Physical water filters鈥攖he kind you pump water through鈥攁re popular because they鈥檙e reliable and easy to use. But they鈥檝e always had a major drawback: the inability to catch viruses, which is especially a problem if you travel overseas. They're so small they pass right through the filter mechanism. Purifiers, on the other hand, which do catch viruses, tend to clean water very slowly.聽 聽
The represents a quantum leap forward in the world of water filtration. For this new device, MSR developed a hollow fiber structure that鈥檚 ten-times smaller than previous iterations so that it catches viruses but still lets users clean a respectable 2.5 liters of water per-minute. The filter is also bombproof鈥攂uilt from a heavy-duty plastic that withstands 300 pounds of force.
We鈥檝e been testing a Guardian for months and think it鈥檚 hands-down the best filter on the market right now. It鈥檚 easy to use and robust. To make sure it functioned as promised, we filtered raw sewage waste, which was crawling with viruses. The result: shockingly clean, drinkable water.聽
Of course, you鈥檒l pay for this premium tech. The Guardian costs up to three times as much as other filters. But take heart that its self-cleaning system (it runs clean water back through the filter while you pump) gives the Guardian a 10,000+ liter lifespan, about twice as long as its competitors.
$350,听