Portable water filters: do you need one?
DRAFT: This product guide, its products and prices is waiting for review. Figures and wording may change before launch.
For most homes, the first step is simply to store tap water: Be Ready advises 3 litres per person per day for drinking, for 3 days, plus more for cooking and washing. You do not need a filter for that. Portable filters are for times when you cannot get tap or bottled water, such as walking, camping or travel, and you should always follow the manufacturer's instructions. We have not tested any filters yet, so the picks below are placeholders.
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Our picks
Placeholder: personal water filter straw
Best for walking and travel
You may already own this. You may not need this: stored tap water and bottled water cover most situations at home.
- Tested in hand
- No, not yet. We have not used this product ourselves.
- Test notes
- DRAFT: Not yet tested. When it is in hand we will check how easy it is to use and clean by following the manufacturer's instructions, how clearly the instructions explain what it is designed for, and how easy it is to tell when it needs replacing. We will not lab-test water or make claims about what it removes.
- Good points
-
- Small and light to carry in a bag
- Simple idea with few parts
- Things to check
-
- Filters vary in what they are designed to remove, so read the manufacturer's wording
- Has a limited life, so check the manufacturer's guidance on replacing it
- Not a replacement for storing tap water at home
See Placeholder personal water filter straw at Amazon UK (affiliate link) Price when checked: £17.99 on 29 October 2026.
Placeholder: gravity water filter bag
Best for filtering larger amounts at a campsite
You may already own this. You may not need this: clean, stored tap water in bottles or containers is the simplest option at home.
- Tested in hand
- No, not yet. We have not used this product ourselves.
- Test notes
- DRAFT: Not yet tested. When it is in hand we will check how easy it is to set up, fill, hang and clean by following the manufacturer's instructions, and how easy replacement parts are to find. We will not lab-test water or make claims about what it removes.
- Good points
-
- Can fill several bottles without pumping or sucking
- Useful for groups or families when camping
- Things to check
-
- Needs somewhere to hang it
- More parts to clean and store
- Check the instructions for storage, including in cold weather
See Placeholder gravity water filter bag at Placeholder retailer (affiliate link) Price when checked: £45.00 on 29 October 2026.
People often search for a brand name such as LifeStraw when they mean any straw-style water filter. This page explains when a filter might be useful and when you do not need one. For most homes, stored tap water comes first.
What to look for
If you decide a portable filter is useful for you, for example for walking, camping or travel, look for:
- Clear instructions. The manufacturer should explain how to use, clean and store it, and what it is designed for. Read this before you buy.
- The manufacturer’s own wording on what it does. Filters vary. Only rely on what the manufacturer says, and follow their instructions exactly.
- How long it lasts. Filters have a limited life. Check how the manufacturer says you can tell when it needs replacing.
- Replacement parts. Check you can buy spare parts or replacement filters in the UK.
- The right size for you. A straw suits one person on the move. A larger gravity bag suits a group at a campsite.
- Storage. Some filters need care in cold weather or after use. Check the instructions.
What you probably already own
You probably already have what you need to store water at home:
- clean, empty drinks bottles with lids
- larger containers with lids that are clean and suitable for drinking water
- a fridge or a cool, dark cupboard to keep them in
Fill them from the tap, label them with the date, and swap them for fresh water every so often. If you prefer, you can buy bottled water instead. Buying is optional.
Our water calculator works out how much to store for your household, and our guide on how much water to store explains it in plain words.
How we will test
Nothing on this page has been tested yet. The picks above are placeholders, and we have not used any of these filters.
We will not lab-test water, and we will not make any claims about what a filter removes. That is for the manufacturer to state. When we have filters in hand, we plan to:
- follow the manufacturer’s instructions step by step and note anything unclear
- check how easy each filter is to set up, use and clean
- check how clearly the packaging and instructions explain what the filter is designed for
- check how easy it is to find replacement parts in the UK
- check how easy it is to pack and carry
We will date each test and only quote the manufacturer’s own wording. For more on what to keep at home, see our guide on what to put in an emergency kit.
Common questions
Do I need a water filter for my emergency kit at home?
Most homes do not. Be Ready advises bottled water for 3 days, 3 litres per person per day for drinking. Filling clean bottles from the tap is a simple, low-cost way to do this.
When is a portable filter useful?
When you cannot get tap or bottled water, such as on a long walk, a camping trip or some kinds of travel. Always follow the manufacturer's instructions.
Have you tested these filters?
Not yet. This is a draft page and nothing on it has been tested in hand. We will update it when we have looked at real products.
Related guides
Prices change often. We show the price and the date we last checked it. Read our editorial and testing policy to see how we choose products.