Best Water Filter? Brita, ZeroWater, PUR, Berkey, Aquaphor, AquaTrue
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- čas přidán 6. 06. 2024
- BRANDS TESTED: ZeroWater, PUR, Brita, Aquaphor, AquaTrue, Lifestraw, Survivor Filter Pro, Frizzlife, Sawyer, RV Filter and a homemade filter. Filters tested for removing total dissolved solids, removing red food coloring and removing iron. Several filters cut open after the testing to compare the filter media. I purchased all of the filters and supplies used for testing the filters. So, thanks for supporting the channel!
➡ Thank you very much for supporting the channel: / projectfarm
➡ An easy way to find past videos along with products tested: bit.ly/2FCrBpk A big thanks to Jim for putting this together.
➡ Merch: www.Project-Farm.com
➡ Click here if you'd like to subscribe: / @projectfarm
➡ As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
➡ Products Tested In This Video (in no particular order):
ZeroWater: amzn.to/3yPXTmF
AquaTrue: amzn.to/3n0cDxf
Brita: amzn.to/3th7ulw
Lifestraw: amzn.to/3zNMB3F
Aquaphor: amzn.to/3jIG8Bt
PUR: amzn.to/2WPcEcg
Survivor Filter Pro: amzn.to/3jMtP7a
RV Filter: amzn.to/3h4jRMW
Berkey: amzn.to/2WPd6Hu
Sawyer: amzn.to/3BLlvL5
Frizzlife: amzn.to/3BLlxmb
Water test strips: amzn.to/2YkkT0E
TDS Tester: amzn.to/3yQoD6G
Videography Equipment:
Sony DSC-RX10 III Cyber-shot Digital Still Camera: amzn.to/2YdXvPw
Canon 70D Camera: amzn.to/31b5Gy0
Azden Microphone: amzn.to/34d3DLE
Go Pro Bundle: amzn.to/3Ca0ZVN
This video is only for entertainment purposes. If you rely on the information portrayed in this video, you assume the responsibility for the results. Project Farm LLC - Jak na to + styl
I like the balls on the company that included a TDS meter with their product. Now that's a power game I need to use.
Do you suffer from TDS?
I always figured that was marketing junk. "Our filter scores great on this system we included with our product! Dont worry about other stuff"
I'm pleasantly surprised that ZeroWater is actually good
@@TheThingNG me too!
we've been using zero water filter for 6 months or so. Its phenomenal. It does go through filters kinda fast, we probably filter a gallon and a half of water a day. We probably change the filters once a month. Still cant beat it for the price.
I have/used to use the Zero pitcher. It's great, but the filters go fast here where I live - we have pretty hard water - and they're not exactly cheap. It's very obvious when they are going bad, as they tend to get a really odd, fishy smell/taste.
Zero Water and AuquaTru stock just went up in my book that’s for sure. Another amazing video for sure.
Thanks!
yeah, but drinking water with zero minerals which is almost distilled water is maybe not a good idea in the long term, you definitely need to add some minerals after treatment
My best price on ZeroWater filters is when Bed, Bath, and Beyond has the 4-pack in store on sale for $40, then use their $20 off $80 coupon to get two packs for $60. Comes to $7.50 per filter before tax.
The thing about zero water is it reacts very differently to different kinds of tap water. It can last 3-4weels with some waters and less than a week with others
For sure.
I actually bought the Zerowater based off amazon reviews and wanted to see how good it was and man am I happy that I got it over anything else after seeing how it compares from your tests. As always, exceptional testing and you are doing us a huge service with your content. On behalf of all your viewers, we thank you.
Thanks so much!
I read in reviews that the filter doesn't last that much, a matter of weeks at most. Did you find the same issue ?
@@floflorian6085 that may be the case for some but that really depends on the location and how much water you're filtering. For me I've been filtering about 3-5L a day and using it for the past month and the TDS is still at 0. Mostly because the tap water I have seems to be very clean since it's measuring 110-130 TDS. Like with many things in life, your mileage may vary, hope this helps.
TDS number alone can't really show the water quality.
If the test is not taking out Fluoride, fluorosilicic oxide, then its really pointless. Fluoride is a neuro toxin known for decades, yet the US and 8 other countries add this toxin at the claim of gain for tooth enamel.
Pro tip Zero Water filters are still better than most other filters even when they go bad. Also you can use the old filter to do a first run for water and put it through a fresh zero water filter and that will improve the lifespan of the new filter.
Thanks for the feedback.
Benn doing just that for years, really cuts the cost.
@@1fitster who’s Ben?
How long does zero water filter last
@@ProjectFarmdo you know anything about the Sentry system? Thanks!
Great work as usual! ZeroWater's results are impressive considering the low cost. Don't be surprised if you see a black tinted SUV parked in front of your house after a few of the water filtration companies see this video. LOL
I would be worried about excessive demineralization of the water. It is actually dangerous to drink distilled water.
EDIT: Thanks for the update from everyone. Maybe I'm not fully convinced, but maybe in the future I will believe, that it isn't dangerous at all.
Thank you very much! I'll be watching for the Black SUV, lol
@@rafakordaczek3275 Not true, you can get minerals from the food you eat.
@@rafakordaczek3275 a low significance of minerals are obtained from drinking water, if the owner of the zerowater is conscious of the lack of minerals it can be made up for with supplements or food selection
Next week. Which make of black suv is best? We’re going to test that!
Water filter companies didn't even know they were at risk of being exposed by Project Farm. No manufacturer of any product is safe now. Awesome work man. Congrats on 2M subs. 🤘🏻
Thanks!
It's our duty to give him list of products...
Devil horns? Are you a luciferian or what here?
@@lockergr The American Sign Language gesture for "love you" or “I love you,” showing a hand with a raised index finger and pinky (little) finger and an extended thumb. 🤣
@@lockergr It's also the sign for 'Rock on'.
That was one of the best test ideas. The way you went about testing them is something none of them would ever have allowed their company to perform publicly, except for Zero Water and Aqua True. Great job putting up relevant content.
Thanks!
Beyond great job. I was thinking the other day if getting a Brita was worthwhile. This really helps when I do decide to get a filter.
