Crown Berkey
The largest Berkey, for a large family, a church kitchen or a workplace. Cheapest per gallon of capacity among the Berkeys.
Amazon $478$478
The Crown Berkey rates 3.5 among 4.5 gal and up gravity water filters; the Culligan MaxClear Venture 3 Filters rates 3.2 among 2.5 to 3.5 gal ones. The Culligan MaxClear Venture 3 Filters costs $169 less ($309 vs $478).
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.
Culligan MaxClear Venture 3 Filters
The fully loaded Venture. It makes sense for a busy kitchen where a one-filter system would hold up the line.
Amazon $309$309
Scores side by side
These two sit in different capacity classes (4.5 gal and up and 2.5 to 3.5 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 | Crown Berkey | Culligan MaxClear Venture 3 Filters |
|---|---|---|
| Overall rating | 3.5/5 | 3.2/5 |
| Value 25% | 71 $79.67 per gallon of capacity ($478, 6 gal) | 55 $103 per gallon of capacity ($309, 3 gal) |
| Running cost 15% | 34 $0.047 per gallon filtered ($140.94 per element, 3,000 gal each) | 50 replacement cost or element life not published (neutral score used) |
| Capacity 15% | 100 6 gal tank | 33 3 gal tank |
| Certification 20% | 10 testing claims only, no certification | 30 states certification to NSF/ANSI 42 |
| Element life 15% | 100 3,000 gal rated per element | 50 element life in gallons not published (neutral score used) |
| Warranty 10% | 11 1-year warranty | 100 5-year warranty |
Specifications
| Crown Berkey | Culligan MaxClear Venture 3 Filters | |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity and flow | ||
| Tank capacity | 6 gal | 3 gal |
| Price per gallon of capacity | $79.67 | $103 |
| Elements included | 2 | 3 |
| Maximum elements | 8 | 3 |
| Flow, fully loaded | 26 gal/hr | - |
| Filtration | ||
| Element type | Black Berkey carbon-media element (BB9-2) | MaxClear ceramic shell with carbon media |
| Certified | Tested only | NSF/ANSI 42 |
| 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. | Listing: IAPMO certified to NSF/ANSI 42 to reduce microplastics, lead and Total PFAS. The listing does not name the standards behind the lead and PFAS claims. |
| Fluoride | Add-on filter | - |
| Running cost | ||
| Rated life per element | 3,000 gal each | - |
| Replacement element | 140.9 $ | 79 $ |
| Cost per gallon filtered | $0.047 | - |
| Build | ||
| Material | 304 stainless steel | brushed or polished stainless steel |
| Height | 30 in | 27.6 in |
| Diameter | 11 in | 9.4 in |
| Warranty | 1 year | 5 years |