Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

First, yes this is a negative review, but a very serious one. I would also like to note that this is the 2nd Berkey Light system I have owned (I used to be a happy customer). I thought I was ordering the exact same product, but it has been changed and what they did was a complete design failure - specifically in relation to pathogen filtering which was one the primary reasons why I wanted to run our local water through it - it is not treated at all. I will explain more specifically in the review: The major difference between the model I received and the one I first owned is the top plastic container that you screw the filters into has 4 holes drilled into it, instead of 2 with my original system. The extra holes are there in case you want to buy 2 extra filters and add them to the unit. I don't plan to, I just wanted a unit that worked like my last one did. The two extra holes also weakens the plastic and the two filters I have dont sit straight up because the structural integrity of the plastic there is compromised and it bends inwards slightly & doesn't look as nice. Product improvement failure: -1 star. They give you two cheap rubber stoppers to plug the two extra holes. The two I got were coated in a very sticky substance, so much so that I could touch the top of them and it would stick to my finger so much I could pick them up. I washed them in soap a few times and thought I had done enough but they were still a little sticky. I did not expect the resulting water to pick up so much taste from these washers, but it has. The 'filtered water' has notes of a flavor I would best describe as diesel fuel. I know its not the source water because I have tasted it. As well, the first time I filled it, the water had great flavor. I was shocked the next day when I thought I was all set and took a nice sip of water and nearly spit it out. I guess, as the water sat on those washers overnight, it began to diffuse into it and soaked up the diesel flavor from the oil coating my stoppers. The resulting taste is not very appealing. Gross taste: -1 star. As for the failure in relation to pathogen reduction. The stoppers I have seem to have water leaking through them very slowly, but it leaks which is a major concern to me. I even pushed them in as much as I could and the unit is brand new. So, if it leaks in new condition, I can only expect it to go downhill from here over time. Any leak at all basically voids the usefulness of the pathogen filtering - the primary function I purchased it for: -1 star. The filters seem to be of a lesser quality level. The first unit I had, the filters had a nice, beveled top to them. The two I have were straight cut on the top and not evenly at that. As well, the outer membrane seemed different. It felt more like a basic charcoal than the filter before which had a finer outer membrane and a slightly different finish to it: -1 star. To top it all off, I had to import this to another country before finding this out. So I had already paid $75 extra to forward it to Costa Rica when I found out about this design flaw. So I have a filter system that cost over $300 that I am no where near happy with. I encourage Berkey to reach out to me to make this right (like sending me top container that actually corresponds to the product I purchased). I thought they made good products but what happened here is just a total mess. I guess you could say this purchase has left me with a bad taste in my mouth.. one that tastes distinctively like diesel fuel.