Converting tap water to pure water is not small thing, especially these days when purifier systems have become so expensive and normal tap water is no longer safe. This is exactly why reasonably priced reverse osmosis system work where other high-end or even low-end equipment does not.
They also bring added benefits and quality to your health along with convenience. Readily available online, reverse osmosis system are open to customers all over the world.
We are now going to explore all these fields to find the best reverse osmosis system for your home.
# What Is Reverse Osmosis System & Why Is It Important?
Essentially a water filtration system, it is not a groundbreaking discovery. The osmosis process found in Nature could certainly have been around long before human beings evolved on the planet. Modern versions ingeniously found a use for reverse osmosis. These take the form of pump-driven high-pressure desalination systems that have been used for years to convert seawater or brackish water to potable water.
- There is no great confusion or complexity to reverse osmosis. It is as simple as they come.
- Do not look at all the filters and multi-colour tubing and assume the system is best left to scientists.
- Residential reverse osmosis system can indeed work for you. Their importance is quite high. Imagine taking bad water and making them drinkable again.
- This dream is made possible thanks to these quality systems that sell online for an affordable price.
- RO is important in that it can save you time and energy in boiling water and making it potable.
- It is also important because with all the harmful substances we share space with everyday, these systems clean up a major source of good health, namely the water supply. Needless to say how important this is for children.
# How Does Reverse Osmosis Work?
- Tap water carries all sorts of negative substances that are removed by the membranous and filtration layers in Reverse Osmosis system.
- Negative substances include: turbid water, pyrogens, dissolved solids, bacteria, industrial wastes, cadmium, pesticides, colloidal matter, viruses, hydrocarbons, radioactive contaminants, sulphates, chlorine, asbestos, detergents, and sodium; these are just a few that we know of.
- All these impurities are drained and fresh water passes into the RO system and to the holding tank, ready to drink.
- Household water pressure pressing water against and into a semi-permeable membrane is how the core process works. The membrane is only as thick as cellophane tape and is designed to let in only the water and none of the contaminants, if these pollutants are larger than .001 microns, they will not pass through.
- Reverse Osmosis system do not need large amounts of energy or electricity to perform this simple action. Not only is an RO system convenient and easy to clean, it also improves the odour, appearance and taste of water. This means water quality is heightened, the chlorine taste is removed and most RO systems re-introduce the calcium and magnesium removed during the membrane-transition process. All pollutants mentioned above are conveniently flushed away. A business minded person can consider the water’s production cost value and see that they are getting excellent water for pennies per gallon.
# Uses for Reverse Osmosis?
Waste-water treatment is a great example. All across the world, waste-water treatment plants use reverse osmosis to treat the water we use every day. When we flush a toilet, take a shower or wash dishes, the water we use becomes contaminated by a variety of substances. If we’re connected to a city sewer system, that water flows through a network of pipes to a treatment plant, where reverse osmosis is used to purify it. This water is not suitable for drinking (although scientists are working on ways to make it possible), but it is safe to use for watering crops, and it’s also clean enough to flow into rivers, groundwater and lakes without contributing to pollution.
Desalinization is another way reverse osmosis can help to protect the planet. Water shortages are a big concern these days, and many countries are so drought-ridden that people are dying in staggering numbers. For many years, scientists have sought out a method to turn seawater into drinkable water, and reverse osmosis is that method. Thousands of plants desalinate (remove the salt) from seawater every day, and hopefully in time this will reduce or eliminate global water shortages.
Closer to home, reverse osmosis is used to purify drinking water. In many areas, tap water is unsafe or simply unappealing to drink. It might have an off-putting taste or smell. Reverse osmosis filters out contaminants, creating pure, clean water from tap water. This can be done in a large factory to produce water coolers for office buildings, and it can also be done in home filters.
# A Modern Miracle of Science
When you think about its potential, reverse osmosis really is miraculous. Currently, it gives us safe, fresh, clean-tasting drinking water. Globally, within just a few years, it has the potential to end a great deal of suffering and drastically reduce our impact on the environment.
# Best Reverse Osmosis System in 2018
A huge number of brands is available, making the selection a critical one. This guide discusses certain top ranking filters, based on user's reviews.
