Question 1

Isn't German tap water strictly controlled anyway?

Accepted Answer

Yes - at the handover point to the water meter, it's among the most strictly regulated drinking water in the world. But that oversight legally stops there: everything in the plumbing beyond the meter is the property owner's responsibility, not the utility's.

Question 2

Does bottled water really contain microplastics?

Accepted Answer

Independent studies, including research from Columbia University and Rutgers University as well as Öko-Test, have found several hundred thousand micro- and nanoplastic particles per litre in water from plastic bottles. Reusable and glass bottles generally test lower than single-use PET, but none are guaranteed particle-free.

Question 3

Are there legal limits for every substance in drinking water?

Accepted Answer

No. Germany's drinking water regulation only covers a subset of possible substances. For many organic contaminants - exactly the ones activated carbon adsorbs - the Federal Environment Agency (Umweltbundesamt) only provides non-binding guidance values of around 0.1 mg/l per individual substance. Many of these substances are also unregulated in bottled mineral water. If you want to be on the safe side, filtering your own water is the more reliable choice than relying on patchy rules.

Question 4

Is the ceramic food-safe?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The ceramic was tested for lead and cadmium leaching under EU Regulation 1935/2004 for food-contact materials – both values were far below the permitted limits. Your filtered water only ever touches safe, food-grade material.

Question 5

How often do I need to replace the Elements Mix filter balls?

Accepted Answer

Every three months if you use your earthfilter regularly. Activated carbon and zeolite have a limited binding capacity - once it's used up, they stop reliably filtering chlorine, heavy metals, and pharmaceutical residues. The ceramic filter itself needs replacing far less often.

Question 6

Why are pharmaceutical residues only measured against "guidance values" rather than legal limits?

Accepted Answer

Because Germany's drinking water regulation doesn't yet set binding legal limits for this group of substances. The figures we cite are Health-Based Guidance Values (GOW) from Germany's Federal Environment Agency - well-founded recommendations, but not a legal requirement for water utilities.

Question 7

What are the Elements Mix filter balls?

Accepted Answer

The Elements Mix filter balls are small spheres of functional media that you add to the earthfilter alongside the ceramic filter. They're made of activated carbon (binds chlorine, odours, and organic contaminants), zeolite (binds heavy metals through ion exchange), and chlorine- and MPH/alkaline ceramic (further stabilise taste and pH). Together they handle the chemical filtration that the ceramic alone can't.

Question 8

How does the earthfilter work?

Accepted Answer

The earthfilter's main body is made of clay: the porous ceramic wall holds back particulate contaminants as water flows through. You also place the Elements Mix filter balls made of activated carbon, zeolite and alkaline minerals inside the filter - the activated carbon adsorbs chlorine and organic substances, the zeolite reduces heavy metals through ion exchange, and the alkaline media release minerals and buffer the pH. Colloidal silver in the ceramic adds an antimicrobial barrier against bacteria and parasites.

Question 9

How long can I use an earthfilter for?

Accepted Answer

Under normal water use, one earthfilter lasts around two years. As a rough guide: at about 2 to 3 litres of drinking water per person per day, a household of 2-3 people gets through roughly 6 litres a day - that's around 2,190 litres a year, or about 4,380 litres over two years. The reason for replacing it: the colloidal silver in the ceramic gradually washes out over time. After about two years (or that approximate water throughput), we can no longer reliably rule out a bacterial biofilm forming on the filter surface - which is why we recommend replacing it then.

Question 10

How often do I need to clean an earthfilter?

Accepted Answer

Every three to six months, as a rule. The easiest time to do it is right when you replace the Elements Mix filter balls: give the ceramic filter a quick scrub with the metal brush that comes with it. That reopens the fine pores, which can gradually clog over time, and noticeably improves the flow rate again.

Question 11

What do I do if the flow rate drops sharply?

Accepted Answer

That happens occasionally and isn't a cause for concern: the ceramic's fine pores can gradually clog over time. Just give the filter a quick clean with the metal brush that comes with it - the pores reopen and the flow rate returns to normal. This is usually needed about every three to six months.

Question 12

How do I use the earthfilter?

Accepted Answer

It's simple: place the earthfilter in the water dispenser, put the Elements Mix filter balls in the filter, pour water in at the top, and put the lid back on. Wait a moment for it to filter through. Just don't drink the first five batches of filtered water - use them to water your plants, for example, rather than pouring them away.

Question 13

Is it safe to use an earthfilter?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The earthfilter has been independently tested by Labor Dr. Pötsch - among other things for bacteria, parasites, heavy metals, microplastics, and pharmaceutical residues. Importantly, dangerous bacteria such as E. coli are filtered out 100%. The ceramic material itself has also been tested for substance leaching under EU food-contact law (EC Regulation 1935/2004), with results far below the permitted limits. You can view all lab reports in full on our homepage.

Question 14

How long does it take to filter water?

Accepted Answer

The earthfilter filters around one litre per hour. That means the 3-litre reservoir on top takes roughly three hours to filter through - perfect for topping up in the morning and evening. Because every filter is handmade, the flow rate can vary slightly, which is why we test each filter individually after production.

Question 15

How much capacity does an earthfilter hold?

Accepted Answer

As a complete filter system, the earthfilter holds almost 10 litres: 6.5 litres in the glass container below and 3 litres in the ceramic filter on top. You can top up the ceramic filter on top in the morning and evening, for example.

Question 16

What is the difference between the capacity of the water dispenser and that of the filter system?

