Boroux Versus Rorra Countertop Water Filters, Tested Head to Head

I will confess That the popularity of these giant, gravity-fed stainless steel water filters remained a mystery to me for a few years, even as multi-gallon water filtration systems from brands like British Berkefeld and Berkey seemed to proliferate equally among enthusiasts of doomsday preparation and holistic wellness retreats.

I’ve been testing many varieties of water filters for over a year now, including reverse osmosis filters and water pitchers. But often, large water filtration tanks look as much like status symbols as they do functional items. They are beautiful in the way industrial stainless steel is: an expression of lifestyle and a majestic point of pride. If you see a large gravity-fed filter, you know the person in question is serious about their well-being, their survival, or both.

What changed my mind about those big stainless steel filters was the microplastics. Most water filter pitchers are made from BPA-free plastic. But as new research shows that bottled water drinkers ingest tens of thousands of excess microplastic particles, wellness enthusiasts are starting to look askance at plastic water filters themselves.

Photography: Matthieu Korfhage

A new generation of gravity filters has built on this, removing all – or almost all – points of contact with plastic. So I put a pair of these new-school filters to the test. THE Boroux Legacy Water Filter System ($419) is a beautiful gravity-fed filtration system from a former Berkey distributor whose livelihood was disrupted by Berkey’s fight with federal regulators (see below). THE Rorra Countertop System ($549) is a recent celebrity-endorsed filter created by a trio of serial entrepreneurs, packed with smart features that include sensors for the filter and water levels.

In testing each one, I evaluated ease of installation, plastic content, total chlorine reduction, and changes in dissolved solids or pH. I also reviewed the NSF/ANSI certifications and independent testing results of each filter.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Gravity-Fed Water Filtration Systems

Gravity-fed water filtration systems gained their greatest notoriety in the United States with a system called Berkey, the makers of which began in 1998 as a distributor of a much older filtration system called British Berkefeld. Amid legal troubles for Berkey (see below), a new generation of gravity-fed filters has risen to prominence.

Multi-gallon filters like this are imposing beasts, as much a showpiece as water filters. They are large, holding a gallon or more. They live on your counter or table, and take up an important place there. But because they are so large, they are difficult to fill and slow to filter. In my initial testing, gravity-fed filters like the new Boroux and Rorra don’t necessarily filter water better out of the box than plastic pitchers that can fit in your refrigerator door or in-line filters under your sink. And since they don’t fit in your refrigerator, your water is room temperature.

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