prices based on retail prices in July 2021

As we can see, not only is the upfront purchase price of the Multipure much higher than that of the Berkey, the running costs are also significantly higher, which ultimately means you will be paying much more per gallon for the pleasure of having clean water. 

Advantage: Berkey

Cleaning and care

Berkey

The Berkey Black elements can be cleaned (by lightly scrubbing with a scrub pad) and reused, but they will have to be primed before use and after they are cleaned. Priming the filters involves forcing water through the tiny pores in the filter elements to clear away any air that may have gotten trapped in the micro-pores of the filter.

Multipure

The Multipure filter elements are single-use cartridges that need to be replaced once they become clogged up with contaminants and no longer function efficiently. Replacing the cartridges is a simple process, as unlike the Berkey filters they do not need to be primed. Simply open the filter chamber and screw the old filter out and the new one in and you're good to go.

There is no outright winner in this department, as while the Multipure filter changes are quick and simple, the Berkey filters can be reused, which means they last longer, which equates to financial savings, even if it means a little extra work priming the filters each time.

Advantage: Neither

Pros and cons of Berkey vs Multipure

A comparison of the Berkey vs Multipure would not be complete without highlighting the pros and cons of each system to help you decide which is the best option for you. 

Berkey Pros:

• Broader product range — Having a wider range of models/sizes (including compact and lightweight options) to select from gives Berkey the edge over Multipure. You are sure to find a water filter that suits your needs and budget within the Berkey water filter range.
• Longer filter element lifespan — The Black Berkey elements last more than ten times longer than the Multipure's carbon block filter cartridges.
• Cost Effective — The Berkey is much more affordable, both in terms of upfront costs and filter replacement costs, and ultimately the cost of water delivered.
• Better Filtration Quality — The Berkey removes more lead and more viruses and delivers superior quality water compared to the Multipure.

Berkey Cons:

• Slower flow rate — Being a gravity fed filtration system, the flow rate is much slower compared to the Multipure.

Multipure Pros:

• Higher flow rate — the Multipure Aqualuxe works under pressure and is able to filter over 1000 gallons of water per day to deliver filtered water on demand.

Multipure Cons:

• Single model only — the Multipure Aqualuxe is the only countertop model offered by Alexapure. There are no other sizes or options to choose from.
• High upfront costs — the high initial purchase price may be out of many household's budget.
• Limited filter lifespan — the carbon block filters in the Multipure Aqualuxe will filter only 500 gallons of water before needing to be replaced, which translates to expensive running costs.
• Poor filtration quality — the Multipure does not remove as much lead and viruses as the Berkey.

Advantage: Berkey

The Bottom Line

While the Aqualuxe offers the convenience of having clean water available at the push of a button, this comes at a cost, both in terms of the cash you have to outlay as well as the quality of the water it delivers. Not only is the upfront purchase cost steep compared to the Berkey, but the cost of replacement filters will add to these costs over time. The Berkey may filter water at a slower rate, but since the water is in contact with the filter media for longer, it comes out that much cleaner and safer, without breaking the bank. Our verdict for the best overall option when choosing between the Big Berkey vs Multipure filter goes to the Berkey water filter.