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Berkey Black Berkey Elements

  • Gravity
  • Point of use
  • City water
  • Replacement element
  • No listing

$273.89as of 2026-09-09

Secondary sourceVerified 2026-09-09Retailer listing

Check price at Amazon

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Our verdict on the Berkey Black Berkey Elements

Black Berkey Elements (BB9-2) are replacement elements for Big, Crown, Imperial, Royal, and Travel Berkey gravity systems used with tap water. They are not for softened water or salt water because the OEM manual warns that either can clog the filter pores and void the warranty.[1][2]

Best for

  • Households filtering municipal tap water at a countertop with a gravity system and no electrical hookup.

Not for

  • Users who plan to fill the system with softened water or salt water; the OEM manual warns that this can clog the filter pores and void the warranty.

Primary sourceVerified 2026-09-09Manufacturer datasheetBrand official

Which models the Berkey Black Berkey Elements fits

The Berkey Black Berkey Elements fits the 5 models listed below, verified 2026-09-09.[1]

Big Berkey · Crown Berkey · Imperial Berkey · Royal Berkey · Travel Berkey

Primary sourceVerified 2026-09-09Manufacturer datasheet

Certification check: Berkey Black Berkey Elements

No listing found in the NSF, IAPMO R&T, and WQA directories as of 2026-09-09.

DirectoryResultListing
NSFNo listing found (checked 2026-09-09)View listing
IAPMO R&TNo listing found (checked 2026-09-09)No URL recorded
WQANo listing found (checked 2026-09-09)No URL recorded

Claimed vs. certified: Berkey Black Berkey Elements

ContaminantStatusThird-party listingWhat the brand says
200+ typical contaminantsMarketed onlyNo entry

  • “address over 200+ typical contaminants found in drinking water sources”

    Captured 2026-09-09

    View the brand’s page
Multiple contaminant categoriesMarketed onlyNo entry

  • “Black Berkey® Elements dramatically reduce trihalomethanes, inorganic minerals, heavy metals, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, VOCs, petroleum products, perfluorinated chemicals, rust, silt, sediment, radiologicals, and more.”

    Captured 2026-09-09

    View the brand’s page

How long the Berkey Black Berkey Elements lasts, and what it costs a year

The Berkey Black Berkey Elements is rated for 6,000 gallons, verified 2026-09-09. Replacing it on that schedule costs $0.00 a year, verified 2026-09-09.

Rated capacity

6,000 gallons[1]

Primary sourceVerified 2026-09-09Brand official

Cost per year

ElementReplaceCost per year
Black Berkey Elements (pair)every 6,000 gallonsNo yearly figure recorded
Total per year$0.00

Primary sourceVerified 2026-09-09Brand official

What the Berkey Black Berkey Elements does not do

The OEM manual warns: “Use of softened water or salt water can clog the filter’s pores and will void your warranty.”

  • The OEM manual warns: “Use of softened water or salt water can clog the filter’s pores and will void your warranty.”[1]

    Primary sourceVerified 2026-09-09Manufacturer datasheet

  • The OEM manual instructs users to fill the upper chamber with cold or room-temperature water and says: “DO NOT use hot or boiling water.”[1]

    Primary sourceVerified 2026-09-09Manufacturer datasheet

Fit and sizing: Berkey Black Berkey Elements

The Berkey Black Berkey Elements is a gravity unit installed at the point of use, for city water.

Form factorGravity
Installed atPoint of use (one fixture)
Water sourceCity water
Dimensions9 in H × 3 in W × 3 in D[1]

Secondary sourceVerified 2026-09-09Retailer listing

Needs electricityNo[1]

Primary sourceVerified 2026-09-09Brand official

What the Berkey Black Berkey Elements really costs

The Berkey Black Berkey Elements costs $273.89 as of 2026-09-09.

Street price

$273.89 as of 2026-09-09[1]

Secondary sourceVerified 2026-09-09Retailer listing

Replacement schedule

ElementReplaceCost per year
Black Berkey Elements (pair)every 6,000 gallonsNot recorded

Primary sourceVerified 2026-09-09Brand official

Ten-year cost of ownership

Purchase price (as of 2026-09-09)$273.89
Replacement elements, 10 × $0.00/year$0.00
Sum of the lines above (as of 2026-09-09)$273.89

Warranty: Two-year limited prorated warranty, calculated in six-month intervals from receipt by the original purchaser. (2 years)[1]

Primary sourceVerified 2026-09-09Brand official

Installing the Berkey Black Berkey Elements

Tools required

No tools required.[1]

Secondary sourceVerified 2026-09-09Retailer listing

Manufacturer documentation

Ongoing maintenance

  • Clean the lower chamber and spigot; the manual recommends maintenance every 30 days as needed. — every 1 months
  • Gently scrub and re-prime the Black Berkey Elements when flow slows.

