Yay or nay?
Discover what the internet is saying about LifeStraw.
Upgraded Reviews scanned the web to find out what real users are saying about LifeStraw.
See the highlights below and decide for yourself!
Table of contents
- ✅ Pros
- ❌ Cons
- ⚖️ Summaries
- 💸 Top Discount
✅ Pros
“It can filter up to 0.2-microns without needing a pump or batteries.”
“Its filtration capability is pretty good.”
“At only 2 oz / 56 g, the LifeStraw is one of the lightest water filters available.”
“It filters water immediately.”
“Even a muddy stream or stagnant puddle will give you fresh, clean drinking water with a LifeStraw, and it’s a very quick process.”
“The LifeStraw exceeds the U.S. EPA water filtration requirements for bacteria and parasites.”
“The best thing about the LifeStraw is its simplicity.”
“It’s lightweight.”
“The LifeStraw also comes with a neck lanyard.”
“The LifeStraw will filter out 99.99999% of pathogenic bacteria.”
“It filters 10000 litres (264 gallons).”
“The LifeStraw is durable, has no moving parts.”
“It is easy to use.”
“Water treatment is instantaneous.”
“LifeStraw uses a share of their profits to donate large community filters to villages in the developing world.”
“It removes 99.9999% of waterborne bacteria.”
“It filters up to 264 gallons (1000 liters) of contaminated water per manufacturer.”
“It can be stored and used periodically.”
“At $19.95 on Amazon the LifeStraw seems like a bargain.”
“The filter is easily removed from the cap and the carbon capsule is easy to replace.”
“It offers plenty of functionality.”
“At just 1.75 ounces and a narrow profile, it’s super duper easy to pack away and use for lightweight travel.”
“Its unique design sets it apart in a world of filtered pitchers, faucet adapters, and so on.”
“There’s not much needed for set-up.”
“They do have the most reasonable price out there.”
“It weighs only 2 ounces.”
“The carabiner is good quality and held by a sturdy nylon strap connected to the cap.”
“It works well and is easy to use.”
“LifeStraw meets standards set by the FDA.”
“It pours without dripping.”
“It is great for filtering out heavy metals and parasites.”
“The advantage of carrying a straw water filter like the LifeStraw is its simplicity.”
“Due to strong seals, it doesn’t leak.”
“It removes minimum 99.9999% of waterborne bacteria.”
“It makes your drinking water safe while remaining portable enough to go anywhere.”
“Anyone who can use a drinking straw can use a LifeStraw.”
“If money is your priority, the Lifestraw is hard to beat.”
“You can make your LifeStraw last longer by backflushing.”
“There’s really no maintenance to speak of, it’s pretty much taken care of by the design itself.”
“$14.75 is a fantastic price point if you compare it to other personal water filters currently on the market.”
“You can drink directly from the water source or fill up a container of water and be on your way.”
“There is no iodine or chlorine smell / after taste.”
“The filter is as simple as using a regular drinking straw.”
“It filters up to 1,000 gallons.”
“The LifeStraw costs $20 making it one of the most affordable water filters available.”
“In addition to a filter, it has tethered caps covering the mouthpiece and the bottom of the filter.”
“It is light weight.”
“The LifeStraw can deliver water at a good rate, fast enough to let you drink normally.”
“It is small and portable.”
“It does not leave a chemical after-taste.”
“Filter media of this size is effective against nearly all common bacteria and protozoa. As well as all suspended solids.”
“Using your LifeStraw is extremely straightforward.”
“The LifeStraw is built to work simply.”
“It offers protection from bacteria and parasites.”
“The LifeStraw is a good option if you’re looking to do shorter hikes.”
“The LifeStraw provides a lightweight, and compact filter option.”
“There is no way you’ll find anything easier to use than the LifeStraw.”
“It is BPA free and will filter about 264 gallons of water.”
“I like how there is a neck strap so that you can wear it and have it with you at all times once you find yourself in need.”
“At $20, it’s cheaper than many other filters.”
“The Lifestraw utilizes a hollow membrane filter which effectively strains out bacteria and protozoa, including Cryptosporidium.”
“It has a sturdy feel with a construction of durable BPA free plastic.”
“It is portable.”
“It is a good option as a backup water filter when backpacking or travel in places where water is not safe to drink.”
“It’s also relatively inexpensive.”
“It is lightweight and easy to pack.”
“I found the quality of the Lifestraw Go 2 to be very good.”
“This company gives back to people.”
💸 Top Current Discount
❌ Cons
“The worst thing about the LifeStraw is that it does not allow you to filter water and store it for later use.”
“You need a spare container to store water and make portable.”
“Straw needs to be primed.”
“You need to lie down flat to use.”
“Its capabilities are limited to personal on-the-go use.”
“Vestergaard does not mention a guarantee or warranty anywhere on their website.”
“We found the initial couple sips of water to have a slight chemical taste.”
“I do not think this is the best water filter bottle for use in Third World countries.”
“I found that despite regularly backflushing (and blowing through the filter was not always easy), I still experienced a noticeable drop in the flow rate.”
“It does not remove viruses.”
“You can’t use it to produce clean water for cooking – you can only drink directly from the mouthpiece.”