1. APEC Essence Ultra Safe (ROES-50)
The APEC Essence Ultra Safe Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water Filter System (ROES-50) is 100% authentic machine that is built in the USA with US based manufacturers and US-based technical support team.
It removes rust, dust particles and almost 99% contaminants which include arsenic, barium, cadmium, chromium, fluoride, copper, lead, radium (226/228) and many more in tap water and well water.
This filtration system is also guaranteed to be noise-free and trouble-free that is dependable, long-lasting and is pure drinking water because it is WQA certified.
Pros
- Provides unlimited clean water with a refreshing crisp taste even when left overnight.
- Removes any harmful contaminants, bacteria, heavy metal, virus, arsenic, fluoride, lead chlorine and many other more.
- It has high quality Quick Connect fittings that will secure it in its place and is very convenient.
- It comes with a chrome faucet that’s 100% lead-free with a NSF & FDA certified JG Food grade tubing.
- The installation process is clear, very easy to understand and can be done by anyone.
Cons
- Some of the customers didn’t receive the complete package of the filtration system and the quality control for some products were poor.
2. APEC Water – Top Tier (ULTIMATE RO-90)
The APEC Top Tier Supreme Certified High Flow 90 GPD Ultra Safe Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water Filter System (ULTIMATE RO-90) water filtration system has the highest grade of 5-stage ultra-pure system that’s 100% US made. Its filters are NSF certified that guarantees your every water is safe and healthy.
It’s also WQA Gold Seal certified because it removes 99% contaminants that includes arsenic, lead, heavy metals, chlorine, fluoride, bacteria and many other more.
This water filter system is equipped with super capacity filters that lasts longer compared to other brands. Best of all, it’s noise-free when it filters and collects your drinking water.
Pros
- It has an easy do-it-yourself installation and maintenance.
- It’s 2x more production rate of collecting and filtering water compared to other brands.
- It filters 99% contaminants and provides high quality water.
- It has JG Quick Connect fittings that make it super convenient and secure.
- It comes with 100% chrome faucet that’s NSF and FDA certified JG food grade tubing.
Cons
- The shutoff valve may sometimes fail when you replace the water filters.
- If you’re not good at handcrafting, you may need some help when installing this filtration system.
3. APEC Top Tier Alkaline Mineral Ph+ (ESSENCE ROES-PH75)
The APEC ROES-PH75 from APEC Water Systems is a ground-breaking, 100% US-made, NSF certified reverse osmosis drinking water system that redefines the way you drink water.
The cartridge guarantees a proven safe pH enrichment so you can you can relish ultra-pure, great tasting water with improved alkalinity fortified with calcium minerals.
Up to 99% of viruses, bacteria, organics, cysts, chemicals, etc. are removed by the 75 GPD 6-stage system. Now you can have an unlimited supply of drinking water produced by the first-class, high quality filters.
The APEC ROES-PH75 is truly a seamless, high performance system under a top rated US brand, also popular for their excellent support and warranty.
Pros
- It uses cartridge filter that re-mineralizes your tap and well water and give out 100% US-made high-purity calcium carbonate. It efficiently gives higher pH in your water for those people who would like to have alkaline water.
- All the parts of this filtration system are purely made in a California facility in USA.
- For your filters to have a longer life this product has large capacity block filters and it has a higher chance to remove 99% of all the contaminants.
- Maintenance of the system is easy to do.
Cons
- The instruction manual is a bit confusing that’s why it can be very hard to install.
- The filtration process takes a long time so people are disappointed how much time it needs in order to collect a gallon of water.
4. Home Master TMAFC Artesian Full Contact
This system is capable of removing chemicals, especially chlorine, up to 98% from the water. Also, it eliminates dissolved salts and filters out other contaminants. Compared to traditional filters, Home Master equips larger tubes and fittings, ensuring improved flow rate of water. The system mineralizes water twice, simultaneously adding calcium and magnesium optimally. The system has seven stages of treatment, due to which the quality of output water stands out. The filter life is 2500 gallons.
Most of the customers on Amazon have perceived the product, the overall rating being 4.8 out of 5 stars. 89% of the 198 reviews bear full rating.
Considering the exceptionally good quality of output water and its strong features, this could be one of the Best Reverse Osmosis System.
