What’s stopping you from using a reusable water bottle? Worries that tap water isn’t safe to drink? The inconvenience of carrying around a clumsy bottle that doesn’t fit in your purse, briefcase, or cup holder? Concerns about BPA in plastic water bottles?
Planet Matters claims it tackles all three issues head on with its water filtration bottle. Big Green Purse intern Rachel Haas took at look at the product claims, compared it to similar bottles, and wrote this review.
What Is It? Planet Matters uses a unique water filtration system to provide clean water that is affordable, convenient, and safe to drink. In addition to reuseable water bottles, the company produces canteens, water pitchers, water pumps, water bags, emergency packs, in-line filters, and replacement filters.The reuseable products are designed to replace throwaway plastic water bottles. Throwaway plastic bottles have become the bane of the environment as well as our pocket books, given that they are made from scarce petroleum, do not biodegrade, and cost many times more than tap water.
The Product: Planet Matters uses an Ionic Absorption Micron Filter to remove up to 99.99% of the contaminants and pollutants found in fresh water—including giardia, cryptosporidium, DDT, and heavy metals like cadmium and lead. One 18-oz water filtrtion bottle can clean up to 50 gallons of water before the filter needs to be replaced. The bottle itself is BPA-free and made of #4 low density polyethylene, so it will not leach Bisphenol-A into your drink.
What I like: The bottle easily fits in your hand or in the cup holders in your car. If you are on the go, the hand strap is convenient to wear on your wrist or tie on your big green purse. The water flows through the cap easily and tastes great. Because it is so portable, I can drink filtered water anywhere at anytime. I also love the design—the green insulator sleeve on the bottle is attractive and makes it easy to grip.
What could improve: A cap on the bottle protects the items in my purse or bag from getting wet and keeps the bottle free of dirt and other contaminants. However, the bottle spout closes too easily—I had trouble consistently keeping it open when I was drinking water. A minor design improvement could fix this with no impact on performance, I’m sure. Also, it’s not clear that Planet Matters has set up a system to recycle its filters. Thanks to consumer demand led by Beth Terry at FakePlasticFish.com, consumers can recycle the filters they use in Brita water pitchers with Preserve, a company that turns them into toothbrushes, table ware, and kitchen appliances. Contact Planet Matters to encourage them to set up a similar filter recycling program.
Corporate Responsibility: Each month, Planet Matters donates 3% of its proceeds to Surfrider Foundation, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Doctors Without Borders, and the American Red Cross.
Product Comparison:
*Planet Matters’ filters adhere to the “strictest EPA, ANSI & NSF standard methods and protocol” says the company on its website.
*The Exstream Water Filter Bottle by Katadyn meets EPA standards for removal of Giardia and bacteria, according to the company website but does not have a cap to protect the tip from getting dirty. Some users struggle to squeeze water out of the bottle at times.
*The 22 oz. Bota of Boulder Outback Bottle Filter is comparable to the Planet Matters bottle – take a look for yourself.
*The Liv Pure Fit & Fresh Bottle with Filter appears to filter 50% of the chlorine in water; the company website is vague on the other filtration benefits the bottle offers.
* Water Geeks BPA-Free bottles will filter up to 80 gallons of water, remove 90% of chlorine, bad taste and odor, and “significant proportion” of lead and other heavy metals.
Price Comparison: The 22 oz. Bota of Boulder Outback Bottle Filter $19.99; it’s not clear how many gallons the bottle filters before you need to replace the filter. The 18 oz. Planet Matters Water Filtration Bottle costs $21.95 and filters up to 50 gallons, which is about $350 worth of bottled water. Water Geeks sells a 27 oz. bottle for $19.99 that may filter up to 80 gallons before needing replacement. Prices for the Liv Pure bottle were not listed on the site.
How Many Purses? Diane gives the Planet Matters Water Filtration Bottle two and a half purses. “I like this bottle a lot,” she says. “The filter is highly effective, the cap will keep my purse dry, and the strap makes it easy to carry around. Plus, I’m inspired by the founder’s own story of how she came to build her business. If the company makes it easy to recycle the water filters, I’ll happily change its two-and-a-half purse ranking to three.”
NOTE: If you don’t feel comfortable drinking out of plastic water bottles even if they’re reusable and made from BPA-free plastic, you can still use a Planet Matters Water Filter pitcher and reusable aluminum or stainless steel bottles.
10 thoughts on “Environmental In-Box: Planet Matters Water Filtration Bottle”
How To Get Fresh, Clean Purified Water Instantly When You Go Camping, Backpacking, Fishing or Hunting!