@@heythaveI have a Brita pitcher. It took some getting use to the "taste" since I bought bottled water for years IMO the bottled water varied in taste! Since I live alone the pitcher works great for me (I buy the 3 package filters since it saves money over buying one).
@@judyakajude3370 Brita might be good for chlorine and things, but if your water is polluted, that doesn’t stand a chance.
My 40 cup zero water dispenser is awesome. I even water my plants with the water and they’ve never been healthier and NO residue in the pots. Of course we drink it and cook with it. Not sure why folks say the filters are expensive because I only have to change my filters every 3-4 months with heavy use. I test every week so I know it’s working.
I appreciate you breaking down the science for us. Thank you 😊
Thanks and you are welcome!
My ZW filters lasts 28-35 days. Close 35-40 gallons approximately. I have also tried the 3rd party filters for ZW and they are ok but do not last as long. It comes down to the same average cost per day.
My zero-water filtered water tasted sour after using it for 12 days, and I didn't even use tap water but pre-filtered water from my fridge filter.
damn really? could you have gotten a defective filter? or just really bad water to begin with? i was planning on buying a zw filter after wathcing this and adding salts for electrolytes@@lz898
I use ZW for things like spray bottles, steam cleaners. Cheaper than buying distilled water.
Well, I bet that by the end of the week ZeroWater is going to wondering why their sales are booming! Great job, I've always wondered which filter was the best at filtering.
Thanks!
@Lamborghini Car Wash That was ion exchange resin
@Audrey Wy ...... LOL ....yup.... I be shoppin now
It does a good job but the filters go bad after about 3-4 weeks of use and your water starts to smell like fish. Got tired of it and switch to a Berkey and it's a game changer.
@@CraneRyan88 they go bad in proportion to the amount of junk run through them.
Would love to see surge protectors on this channel sometime assuming it can be done safely. Love the content
Thank you for the video idea!
I'd love to see that too since I suspect none of them do anything meaningful.
Hope Furman is on the list!
@@galaxyallie They can help stop your afci breakers from nuisance tripping
That's a great idea. I have personally spent way to much money on them
I have been watching other Videos testing water filtration and YOU Project Farm are so far ahead of all the others BY a COUNTRY MILE. You are doing great work and providing valuable information. Great Job.
Thanks!
Man I’m moving out on my own for the first time in my life and that comes with a lot of added stress. I drink a LOT of water so I knew I needed a convenient and good water filtration system. I can’t thank you enough for taking one of the added stresses away from me with this video. I would always watch your tools testing videos and knew the quality you put out. so you can understand my excitement when I saw this video pop up on my search. Keep up the awesome work!!
When Sawyer said they filter 100,000 gallons, I expected you to say “we’re going to test that!”
I was also excepting him to say that.
Lol
It's difficult and possibly wasteful to test that much water. That 100 000 gallons is probably based on already really clean water.
Same here! Speaking of filters, this seems to be how you filter out loyal subscribers LOL 😂
We're going to fill this swimming pool!
Congratulations on 2M ! Well deserved
Thanks!
@@ProjectFarm literally no one else goes as far as you do to test just the most menial thing. At least not posting publicly.
@@jjbassing9044 The best part is that 99% of these video are great references and will be relevant for decades
The amount of value provided in the video was phenomenal, thank you.
Subbed after this one video. If all your videos have this type of straight to the point style, no bs filler, that's amazing and unique. Also it values the watchers' time. Thanks for the clarity and detail provided. I hate to say it, but I actually bought a ZeroWater today after seeing this and then doing some of my own research. My tap water has Arsenic, and we don't drink it unless I run out of my spring water that I get from a local source which is filtered by the town. Now I can use this ZeroFilter as an in-between if I don't want to take a trip to the spring.
Thanks for sharing! Thanks for watching and subscribing!
As an RVer I've been waiting for this test. I'm sure I'll have to wait for the Zerowater to be restocked at the store now... You may be saving people's health with this video - Thank You!
Actually this whole test depends upon the accuracy of that plastic meter. I would like to see them ranked with another tool.
You are welcome!
@@ProjectFarm is there any way you could run a part 2 later on with a different measurement tool to see if the results stay consistent? Amazing work overall!
Remember, 0 tds is not drinking water. There's a reason distilled water is labeled not drinking water. You need dissolved minerals or else your body just removes it as excess fluid. If you knew this already, sorry, lol.
Read the reviews of the zerowater. You may want to get a different one!
This type of unbiased testing and information is, in my opinion, what the internet was made for. These videos are always excellent and informative. Coupled with listening to feedback from the community makes this channel a real gem.
Thank you for your work Project Farm!
Thanks very much!
You have a point, but what about cat pictures and arguing with strangers? :)
Porn, but this is good.
PF you are the BEST Tester of products ..thank you for helping us make good decisions on products out there
Free advertisement for ZeroWater. I was about to get a Britta at walmart, but I was looking at some videos and I am glad I saw this one. thank you!
You are welcome!
Best zero water commercial i ever seen..i m buying it, lol
people in the comments saying that filter lasts for a week, so not worth it i guess
Mine last between 1-2 months. It is only me using it though.
I make sure to buy the brand name filters after ordering some cheaper ones from Amazon which didn't last long.
@@vandalov777 No it lasts longer than a week, it lasts a couple months with my use.
just as a heads up, you don't always want to be drinking 0ppm water, because it can end up leeching vital nutrients out of your body. it's the same reason it's not healthy to only drink distilled water.
No Company is safe anymore! ... LOL
lol. Thank you!
seriously!!!
Let the manhunt begin!
Looks like they're all just carbon filled cylinders
@@ProjectFarm Hey Project, love your videos. You must have ESP because you're always reviewing stuff that I am thinking of buying. HOWEVER, your ESP has missed one. Mosquitos! Please do a SERIES of mosquito videos, covering bug zappers, and mosquito repellents. Outside time is almost here. I'm thinking of getting a DynaTrap for mosquitos, and potentially a bug swatting "racket".
Yesssss every time I need to make a decision, this guy already has a video out there to help me feel like I got a good deal!
From weed eaters to water filters, my man!
Thanks!
I've been using ZeroWater for years. The water tastes great! And when Newark NJ had their water crisis four years ago, the company stepped up with free filters. Nice touch.
