According to the description, the barbed hose fittings are supposed to prevent leakage. Well, sadly, I learned the hard way that this is not the case. Water was leaking into the wort for who knows how long (although not initially) while I was gathering my fermenter and sanitizing my filter. This was not user error—hoses were clamped down with hose clamps as tight as they would go on the barb fittings and the water pressure was lowish. I do not recommend this product.