General Ecology First Need XL Water Purifier Review

Product Review: General Ecology First Need XL Water Purifier

Company: Amazon

Price Range: $100 - $150

Consumer Feedback: Read Amazon Consumer Reviews on the General Ecology First Need XL Water Purifier

Who Would Buy This: Those shopping for a user-friendly, high-speed, midrange water purifier for portable filtration.

Pros:

Technically, this water purifier is very well designed. The main housing features a Sealed Structured Matrix System Canister, which ensures that filtered water doesn't come into contact with contaminants to ensure a high standard of purification. A high-quality double action pump is at the heart of the pumping process. The pump is field serviceable so can be later fixed if any component fails.

The First Need XL Water Purifier removes a wide range of unwanted substances from water to give you safe drinking water. These include algae, bacteria, colors, cryptosporidia, foul tastes, giardia, herbicides, odors, organics, parasitic cysts, pesticides, sediment, and viruses.

The product comes with a self-cleaning pre-filter which has a 125 gallon capacity and can purify water at a flow rate of 1.8 qt a minute. The pre-filter comes with a 36" intake hose which clips easily on to standard water bottles. The ergonomic, palm-molded handle allows for comfortable operation of the filter so it isn't frustrating to use in an emergency situation. Alternatively, you can pump hands-free using the included gravity feed kit.

Cons: 

While the overall reality rate of this water filter is excellent, one consumer experienced the filter housing breaking which caused a tear in the tube. However, this is very rare occurrence.

Backpackers who like to travel very light may find its 16 oz weight a little too much over long distances.

Guarantee: 1-year warranty.

Summary

The General Ecology First Need XL Water Purifier isn’t going to win any awards for its looks, but it sure is an outstanding performer which reliably removes a wide range of impurities from untreated water at an impressive speed without the use of chemicals.

Whether you’re backpacking, hiking or in need of a reliable filter for your emergency preparedness kit, this is a great lightweight water filter to have with you.

Note- There is a newer version of this water purifier now available- the First Need XLE Elite. It features a cleanout port and an improved canister design which enhances its durability.