Question from Kathryn
Hello! Curious if you’ve seen the LifeStraw glass water filter and think it could be valuable if not currently able to install a full filtration system… thanks!
Lisa’s Answer
It’s good to see a countertop filter with a glass jug and an activated carbon filter. Without doing a full analysis of other pitcher filters in the price range ($55), I can only give you a cursory assessment. It doesn’t seem to filter harmful chemicals such as chlorine and lead as well as mainstream brands like Brita. For example, Brita filters out 99% of lead and chlorine while LifeStraw filters 97% and 95.4%, respectively. You are making a tradeoff of a glass pitcher for less effective filtering.
If you can afford a bit more, Pure Effect, which is what I have in my house, offers a counter top model for $170. It does need to be hooked up to your faucet and does have plastic housing but it does the most comprehensive job of filtering chemicals and contaminants that I have found.
Hi Lisa,
Thanks for the post. I am very interested in water filters. I had not heard of Pure Effect
Have you reviewed the Berkey counter top filtering system(s)? If so, what are your thoughts?
Have you heard of Binchotan charcoal for water filtration? I’ve read that 1 charcoal stick naturally absorbs impurities from 1/2 gallon of water a day. It’s used with your own (glass pitcher.
I haven’t researched these but will take a look at counter top filters in the future. In general, you get what you pay for, and these type of filters don’t compare to the more expensive models.
I tried the Berkey and didn’t care for the powdery substance on the cones. I flushed it many times. I could have been doing it wrong but I sent it back.