LifeStraw Family Gravity Water Purifier

Water Purification

Gravity-fed water purifier with a 0.02 micron hollow-fiber ultrafilter

The LifeStraw Family is a hanging gravity water purifier. You pour water into the top bucket, it runs down a hose through a hollow-fiber ultrafilter, and you open the tap at the bottom to fill a container. No pumping and no power.

Mike owns this one

Mike owns a LifeStraw Family gravity filter as part of his water setup.

Key specs (from LifeStraw)

• Ultrafilter pore size: 0.02 micron.
• Removes 99.999999% of bacteria, 99.999% of viruses, 99.999% of parasites, and 99.999% of microplastics, dirt and cloudiness.
• Meets NSF/ANSI P231 for reduction of viruses, bacteria and parasites.
• Filter life: up to 18,000 liters (4,755 gallons).
• Max flow: about 12 liters (3.1 gallons) per hour.
• Weight: about 1.17 lb. Hose about 39 inches; full length about 60 inches.
• Holds about 2 liters in the top at a time.

What it does not do

LifeStraw says the Family does not remove chlorine or fluoride. It is built for making questionable water microbiologically safe, not for changing taste or removing chemicals.

Who it is for

Households that want a no-power way to treat water from a rain barrel, creek, pond or a suspect tap during a boil water notice. It is light enough to keep in a bug out kit or vehicle.

Who should pick something else

If your water is already treated city water and you mainly want it to taste better, a countertop carbon gravity filter is a better fit. If you need to treat water on the move, one person at a time, a squeeze or pump filter is faster.

How it fits a prep plan

Stored water comes first, a filter second. Figure out how much water your family needs with our water storage calculator, then keep the LifeStraw Family as your way to make more when the stored supply runs low.

• Water storage calculator

Setup and care tips

• Hang it from a hook, tree or rack using rope through the four holes at the top.
• Pour in the clearest water you can; let muddy water settle first.
• The top is open by design, so set it up somewhere clean and sheltered.
• Follow the cleaning steps in LifeStraw's user manual to keep the flow up.

• Compare gravity filters head-to-head

Key Features

• Gravity-fed, no power
• 0.02 micron ultrafilter
• Up to 18,000 L (4,755 gal) per filter
• Max flow 12 L/hr

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