Primary sourceVerified 2026-09-09Manufacturer datasheet

Track record: Berkey Black Berkey Elements

Amazon shows 4.6 out of 5 from 4,473 reviews as of 2026-09-09.

SourceRatingReviewsAs of
Amazon4.6 out of 54,4732026-09-09

What owners praise

  • Amazon’s review summary says customers commonly praise the clean-tasting water and easy installation.[1]

    Secondary sourceVerified 2026-09-09Amazon review

What owners complain about

  • Amazon’s review summary reports mixed feedback on filtration speed, filter life, and value, including complaints that water can gush rather than drip.[1]

    Secondary sourceVerified 2026-09-09Amazon review

Recalls and litigation

Secondary sourceVerified 2026-09-09Government agencyUnverified

Berkey Black Berkey Elements questions, answered

How long do Black Berkey Elements last?

A pair is rated for 6,000 gallons, or 3,000 gallons per element. The manufacturer says the elements may require earlier replacement depending on influent-water quality, so it does not provide a fixed number of years for every household.

Sources: [1]

What happened to Black Berkey Filters?

The manufacturer currently describes Black Berkey Elements as either out of stock or of limited availability; it does not label the BB9-2 page discontinued. The exact Amazon ASIN had third-party stock on 2026-09-09, so availability depends on the seller rather than a manufacturer restock date.

Sources: [1][2]

Why did the EPA ban Berkey filters?

The opened EPA document is a 2023 dealer-specific FIFRA stop-sale order, not a CPSC consumer-recall notice. It directs Mountain Mama Natural Foods to stop selling, using, or removing Black Berkey filter products under that dealer’s ownership, control, or custody; this record does not broaden the order beyond its named respondent and inventory.

Sources: [1][2]

What is the lawsuit against Berkey?

In the EPA case, the U.S. Supreme Court denied a petition naming New Millennium Concepts among the petitioners on 2024-12-16. A separate federal fraud action against New Millennium Concepts was transferred from the Eastern District of California to the Northern District of Texas in 2022; the opened transfer docket does not establish the merits of the allegations.

Sources: [1][2]

Will Black Berkey Elements fit my Berkey?

They fit the Big, Crown, Imperial, Royal, and Travel Berkey systems named in the OEM stainless-system manual. This record does not extend that OEM list using marketplace compatibility claims.

Sources: [1]

Are Black Berkey Elements certified?

Verified health claim

No listing found in the NSF, IAPMO R&T, and WQA directories as of 2026-09-09. Exact product, model, brand, and alias searches returned no BB9-2 result; the separate NSF Berkey results reviewed identify Phoenix PGF9-2 rather than Black Berkey BB9-2.

Sources: [1][2][3]

Where can I get Berkey replacement filters?

The exact BB9-2 two-pack was available from a third-party Amazon seller for $273.89 on 2026-09-09. The manufacturer page said stock was out or limited.

Sources: [1][2]

Sources and data report: Berkey Black Berkey Elements

Every figure above is taken from the highest-trust source that carries it and re-derived from that source by a separate check. How we verify product data.

