MSR Miniworks EX Review

Reliability/Effectiveness
The MSR Miniworks EX is a workhorse filtration system. The ceramic filter with a carbon core is effective against bacteria, protozoa, and cysts as well as chemicals, herbicides, and pesticides. This ceramic filter is good for up to 2000 liters of treated water, which is more volume than any other system we reviewed. This makes this filer reliable for a greater length of time than any of the others.

Weight
Tipping the scales at 16 ounces, weight is the biggest downside to the Miniworks. It is the second heaviest filter, second to the clunky First Need XL. This makes it not the most ideal filter to carry with you on a backpacking trip. If you don't mind the weight, another filter of similar weight to check out is the Katadyn Vario.

Time Before Drinking
Since this filter is the hardest to physically pump, it took around 30 seconds longer (two minutes) to pump a full liter than any of the other filters, but still does not require a long wait like the chemical treatments.

Ease of Use
This filter is easy and intuitive to take apart and put together for maintenance wherever you are. It is field cleanable, and comes with an attached plastic disc for scraping the filter when it clogs.

The handle is beefy and thick, which is good for pumping, but it requires noticeably more force to pump than any of the other pump-filters.

Durability/Uses Before Maintenance
Ceramic filters last by far the longest of any other filter media. They may require frequent cleaning if they becomes clogged, but the filter itself will last longer than any of the other filters we reviewed.

Taste
The Miniworks filters out chemicals as well as pathogens, so it helps to improve the taste of water. It can even remove chlorine or iodine flavors if you treat with one of those methods beforehand to eliminate viruses.

Best Application
Because this is a heavy filter, it is not the thru-hiker's or ultra-light backpacker's choice. For other camping trips or shorter hikes, particularly for the frequent outdoor dweller, it is a reliable and economical choice. If you are purchasing a filtration system that you plan to use a lot and for a long time, this is the best choice.

Personal Stories
After polling other people who have used the Miniworks, we got this reply from a frequent camper and hiker, Andrew Reisert, who has owned this filter for around five years:

“It works like a champ. A tad heavy, and the ceramic filter can crack if it freezes overnight. Certain situations I've run into aren't so great though. Like on the Olympic Coast all the tannin in the water made me clean it between every liter or so. Also in the Yucky Kentucky, but then I also was pumping for two other people.“

Value
The MSR Miniworks is the best value for heavy use. At $89.95, it is average in price, costing less than the First Need XL or the SteriPEN. However, since the Miniworks has a ceramic filter it can filter for over 2000 liters of water before needing a replacement. Similarly priced filters such as the MSR Sweetwater and Katadyn Hiker Pro only treat 750 liters before needing a cartridge replacement, which usually costs around $40, or half the price of a whole new filter. New ceramic cartridges also cost around $40, but need to be replaced much less often. With the long-lasting Miniworks, you can treat the most water for the least amount of money.

Other Versions
MiniWorks® / WaterWorks® Maintenance Kit