Thanks for sharing.
how do you know its not filtering necessary minerals
@@stephanier5220 As long as the lead is out (that's a BIG problem in NJ) I could personally care less about any minerals.
Could certainly include a microbial test condition! Survival filters, ie Sawyer and life straw are more designed for microbes than contaminates. I'm a microbiologist, if you want some ideas for tests feel free to let me know! Great vid as always!
I agree fully. here in Finland this kind of products are completelly useless because regular tapwater is way less than 100ppm, in Helsinki averaging 61ppm (3.4dH), but camping kits are nice to have. Except i have just taken water from a stream as is.
I'm a microbiologist too. Straws are scams. And as you know most microbes are ok or at least not harmful. Chlorine pills are the best option if you are concerned about bacteriological pathogens.
@@m4rvinmartian I wouldn't go as far as saying that the straw type filters are a scam, they often have a smaller pore size that the syringe filters used in the lab and are considerably better than chlorine tabs, and somewhat better that chlorine dioxide tabs, at removing cysts and flukes. How strictly you choose to treat your water really depends on the source, if there are farm animals around I wouldn't drink untreated water. You could say that most microbes are not a risk but it only takes a few pathogens to put you in a whole world of trouble.
Would microbes still be in the zero water or aquatru since it's close to 0 ppm?
@@mrtonyvillagomez Yes. In fact, your question is why we have so much COVID BS about masks "floating" around. I'm sorry, but you civilians did NOT PAY ATTENTION IN SCHOOL!
THINGS HAVE RELATIVE SIZE BRO.
Also, the 100% filters use resin catalysts, not filtration to achieve those numbers. So, yes, there will still be microbes.
Zerowater did an amazing work, especially considering it's price. However, I read some reviews complain about the lifetime of the filter is very short, which make sense considering it removes all the solid in the water. Another amazing review!!
Thanks so much!
It is also VERY slow.
@teflontelefon English a second language for you?
@@computerguy6264 I bet he's Hungarian
@@computerguy6264 ive used slower; in the grand scheme of things zerowater filters fairly quick. Berkey is a drop at a time. Zerowater filters at a speed where its a small stream of water
I was looking around for a water filter and was unsure of what to get. Having seen a multitude of other videos on your channel, I knew you were a reliable source of information. You've saved me a ton of time and money and for that I thank you. 😁
You are welcome!
Thank you for showing actual results. Berkey fans might hate this, but most independent testing shows that berkey's do very little and after a month you might as well just drink right from a well. I'm content with my Zero Water, just wish they made a big canister like some of the berkey ones.
Thanks for the feedback.
Berkey Filters also filter pathogens which the zero water will not do. 0 TDS means it's just as good as distilled water which i don't really believe.
@@JediOfTheRepublic
I agree. PPM means nothing if you are drinking Pathogenic Bacteria and Arsenic.
You are supposed the clean the filters.
They now sell a canister. It's about 70.00 last time I checked Amazon. ;-)
This is my field of expertise, so I might be able to clear things up a little.
- TDS should not to be considered a measure to determine filter performance, unless the filter is designed only to do that specifically (as the RO or Zero filter). TDS only states how much ionic compounds are dissolved in water, some of which (e.g. Calcium and Magnesium) are actually desirable for taste.
- Life straws (either UF membranes or ceramic NF elements) will not withhold dissolved solids, but will retain bacteria, something the other filters will be hopeless at.
- The technology of the zero filter is called "mixed bed ion exchange", and a active carbon fleece in as retaining net and chlorine reduction. It will remove all dissolved solids, but has the downside of having a terrible capacity (lifetime is very short).
- You can have very good heavy metal reduction and scale protection with cation ion exchange, but you will not reduce TDS. Water will taste slightly saltier.
- You can have scale protection and good taste with a little more complex anion decarbonization resins (TDS will still remain the same).
- Both a Zero filter and an RO should not be used for bacterial removal: use the life straw for that (or just boil it!).
- Gravity fed filters are unfortunately generally a growing ground for bacteria.
- Not all activated carbon is born equal; It generally has little influence on TDS, but is great at removing chlorine and complex organic or inorganic molecules. some are specifically cationic active and can remove heavy metals very well.
Indeed to test filters properly you are going to need several thousand $ in equipment, the important thing is to select the correct filter for the correct application.
Thank you for the rundown on the filters for the layman. I did feel that the testing done here was too surface-level, and didn't get into what was actually happening. Unfortunately, some people are going to watch this and think the zero will filter out bacteria as well.
@@Esteb86 I agree. Unfortunately water treatment is a complex subject and just giving the basics would require a whole video series.
To all people who ask me "which one is the best filter", I can only answer "the best filter.. for what?" as every application will have different requirements. The Zero filter would be the best for your steamer and iron (no residues), yet i would never brew my coffee with it as the taste will be blunt and flat. Similarly there is no reason to use a life straw when you have access to chlorinated municipal water, where a simple AC filter will significantly improve taste ad, if specifically designed for it, take out some heavy metals and chloramines as well.
This is the correct response. Last thing to note is 0 PPM water is not desirable for drinking water. 0 PPM is great for hydroponics but there is a reason there is distilled water and drinking water.
@@yoshyoka Unfortunately, activated carbon will not remove chloramine and most water supplies are using that now as it takes less to have the same effect and does not evaporate out of the water. Depending on the level of chlorine in the water, you can let the water sit for a few days and all the chlorine will evaporate out. Chloramine will stay in the water until directly filtered out or the water is distilled.
The science says chloramine in low quality is fine but I know from experience (city water):
1. Kill fish and/or make them very sick.
2. Even using a reverse osmosis system (not designed to remove chloramine), have a huge effect on plant growth in hydroponics. Saw lost of baby plant and slow growth and since filtering out chloramine, I have never lost a plant and massive difference in plant growth and overall quality of the health of the plant (less dead or fading leaves).
I only learned about chloramine after posting on reddit about what looked like nutrition deficiencies in my plants and I have a high system that controls the ppm and PH of my hydroponics water. Someone suggested chloramine poisoning as the issue and after getting a filter to remove chloramine, I can say they were 100% correct.
@@ExZero16 I think there is a bit of confusion here: what you write is correct for Monochloramine; however i was referring to trichloramines, which are responsible for the classic "pool smell" and taste. These can be removed with AC varieties activated at higher temperatures and which achieve higher iodine numbers.
