With Phoenix elements, NSF International certifies the Travel Berkey for chlorine, taste and odor. It holds 1.5 gallons and needs no power or plumbing.
The catch: The Travel Berkey on Amazon ships with uncertified Black Berkey elements, so you need to buy Phoenix elements separately.
Need the system too? Travel Berkey on Amazon (ships with Black Berkey elements)
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Our verdict
The Travel Berkey is the smallest full Berkey system: a 1.5-gallon stainless gravity filter that nests for transport and suits one to three people, an RV or a small kitchen. Like the Big Berkey, it needs no electricity, plumbing or water pressure.
NSF International certifies the Travel Berkey only when it’s fitted with Phoenix Gravity New Millennium Edition elements, for chlorine, taste and odor. The catch for buyers is that the Travel Berkey listing on Amazon still ships with Black Berkey elements, which aren’t certified and are under an EPA stop-sale order. To get the certified version, buy a pair of Phoenix elements; that’s what our main button links to.
You want a portable, power-free filter for travel, an RV or emergencies, and you’ll fit Phoenix elements.
How it scored
Contaminant reduction carries the most weight in the overall score. How we score filters
What it removes
With Phoenix elements. Only the first row is certified; the rest are results from lab reports Berkey publishes.
| Contaminant | With Phoenix elements | Verification |
|---|---|---|
| Chlorine, taste and odorNSF/ANSI 42 | Reduced | Certified by NSF International |
| Lead | 99.9%+ | RaYnu Lab test, start of filter life only |
| PFOA / PFOS | Non-detect to 1,500 L | RaYnu Lab test, not certified |
| Mercury, cadmium, copper, chromium | 97 to 99.9%+ | Atom Testing Lab test, not certified |
| Nitrate | 99% | Atom Testing Lab test, not certified |
| Fluoride | 75.5% | Lab test; not enough to count |
| Bacteria, viruses | Not claimed for Phoenix | Not a purifier; see below |
NSF International lists the Big, Royal and Travel Berkey with Phoenix Gravity New Millennium Edition elements (PGF9-2) under NSF/ANSI 42, for chlorine reduction and taste and odor reduction, with a 1,050-gallon service cycle. Lab results are from Berkey’s published reports: RaYnu Analytical and Research Lab (ISO/IEC 17025 accredited, Bangalore) and Atom Testing Lab. The lead result was taken at the start of the filter’s life, not across its rated capacity. A 75.5% fluoride result is below the NSF/ANSI 58 pass level, so we don’t count it.
What it costs to run
The Travel Berkey uses two elements. Berkey rates a Phoenix pair for 5,500 gallons; NSF International’s certified service cycle is 1,050 gallons. At about $120 a pair on Amazon as we write, that’s about $0.02 a gallon at Berkey’s rating, or about $0.11 a gallon at the certified cycle.
Black Berkey elements and the EPA
For years Berkey systems shipped with Black Berkey elements. Those aren’t certified by NSF International, IAPMO R&T or WQA. Berkey published lab tests instead; its lead test, run by Envirotek Laboratories, covered 200 gallons.
In December 2022 and May 2023 the EPA issued stop-sale orders to Berkey sellers. The EPA classed Black Berkey elements as unregistered pesticides, because they contain silver and were sold with claims against bacteria and viruses. Berkey challenged the orders in court and lost: on 18 September 2026 the US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit upheld the refusal to block them. The orders remain in force.
Berkey’s answer is the Phoenix Gravity New Millennium Edition element, made in India. It’s the version NSF International certifies, and it’s the version this review covers. Berkey doesn’t sell either element to California or Iowa residents, under its own sales policy.
Pros and cons
Strengths
- Portable, nests for transport
- No power, plumbing or water pressure needed
- Certified for chlorine, taste and odor with Phoenix elements
- Lab-tested for lead and PFOA/PFOS by a named lab
What to know
- Amazon’s system listing ships with uncertified Black Berkey elements
- Only chlorine, taste and odor are certified
- Small chamber means frequent refills
- Not sold in California or Iowa
What owners say
Owners like how portable it is and the taste. Complaints are mostly about priming and refilling.
Often praised
- Easy to take camping or in an RV
- Clean taste
- Sturdy stainless build
Common complaints
- Priming the elements is fiddly
- Frequent refills for a family
- Confusion over genuine versus fake elements
Recurring themes across verified buyer reviews.
Specifications
- Model
- Travel Berkey
- Certified elements
- Phoenix Gravity New Millennium Edition PGF9-2
- Certifier
- NSF International
- Certified to
- NSF/ANSI 42 (chlorine, taste and odor)
- Capacity
- 1.5 gal
- Size
- About 18 in tall, 7.5 in wide
- Element life
- 5,500 gal per pair (Berkey); 1,050 gal certified cycle
- Sized for
- 1 to 3 people (Berkey)
Alternatives worth considering
Big Berkey with Phoenix elements
PUR PLUS Pitcher
AquaTru Carafe
Common questions
Is the Travel Berkey NSF certified?
Only with Phoenix elements: NSF International certifies it to NSF/ANSI 42 for chlorine, taste and odor. With Black Berkey elements, which the Amazon listing ships with, it isn’t certified.
Travel Berkey or Big Berkey?
The Travel Berkey holds 1.5 gallons and suits one to three people or travel. The Big Berkey holds 2.25 gallons and is sold on Amazon with Phoenix elements already included.
Does it remove lead or PFAS?
Berkey’s published lab tests for Phoenix elements show lead and PFOA/PFOS reduced, but neither is certified. See our lead guide and PFAS guide.
Is it good for camping?
It’s portable and needs no power, which suits camping and RVs. It isn’t a certified purifier, and Phoenix elements aren’t claimed for bacteria or viruses, so treat untrusted water first.
The bottom line
The Travel Berkey is the portable Berkey, and with Phoenix elements it’s certified for chlorine, taste and odor. Buy the Phoenix pair to get that version; the Amazon system listing comes with uncertified Black Berkey elements. For more capacity, the Big Berkey comes with Phoenix elements included. Compare options in our gravity filter guide.
- Certifier listings: NSF International, NSF/ANSI 42, New Millennium Concepts Ltd: Travel, Big and Royal Berkey with Phoenix PGF9-2 elements, chlorine and taste and odor, 1,050-gallon service cycle.
- Also searched: IAPMO R&T (New Millennium Concepts) and WQA (Berkey, New Millennium Concepts): no listings. NSF International: no listing for Black Berkey elements.
- Maker documents: Berkey's Phoenix element page, Travel Berkey page, Black Berkey test results page and its California and Iowa sales policy.
- Independent lab tests: RaYnu Lab (ISO/IEC 17025), PGF9-2: lead, metals and VOCs (Sept 2025), PFOA/PFOS to 1,500 L (Oct 2025); Atom Testing Lab, PGF9-2: metals, nitrate, fluoride (2026).
- Regulatory records: EPA stop-sale orders FIFRA-08-2023-0011 and FIFRA-08-2023-0038; US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, No. 24-1917 (18 September 2026).
Sources
Prices as of October 14, 2026. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.