“This filter failed miserably in taste category.”
“There’s no way to filter and store clean filtered water between uses.”
“You have 30 days to return your straw if it’s damaged or defective.”
“It is incapable of handling chemical and viral contamination.”
“Cleaning out the filter does require a fairly strong amount of blowing pressure.”
“I do wish the LifeStraw had a cap for the mouthpiece, as well, to help protect it from general grubbiness.”
“I think it’s bizarrely overrated.”
“Competing products provide better filtration at a more cost-effective price.”
“It can not filter seawater.”
“It will not filter out heavy metals.”
“The LifeStraw does not filter dissolved salts, chemicals, minerals, viruses, heavy metals, or “tastes.””
“It doesn’t remove chloramine, arsenic or fluoride.”
“It only works at the water source.”
“It doesn’t have storage functionality.”
⚖️ Final Say
Read the summaries of what reviewers think about LifeStraw below.
“In the right situation, the LifeStraw would be amazing to have on hand, but I would not feel comfortable personally depending on this filter to be my only option for safe drinking water.”
“What ever you do, just make sure to remember that the Lifestraw can not handle chemicals in anyway. Nor can it adequately deal with viral contamination. This means that you should only really be using it in casual situations. For instance, outdoor recreation and activities like hiking. But not to treat severely polluted water. It is only to be used when you encounter water that you are 100% sure is not effected by viruses or chemicals.”
“If you want a water filter pitcher and you’ve decided that you must have one made of glass, then the LifeStraw Home is your best choice. I know of no other glass pitcher filter that removes as many different contaminants as this one does. Just keep in mind that there are a lot of contaminants that it doesn’t remove – like fluoride, arsenic, nitrite, nitrate, and chloramine. If those are of concern to you, you should probably choose another brand,”
“If you want to fill bottles with potable water get a Sawyer Mini, but if it’s drinking water you need the LifeStraw is very hard to beat. It’s tough, effective, affordable and extremely simple; every backpacker should carry one of these, and make sure to stash at least one per person in your bug-out bag or emergency preparedness kit. If you want to feel good about the purchase, LifeStraw uses a share of their profits to donate large community filters to villages in the developing world.”
“It’s endlessly portable, easy to carry around, intuitive to use, and simpler to maintain than the Sawyer Mini. Our only real complaint is that you can’t easily attach it to something you’d like to fill up with filtered water. In the end, we award the LifeStraw 4 out of 5 stars.”
“It’s certainly worth a look, but I can’t say it’s the best. Competing products provide better filtration at a more cost-effective price, while other devices handle viruses as well, which is what you’d want in developing countries.”
“Made of food-grade stainless steel, the LifeStraw meets standards set by the FDA. This water purification straw also comes with a steel cap ensuring added durability and weighs only 4.2 ounces. This is the perfect product to put in a disaster kit or to take on international travel.”
“I think the lifeStraw Go 2 is a well made, solid and unit that performs well. I cannot say how it will be after 500 litres of dirty water, but I think it will continue to work well.”
“The thing I like the best about the LifeStraw is how compact and lightweight it is. You can drink directly from the water source or fill up a container of water and be on your way. The container does not need to be a water bottle.”
“It feels good in the hand and having one in my backpack actually makes me feel empowered wherever I go. It also represent a new kind of highly portable point-of-use water filter that increase your personal resilience and preparedness in a powerful way, at relatively low cost. And I’m confident that we’ll see even more compact and improved “straw-type” water filters in the coming decade. One thing I anticipate in improved filters of this kind is an active carbon element that improve the taste of the water.”
“Unlike other water filters that filter the water into a common container, the LifeStraw is designed to be used as a personal filtration system. You can use it like a straw – just stick it into your water source and drink. Thus you have no need for carrying large containers of water. And even if you are in a situation where there are large water sources being offered, drinking from a public water source amongst folks who are sick, isn’t the best idea.”
“The Lifestraw Personal filtration system is suited for one person on-the-go use. It doesn’t have storage functionality, but water treatment is instantaneous. Sucking through the filter can be cumbersome, and there are better performers out there, but the low price is hard to beat. A great option for emergency use or short trips into the backcountry where water will be plentiful.”
“Despite the obvious benefits of the LifeStraw, there are some situations where it may not be the best solution. The LifeStraw does not filter dissolved salts, chemicals, minerals, viruses, heavy metals, or “tastes.” Many of these items are present in the water at a molecular level. Far smaller than the 0.2-micron filter media is capable of removing. With these types of contamination, you should consider other water purification options.”
“The Lifestraw Water Filter is a 2 oz water filter that’s easy to carry and intuitive to use, even if you don’t normally use a water filter. While it can be used to drink directly from a backcountry water source, it’s best used with a wide mouth bottle or open container to hold the water you want to filter and drink from. While its low weight and simplicity will be appealing for minimalist hikers, it’s not the best solution for backpacking because there’s no way to batch filter a quantity of water for later use. The LifeStraw is a better solution for home (emergency preparedness) or camping where there’s an abundance of water or containers to hold it, and you’re not on the move.”
“Despite its drawbacks, the LifeStraw’s low price, light weight, and simple functionality definitely give it practical applications.”