Review: Gentoo Glass Water Filter Jug (NX16W)
Written by: Gene Fitzgerald // Expert Fact-Checking: Buddhini Dolapihilla, MBSS // Last Updated: Nov 13, 2023
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The Gentoo Glass Water Filter Jug is an alkaline water filter pitcher featuring a six-stage filtration process.
The system has user-friendly features like the filter life indicator that tells you when to change old filter cartridges and its anti-slip base protection that keeps the pitcher steady and prevents it from falling off the countertop.
Let’s go into more detail and see if the Gentoo Glass Water Filter Jug is a smart purchase.
Contents
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Gentoo Glass Water Filter Jug (White) |
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| Price: | $$$ |
| Filter Process: | Sediment Filtration, Activated Carbon, KDF, Calcium Ionized Clay, AA, Energized Ceramic |
| Filter Life: | 120-160 Gallons |
| Storage Volume: | 6.3 Cups |
| Annual Cost: | ~$60 |
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Overall Rating: 3.0/5.0 ⓘRating based on filtration performance, filter life, price and yearly cost, NSF testing/certification, customer support, product warranty, our testing/experience, user feedback, and other factors.
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Gentoo Glass Water Filter Jug – All Specs
- Model: NX16W
- Annual Maintenance Cost: ~$60
- Filter Media/Process: Sediment Filtration, Activated Carbon, KDF, Calcium Ionized Clay, AA, Energized Ceramic
- Filtering Capacity: 120-160 gal or 3 Months
- Storage Volume: 6.3 Cups
- WxH: 7.9”x10.2”
- Weight: 2 lb.
Gentoo NX16W – Key Features
The Gentoo Glass Water Filter Jug not only provides alkaline drinking water, it also uses a borosilicate glass jug. The jug comes in two colors: white and grey white.
The Gentoo uses a 6-stage filtration process that works like this:
- Stage 1: A fine mesh pre-filters your water removing larger floating particles.
- Stage 2: Coconut shell activated carbon removes chlorine, chemicals, bacteria, and organic contaminants.
- Stage 3: KDF media traps some heavy metals and chlorine and prevents bacteria from growing in the system.
- Stage 4: Calcium ionized clay infuses the water with activated calcium ions making it mildly alkaline (between 8.0 and 8.5 pH). Activated alumina filters fluoride.
- Stage 5: Energized ceramic is claimed to disintegrate water molecules and aligns them in clusters so they’re easier to absorb. This stage also involves an infra-red stone (with electromagnetic waves of 4-14), which is said to energize the water by shaking, scattering, realigning, and breaking down water molecules. It’s supposed to change water molecules from 13-20 to 5-6 per cluster, so they’re more arranged and easier to absorb.
- Stage 6: A bottom mesh prevents particles from going into the filtered water.
Filter life is 120 to 160 gallons of water or 3 months, whichever comes first. We estimate $60 in annual replacement cost which is cheap.
Gentoo Glass Water Filter Pros
Most importantly, the Gentoo glass filter jug improves the taste and odor of your drinking water while also removing some harmful contaminants.
Besides, like other alkaline water pitchers, the Gentoo is claimed to improve your water’s hydrating properties. It says that the water produced will be easier to absorb and hydrate your body quicker and more effectively. And there are other health benefits that advocates associate with alkaline drinking water.
More pros are:
- The anti-slip base protector. It’ll sit steady the jug on your countertop and prevent it from falling off at the slightest nudge.
- The easy-grip handle and a pour-through lid allow you to dispense water easily.
- The replacement indicator on the lid alerts you whenever the filter is due for a change, usually every three months. It’ll cost you about $60 annually to replace the filter, which isn’t bad at all.
- Lastly, this Gentoo glass water filter contains no BPA, BPS, or Phthalate. That means it’s safe and won’t leach harmful chemicals into your water.
What Contaminants Are Being Removed?
This pitcher uses the right filter media to remove chlorine, organic chemicals, bacteria, certain heavy metals including lead, and fluoride.
Please note that there are no contaminant reduction rates provided by Gentoo.
The Gentoo NX16W – learn more on Amazon.com
Assembly and Filter Priming
The water filter jug is easy to use. You only need to soak it in water for a few minutes before your first use.
Please consider these instructions as a general guideline. Always make sure to check and follow your user manual before getting started.
Here are the exact steps:
- Take the filter and reservoir out of the jug.
- Put the filter in the jug and add water (make sure the water rises above the filter and leave it soaked for 15 minutes).
- Empty the jug and rinse the filter under running water.
- Place the filter and reservoir back in the pitcher.
- Fill the reservoir with water and allow it to filter. Discard the first 2 or 3 filtered pitchers.
- The pitcher is now ready for use!
The Package (Parts)
- Filter cartridge
- Water reservoir
- Borosilicate glass jug
Maintenance
As mentioned before, a filter replacement indicator makes maintenance much easier. It alerts you once the filter has expired and is no longer effective. The filter’s lifespan is pretty good too (3 months or 120-160 gallons), and it only costs $60 for yearly replacements. It’s safe to say that this system is easy to maintain.
Here’s how you replace the filter when due:
- Remove the system’s sleeve.
- Put the new filter inside the jug, add water, and leave for 15 minutes.
- Rinse the filter under a faucet, then return it and the sleeve to the pitcher.
- Add water to the jug sleeve and wait till it filters and the jug is empty.
- Repeat the last step twice or thrice.
- Enjoy your new filter.
And if you are planning to clean the jug, only do so by hand wash. The company recommends against washing in the dishwasher.
Manual
Here is a link to the official manual:
https://www.ecobud.com.au/ecobud/media/ecobud/gentoo_glass-user_guide.pdf
NSF and Other Certifications
The system has no NSF certifications.
