Summary

The MSR MiniWorks EX Microfilter is the world’s best-selling portable microfilter, designed to provide you with clean drinking water wherever you are.  This product delivers excellent value for money among portable water microfilters. It’s easy to use and maintain, is an effective defense against bacteria and parasites, and leave a clean taste. Backpackers will also appreciate its light weight.

Users may have to purchase spare ceramic filters for long trips, however, as the Miniworks’ ceramic filter is not as tough as its body.  In addition, the filter on the Miniworks is not fine enough to stop certain viruses, hence, in areas where there is significant risk of viruses, you are advised to boil the water first or treat it with iodine tablets.

 

Product Snapshot

Amazon Price              $70.11

Amazon Ranking         

Sample Customer Reviews

Typical quotes from among the 40 customer reviews on Amazon include:

“Worth every penny!”

“Tremendous little tool”

“Outstanding water purifier with some well designed touches”

 

Features

The MSR MiniWorks EX is an essential and affordable tool for ensuring that you have access to clean water where the quality of water is not potable or suspect.

Having a filter pore size of 0.2 microns, the device can eliminate 99% of bacteria and almost 100% of parasites, particulates, and chemicals. Since it has no chemical additives, the resulting water does not have an aftertaste.

Weighing just a pound (486g), the filter is convenient and will not add too much weight. Due to its AirSpring Accumulator design, water flow at 1L per minute is faster than other similar microfilters.

Barring any accidental breaks of the ceramic filter and with regular cleaning, the Miniworks EX can filter up to around 2,000 liters of water before it will need replacement. The product does have a built-in indicator so users can know when it is time to buy a new cartridge.

The Miniworks MSR can easily be disassembled and reassembled to six parts: top pump/handle, plastic body, ceramic filter element, bottom cap, filter wear gauge, and the feed tube, which can snap into the handle for easy storage. The tube’s end also comes with a float so that it pumps water near the surface, instead of the dirtier bottom of a river or lake.

For efficient collection of filtered water, the bottom cap can be fitted into wide-mouth bottles such as the Nalgene Wide Mouth Cantene.

 

Tips for Using the MiniWorks EX

• It is highly recommend that you pre-filter your water before using it in the Miniworks. This actually proves helpful for any filtering device—from crude foams to more modern portable microfilters. Since the life of the filter depends largely on the amount of dirt it has sifted, it makes perfect sense to use something else, a piece of cloth or a coffee filter, to first screen out bigger particles.

• Related to the above is the value of carefully considering the quality of the source. Of course, there are times when people have limited options, but there are also times when a backpacker can choose between running river water and stagnant shallow pools. It would always be good to look before you leap (or pump, in this case).

• Also, since the MiniWorks EX cannot filter out viruses, people who may have doubts about their water source may need to take extra precautions. It would really be ideal if the device can filter up to 0.015 microns (like the Lifesaver Bottle 6000 Ultra Filtration Water Bottle) to ensure that all water-borne pathogens are removed from the water. Nevertheless, if the water source is far from sewerage systems or urban areas that are usually the home of deadly viruses, then one can have a fair level of peace of mind.

• When the pumping becomes more of an effort and less water is coming out of the tube, it may be time to scrub the filter. Most dealers ship this device with a compatible scrubbing pad, but it would be good to confirm this with suppliers. Too much scrubbing, though, may be a disadvantage. This makes the filter element thinner and more prone to break down.  A quick scrub (see image on right) will restore the pump to its full flow capacity.  If can avoid pumping water with any visible sediment or contaminants, you’ll find that you do not have to clean as often as you would otherwise.

• The ceramic filter is reasonably fragile and could accidentally break; accordingly, it would be wise to bring an extra ceramic filter. This is particularly true when a trip involves multiple individuals sharing the same filter.

• When storing away this filter for two days or longer, it is worthwhile to first dry it completely by hanging it in a mesh bag. This lengthens the life of the cartridge.

• Lastly, if the temperature suddenly drops below the freezing mark, crystals may form at the filter if the device is not totally dry.  When travelling in cold environments, ensure that the Microfilter stays as dry as possible at all times.

• Wide-mouth bottles or canteens like Nalgene work best with this MSR filter. Aside from being a more efficient collection of filtered water and preventing spills, it just makes things faster to pump directly into them. Nevertheless, smaller containers or water bladders can also be used since a rubber hose can also be attached to the outlet of this microfilter.