Accepted Answer

The glass water dispenser on its own holds 15 litres - that is its pure container volume without a filter. As soon as you insert the ceramic filter, it takes up space inside, and the water in the lower container can only rise to the bottom edge of the ceramic filter. That is why the lower container holds 6.5 litres in operation rather than 15. Together with the 3 litres in the filter on top, this gives a system capacity of 9.5 litres. In short: 15 litres is the figure for the water dispenser as a container, 9.5 litres the figure for the earthfilter as a finished filter system.

Question 17

Does the earthfilter still work without the Elements Mix filter balls?

Accepted Answer

Yes, with some limitations: the ceramic filter alone still reliably filters out bacteria, parasites, sand and microplastics - a purely mechanical barrier that works without the balls. Chlorine, heavy metals and pharmaceutical residues, however, are dissolved at the molecular level in water and are only reliably removed with the additional Elements Mix filter balls. For full filtration performance, you should always use the balls too.

Question 18

Do I need the wooden legs?

Accepted Answer

The wooden legs are already included in the earthfilter set. You can also buy the water dispenser and filter separately without the wooden legs, if you'd prefer to position your earthfilter differently. The wooden legs raise the product to just the right height to fit a tall glass underneath - without them, it becomes difficult to draw water at all.

Question 19

Does the earthfilter remove microplastics?

Accepted Answer

Yes! In independent lab testing, the earthfilter retained 99.9998% of the microplastics tested (particle size 1 to 5,000 µm).

Question 20

Does the earthfilter remove pharmaceutical residues & hormones?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Lab testing showed reductions of between 80% and over 99% for selected pharmaceutical residues, depending on the substance - including painkillers, antibiotics, and anticonvulsants. The hormones estrone, 17β-estradiol, and 17α-ethinylestradiol (such as the one used in the contraceptive pill) were also removed at rates of 99% to 99.75%.

Question 21

Does the earthfilter remove heavy metals?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Lab testing showed reductions of between 87% and over 99% across 11 tested heavy metals and trace elements, depending on the substance - including lead, copper, chromium, and mercury.

Question 22

Does the earthfilter remove chlorine?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Lab testing showed a reduction of over 99% of free and bound chlorine. After filtering, the level was just 0.04-0.05 mg/l - far below the roughly 0.6 mg/l threshold at which chlorine becomes noticeable to taste. This matters especially if you're coming from - or spend time in - countries like France or the US: tap water there is typically chlorinated much more heavily than in Germany, which often shows up in the taste.

Question 23

Does the earthfilter remove bacteria?

Accepted Answer

Yes! In lab testing, the dangerous bacterium E. coli was removed 100% at every concentration tested.

Question 24

Does the earthfilter remove parasites?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Lab testing showed 100% retention of parasites such as Giardia lamblia, Cryptosporidium, and Entamoeba histolytica.

Question 25

What is the filter element made of?

Accepted Answer

The heart of your earthfilter is made of fired ceramic (clay). The fine-pored ceramic wall mechanically holds back particles as the water flows through. Colloidal silver is worked into the ceramic, adding an antimicrobial barrier against bacteria and parasites. The Elements Mix filter balls complete the system for chemical filtration.

Question 26

Does the filter remove beneficial minerals?

Accepted Answer

No. The ceramic filter mechanically removes particles like bacteria, parasites and microplastics - dissolved minerals such as calcium, magnesium and potassium stay in the water. In fact, the alkaline ceramic in the Elements Mix filter balls releases additional minerals instead of stripping them out.

Question 27

How does it preserve the natural minerals?

Accepted Answer

Ceramic filtration is purely mechanical: it only holds back particles and lets dissolved minerals pass through untouched. Unlike reverse osmosis or distillation, the earthfilter therefore removes nothing from your water. On the contrary: the alkaline balls in the Elements Mix enrich the water with important minerals such as calcium and magnesium during filtration.

Question 28

Do I need to remineralise the water?

Accepted Answer

No. Because the ceramic doesn't strip minerals from the water, there's nothing you need to add back. On the contrary: the alkaline balls in the Elements Mix even enrich your water with important minerals during filtration. So you can simply use your earthfilter with ordinary tap water - filtered and mineral-enhanced, without losing anything valuable.

Question 29

Do your filters alkalise the water?

Accepted Answer

Yes - the alkaline ceramic balls in our Elements Mix can gently alkalise the water and naturally stabilise its pH. The result is a softer, rounder taste and an extra boost of valuable minerals. It's a gentle, natural effect - no chemicals, just the power of minerals.

Question 30

Is each ceramic filter unique?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Every earthfilter is made by hand, so no two pieces are exactly alike. Subtle differences in shape, surface and glaze are a natural part of the firing process - they make your filter a true one-off with a character all of its own.

Question 31

Where is the ceramic filter made?

Accepted Answer

In Kenya - by our partner, the social enterprise ICChange. The filters are made there by hand using traditional craftsmanship, and with every earthfilter you support local jobs and community projects. So your filter combines handcrafted quality with real social impact.

Question 32

Why is my earthfilter leaking water?

Accepted Answer

In most cases the tap simply isn't tightened enough. Gently tighten the nut of the stainless steel tap from the inside - the dripping should stop afterwards. Please be careful not to overtighten the nut, as that can crack the glass. We do check the fit in our quality management, but if it still keeps dripping, just write to us at briefkasten@earthfilter.de - we'll take care of it.

Question 33

Why does the filtered water taste earthy or chalky at first?

Accepted Answer

Don't worry - this is completely normal and disappears after a few days at the latest. Your earthfilter is made of 100% natural materials: at the start, the water can therefore taste slightly earthy or chalky while the ceramic and the Elements Mix filter balls settle in. Just rinse the filter through a few times and the taste will fade on its own.

Frequently Asked Questions

Test reports

Why filter water at all?

Water filtration – how it works

What the earthfilter removes

Filter usage

Maintenance

The ceramic water filter

Troubleshooting