Pros
- The filters are rugged
- Has 7 stages of water treatment
- Removes 98% of impurities
- Exceptionally pure water
Cons
- The system needs standard valves. The valves provided by the manufacturer are exclusive to the system, and if necessary, the user can replace them with standard ones, without much difficulty.
- Leaking at the connection points. This happens only if the tube is bent excessively. Only the correct angle should be maintained.
5. Home Master TMULTRA Ultra Reverse Osmosis System
This is another best reverse osmosis system of Home Master, most suited for well water. It removes efficiently the microorganisms too.
TMULTRA is equipped with Fast Flow RO Kit to provide double flow from the tap. The modular assembly houses the filter element, making the filter change an easy task. The Audible Alert prompts replacement of the filter. It has 6 stages of filtration. The filter life is 3000 gallons.
The product has bagged 4.8 star rating on Amazon site. 40 out of 45 reviews have given 5 star rating.
Despite the 6-stage filtration, TMULTRA delivers very good quality of water. The Fast Flow RO kit is an exclusive advantage.
Pros
- Large hoses for high flow rate
- Re-mineralization
- Best suited for well water
- Fast Flow RO Kit
- UV Filter and iron pre-filter
Cons
- The power cord is short. However, it is manageable with an extension board.
- Filters are clipped with plastic rings. It is not a problem as such. The rings facilitate easy replacement of the filters.
6. iSpring RCC7 Reverse Osmosis Water Filter System
The iSpring RCC7 is a low cost Reverse Osmosis System technology infused filtering system, offering 5 stages filtering to provide high quality, fine tasting water for domestic use. The system can be directly fixed with your water supply system in the kitchen.
It is easy to operate as the entire process is automatic and you have to simply open the drinking faucet and there you are with sprinkling clean water. The moment the water tap is opened, the water will be passing through the 5-micron sediment filter layer and filter out the sediments such as dirt, silt and rust, etc.
There are 816 reviews on Amazon site, out of 633 people has given 5 star rating for the product which comes about 78%. The star rating is a healthy sign of acceptability and shows the popularity of the model.
The iSpring RCC7 gives good value for the money by removing up to 99% of almost all the pollutants. It is free of noise. The user manual is very illustrative.
Pros
- 5-micron sediment filters
- Carbon block to remove residual color and taste
- GAC filter at the storage tank
- Noise-free operation
Cons
- Made of lightweight plastic. The weight does not interfere with the performance of the system. The iSpring RCC7 provides excellent taste and purity to the filtered water, which is the ultimate expectation from an RO system.
- 50-gpd membrane supplied instead of 75-gpd
7. iSpring RCC7AK Reverse Osmosis Water Filter System
This is easily installable and comes with an RO faucet. Unlike RCC7, iSpringRCC7AK has 6-stage filtration.
The calcium and magnesium removed while filtrations are restored. Here the final stage filtering adds a little amount of alkaline to water to improve its taste.
The reviews confirm that water through iSpring RCC7AK is clean and tasty.
This product carries only 4.5 star rating. However, 200 customers out of 270 have given full rating.
The iSpring RCC7AK system delivers tasty water with its 6-stage filtration. It can be installed easily. Many customers have expressed that after sales service is good.
Pros
- Easily installable
- Restores calcium and magnesium
- Improves taste of water with the addition of alkaline
- Has 6-stage filtration
Cons
- Has a cheap looking faucet. The faucet is only an outlet and has nothing to do with the output that is rich in quality.
- Hose pipe leaks. In rare cases, the hose pipes could have caused this problem. Eventhough, getting a replacement from the Home Depot is an easy task only.
8. Aquaphor DWM-101 Compact RO
The Aquaphor DWM-101 Compact RO water filter system is made with an Extreme Compactness component that is half the standard size of other RO water filtration tanks. It doesn’t require the usual size booster pumps of 36w or 60w because it’s equipped with an Efficient Operation at Low Pressure mechanism. It has a twist on/off replacement filters that are NSF and LGA certified to give you Easy Service and Maintenance. It provides you with high quality drinking water straight from your tap.
Pros
- The size is very compact and can fit quite well in a kitchen cabinet.
