Why the Berkey Water Filter is our #1 RV Must-Have

Getting clean and fresh water while you are traveling in your RV can be a challenge. Yes, a lot of RV parks have water hook ups and they say it is drinkable, but you just never know what you are getting.

When we first moved into our motorhome we would drink straight from the faucet in our RV. We quickly realized we were all getting stomachaches and the water just didn't taste good. We knew about the water filters you can get to go on your hose, but also knew those were just okay when it came to water filtration. We also read about the really good filters, but those cost a lot of money.

After a bit of research, we found the Berkey water filter. The Berkey is the best of the best when it comes to filtered water at an affordable price. Not only is it a filter, but also a water purifier.

Click here for a great explanation from Berkey on what their filters take out of the water.  Pretty crazy stuff! It definitely gives us peace of mind when it comes to not only our drinking water, but also knowing our kids aren't consuming all of that bacteria and other things that come in water.

We also like the fact that by having the Berkey we don't have to buy and dispose of all of those plastic water bottles or big water jugs. Definitely much more environmentally friendly to have a filter and reusable water bottles.

How Does the Berkey Work?

The Berkey is a stainless steel container with two compartments. The top compartment is where your tap water goes. This compartment also has the black Berkey filters (the part that does all the magic of removing the bad stuff). Then the second compartment sits underneath the first and is where the clean fresh water is filtered into.  The second compartment has a spigot which is where the water comes out of.  Here is a nice video overview of the Berkey and how it works.

Here are all the parts of the Berkey.

The nice thing about it is you can easily fit it on the counter in your RV. They have a variety of sizes, so depending on your counter space and how high your cabinets are (if you want to slide the Berkey under your cabinet) you can choose which one you want.

We originally had the Big Berkey, which fit nicely in our 39-foot diesel pusher. When we downsized to the 23-foot Winnebago View, we opted for the Travel Berkey which fits better on our counter as you can see below:

Our process for water is pretty easy. Each night we fill up the Berkey with water, then in the morning we fill up everyone's water bottles. Everyone currently has their own 20oz Kleen Kanteen water bottle.

Another thing we have done is filled up a jug with water at night from the Berkey and then put that in the fridge so the water is cold the next morning.

Benefits of the Berkey Filter

The most obvious benefit is not having to be concerned with the water at the RV parks or campgrounds we go to, since we know the Berkey will deliver clean and purified water.

Next is the cost. Yes, there is an upfront cost of a couple hundred dollars when you buy the Berkey, but then that is it. The filters are good for years, so once you have it you just enjoy the water and don't have to worry about remembering to buy water when you go to the store!

Portability. If we end up staying at Craig's parents' house or rent a house on our travels, we are able to easily carry the Berkey inside and continue to use it. It doesn't just have to be used in the RV, it is also great for houses!

Having the Berkey has given our family peace of mind that we have fresh purified water, we are being environmentally friendly and aren't spending tons of money each week buying water.