What we could not establish, and why

FieldWhy it is blank
identity.familyThe current manufacturer product page and OEM stainless-system manual do not state a distinct product-family name separate from Black Berkey Elements.
identity.upcNo UPC was shown on the current manufacturer page, OEM manual, or exact Amazon BB9-2 page.
identity.lifespanThe manufacturer publishes a usage-based 3,000-gallon-per-element or 6,000-gallon-per-pair replacement point and says influent quality can shorten it, but gives no fixed month term.
certified.certIndexKeyThe repository Berkey certification-index file contains no exact BB9-2 or Black Berkey Elements record. This is only a statement about the partial local index; no listing found in the NSF, IAPMO R&T, and WQA directories as of 2026-09-09 based on the separate live checks.
mechanism.treatmentMethodsThe manufacturer describes microfiltration, adsorption or absorption, and ion exchange, but the schema has no microfiltration or adsorption method; using ion-exchange-softener would falsely classify this element as a softener.
fit.bathroomsServedThe manufacturer product page and OEM manual publish no bathroom range for this replacement-element pair.
fit.householdSizeThe manufacturer product page and OEM manual publish no household-size range for this replacement-element pair.
fit.serviceFlowGpmThe manufacturer page and OEM manual describe gravity operation but publish no continuous BB9-2 flow rate in gpm.
fit.roOutputGpdBlack Berkey Elements are gravity elements rather than an RO membrane, so the manufacturer materials publish no RO output. The authoritative schema still requires this nullable key.
fit.roTankCapacityBlack Berkey Elements are gravity elements rather than an RO system, so the manufacturer materials publish no RO tank capacity. The authoritative schema still requires this nullable key.
fit.pressureRangeThe manufacturer and OEM manual describe gravity-fed use but publish no numeric operating-pressure range for BB9-2.
fit.temperatureRangeThe OEM manual says to use cold or room-temperature water, not hot or boiling water, and not to freeze wet elements, but it provides no numeric temperature range.
fit.connectionSizeThe OEM manual illustrates the threaded stem, washer, and wing nut but gives no numeric connection size.
fit.requiresDrainThe manufacturer says no plumbing is required, but the reviewed sources do not separately state a drain requirement, so this boolean was not inferred.
cost.msrpThe current manufacturer page displays no MSRP, and the research did not reuse older hidden structured-price metadata as a current dated price.
cost.installThe OEM manual provides consumer installation steps, but neither it nor the current exact product pages assign the schema's DIY or plumber installation class.
cost.tenYearTotalUsdThe current $273.89 street price is known, but the manufacturer provides only a 6,000-gallon usage interval and says influent quality can shorten it; household consumption, the number of future pairs, future replacement prices, and installation cost are not established.
cost.wasteRatioThe manufacturer materials describe a gravity element and publish no reject-water or waste-to-product ratio.
cost.moneyBackGuaranteeThe manufacturer warranty and support-return pages were checked, but neither established a product-specific money-back guarantee for Black Berkey Elements.
install.difficultyThe OEM manual provides steps but no source-assigned easy, moderate, or hard difficulty rating, so one was not inferred.
install.estimatedHoursThe OEM manual and exact product pages provide no installation-time estimate.
comparisons.familyCertNoteThe exact live checks support no BB9-2 listing scope from which to derive an OEM-versus-compatible certification note; no listing found in the NSF, IAPMO R&T, and WQA directories as of 2026-09-09.
seo.verificationThis field is reserved for the independent verification loop and remains null during initial research.

