Boroux Versus Rorra Countertop Water Filters, Tested Head to Head
I will agree that the popularity of those giant, stainless steel, gravity-fed water filters remained a mystery to me for some years—even as multi-liter water filtration systems from brands like British Berkefeld and Berkey seemed to be equally prevalent among doomsday enthusiasts and total throwbacks alike.
I’ve been testing different types of water filters for over a year now, including reverse osmosis filters and water pitchers. But in general, large water filtration tanks are seen as similar status symbols as practical ones. They are beautiful in the way of the stainless steel industry: a reflection of life and a great point of pride. When you see a large gravity fed filter, you know the person in question is serious about good health, survival, or both.
What changed my mind about these large stainless steel filters were the microplastics. Most water filter pitchers are made of BPA-free plastic. But with new research showing that bottled water drinkers are ingesting tens of thousands of microplastic particles in excess, health enthusiasts have begun looking at water filters made from plastic.
Photo: Matthew Korfhage
A new generation of gravity filters relies on this, removing all—or almost all—points of contact with plastic. So I’m testing out a pair of these new-school filters. I Boroux Legacy water filter system ($419) it’s a great gravity-fed filter system from a former Berkey distributor whose livelihood was disrupted by Berkey’s fight with federal regulators (see below). I Rorra Countertop System ($549) a new-school, celebrity-endorsed filter from three consecutive entrepreneurs, with smart features that include sensors for both filter and water levels.
For each test, I evaluated ease of setup, plastic content, total chlorine reduction, and changes in dissolved solids or pH. I also checked each filter’s NSF/ANSI certifications and independent test results.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Gravity Water Filtration Systems
Gravity-fed water filtration systems gained a lot of popularity in the United States with a system called Berkey—the makers of which began in 1998 as a distributor of an older filtration system called the British Berkefeld. Amid Berkey’s legal problems (see below), a new generation of gravity-fed filters has come to the fore.
Multi-gallon filters like these are attractive beasts—as many statements as water filters. They are large, holding a gallon or more. They sit on your counter or your table, and they take up valuable space there. But because they are so big, they are difficult to fill and slow to filter. In my early testing, gravity fed filters like Boroux and the new Rorra don’t filter water better out of the box than the plastic jars that fit in your fridge door, or the line filters under your sink. And because it doesn’t fit in your refrigerator, your water is room temperature.
But comfort is relative. The jugs in the gravity fed filter systems are large enough for refilling overnight to provide several families with a day’s worth of water, for drinking and cooking as well as coffee. I find that this can be easier than the constant cycle of filling and waiting that plagues small water jugs, especially for large families, coffee lovers, or avid cooks. And while most water jugs need to be refilled, Boroux filters advertise that they only need to be changed once a year. (More on this claim later).
