As simple as a Brita pitcher is to use for filtering water, who has time to wait for gravity to do its work when you’re not at home? With a little downward force on your end, the Grayl cup will purify 500mL of water in just 15 seconds, making it better-tasting and safer to drink. It’s basically a french press that cleans your water, instead of turning it into brown sludge.
Using the Grayl is as simple as filling the outer container with water, and then slowly inserting the inner chamber which pushes the water through replaceable filters as it slides down. The $US20 everyday filter is good for about three months or 300 uses and removes 99.99 per cent of bacteria. But if you’re planning to fill up somewhere a little more risky, a $US40 purifier is also available that removes 99.999 per cent of bacteria, protozoa and viruses.
Formerly a crowdfunded project on Indiegogo, the Grayl successfully reached its funding goal and is now available to anyone, not just those who donated, for $US70 — which is pretty expensive for a 500mL container. But it’s one of those situations where if it saves you from buying a bottle of water every day, in the long run it makes financial sense. Plus, there’s the whole not getting incredibly sick thing should you fill up at the wrong tap. [The Grayl via Notcot]