Clean, fresh drinking water is a key foundation to good health
Generations of health-conscious people around the world have recognized clean, fresh drinking water as a key foundation of a healthy life and healthy body. No amount of vitamins or supplements can substitute for the vital life-sustaining properties of nourishing, healthful drinking water. Along with nutritious food and clean air, clean water is truly essential to life.
Many water treatment systems don’t adequately remove pathogenic bacteria
Unfortunately, good tasting, sparkling, wholesome drinking water isn’t as common as it once was. Water is often laced with chlorine, lead, high levels of harmful bacteria, and other unwanted chemicals and contaminants that can threaten health and produce unpleasant tastes and odors. Even expensive bottled water can contain these same contaminants. Distillation deoxygenates water, creating a flat taste. Many water treatment systems don’t adequately remove pathogenic bacteria and many remove the beneficial minerals that your body needs.
Drinking water hazard
Large rivers may be polluted with sewage effluent, surface runoff, or industrial pollutants from sources far upstream. However even small streams, springs and wells may be contaminated by animal waste and pathogens. The presence of dead animals upstream is not uncommon. In most parts of the world, water may contain bacterial or protozoa contamination originating from human and animal waste or pathogens which use other organisms as an intermediate host. You will find this to be especially true when you go Camping, Backpacking, Fishing, Hunting, or on most forms of outdoor recreation. This makes having a lightweight, readily available and most of all, reliable source of drinking water not just a convenience, but a necessity.
What is needed is a Portable, lightweight Filtered system
A personal and portable system is one of the most invaluable lifesaving gadgets an outdoor traveler could have. These systems are ideal for Remote Areas of the World where water purification and electrical power are impracticable or unattainable.
Water filters are those appliances that seem to be steadily gaining in popularity. Water purification is such a popular discussion topic nowadays. People are becoming more and more aware of what they are ingesting. The demand for high-quality, portable water filters, purification systems and water purifiers with convenience and safety in mind is sorely needed.
We found such a portable, personal filtration system. In fact, as fast as you can squeeze the bottle it will filter the contaminants immediately. Watch short video demo and get more information here: http://www.bz9.com/portable-filtered-water-bottle
Great article. I myself do use reusable bottles with my tap water. It saves money and it really all tastes the same to me. It is possible that your tap water may not be 100% safe to drink so a lab test could be used to confirm its safety.
Thank you for the nice write up! We are tesed and certified to decontaminate water by the EPA,FDA, NSF,ANSI to standards 42&53 as well as in 17 countries including the U.K., Canada, Japan, Africa, and others. You can see how we compare to le likes od britta & pur by downloading ur easy to read chart from the home page, but I think you will find our upcoming utube video of me drinking sewer water with one of our bottles more compelling. Our advanced filter handles virus’ as well. We will be starting a recycling program next month although the bottle need never be replaced. If you send us back your bottle & or your filter we will give you a discount on your next purchase. We have also adjusted the nipple and as soon as current stock is exhausted that problem will be resolved. We have added a straw,stainless bottle, and shower heads w/ filters. What many don’t know is that large firms like Nestle are buying up water rights back east using that water( which SHoULD go to the people), for their bottled water products, & r bottling water instead. Leaving the locals High & Dry & w/o water. Or at least none that’s affordable. While a few have gotten rich selling their land to such corps. So while travel matters as far as clean water goes. Bottled water should be banned if I had my way.
A very common mistake is making price become your main factor in choosing whole house water softeners! It’s like a car – the shell and engine may come from the same factory but all the little parts make main difference in performance, longevity and price. http://www.isopurewater.com
Planet Matters Filtration Products blow the competition out of the water.
Yep all about reusable bottles. Its disgusting seeing families getting through hundreds of bottles each year, water filtration + reusable bottle is common sence, but people just don’t seem to get it, up to us to educate them!
These are fantastic bottles, and exactly what I’ve been looking for to add to our line up of sustainable water filter solutions.
We’re 100% for earth friendly, affordable and easy to use solutions that do what they promise!
Couldn’t agree more about the scammy water bottle industry. Check out our free webinar on Bottled Water Rip Offs and Scams on our homepage at http://waterfiltersystem.co
Not a big fan of having a plastic water bottle regardless of the fact it has no BPA. Best bet is to have a quality POU in home water filtration system and then use either a glass or stainless container to bottle your own.
Definitely sounds worth a look. Though I’m sure by this time they have an updated model out on the market for me to check out.
Pretty! This was a really wonderful article.
Thanks for providing these details.
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