I watched this video, then went and bought a ZeroWater off Amazon. It was amazing. After living in southern FL for the better part of a decade I'd given up on getting good tasting water out of the tap. This product is amazing. I really appreciate your scientific method and standardized testing plans. Thumbs up and you've got my subscription.
Fantastic! Thanks for watching and subscribing!
I camp in Florida a lot and another camper was complaining about the taste thinking the town filtered it :(
I gave her an RV filter and she tasted the difference:)
We have switched from the blue filter which has loose charcoal to an 02 Clear which has a solid block of charcoal, the downside of that is it drops your water pressure.
Inside the drinking water then goes thru a Zero
@@raymondclark1785 The whole point of filtering is to get rid of the nasty stuff that are unhealthy... Drinking water that have no minerals in it is not as healthy as people here want to believe->we need that minerals to be healthy->that is why mineral water is often conected with health recovery centers->nice views+fresh air+mineral water=win.
Ofc if the choice betwen water full of heavy metals and water that have nothing in it then the choice is easy.
@@Bialy_1 false.
Minerals are taken from food. Minerals from water are damn near miniscule. Look at the amount of minerals in a liter of spring water and compare to the RDA of those minerals. Silly goose.
One point someone might instead make is that water is Earth's natural solvent. So pure water may work as a solvent in the body. It can rid the body of inorganic crap chemicals like synthetic vitamins. You'll notice a flush probably of these nutrients.
You just solve it by throwing in some pure Celtic sea salt or buy mineral drops.
Make your own pure water and turn it in to mineral water. You buy from the market, you're most likely drinking fluoride too. Don't believe major companies.
@@raymondclark1785 Most people associate a sulfurous taste as bad in FL. I consider the "dirt" taste as less than palatable, but the ultimate quality of water in most of FL is quite good. It SHOULD have more mag/calcium (hardness) but it is usually not the case. If you were to buy European water from say France, the labels will tell you exactly what minerals are in it. And boy do they love minerals in water.
I bought the zero water pitcher based on your review. And it's good to its word of zero dissolved solids. I now use that water for ice trays, because the filter from the fridge that is used in the icemaker, actually tests worse than right out of the tap. Not sure how that's possible, but yeah, this does what it says. Well done on the review.
Thanks!
I use a Brita kettle and I also noticed that the TDS does not change. This is the best review ever. Thanks a lot for the beautiful display of all the filters. Perfect test.
Thanks! Thanks for supporting the channel! I really appreciate it!
I’d love to see air purifiers put to the test. Several smart ones like the Sensibo pure have high claims but I want to see them tested
I second this, wall mounted and floor models would be welcomed here
Thanks for the suggestion.
I have a large Sharp brand one and would love to see it tested!
@@ProjectFarm throw the Alen breathsmart 45-75i in the mix lol
@@ProjectFarm please do one for air purifiers. I have a cheaper one but would love to buy one that works well even if it costs a pretty penny
ZeroWater:"We remove everything!"
Me:"Pff... Sure.."
ZeroWater: *removes everything*
Me: *Surprised Pikachu face*
I didn‘t think it would be THAT good. But the Water from the 427$ machine still looks way nicer
@@dominichomm1078 it's also like 20x the price. I do agree though.
@@Kyrazlan Add up the cost of the filters you have to replace on the Zero and you are almost there in one year.
I was surprised too but after opening all was clear. Zero has ion exchange resin. The rest just activated carbon.
I know right??They designed it right!!
Thank You, Thank You, Thank You. Plz never stop posting these. I Sooooo trust your approach. Can't tell you how mucy I value the results of your efforts. Outstanding work to help me make my decisions.
Thanks and you are welcome!
I’ve been using the ZeroWater for years. They won me over with the tester. Shows you how bad your water is and when you need to replace the filter. Best company out there. My ferrets love it too.
Thanks for cutting the filters apart at the end. I was curious how the Zero Water was doing so well compared to the more expensive options. Once you cut it open it was clear- the Zero Water uses DI resins to filter the water. This will do a great job at removing just about any impurity from the water, but it will probably deplete itself pretty quickly. DI resins are also more expensive than carbon blocks (generally) so it would be interesting to see the gallons treated per $ spent on the filter. This would be a longer term project which probably wouldnt make for good CZcams though...Entertaining video!
You are welcome!
Zero water usually last 20 gallons for me then they start to taste real nasty and turn water more acidic. Zero has charts to determine how long they last with different water supplies.
New filters reduce the ph by ~2 from my tap(from a high 7 to almost 5) ive seen replacements anywhere from $2-$8 depending where i bought them.
They recommend you replace the filter on the Zero Water units when the ppm exceeds 6. We get about 3 months of use per filter but only use it for making coffee (10 cups per day). So I would estimate about 45 gallons of treated water per filter for our use case (which is well water). The longevity of any filter is going to depend on the quality of the water from your tap. So how long they last will vary widely.
Our water at the tap is usually around 60-75 ppm. Our zero filter is lasting over six months with heavy usage(our tap water taste like bad chlorine).
@@ProjectFarm Is it possible you add some DI resin to the home made filter and make an addendum to the video. I bet you will get some interesting results.
Never a disappointment EVER. I freaken love this channel. Also...the videos are just getting better and better.
Perfectly executed
I appreciate that!
@@ProjectFarm We appreciate you!!
I very much appreciate that you did this for those of us that are unable. Thank you for your time comparing these and making it easy to choose a good water filter system. ❤
Thanks so much!
The LifeStraw, Survivor and Sawyer really aren't intended to take dissolved solids out of water, and as you mention, dissolved solids are actually not generally harmful. They're backpacking/survival tools and are intended for taking out pathogens - bacteria and parasites. I don't know how you'd test for that, unless you have a source of water that contains giardia or something similar and can have a lab analyze the output.
Thanks for the feedback.
I'm sure some simple smears on agar growth medium could be used for judging their performance with bacterial pathogens, but that would require a bit of a set up and study in aseptic procedure.