Earlier Product Versions
To our knowledge, the Gentoo glass water jug has no earlier versions, either.
Gentoo Glass Cons
Well, it has cons. For one thing, its claims of alkaline water being healthier (extra hydration and all) are not backed by science. So, breaking down and micro-clustering water molecules? Maybe not much of a big deal, after all.
Also, and this is far more important in our opinion, there are no NSF certifications or testing to support contaminant reduction claims. Truth is, we have no idea how much of each contaminant is being removed; there are no reduction rates.
The system’s storage capacity isn’t impressive either. It’s only 6.3 cups, less than most people drink daily.
We checked customer reviews on Amazon, and it was a bit of a letdown. Many customers received broken or defective filter parts, and they weren’t happy about that.
The company also warns that air pockets may block the filter after a while. The solution is easy, though; place it under running water, tapping and shaking the filter firmly.
On top of all that, the filter comes at a pretty high price.
Gentoo NX16W Review: Our Verdict + Best for
We have an alkaline water filter pitcher with a glass jug. Nothing wrong about that. We also have activated carbon + KDF filter media which isn’t bad either. But we miss contaminant reduction rates based on NSF testing. We assume results wouldn’t be mind-blowing due to the use of additional filter media which means less room for what’s actually removing contamination. Also taking into account cost, we award 3.0 stars.
Our Rating in Detail:
- Filtration Performance: 3.0/5.0
- Filter Capacity (Life): 5.0/5.0
- Purchase Price: 4.0/5.0
- Annual Cost: 5.0/5.0
- Overall: 3.0/5.0
Comparison to Other Water Filter Pitchers
Let’s compare the Gentoo Glass Water Filter Jug to the Seychelle Gen 2 Dual pH20 Water Filter Pitcher (an alkaline pitcher) and the Clearly Filtered Pitcher (not an alkaline pitcher).
Clearly Filtered |
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| Price: | $$$ |
| Filter Process: | Carbon + Composite Shell |
| Filter Capacity: | 100 gal |
| Total Storage Volume: | 17 Cups |
| Annually: | ~$150 |
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Overall Rating: 5.0/5.0 ⓘRating based on filtration performance, filter life, price and yearly cost, NSF testing/certification, customer support, product warranty, our testing/experience, user feedback, and other factors.
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Seychelle Gen 2 Dual pH2O |
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| Price: | $$$ |
| Filter Process: | Activated Carbon, Ion Exchange, Mineralization |
| Filter Capacity: | 150 gal |
| Storage Volume: | 8 Cups |
| Annually: | ~$120-180 |
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Overall Rating: 4.5/5.0 ⓘRating based on filtration performance, filter life, price and yearly cost, NSF testing/certification, customer support, product warranty, our testing/experience, user feedback, and other factors.
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Gentoo Glass (White) |
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| Price: | $$$ |
| Filter Process: | Sediment Filtration, Activated Carbon, KDF, Calcium Ionized Clay, AA, Energized Ceramic |
| Filter Capacity: | 120-160 gal |
| Storage Volume: | 6.3 Cups |
| Annually: | ~$60 |
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Overall Rating: 3.0/5.0 ⓘRating based on filtration performance, filter life, price and yearly cost, NSF testing/certification, customer support, product warranty, our testing/experience, user feedback, and other factors.
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The Seychelle Gen 2 Dual pH20 mineralizes water and increases its alkalinity to about 9.5. It removes contaminants using ion exchange resin and activated carbon media, and it has been independently tested against NSF standards 42 and 53 – something the Gentoo Glass Water Filter Jug lacks. Reduction rates are available on the Seychelle website, and we find them quite impressive:
- 90.91% chlorine
- ~99.8% of dozens of VOCs
- ~98-99% PFOA and PFOS
- about 90% arsenic
- 95-96% chromium
- about 95% aluminum
- 93.5-96% lead
- 97.7% nitrate
- 85.5% nitrite
- 98.6% fluoride
The Seychelle Gen 2 Dual pH20 Water Filter Pitcher is also easy to maintain. Its filter lifespan is 150 gallons, which is great. The system is BPA-free, and its cartridges are USA-made. On the flip side, it has a short 90-day warranty and a low 8-cup (or 64 oz) storage capacity. It’s more expensive to maintain than the Gentoo pitcher, costing about $120 to $180 per year. We also found complaints that the filter cartridges clogged after a short time.
Next is the Clearly Filtered Pitcher. The Clearly Filtered Pitcher is not an alkaline pitcher, but let’s still see how Gentoo stacks up against it.
Clearly Filtered is a premium model with third-party testing against NSF standards 42, 53, and 401. It has the most detailed testing we’ve ever seen with a pitcher, with outstanding reduction rates for over 300 contaminants — way more powerful than the Gentoo. It uses activated carbon and various proprietary media to remove chlorine, lead, fluoride, pesticides, VOCs, radiologicals, chloramine, DBPs, chromium-6, arsenic, pharmaceuticals, PFAS, semi-volatile compounds, and many more.
The system has a 100-gallon (or 4-month) filter lifespan. It has a total storage capacity of 17 cups and 10 cups of filtered volume, which is more than the Gentoo. The system is BPA-free, USA-made, with a limited lifetime warranty and a 30-day guarantee. It also uses a detachable lid, which makes refilling much easier. On the downside, it is expensive and does not produce alkaline water.
Our verdict: The Clearly Filtered Pitcher is the best for removing multiple water contaminants. Seychelle comes next, and it’s also our favorite alkaline filter pitcher. We wouldn’t recommend the Gentoo pitcher over these two.
More Reviews:
This completes our review of the Gentoo NX16W Glass Water Filter Jug. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below!
About the Author Gene Fitzgerald
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