Porox vs. Rora countertop water filters, tested head to head

I will admit The popularity of giant stainless steel, gravity-driven water filters has remained a mystery to me for years — even as multi-gallon water filtration systems from brands like British Berkefeld and Berkey have become equally popular among doomsday preppers and holistic wellness retreats.

I’ve tested different strains a lot Water filters For over a year, including reverse osmosis filters and water jugs. But more often than not, large water filter tanks seem like status symbols as much as they are functional items. They’re industrially good looking in stainless steel: an expression of a lifestyle and a point of luxurious pride. If you see a large gravity-fed filter, you know the person in question is serious about their health, survival, or both.

What changed my mind about these large stainless steel filters is Microplastics. Most water filter jugs are made of BPA-free plastic. But as new research shows it does Bottled water drinkers ingest tens of thousands of excess microplastic particlesWellness enthusiasts are beginning to look askance at water filters made of plastic.

Photo: Matthew Corvage

A new generation of gravity filters has taken this on, eliminating all, or almost all, contact points with plastic. So I tested out a pair of these new school filters. the Boroux Legacy Water Filter System ($419) It’s a beautiful gravity-fed filter system from a former Berkey distributor whose livelihood was disrupted by Berkey’s battle with federal regulators (see below). the Rora Countertop System ($549) It’s a new-to-school, celebrity-approved filter from a trio of serial entrepreneurs, with smart features that include sensors for both filter and water levels.

In testing each, I evaluated ease of setup, plastic content, total chlorine reduction, and changes in dissolved solids or pH. I also studied each candidate’s NSF/ANSI certifications and independent testing results.

Benefits and harms of gravity-fed water filtration systems

Gravity-fed water filtration systems gained their greatest popularity in the United States with a system called Berky– whose makers started in 1998 as a distributor of a much older filtration system called British Birkfield. Amid Berkey’s legal troubles (see below), a new generation of gravity filters has risen to prominence.

Multi-gallon filters like these are majestic beasts—they’re great pieces as water filters. They are large, holding a gallon or more. They live on your counter or table, and take up a lot of space there. But due to its large size, it is difficult to bottle and filter slowly. In my early tests, gravity filters like the new Boroux and Rora don’t filter water any better than plastic jugs that fit in your refrigerator door, or built-in under-sink filters. Because it doesn’t fit in your refrigerator, the water you use is room temperature.

But comfort is relative. The jugs in gravity filtration systems are large enough to refill overnight to provide a day’s worth of water for most families, for sipping, cooking and coffee. I find that this can be easier than the constant filling-and-waiting cycle that plagues small water jugs, especially for large families, coffee lovers, or avid cooks. While most water jugs require a regular filter refill, Boroux filters advertise that they only need to be replaced once a year. (More on this claim later.)