You'd use a microscope
@@justinwbohner Nah you need to grow it. Water can have enough bacteria to make you sick without having enough in one drop to see on a slide. Plus many bacteria are quite small and hard to see with a basic microscope. Like 1000x smaller than the onion cell from science class. Best case they look like a tiny dot. Labs that test it, grow it in a petri dish then use special dyes and UV light that lights up the pathogen like a neon sign.
@@justinwbohner That would be like finding a needle in a haystack, and good luck finding viruses.
So glad you did a water purifier test. I would love to see an air purifier test soon. I'm especially curious about which ones are best at filtering allergens and mold spores! :)
I would like to see that also. Have an old Electrolux eap150 att the moment.
And there's so many different types out there. And just as many claims about each.
This would be great. Last year I bought a few germ guardian units for the bedrooms, and the filters have been replaced after getting quite dirty, so they're doing something, but I'd love it for them to be run through PF's thorough testing.
Thanks! Thanks for the suggestion.
Project Farm did a furnace filter test, I would watch that. If you have central heating or air, the filter you have on that thing is more important than your small air purifier.
I can't thank you enough for this and many other videos you have made that puts brands against each other to the test. I've used you several times before making purchases.
You are welcome! Thanks for sharing.
This was my first projecfarm video. Very impressed!
Welcome! Thanks!
You should pour the 0 water into the other filters to see what the filter adds
That's an idea
LOL!
bump!
Great idea
filters bleed when they are too old
Basically, if you want pure distilled water - use ZeroWater; if you want just the nasty stuff gone but leave the mineral content - Aquafor; AquaTru is like ZeroWater for rich kids, and it also holds higher volumes if you need to have more purified water at the ready; everything else is either a compromise for the sake of portability (survival-style kits) or just not as good.
What about clearly filtered?
The Zero water IMHO could be deadly. Removing all TDS, which includes all the salts and minerals your body needs, causes osmosis in your cells, removing all electrolytes from your blood. Then your heart will go into fibrillation and you die.
The problem with 'AquaTru' is that it needs an electrical connection which may not be available during times when filtering water is a requirement.
Im confuse which one do i buy
tds is just the stuff in the water. but you don't know what stuff is there. you should have sent the water into a lab
Since you didn't mention Berkey in the description, I was going to recommend it, but while watching you actually did test it.
Thanks!
You are welcome!
Thank you so much Project Farm! I just bought a Zero Water filter, and really enjoying the water so much.
You are welcome!
"Filters up to 100,000 gallons" , I'm glad that wasn't followed by "we're going to test that"
One of my favorite CZcams channels.
he could've easily tested it in a couple of months. Just connect it to watering pump and check the results every now and then
I wish he would have tested it.
@@simasimson5798 He would have to have some way to measure how much water was being filtered.
Hello peasants 😎
I have installed a filter on the main pipe to my house.....with the toalett, bath and watering... it probobly filters several thousnads of gallon a month
As someone who already owned a ZeroWater, I am very happy to see how well their claims hold up. A great video.
Great to hear!
ZeroWater uses the same technology as the other filters like Brita etc. ... so it is impossible to get a zero on this way. Even industrial osmosis water contain a small amount of particles left in the "pure water". So the osmosis system in the test is by far the best system, not by the brand, by the used technology (but therefore it consumes a lot of electricity to do it).
@POPmMOPm it is physically and chemically impossible to get "zero" reading. Get some information about the filtration technology behind all the "cheap table top" fiters. If you want to change "belief" into "knowledge", send two probes of water (one from the tap and one from the tap filtered by your zero) to a laboratory.
And things are allways debateable. You cant proove, that every probe was done by the same method. This all depends on the will to "belief".
@R0bsterb0Y We saw the other filters in comparison to the zero water and there is clearly a lot more going on in the zero water than a simple granulated carbon filter.
@@ahayesm your welcome. You are totally free to believe whatever you want. But if you are interested in science, there are several publications to this and similar topics.
You are my go to site for testing products....you earn your money,thank you for being so good !
Thanks!
Brita performed a lot better than I thought it would. Still switching to Zero, but yeah... I'll finish my current box of Brita filters first. Very nice. Thank you, Project Farm!
Thanks and you are welcome!
One thing important to keep in mind, some of the brands are only designed to remove contaminates that make you sick. Sawyer for example is a backpacking filter designed to filter lakes, rivers, and stream viruses and protozoa. True water works great if you want essentially distilled water.
YES! I love these videos but I don't think this was as comprehensive as his batteries/pumps/etc. I think this was a well intended but really needed a proper lab with spectrum analysis and petri dishes to adequately judge.
@@TravisHFitzgerald That's fair, for sure.
It would be nice to have seen a breakdown of the cost per gallon of filtered water over the declared life of the filters. I believe the Berkey claims 3,000 gallons per each filter and ZeroWater claims 30 to 50 gallons per filter. There is a big cost difference there for price per gallon.
Thank you for the feedback.
I used to buy ZeroWater ones but they only lasted for about 8 days before making the water taste bitter...
@@SargeOrona I know, don't last very long and found hot drinks don't taste as nice without a mineral background. Back to Brita
So you are saying zero water filters last 8 days. How much water are you filtering and where do you live. Is your water heavy in contaminates? Please fill in the blanks. For $28 I don't see how you can beat it?
@@thereissomecoolstuff I have a Zerowater filter and it lasts two weeks at best. They’re about $15 for a filter. I live in Santa Barbara
I first watched this video a few months ago. I purchased a Zero system and am completely pleased with the results. I run about 1 and 1/2 gallon through my Zero per day, and after 3 months the water still tests at 0.00 ppm. My old system needed a filter change every few weeks.
I'm SO impressed with Zerowater holy cow! Thank you for such a thorough review!
My pleasure!
"Filters up to 100,000 gallons!"
*standing under water tower*
"We're gonna test that!"
The statement that it can filter 100,000 gallons is absolutely ridiculous. That's roughly 4x more water than someone drinks in their lifetime.
Lmao!
@@matthewriggenbach8000 I work for a residential home water filtration company and our carbon coconut filters will filter around 3 million gallons before they need swapped. so id believe that this smaller filter could easily filter 100,000 gallons easily unless ur pissing into the damn thing.
@@matthewriggenbach8000 But it's true for the Sawyer.
