I jut bought this filter and tried it out in my kitchen. The instruction manual says I can expect a flow rate of 1 liter/minute at 70-80 stokes per minute. However, I'm only getting about 80ml per minute. Is this common?

The ceramic filter is meant to be cleaned from time to time with a Scotch-Brite pad to restore performance. Does the performance improve over time as the ceramic element is worn down by cleaning? Thanks.

I used the MSR Miniworks for awhile. With use it will slow down from getting dirty. The flow rate will not improve from being used more.

If you are getting only 80ml per minute, something is not right. 1L = 1000ml...

I never really timed how much water I could filter in a minute, right after a cleaning it would go fairly fast. When it needed to be cleaned... it was quite slow.

Should be able to fill a 1L bottle though in 2-3 minutes with average effort

Not sure, did you mean 800ml?

Yes, thanks, I meant to type 800ml

That flow rate doesn't sound too bad to me. I've honestly never timed mine. Rate my increase as the ceramic element is worn down since there'd theoretically be less resistance, but I don't think it would have a significant effect.

I would suggest using part of a coffee filter as a pre-filter for your MiniWorks. It'll prevent it from clogging as quickly as it might otherwise.

Make sure the intake tube is not kinked at all.. That brings the unit to a seeming dead stop.

You also get much faster fill rates if you pump slowly. Pumping too fast is self defeating. You have to let the intake reservoir fill. I usually fill one liter with sixty strokes in one minute. An old timer (older than me ) taught me that with the Mini Works to count one onethousand two one thousand etc.

It depends on the lake you're on as well, mine will need cleaning much more frequently on stained lakes like LLC. I usually clean it after every 4 liters. Using it on the clearer lakes got us a lot more use per cleaning. Even despite the extra maintenance effort I think this is a bulletproof filter.

I used this filter for years and it worked great when it was clean. I agree with slow pumps are better than fast. In addition, you might want to turn it upside down while pumping to ensure that there is no air in the pump. It usually just takes a couple of pumps to clear the air and increases the flow rate.

Mine worked but was also slow except immediately after cleaning, ditched it for a Platypus Gravity filter and will never turn back, the pump isn't even all that light compared to the Platy gravity kit, they pack about the same.

My miniworks just turned 22 years old. Still works fine! I don't know if the newer ones are lacking in the quality of antiques like mine.

I have had mine for 10 years. I love it. It will slow down and need to be cleaned. If in the BWCA, trying pumping water away from shore, less debris and such to clog the filter. I sold these when I worked at Cabelas. It clogging means its doing its job !!!!!

quote Ragged: "Mine worked but was also slow except immediately after cleaning, ditched it for a Platypus Gravity filter and will never turn back, the pump isn't even all that light compared to the Platy gravity kit, they pack about the same."

I just got a gravity filter this summer, I brought the MSR along in May for an 8 day trip as a backup... Didn't need it. Still keep bringing it "just in case" or under the mindset that it'll be faster to bust out the MiniWorks at a portage if I need some quick water.

That being said, it's easy to plan ahead and if you have 2 nalgenes you should be good. It's easy to set up the gravity filter for H2O if youve stopped somewhere for lunch.

I would never take a gravity filter along unless I know the maps I use are up to date. So that pretty much means in the BWCA you would be fine with one.

In Wabakimi some years ago the most current map was over 50 years old and the promised lake was a bog. We could punch a hole through and stuff the MiniWorks hose down. This was the days before gravity filters but I can't begin to fathom how we would have gotten water out of a bog with one.