Every source behind this page

  1. Brand officialaccessed: 2026-09-09
    https://www.berkeywater.com/black-berkey-elements/
    • The current manufacturer page retains SKU BB9-2 and describes the item as out of stock or of limited availability rather than discontinued.
    • The manufacturer recommends replacement every 3,000 gallons per element, or 6,000 gallons per set of two, with earlier replacement possible based on influent quality.
    • The manufacturer recommends replacement at 6,000 gallons per set of two and warns that influent quality can require earlier replacement.
    • The product page gives 3,000 gallons per element, 6,000 gallons per pair, and the earlier-replacement caveat.
    • The current manufacturer page describes the item as out of stock or of limited availability.
    • The manufacturer page described the product as out of stock or of limited availability.
  2. Retailer listingaccessed: 2026-09-09
    https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BWIWW1Y
    • The exact BB9-2 two-element ASIN displayed an in-stock third-party offer on the access date.
    • The exact BB9-2 ASIN lists product dimensions of 3 inches deep by 3 inches wide by 9 inches high.
    • The exact BB9-2 set-of-two ASIN displayed a one-time purchase offer of $273.89 from SAFECASTLE on the access date.
    • The exact BB9-2 listing states that no tools are required.
    • The exact listing's review summary characterizes water taste and installation feedback.
    • The exact listing's review summary characterizes mixed feedback on speed, life, value, and water flow.
    • The exact ASIN showed third-party stock on the access date.
    • The exact BB9-2 set-of-two ASIN showed a $273.89 third-party offer on the access date.
  3. Manufacturer datasheetaccessed: 2026-09-09
    https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0320/5880/2315/files/Berkey-Stainless-Systems-Instructions-V6_03-13-2024_updated_FPK_Print11x17.pdf?v=1773068770
    • The OEM stainless-system manual is explicitly for Big, Crown, Imperial, Royal, and Travel Berkey systems and identifies two Black Berkey Elements as system parts.
    • The OEM manual names the five stainless host systems, identifies Black Berkey Elements as their elements, and gives the softened-water and salt-water warning.
    • The OEM manual warns that softened water or salt water can clog the filter pores and void the warranty.
    • The OEM manual limits fills to cold or room-temperature water and instructs against hot or boiling water.
    • OEM instructions for priming, installing, checking, cleaning, and storing Black Berkey Elements in the five named stainless systems.
    • The OEM manual recommends maintenance every 30 days as needed and instructs users to scrub and re-prime elements when flow slows.
    • The OEM manual covers the five named stainless Berkey systems and identifies Black Berkey Elements as their elements.
  4. Brand officialaccessed: 2026-09-09
    https://support.berkeywater.com/about-tds-meters/
    • The manufacturer discusses Berkey systems equipped with authentic Black Berkey Elements in the context of tap-water sources.
    • The manufacturer says Berkey systems require no electricity.
  5. Brand officialaccessed: 2026-09-09
    https://www.berkeywater.com/warranty-info/
    • The manufacturer warranty page gives Black Berkey Elements a two-year limited prorated warranty calculated in six-month intervals from receipt by the original purchaser.
  6. Retailer listingaccessed: 2026-09-09
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWCw630MyhU
    • Rendered video page titled How to Prime the Black Berkey Elements from the Big Berkey Water Filters channel.
  7. Government agencyaccessed: 2026-09-09
    https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls?search_combined_fields=Berkey&field_rc_date_value=&field_rc_date_value_1=&field_rc_hazards_target_id=All&field_rc_recall_by_product_target_id=All&field_rc_manufactured_in_value=
    • A Berkey query in the CPSC Recalls and Product Safety Warnings portal returned no results on the access date.
    • The CPSC search portal returned no Berkey results on the access date.
  8. Unverifiedaccessed: 2026-09-09
    https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/60393003/farrell-v-new-millennium-concepts-ltd/
    • The federal docket mirror records the fraud action's filing date, fraud cause, transfer order, and Northern District of Texas case number.
    • The federal docket mirror records the fraud action against New Millennium Concepts and its transfer to the Northern District of Texas.
  9. Government agencyaccessed: 2026-09-09
    https://www.supremecourt.gov/search.aspx?filename=/docket/docketfiles/html/public/24-531.html
    • The official Supreme Court docket names New Millennium Concepts among the petitioners and records petition denial on 2024-12-16.
    • The official docket records denial of the petition on 2024-12-16.
  10. EPAaccessed: 2026-09-09
    https://yosemite.epa.gov/OA/RHC/EPAAdmin.nsf/Filings/966CE88BCF7F189D8525896B00796480/$File/FIFRA-08-2023-0017%20Berkey%20FIFRA%20SSURO%20Mt%20Mama%202023.pdf
    • The order names Mountain Mama Natural Foods as respondent and limits its operative prohibition to Black Berkey filter products under that respondent's ownership, control, or custody.
  11. NSF listingaccessed: 2026-09-09
    https://info.nsf.org/Certified/DWTU/Listings.asp?TradeName=Black%20Berkey%20Elements
    • The exact Black Berkey Elements NSF search returned No Matching Products Found; brand and model variants were also checked.
  12. IAPMO listingaccessed: 2026-09-09
    https://pld.iapmo.org/
    • Rendered IAPMO R&T searches for Berkey, BB9-2, Black Berkey Elements, and Black Berkey returned No data found.
  13. WQA listingaccessed: 2026-09-09
    https://find.wqa.org/find-products
    • Rendered WQA searches for Berkey, BB9-2, Black Berkey Elements, and Black Berkey returned No results.

Cite this page

TapWaterData Editorial. "Black Berkey Elements Review: Cost & Cert Check." TapWaterData, verified 2026-09-09. https://www.tapwaterdata.com/filters/brand/berkey/black-elements

TapWaterData is independent and not affiliated with NSF International, IAPMO, or WQA.

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