Berkey Light
A lightweight 2.75 gal Berkey for places where a stainless tank is too heavy to move. Pick it for portability, not price.
Amazon $335$335
The Berkey Light rates 2.8 among 2.5 to 3.5 gal gravity water filters; the Big Berkey rates 2.6 among up to 2.25 gal ones. The Berkey Light costs $32 less ($335 vs $367).
Prices were last checked November 9, 2026. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon or the retailer's site at the time of purchase apply. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Big Berkey
#14 in Up to 2.25 galFull review
The best known countertop gravity filter, sized for a small family. Priced well above lookalikes with the same capacity.
Amazon $367$367
Scores side by side
These two sit in different capacity classes (2.5 to 3.5 gal and up to 2.25 gal), and each is scored against the reference points for its own class, so a rating says how well each does among its own capacity peers. How we rank explains each factor.
| Factor weight | Berkey Light | Big Berkey |
|---|---|---|
| Overall rating | 2.8/5 | 2.6/5 |
| Value 25% | 45 $121.82 per gallon of capacity ($335, 2.8 gal) | 27 $163.11 per gallon of capacity ($367, 2.2 gal) |
| Running cost 15% | 34 $0.047 per gallon filtered ($140.94 per element, 3,000 gal each) | 34 $0.047 per gallon filtered ($140.94 per element, 3,000 gal each) |
| Capacity 15% | 28 2.8 gal tank | 17 2.2 gal tank |
| Certification 20% | 10 testing claims only, no certification | 10 testing claims only, no certification |
| Element life 15% | 100 3,000 gal rated per element | 100 3,000 gal rated per element |
| Warranty 10% | 11 1-year warranty | 11 1-year warranty |
Independent tests
Berkey Light
No independent test published yet.
Big Berkey
| Tested by | Conditions |
|---|---|
| Water Filter Guru | Reviewers calculated 0.75 gal/hr with two Black Berkey and two PF-2 fluoride elements installed (volume and time not given). Tap Score lab tests of city tap water found aluminum 0 ppm before and 1.44 ppm after at 50 gal, then 0.052 ppm before and 0.069 ppm after in a second test with over 100 gal run through the fluoride filters; no TDS reported. Date is the review update date. |
Specifications
| Berkey Light | Big Berkey | |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity and flow | ||
| Tank capacity | 2.8 gal | 2.2 gal |
| Price per gallon of capacity | $121.82 | $163.11 |
| Elements included | 2 | 2 |
| Maximum elements | 4 | 4 |
| Flow, fully loaded | 7 gal/hr | 7 gal/hr |
| Filtration | ||
| Element type | Black Berkey carbon-media element (BB9-2) | Black Berkey carbon-media element (BB9-2) |
| Certified | Tested only | Tested only |
| Certification detail | Berkey states Black Berkey Elements were tested by accredited third-party labs against ANSI/NSF protocols for 200+ contaminants. The elements are not NSF/ANSI certified. | Berkey states Black Berkey Elements were tested by accredited third-party labs against ANSI/NSF protocols for 200+ contaminants. The elements are not NSF/ANSI certified. |
| Fluoride | Add-on filter | Add-on filter |
| Running cost | ||
| Rated life per element | 3,000 gal each | 3,000 gal each |
| Replacement element | 140.9 $ | 140.9 $ |
| Cost per gallon filtered | $0.047 | $0.047 |
| Build | ||
| Material | - | 304 stainless steel |
| Height | 21 in | 19.2 in |
| Diameter | 9 in | 8.5 in |
| Warranty | 1 year | 1 year |