Imperial Berkey
For a big household or a shared office. It costs about $100 per gallon of capacity, a better rate than the smaller Berkeys.
Amazon $451$451
The Imperial Berkey rates 3.2 among 4.5 gal and up gravity water filters; the Royal Berkey rates 2.9 among 2.5 to 3.5 gal ones. The Royal Berkey costs $43 less ($408 vs $451).
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.
Royal Berkey
The middle Berkey for a household that drinks and cooks with filtered water. A step up from the Big Berkey without needing much more space.
Amazon $408$408
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 | Imperial Berkey | Royal Berkey |
|---|---|---|
| Overall rating | 3.2/5 | 2.9/5 |
| Value 25% | 57 $100.22 per gallon of capacity ($451, 4.5 gal) | 43 $125.54 per gallon of capacity ($408, 3.2 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% | 67 4.5 gal tank | 39 3.2 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 |
Specifications
| Imperial Berkey | Royal Berkey | |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity and flow | ||
| Tank capacity | 4.5 gal | 3.2 gal |
| Price per gallon of capacity | $100.22 | $125.54 |
| Elements included | 2 | 2 |
| Maximum elements | 6 | 4 |
| Flow, fully loaded | 16.5 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 | 304 stainless steel |
| Height | 26 in | 23 in |
| Diameter | 10 in | 9.5 in |
| Weight | 10 lb | 8 lb |
| Warranty | 1 year | 1 year |