I remember seeing TV ads about the Zero Water filter. I can’t believe that filter works better than the insanely expensive reverse osmosis filter. Thank you Project Farm for being the unbiased tester to find out if the claims hold up!
Wouldn't say better.
If you check the water test strips you can see that they both removed everything harmful(like iron, or lead) from the water nearly perfectly.
The more expensive one leaves some dissolved solids, which is not a problem for drinking water. You don't need it to be distilled water, many people drink mineral water with tons of dissolved solids.
You just don't wannt harmful solids.
TDS is not a measure of water quality. You don't need to drink 100% pure H20.
@@jort93z Sure if cost is no object you can get the Reverse osmosis unit. But for the price though, nothing beats Zero Water. I researched and bought one years ago. It's the real deal compared to a bunch of charcoal filters.
@@jort93z which filter company do you work for.... be honest.
Been using zero water for years now, the cost of filters are high this wasn't totally covered but it does add up.
I have about the same water as PF and I can totally vouch for the clean taste of the water it's really worth it for the zerowater I have one at home and on boat and in my RV!
Having grown up drinking well water, the water filtered by a Zero Water taste bland and lifeless. It actually makes me not want to drink water. Many of the dissolved solids in water are completely harmless and improve the flavor. Several are actually healthy for you.
I like how this guy gets to the points. His presentation of what he did per steps of evaluation are also clear to understand. No fluff, no bs. THANK YOU.👍
Bu.mer I didn't see this before I bought the Purr. Not a total disappointment, considering the lousy quality of the water where I live. It isn't poison...yet. It is high in calcium, lime, and nitrates. I will get a Zerowater.
Thanks!
Always love these evaluations. Fast and effective comparisons.
Thanks!
I remember when this was like a tool channel, i love how far these tests have come. Keep it up farmer
Thank you!
It's what plants crave
I would like to see a paint sprayer comparison, there are so many options for DIY paint sprayers. Excellent job, as always!
Grayco VSP is my favorite so far
Seconded!
Third!
YES! Excellent Idea!
We need this!
Great video, thank you for doing it. I have always been a huge fan of zerowater products and it definitely appears to be the best on the market. We live pretty close to that train derailment zone in East Palestine, Ohio and now more than ever I am concerned about water quality and safety for myself, my friends and family. I highly recommend anyone to grab a counter top water distiller and a zero water filtration pitcher to filter out any carcinogenic contaminates that may exist in our tap water. My filtering set up has served me well, I never climb above 0 with my TDS water tester like you were using after distilling and then filtering my water using my zerowater pitcher. Even the distilled water shows 0 on my TDS meter prior to using the zerowater filter.
Thanks!
I don't think the tds meter will tell you about toxins in the water only dissolved solids. We use a Berkey with the white fluoride filter and black charcoal filter combo. You have to be careful when purchasing though as there are Chinese knock off filters all over the internet. The official Berkey filters will have a part number on them and the boxes are not just plain white so that's 2 ways to tell if you got fakes. Ask me how I know. lol. I think the guy on another channel was using knock offs on the other test I found on youtube as I didn't see any numbers on his filter. I'm going to send a sample to a lab to test for chemicals including fluoride and 21 other toxic chemical reported in the Akron Ohio water. I can say the water tastes very good and we don't seem to get the virus that's been going around since 2020. Whether that's a coincidence or something to do with a stronger immune system due to not being bombarded with so many toxic chemicals. We have one at our shop, one at home, father in law has one, and a daughter in college too. So we are happy with them although they are a bit pricey.
Love the objective, detailed and comprehensive tests that this guy runs!
Thanks!
Been here since the beginning still can't believe how thorough you are with your videos. Keep up the amazing work my friend
Thanks so much and thanks for being a dedicated viewer!
Thank you for making this video! I remember asking for this a long time ago and I'm blown away that you made it happen. Your viewers appreciate all the effort you put in to your videos. Your reviews are so helpful.
thank you so much! This is the best review I've ever seen with important info and tests against leading brands. Very helpful and technically informative.
Thanks and you are welcome!
This is why your channel is one of my favorites. Thank you so much for sharing this.
Thanks and you are welcome!
I decided I’d try out the Zerowater after watching your video and I’m throughly satisfied with the product. Thank you very much for keeping your video strictly factual and less about your personal bias. Thank you, Sir!
You are welcome!
In your experience how fast was the filter process. My household goes through about 15 gallons of bottled water a month and I would like to cut out waste from that. It's a lot of bottles.
@@dromen1 That's a lot of plastic waste. And most of it isn't recyclable I would wager. Most bottled water is just filtered tap water anyways, so getting a water filter will save you a pretty decent chunk of change for roughly the same product. Remember if you do buy to look at the cost of both the initial pitcher cost AND the filters. Because it's kinda like shaving razors. The handle (Or pitcher) are actively cheaper then the heads and filters. Also the lifespan of the filters is pretty important. The Zerowater says that you should replace them every twenty gallons, which isn't very much. But those filters cost about $33 for a two pack from their site. Roughly $16 for 20 gallons, or less than a dollar a gallon is much cheaper than most bottled water not bought in massive bulk.
@@dromen1 buy a reverse osmosis plant. It costs around 500 to 600 dollars. Great investment in the long term
You don't have storebrand water?
I like this channel a lot, and most of the conclusions of this video still are likely to be useful, but I see important problems:
- The Sawyer and Lifestraw are meant to filter bacteria, not minerals or other impurities. The type of filtration is completely different, and their inclusion in the comparison doesn't make sense. This is my main issue with the video.
- The TDS measure doesn't seem too relevant to me either, as several filters use ion-exchange resins, so they will purify your water, without necessarily affecting the ionic strength (they substitute an 'undesirable' ion for a "desirable" or "neutral" one).
(edited for clarity)
So true. I’ve used all of these and the survivor filter while trekking. Never got sick using any of them. That’s all the results I need.
i was thinking the same, i used the sawer mini to filter dirty water from puddles duiring trekkings and it come out basically clean, it just filters all solid particles exception made for some viruses that are smaller than the pores, there is a version made to filter soluble things and even all viruses too.
