Zero Water Filter Review

[vontar]

Back in Feb, my water line at my Refrigerator broke. Not a freeze but broke due to age.

 

Anyways, I was a few days getting it fixed and all the leaks stopped. 

 

In the meantime I brought a Zero Water, 23 cup pitcher to use for drinking water.  I knew it was more expensive but I liked what i read about the filter.

 

The first drink of water from it was so different it took me a little to get used to it, but loved it.

I have been filtering the city water for years, but this was a world of difference.

I used the meter it came with and tested my house water and it came back around 120 to 170.  Under 220 is considred OK i believe.  Not even sure what the tester detects as I can only tell it seem to test to see how much current can pass though a given amount of water.  More dissolved solids, the higher the count I believe.  These might be good solids and may not be harmful as was pointed out in a previous post.

 

From the filter, I got 000. 

 

I tested it regular for the first month, 000, once I saw a 001, but a moment later same glass of water went to 000.

 

I tested it last week and it still came up 000.

 

Yesterday it was fine. Today it tasted like old pond water/fishy. 

 

Tested it, it came up at 170

 

When I poured it out, my wife commented on just how bad it stunk up the bathroom.

 

I checked, I brought it on Feb 13th and the filter lasted until April 16th. 

 

I figured the filter would have lasted longer running city water though it, guess not all that long.  filters aren't cheap.  4 pack at Amazon is 49.00 plus tax.    cheaper in bulk at least

 

 

 

from Zero water

https://www.zerowater.com/troubleshooting.aspx

 

Q. Odor: Fishy smell
A. Most customers do not notice an odor from their filter, so it is likely that the general make up of your water is different than most. When the filter is used up, this can cause the smell. It is very important that you regularly test your water to be sure it reads 000 to prevent this in the future.

 

 

Had I found the following review before buying it i might not have brought it.

 

https://cutelypoisoned.com/tag/fishy-smell/

 

 

In closing, I expected the filter to start getting worse over time instead of a sudden, unexpected change

Edited April 18, 2016 by vontar

[Dustbuster]

I use a berkey filter as recommended by some of the gang on here. I love it, my pets love it. It works well filtering the turds out of metro city water. Haven't had to do filters yet and it's been almost a year. Love my berkey

[Mark A]

another Berkey boy here... unknown thousands of gallons through it. When it starts filtering slowly I clean the filters with a green scrubby and back flush them and good as new. I bought 2 spare sets of filters. They may outlive me...

 

We filter all water except shower water through it. Don't have to worry about some toxin being in the water supply poisoning me until someone dies and then they figure out there is a problem.

 

Water tastes like I remember the well water tasting on the old family farm...

[jgradyc]

If I were starting from scratch, I'd buy the Berkey. That said, I've had the zero filter for three years and we're pleased with it.

 

The knock on the zero filter is that it gets clogged quickly. We alleviate that problem by pre-filtering our tap water with a Culligan 0.5 micron filter and then pour it into the zero filter to filter out the smallest particle. The Culligan filter takes out the particles bigger than 0.5 microns so those big particles don't clog the zero water filter as fast. We get maybe two months out of each zero filter and the Culligan lasts for something like 12,000 gallons. I'll probably replace the Culligan filter once a year anyway. Our cost for the Culligan and the zero filters works out to about $8/month. 

 

Just for fun, I waited until one of our zero filters was ready to replace and poured an amber-colored tequila into it. Even though the filter was due to be replaced, the tequila came out tasting like water.

[Jamie Jackson]

Sorry to hear this, but thank you for sharing your experiences vontar.

 

We've been using the Big Berkey for about 8 years now...daily, constantly and it still works as good as it did when we first purged the ceramic filters.

We added the PF-4 unit after the first year and wish we had done so initially.

 

I clean the white ceramic filters quarterly by using a green "scruffy" pad under running water and that's all the maintenance it's required.

 

PF-4 link in case anyone is interested:

http://www.directive21.com/products/berkey-pf-4-fluoride-and-arsenic-reduction-elements/

 

Jeff Gleason that runs Directive 21 is a great guy and easily reached by phone or e-mail if you have any questions. Jeff's a "Prepper", whatever that is LOL, and a regular guy just like us.I have no financial interest in his company, just a satisfied customer.

[monkeylizard]

I have a Zero Water and haven't had the fishy problem. I test it every few months and it stays at 000 forever, then gradually goes up from 000 to 001 to 002, etc. It's not a sudden change. When it gets to 006 or so I change it.

 

The meter tests particles per million, but I'm not sure how small of a particle it tests. Tap water from Harpeth Valley Utility District tests at about 120-140 before filtering and 000 after.

[vontar]

well I am 7 days short of 2 months on this filter.

The count is right at 002 and 003.  Should be good until 006 per Zero Water.

It did the whole first month on 000. 

If I can get 2 full months out of a filter, buying in bulk, only 6.72 a month.  I guess that isn't all that bad.

I think I can taste the water a bit as it went to 003, but not fishy.  But starting to monitor it more to see if i get a sudden spike.

Also note, I am putting about 2 litters though it a day, best estimate. 

Also note a change I have noticed, my house water isn't between 120 and 170 like i listed above.  I seem to always be hitting 180ish,

[vontar]

It has jumped up to 008.  I am looking to see a sudden spike soon.   I believe this filter has about had it.

[vontar]

2 days ago, it tested at .012.  Today .053 and not tasting as good.  I am considering the filter spent.

I got 2 months, 1 week and well really the last week I should have changed it any time.  So it appears 2 months is the limit for my amount of use per filter.  I was just holding out a bit to see if the fishy smell would return and about what the count would be.  However not waiting. close enough that I believe the filter is clogging up/being used at an increasing rate now.

 

 

Edited June 28, 2016 by vontar

[monkeylizard]

A cheap pre-filter may increase the life of the more expensive ZW filters.

[vontar]

I considered it when reading one of the above posts from

jgradyc

.  Right now I am just under 7 a month.  I appear to be slightly cheaper as it is, probably the difference in the water from site to site.  I did toss the idea of   distilling the water first but that would probably be awful.