- It removes harmful substance and hardness found in your typical tap water like rust, sand, chlorine, aluminum, lead, viruses, bacteria, cysts and many more.
- It conditions the water by giving a healthy balance mix of minerals like magnesium.
- It enhances your lifestyle and is friendly to the environment.
- This water filter has a 3 year warranty.
Cons
- Instructions maybe confusing to other people.
- Some parts of the filtration system may be incomplete or broken when packaged.
- When installed incorrectly, water may be wasted more than it filters.
9. 5 Stage Home Drinking Reverse Osmosis System PLUS Extra Full Set- 4 Water Filter
The 5 Stage Home Drinking Reverse Osmosis System is a water filtration system that has real reverse osmosis technology and has supreme quality filters which remove contaminants up to 99%. The parts of its system are 100% lead-free and are solid BPA free materials to ensure anti-contamination. All the replacement parts of the system are universal and passes the industry standard to ensure security to all its consumers.
Pros
- It has the capacity to purify water up to 50 gallons a day.
- It operates noise-free, well-built and a solid construction.
- When the tank pressure reaches up to 65% from the incoming line pressure, the system automatically shuts off to a flood-free home.
- It’s easy to install and can be easily maintained.
- It doesn’t use any electricity, but instead uses the pressure from the incoming water.
Cons
- It has a waste ratio of 1:3 which is already high when it comes to filtering water.
- It can only process 99% contaminants from waters that were already filtered by other systems like the tap water.
10. Hydro-Logic 31040 200-GPD Stealth-RO200
The Hydro-Logic 31040 200-GPD Stealth-RO200 water filter system removes almost 98% of all the chlorine and other harmful contaminants in a tap water. It saves almost 25% more water compared to other reverse osmosis filtration system. It can also filter and collects up to 200 gallons of water a day. It’s equipped with a wall mountable metal bracket that would make it easier for you to install.
Pros
- It requires low ppm which is great for people who would like to save their energy and money.
- At the end of every filtration process, the water tastes great and is clearly odor-free.
- The filtration process is fast and very reliable.
- Changing filters are easy and only requires you to do it once every year.
- Very easy to assemble and the materials that are needed is complete.
Cons
- To prevent the lines from being damaged while you’re installing the filtration system, make sure to give it a thought and a good planning especially the input lines.
- When filtering water, make sure to start a timer because it’s doesn’t have an automatic shut off.
# What to select?
Every product has its own positive and negative sides. The need of the hour is to have pure water that tastes good. The above RO systems deliver pure water.
- If the customer is taste-focused, he could go in for any of the two iSpring systems.
- If durability and fast delivery of water are on focus, we can choose from one of two products from Home Master systems.
- When easy installation is the preference, the last system above could suit well.
- If the customer is looking for quality product at an affordable price, let's select one of two products from the APEC systems.
- Besides this, the system should suit the source of raw water. The decision could be taken, weighing the above situations.
# Checking Water Purity In Reverse Osmosis System
RO purified water should essentially display negligible algae growth, a reliable pH level, and low phosphate, nitrate quantities. If you feel that is not the case with your purifier, here is how you can check to make sure...
- A conductivity meter is the best tool for the job. Use it to test for impurities. In the case of regular water, the reading will show 300-500. On the other hand, purified water should be in the range of 5-25.
- While you are at it, get a Test Kit to check for alkalinity, pH, and hardness of the water. When it comes to purified water, you will see a pH of 7.0, alkalinity of 0dKH, and hardness of 0 GH.
- If your values are not in line with the above measurements, replace the RO system’s membrane and try again. If it still gives you trouble, take the system back to the manufacturer with your test results as proof of defect.
- High concentrations of particular minerals found in tap water like magnesium, iron, and calcium can reduce the lifespan of your RO system that can generally deliver 25,000 gallons of pure water for 3-5 years. A Reverse Osmosis Flush Kit will help clear the membranes and filters of these minerals and therefore increase your RO system’s lifespan.
# Conclusion
With a smart and patient approach to shopping for Best Reverse Osmosis system, you can get ideal VFM (value for money) for the products listed above. Make sure to read what the RO system is all about and how to find the best RO system in market. Do not forget to leave a review so others can learn from your experience with your preferred RO system.