Good point. For hiking/backpacking Lifestraw and Sawyer are fine; they'll filter out bacteria and even viruses, but not chemicals (you're not too likely to have toxic chemicals unless you're hiking near old mining activity). Carbon filters will clean up the chemicals, but not the bacteria. You need a combo filter if you expect both types of contamination. I also LOVE project farm, and this is the first time I've ever noticed a test that did not unequivocally prove his conclusion. I hope he catches it and re-edits this one, or at the very least mentions this.
Already have a small Lifestraw. Will now buy a Zerowater for the camper. Thank you.
You are a life saver for conducting this test for everyone that wants to avoid poisoning their bodies. Hats off to you good sir.
Thanks!
It is very strange that a normal nonRO filter system (ZeroWater) could outperform an RO system (AquaTru) in terms of removing ions, so I did some research online. It seems that ZeroWater is built to remove ions from water using "Ion-exchange resin", which is dedicated for removing ions and usually used as a post processing step for RO system to further refine the purity. ZeroWater does not have RO filter and apply the ion-exchange resin directly. This indeed could result in better TDS values comparing with RO system without ion-exchange resin, however, doing so will drastically reduce the life-span of the filter as the resin is designed for water already has low ion level. Also, because ion-exchange resin does not filter water through physical pores in the filter like RO filter, it could not remove non-ion contaminations from water, such as microbe or organic (carbon-based) contaminants. This makes the "0 TDS" claim more like a marketing strategy as TDS only indicates a portion of possible contaminants in water ignoring many things that are also important like chlorine level, bacterial level, and even added sugar or alcohol in water.
For zerowater, combination of different filter components like active carbon could remove many common contaminants and odors but I doubt whether it could achieve the same level of effectiveness over time comparing with an RO system. As its name indicate, while ion-exchange resin removes ions from water, it exchanges the stored H+ and OH- ions (components of water) in the resin with the to be removed ions (so H+ OH- being released to water, bad ions trapped on resin). The H+ OH- storage could be depleted fairly quickly if there are a lot of ions to be removed from water. In fact, on zerowater's website, it claims that each filter can only filter 15-25 gallons of 200-300 TDS water (the tap water used in this video). As comparison, RO systems use tiny pores (1000nm), and virus(>10nm), to allow only water and very low amount of ions to pass through. According to aquatru's website, their RO filter could last two years or 1200 gallons water, which is 30x longer than the zerowater's filter (40 gallons at best). If you are filtering water a lot and try to get as much contaminants removed as possible, I believe the RO system should be both more effectiveness and even cheaper considering the filter cost. If you really want to get the most purified water in home, probably an RO system with ion-exchange resin is the best option. Even distill water is not that pure considering some evaporative contaminants like chlorine are difficult to remove by the distillation process.
For this video, I suggest a follow-up video on the measurement of Total Organic Carbon (TOC) for each water sample to get a better idea on the amount of organic contaminants in water.
Yeah and there's a HUGE difference between them when it comes to longevity. Zero filters essentially become useless after around 10 gallons whereas RO can easily filter 20x that.
Very good detective work! Thanks , 👏🏼
All things considered, RO is the best imo
Yeah all that was Greek to me also. I will say that i bought a zero water filter pitcher over 10 years ago and i am still using it. From the user perspective i think that thing is amazing.
@@Noadvantage246 the RO filter in aquatru lasts about 1.5-2 years in my experience
I absolutely love that you also tested that in-line garden hose filter, I use that for my honey bee oasis :) Thank you for all of your well-planned and executed tests.
You are welcome! Thanks for the feedback.
will that work for a waterline th as t goes to the ice maker in the freezer?
How does one make a honey bee oasis?
Hey which is the best?
@@ProjectFarm Still want to see a comparison with clearly filtered and alexapure!
Always enjoy watching your videos! Very thorough and helpful 👌
Thanks so much!
I Love your videos! they are the best!!!! I love your rating criteria and your testing conditions! Such a great Channel!
Thank you!
We live on a small island with no mains water supply, so every house has it's own well or spring. The place we're renting while renovating a 250 year old watermill has an unlined bore and the water quality can be very poor - we can only drink bottled water. Britta filters did nothing for us, removed a tiny bit of smell but thats it. That being said, TDS isnt a very good measure for testing in my opinion, since you need some dissolved minerals to survive - many filters will have media in them to add those essential elements back in, after the carbon and other filter media has stripped them out. Having 0TDS is not good for your health, if that is your only source of water.
I really liked the test strips, and have ordered some to play with, it will be interesting to compare our unlined bore hole here with the fully lined modern bore hole over at the mill, while we're waiting for government testing of the water. Overall a great video, but I don't think the test methodology was as robust as your typical tests (which i'm fine with, you be an expert at everything!) I still learned some new stuff, and had fun watching!
Thanks for sharing.
I had to go peek! Fascinating, wonderful endeavor. All the best of luck with it and thank you for saving that beautiful, forgotten treasure!
I think the primary goal of the testing was to have clean, safe drinking water. It's a pretty straightforward task of adding back minerals to the water if you so desire.
water that hard would strongly recommend you install a whole house filtration system. i have extremely hard water installed an Aquasana Rhino 1,000,000 gallon whole house filtration and it immediately took hardness scale off the chart (above 15 on hardness scale) down to around 2-3. Water softener took care of the rest bringing it to 0. You would never want to use that hard water through faucets, appliances, or other items using water in the house. This will significantly improve water quality throughout the house. It's scary to see what crap the pre-filters pull out before even reaching the resin tank for further filtration. ALL people should be installing these types of systems even if they have slightly hard water.
You are correct that TDS is not a great indication of water quality. It is one of several criteria that is used for water quality.
Don't know why I'm just now seeing this, but man am I glad that I did! You're doing excellent work here by saving consumers time and money while at the same time increasing their efficiency WHILE AT THE SAME TIME putting pressure on companies to hold their promises/claims. This channel needs more subs.
Thanks!
Glad to see the Aquatru do so well. I've been looking at picking up the carafe version of it to remove the plastic pitcher from the equation.
I've been using a Berkey for drinking cooking and tooth brush water for a year and a half now and I feel fine :-) they claim that leaving in certain dissolved solids is actually beneficial because it's minerals the body needs they also stand by their red dye test but I hadn't performed it yet myself thank you for doing all this hard work for us this was kind of fun to watch
You are welcome!