Pricing

I found that Amazon provides you with access to the lowest price online for the MSR MiniWorks EX Microfilter.  The lowest price will often be through one of Amazon’s sales partners, and this can be ordered through the Amazon sales cart.

Best Price Available on Amazon:     $70.11

Manufacturer Direct Price:                $89.95

Assessment

Filtering water is required when travelling in remote or unfamiliar outdoor settings.  It is also wise to filter in cities where the quality of tap water is doubtful or in cases of emergencies.  This can been the difference between you staying healthy or getting very sick, and why finding the right water filter or purifier is very important.

Pros

This filter weighs in at just around 17 oz, making it easy to transport.  It also leaves more room for other important survival or leisure items. As seasoned adventurers know, lighter load definitely means more enjoyable hikes.

There are various ways to obtain potable water from suspicious sources. Although the MiniWorks EX may not kill viruses like UV pens, it does filter out the majority of dangerous particles, parasites, and bacteria.  Also, unlike purifying tablets and UV pens, this microfilter delivers clear water. Users will not have to drink dead viruses together with the water. Neither will they have to put up with tea-colored water or the taste of chlorine.

This is a major strength of this filter. Unlike other filters that use chemicals and leave a weird aftertaste, the MiniWorks EX pumps water that tastes good enough. Of course this is not at the level of pristine mountain water, but what is important is that the water tastes like water. With the carbon core in its ceramic filter, the MSR Miniworks filter removes unpleasant taste and odor from organic chemicals. Many users have also testified that the water does not taste like plastic, even if some of the filter’s parts are made up of plastic.

This MSR model is also very easy to use and maintain. The no-brainer system of placing the inlet hose on the water source and pumping water out to a screwed bottle or water bladder is easy to understand and execute. Cleaning the device and pulling it apart for storage is straightforward also. Most buyers say they chose this filter because it is field serviceable. Cleaning and troubleshooting can be done in the field and without the need for other tools.

By utilizing the mechanical energy of each pump, water comes out naturally from the filter. Other similar devices require batteries or an energy supply to produce clean water, but the MiniWorks EX can be used with just bare hands.

Finally, the best thing about the MSR MiniWorks EX Microfilter is its reasonable price. Some filters with similar features can cost as much as twice or three times its price.

Cons

No device is perfect, and the MiniWorks EX has some drawbacks.

The major complaint against the MiniWorks is the fragility of its ceramic filter.  It is not as tough as a rock, but with proper maintenance and careful handling, it can work just fine.  If one is careful and a moderate user, the cartridge could actually last for years.

The second issue deals with viruses. While some water sources can be void of deadly viruses, water in harsh environments are cesspools of potentially deadly diseases.  In areas prone to water-borne viruses, you will want to using this microfilter in tandem with a UV pen or a chlorine tablet.

Some filters provide more water per pump than the MiniWorks EX. During instances that require a large supply of potable water, you may find that the Miniworks requires more pumping and more effort than you would like.

 

Alternatives

The Katadyn Pocket Water Microfilter is quite pricey at $320, but a lot of people swear by its durability. It also has the same filter pore size of 0.2 microns so it can also filter out bacteria and parasites. For intense assignments, this may be the more sensible option. It also has a silver impregnated filter to prevent microbial growth, especially during storage.

The Lifesaver Bottle 4000 Ultra Filtration Water Bottle or the LLifesaver Bottle 6000 Ultra Filtration Water Bottle are other options. These can run up to twice the price of the MSR MiniWorks EX microfilter, but they boast a filter pore size of 0.015 microns. This means that it can filter out even the smallest virus, something that the MSR is unable to. This new water filtering device is hailed even by government authorities and surpasses standards in water purity. Water can also be taken straight from the Lifesaver bottle. It can also be poured into other containers with bigger storage capacity. There are some complaints, however, about the taste of the water that comes out of the bottle.

When water is clear enough and not colored, UV water purifiers lik thee SteriPEN Handheld Water Purifier also comes in handy. When it comes to portability and size, this small gadget is the winner in water filtering. By using ultraviolet light to prevent water-borne organisms from reproducing, the SteriPEN virtually prevents infection.

 

Conclusion

With its highly affordable price, ease of use and maintenance, and the clean taste of the filtered water, the MSR MiniWorks EX Microfilter is highly recommended as a portable water microfilter.  It earns it rank as the world’s best-selling water microfilter honestly.