Drinking bottle with water filter

Product description

Drinking bottle with water filter – A small note in advance: We write product reviews only on items that we own and use ourselves. We only give a purchase recommendation if we are convinced of the product. The links to the products are so-called Affilaiate links, which means we get a small commission if you buy the item. With this you support our work for this website. For this we thank you very much!
We were looking for a long time for a solution to have access to fresh water during our walks on Lake Garda. We have often had the problem of not having enough water with us on our hikes. Simply taking water from a spring or stream was too risky for us. That’s why we were looking for a water filter bottle that is suitable for outdoor use.

After a little research, we came across the PearlCo water bottle with water filter. There are some suppliers of drinking bottles with water filters. Due to the good reviews of the product from PearlCo, we decided to use it. Our choice fell on the starter pack model Solid. The drinking bottle has a filling volume of 0.7 l, also included are 3 replacement filters. The filter bottle is easily purchased via the Filterflasche.de online shop.

PearlCo drinking bottle with water filter – First impression

Packaging and material: The filter bottle was well packaged and was delivered in an additional box. The plastic makes a valuable impression, also the closure of the drinking bottle, as well as the mouthpiece appear valuable. The latter is made of silicone and therefore hypoallergenic. The cap allows tight closure of the drinking bottle and thus protects the mouthpiece from contamination. A push button allows the closure to be unlocked quickly and easily. The integrated straw reaches almost to the bottom of the drinking bottle and allows the filtered water to be drunk almost without residue.

Filter: The water filter drinking bottle is equipped with an activated carbon filter. The replaceable filter is made of natural carbon extracted from coconut shells. According to the manufacturer, one filter is suitable for the preparation of 150 liters of water. After that, or after 4 weeks at the latest, the filter element should be replaced. Furthermore, it is recommended to consume the filtered water within 12 hours.

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Functionality of the water filter from activated carbon

Activated carbon is a material composed entirely of carbon and specially processed to achieve a surface area of up to 300 square meters per gram. This process increases the ability of carbon to attract and bind impurities and organic compounds, removing many dissolved pollutants from the water.

Activated carbon in water filters works in three different ways – mechanically, catalytically and adsorptively. By combining these three functions, activated carbon provides comprehensive water treatment and is capable of removing a wide range of contaminants from water. Therefore, water filters that use activated carbon are extremely effective in the treatment of drinking water.

Drinking bottle with water filter – What pollutants are filtered?

The mechanical function of activated carbon in water filters acts similarly to a sieve. Pollutants larger than the fine pores of the activated carbon are effectively filtered out. This includes bacteria, asbestos fibers, airborne particles, rust particles, sand, giardia and cryptosporidia.

For pollutants smaller than the pores of the activated carbon, the catalytic and adsorptive cleaning functions of the activated carbon intervene. These help to remove further impurities from the water.

It should be noted that activated carbon cannot filter certain substances such as lime, heavy metal ions, viruses and nitrate from the water. These elements are smaller than the pores of the activated carbon and can therefore pass through the filter.

Another important aspect of activated carbon is that trace minerals and other health-promoting minerals such as magnesium, calcium or potassium are not removed from the water. This means that despite the cleaning by the activated carbon filter, these valuable nutrients remain in the water.

First use and cleaning

Before using the PearlCo water bottle with water filter for the first time or when changing the FIlter, it must be cleaned thoroughly.

Rinse all components of the bottle with detergent and water up to 50°C. Attention: Only the bottle container is thereby dishwasher safe!
Rinse the filter under cold running water (for approx. 60 seconds). The water jet must be directed into the openings of the filter housing.
Fill bottle with (tap) water, insert filter into tube holder and then install holder in bottle

Drinking from the water bottle with water filter

Compared to a “normal” bottle must be pulled like a straw. For technical reasons, a small amount of water always remains in the bottle, but this is tolerable. The water taste is very good, we could not find any negative or disturbing taste.

Costs and sustainability

Cost: The current price for the PearlCo drinking bottle with water filter is 17.90 euros including a water filter. We opted for the starter pack with 3 additional filters, cost 30.99 euros. The replacement filter elements are 14.90 euros for 3 pieces. Shipping costs are charged extra (Currently 4.90 euros).

A small calculation example when using the water bottle with water filter when hiking: Assuming that you get water for free on the way (which is the case with natural springs, streams,…), the price per liter is as follows:

One filter costs 14,90 Euro / 3 plus. 4,90 Euro / 3 Shipping costs = 6,60 Euro

One filter is enough for 150 liters of filtered water, so the liter of filtered water costs 0.044 euros, or 4.4 Ct. If you buy drinking water in a supermarket, the price is estimated at 20 Ct/liter, which is about 4 times higher. Thus, the water bottle with water filter pays off in any case.

Sustainability: The drinking bottle with water filter can be used for many years. Only the filter insert must be replaced regularly. The plastic waste generated is minimal compared to filled plastic bottles.

So using a reusable filter bottle not only provides the benefit of clean water, but also helps reduce plastic waste and shrinks your environmental footprint. Interestingly, bottling water causes over 300 times more CO2 emissions than using tap water.

PearlCo also says it will donate a portion of the proceeds from sales to support global initiatives for clean water and against plastic pollution.

Pros & Cons

Specifications

Summary

Looking for a solution to always have fresh water available during our hikes on Lake Garda, we chose the PearlCo water bottle with water filter. Our overall experience with the product was very positive and we were impressed with the quality of the material used. The bottle is equipped with an activated carbon filter, which filters many pollutants from the water, but can not remove some substances such as lime, heavy metals, viruses and nitrates. However, important minerals are retained in the water.

Before the first use and every time we changed the filter, we had to clean the bottle thoroughly. When drinking from the bottle, we had to suck on it like a straw and there was always a little bit of water left in the bottle. However, we found that acceptable.

The cost of the bottle and replacement filters seemed reasonable, especially compared to the cost of bottled water. We particularly appreciated the sustainability of the bottle: it can be used for many years, and the plastic waste it creates is minimal compared to bottled water. PearlCo also donates a portion of the proceeds from sales to global clean water and anti-plastic pollution initiatives.