Dude I love you for this kind of stuff, have watched you for the past 3 years and I am thankful to have you as a source for knowledge.
I appreciate that!
The zero water was really impressive! Would have been nice to include a test for chlorine.
Most US municipal water treatment systems no longer use straight up chlorine, use a long lasting chloramine compound instead. Used to be able to leave water in an open pitcher allowing the chlorine to evaporate (in the sun worked faster), chloramine survives this. Cheaper as they use less chlorine in total, but more stays in the end.
But 0ppm are unhealthy
@@jcwoods2311 smells the same, so to the end user is the same
Put your water in the fridge for 30mins, and it clears the chlorine smell out. Water board engineer told me that when he was checking our water, and I mentioned it smells chloriney.
Also I wonder how well they do at removing lead.
This video is a Godsend. Excellent work!
Thanks!
So much research and work went into this! Respect sir!
Thank you!
I feel like ZeroWater is about to get a huge sales surge after this video lol, great video as always.
In a similar note, i wonder how the sink faucet attachment filters compare to these pitcher ones?
I wondered the same about the sink ones, both faucet mounted and counter ones
I'm wondering about refrigerator filters too!
Thanks for the suggestion.
AND the permanently installed house filters
@@BinarySpike that's gonna be pretty pricy, but so is my suggestion I guess
We as consumers appreciate your hard work and dedication. I sure hope your channel keeps growing. Thank you good sir.
Thanks so much!
@@ProjectFarm would love a video on testing fluoride reduction too bro
I love my zero water pitcher. I am also buying a Berkey. Thanks for the awesome test it made me feel better knowing how well it performs.
You are welcome!
Yay! I did my research right! I purchased the Aquafor and Zero Water systems waaaaay before I saw this video! Thanks, keep it coming!
Thanks, will do!
I been using the zero water for about 4 plus years now and we love it!! Best out there.
Thanks for sharing!
I ended up buying a zerowater because of this video a while back. I used to be just a Brita user before.
I definitely liked the quality of the water with zerowater more. I ended up switching back to Brita due to costs.
Zerowater filters lasted me about 2-3 weeks each before developing a sour taste, I soon realized that it was going to be a cost prohibitive filter system where I live so I ended switching back to Brita. Sure not nearly as good but does that job.
Thanks for sharing.
Unfortunately you bought wrong. Modern castle did a similar test but used actual Arizona town water to a laboratory. Water had lots of nasties including uranium. Zero did very average with chemical reduction which was one of the worst filters tested. Brita did much better
The problem with that "TDS" meter is that it's just an ohmmeter with a different scale. The "dissolved solids" means salts, the kind of things that people pay big money to have dissolved in water when they're called "electrolytes" (they're what plants crave, you know). Other non-ionic compounds affect conductivity a lot less, and that simple "TDS" meter can't tell the difference between beneficial salts and molecules, detrimental salts and molecules and biological material. So we're really in the dark about what each filter does. Offhand I'd say that zero conductivity is _not_ a good sign because you want to have at least some mineral salts in drinking water. But it's more a question of what kind than how much.
I'd rather the filter clean the water and add my own electrolytes than trust a filter to only filter out bad shit.
Thanks for the feedback.
@@carlantaya175 there's no evidence that "bad shit" is being removed at all. That's my point. Hard water can't hurt you, but microorganisms can.
My thought too, 0 ppm is basically distilled water witch can actually make you sick.
@@MegaCookieCrafter distilled water has to be boiled, and that would kill at least some of the microorganisms. But none of these filters use distillation. In case you haven't figured it out already, the "PPM meter" that comes included with that one brand of filter is designed only to make that product look good. It's not certified by NIST or any other standards organization. I suspect if you ran a _real_ water test including pH, dH and a bioassay, you'll find that there's still a lot of stuff in the water when the meter reads 0.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for testing these and posting this video! You rock! I subscribed!
You are welcome! Thanks for watching and subscribing!
Anytime I have a question about the best anything the first person I think of is your channel. Thanks. ❤
You are welcome!
Got a zerowater last month, its honestly amazing how good the filtration is for its price. Im a big fan.
Thank you for the feedback!
It wins best filter. It also wins worst filter for filtering out all of our essential minerals our body needs.
I would love to know what the heck that medium is
@@lofimusiq Easy to re-add minerals, desalinated minerals from salt lake is good, although the mag chloride can give you the hershey squirts if you use too much.
@@lofimusiq Don't depend on water for minerals. Get it from your food, etc..
I like how he put sand & charcoal in a bottle & it performed similar to the general market 😂 Thanks! ZeroWater deserves all of the market!
The only issue with zero water whatsoever is the filter replacement cost, and the relatively short lifespan of said filter, on average it will get a fishy smell at around a month or 2 of use.
ZeroWater is disgusting. I've tried it multiple times and it tastes like I'm getting prisoned. After it it goes through the filter it doesn't even taste like water anymore, it tastes like I'm drinking metal
@@mastixencounter do you leave the filter in the pitcher and put it in the fridge? The activated carbon and ion-exchange resin will easily trap smells from your fridge.
Great video! Love the fact that you you present the fact only and allow us to make our own decisions. Great idea cutting the filter open and le us see what is in side 👍.
Thanks for the suggestion.
This was a hugely informative video, thank you so much for posting this sort of content! Very much appreciated.
Thanks and you are welcome!
We've been using Berkey for years; it's nice to see them put up head to head! Thanks for the information, and keep them coming! Your tests are great, and provide us with the knowledge to make better, more informed purchases!
Thanks, will do!
We have a 6 gallon Berkey and have had for years and I get ZERO kidney stones from it. THERE's your proof right there!
Interesting Sunday morning I got here, my wife's water broke this morning so I'm chilling watching this while we wait. Also happy labor day y'all.
Congratulations in advance!!
Happy Labor Day to your wife!
@@michaelcorvin4330 gonna be a whole new meaning to labor day lmao
@@ProjectFarm thanks!
I bet you could filter that.
This was one of your best comparisons for me as I was still looking for a water filter for my RV. Thanks for the information.
You are welcome!
I've made quite a few decisions based on your tests, thanks for doing all the work!-Oh and I followed your link to Amazon and bought a Zero Water.
Thanks for sharing Thanks for supporting the channel! I really appreciate it!